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CompTIA A+ 220-1101 > Chapter 2 - Hardware Components > Flashcards

Chapter 2 - Hardware Components Flashcards

(74 cards)

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1
Q

What hardware component provides connectivity for integrated and add-on components?

A

The motherboard

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2
Q

The main circuit board in a PC is called…

A

The motherboard

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3
Q

The primary connection method for devices on the motherboard is called…

A

A bus

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4
Q

The backside bus is also known as…

A

The cache

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5
Q

What is the purpose of a chipset?

A

It provides functions for the computer including memory control, system bus functions, audio functions, etc.

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6
Q

What are the two most important parts of a chipset?

A

The Northbridge and Southbridge chips

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7
Q

Which chipset chip connects directly to the CPU?

A

Northbridge

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8
Q

Which chipset chip is responsible for the tasks that require the highest levels of performance?

A

Northbridge

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9
Q

Which chipset chip is used to interact with I/O devices?

A

Southbridge

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10
Q

What refers to the size and shape of a motherboard and describes the power supply that it can use?

A

Form factor

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11
Q

What is the set of software instructions (firmware) stored on a chip on the motherboard that enables basic computer functions?

A

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)

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12
Q

What is the area that stores the BIOS configuration information?

A

CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)

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13
Q

What is the standard firmware interface that was designed to replace BIOS?

A

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)

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14
Q

What are 5 advantages to using UEFI over BIOS?

A
  1. Increased security
  2. Faster startup
  3. Support for drives larger than 2.2 TB
  4. Support for 64-bit firmware device driver
  5. Backward compatibility
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15
Q

What is POST?

A

Power On Self Test - built in system diagnostic test performed during the boot process

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16
Q

What is a Trusted Platform Module (TPM)?

A

A security chip on the motherboard used for full volume encryption. It prevents tampering with hardware components

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17
Q

What are the 2 different types of BIOS passwords?

A
  1. Supervisor password
  2. Boot password
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18
Q

What component stores firmware?

A

BIOS

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19
Q

What component stores software?

A

RAM

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20
Q

What kind of connectors are used to provide power to modern motherboards?

A
  1. p1 20- or 24- pin connector
  2. 4/8 pin 12v (for supplemental power)
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21
Q

What is the PCIe 6/8 pin connector used for?

A

Connecting higher-end video cards with increased power requirements to the motherboard

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22
Q

What is the primary type of storage on a computer?

A

Memory

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23
Q

What are the 2 types of memory?

A

RAM (random access memory) and ROM (read-only memory)

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24
Q

What are the actual storage locations on a memory chip called?

A

cells

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25
How much data can a single memory chip CELL hold?
1 bit
26
What is RAM?
Random Access Memory: main system memory for running applications. This memory is volatile.
27
What is ROM?
Read Only Memory: chips on the motherboard and devices that store instructions permanently
28
What does DDR stand for in DDR RAM?
Double Date Rate (DDR2, DDR3, etc doubles the rate further)
29
What is Parity?
a scheme that enables the detection of memory errors using either even or odd parity schemes.
30
What is an ECC?
Error Correcting Code: permits the computer to not only detect errors in memory, but to correct them as well
31
What are the different RAM configurations?
Single & double sided, single channel, dual channel, triple channel, quad channel
32
What are the 4 different types of RAM?
DRAM, SRAM, CMOS RAM, VRAM
33
What characteristics vary when it comes to hard drives?
Access time, storage capacity, physical type of media being used
34
What are the 3 different types of drives?
magnetic, optical, solid state/flash drives
35
What does a storage interface do?
It represents the communication standard that defines how data flows to and from the disk drive
36
What is a storage controller?
An adaptor board that plugs into the PC's expansion slot or that is built into the motherboard
37
What are the 2 form factors for drives?
2.5 and 3.5
38
What are the 4 drive speeds in RPMs?
5400, 7200, 10000, 15000
39
How many SATA standards are there?
3
40
Describe the SATA 1 standard
Original specification with 150 Mbps transfer rate
41
Describe the SATA 2 standard
2nd generation SATA with a transfer rate of 300 Mbps
42
Describe the SATA 3 standard
3rd generation SATA with a transfer rate of 600 Mbps
43
What does SATA stand for?
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
44
What is eSATA?
External SATA
45
What is the benefit of eSATA vs PATA or SATA?
It's more efficient due to using a different method for connecting external drives. It is able to achieve the full speeds of SATA 3
46
What is the maximum cable length for an eSATA drive?
2 meters
47
How many pins does an eSATA drive have?
7
48
How do you add an eSATA connector to a computer that does already have one?
By installing an expansion card
49
What is the platter on a Fixed Disk Drive?
metal or plastic disk coated with magnetic material
50
What is the spindle on a Fixed Disk Drive?
the axis or central hub that the platters spin around
51
What are the read/write heads on a Fixed Disk Drive?
magnetic devices that both read and write data on the platters and are attached to arms
52
What is the voice coil actuator on a Fixed Disk Drive?
mechanism that moves the heads very precisely into position over tracks written on the platters
53
What is a hard drive track?
concentric circles written on the platter
54
Each track on a hard drive is divided into what?
sectors
55
What refers to the logical collection of all tracks at a given distance from the axis on a hard drive?
clyinder
56
What is a logical grouping of sectors on a hard drive called?
cluster
57
How many bytes can a hard drive sector hold?
512 bytes
58
How many sectors are in 1 cluster? (range)
4 - 64
59
What drive types typically support a hot-swappable configuration?
USB, FireWire, and SATA
60
How is a SSD different from a HDD?
They use memory instead of mechanical moving parts
61
What are the advantages of using a SSD?
1. They use nonvolatile memory chips that contain no moving parts 2. faster startup and access 3. noiseless 4. high reliability
62
How are SSDs different from other flash media?
They are meant to be a permanent replacement for internal storage devices
63
What different techniques are used to retain data in a SSD?
non-volatile flash, volatile RAM,
64
What is the most popular choice for removable storage?
Flash storage
65
What are the main benefits of using flash storage?
high storage capacity, hot swapping, small in physical size
66
What devices are flash storage commonly used in?
phones and digital cameras
67
Optical drives use what instead of magnetism for changing the characteristics of the storage medium?
a laser
68
3 types of optical drives?
CD, DVD, Blu-ray
69
What does DVD stand for?
digital video disc
70
How do DVDs differ from CDs? (3 things)
They're thinner and more dense, they require a different type of laser, and they are read at a higher rate
71
What are the 2 main differences between blu-ray and DVDs?
Blu-ray uses a shorter wavelength laser and has a much higher storage capacity (almost 6X)
72
What are the 3 types of blu-ray discs?
BD-R (writable once), BD-RE (rewritable), and BD-J (additional features such as network access and PIP (picture-in-picture)
73
What is RAID?
Redundant Array of Independent Disks - technologies that provide high availability for storage devices and data
74
How is RAID implemented?
Through hardware - using a dedicated controller built into the motherboard or via and add-in controller. Through software - using OS resources

CompTIA A+ 220-1101 (3 decks)

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