Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Flashcards

Question

You clear a paper jam from the tray in a laser printer. However, the printer still indicates a jam. What step should you perform next? A)Run the diagnostic software. B)Physically open and close the top assembly. C)Look for another jam in the paper tray. D)Look for another jam in the pressure roller area.

Answer 1

B)Physically open and close the top assembly. Opening and closing the printer cover will cause the printer to reset itself and should clear the "printer jammed" message. There is usually a sensor or switch located in the cover to clear the printer error. The same effect can be produced by turning the power to the printer off and back on again. A laser printer has sensors to determine which paper trays are installed, what size paper is in them, and whether the tray is empty. It also uses sensors to track the movement of the paper through each stage of printing, allowing the formatter board to know where the page is always and to sequence the activities of the solenoids and clutches properly.

Answer 2

A)CPU When you boot a computer with an AMI BIOS and hear seven short beeps, it is an indication that something is wrong with the CPU. Most likely, the CPU was not properly seated during the upgrade. Seven beeps do not indicate problems with the video card, memory, or keyboard. Problems with the video card result in eight short beeps with an AMI BIOS. Problems with memory result in two, three, four, or five short beeps with an AMI BIOS. Problems with the keyboard result in six short beeps with an AMI BIOS. When a system boots, the power-on self-test (POST) will check the devices for functionality. If a device fails during the POST, a series of beep codes will sound to indicate the problem. BIOS beep codes can usually be traced to four sources: memory, video, keyboard, or CPU. If you are unfamiliar with the particular beep code, you should consult the computer's maintenance manual or the website of the BIOS manufacturer. The codes that are used vary based on the manufacturer of the BIOS. If the computer displays a blank screen at startup, and you hear the system fan but no POST beep sound, you may have a failed motherboard. If you hear beep codes, record the code that is heard and research that code to find the problem device. This problem could also mean that the power supply was not properly plugged into the motherboard.

Answer 3

D. Your supervisor probably prefers that you are not on Twitch but has little actual impact on the site's performance. The Wi-Fi connection would be sufficient. The company likely has a policy against watching streaming applications or against particular websites like Twitch. However, the data retention policy is not relevant. Instead, the firewall is the reason behind the streaming being denied.

Answer 4

B. Laptop processors generally are permanently attached to the motherboard. And motherboards are normally proprietary, meaning one from a certain model will not fit into a different case. Therefore, the best course of action is likely a laptop upgrade.

Answer 5

B. You need to stop the device first (this is good policy even for USB devices) using the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the system tray (it looks like a card and may have a green arrow or green check mark over it, depending on your version of Windows). Highlight the device and click Stop. Once it's stopped, you can unplug it.

Answer 6

D. Many laptops use shared video memory, meaning that system RAM is divided up for use between the processor and the video card. On these types of systems, the amount of RAM available for video is configured in the BIOS/UEFI.

Answer 7

D. Because of the much smaller space available for keys, some laptop keys are consolidated into special multifunction keys. These keys are accessed through the standard keys by using a special function (Fn) key. Nearly every laptop has a video connector on the back or the side to plug in an external display or a projector. You will need to use the video toggle key to get this external port to work. Usually there are three or four states: laptop only, external output only, duplicate, or extend the desktop (some models won't extend the desktop).

Answer 8

B, C. To combat heat, you can either slow the processor down (run it at a lower speed) or give it less juice (run it at a lower voltage). Most of the time, this is configured in the system BIOS/UEFI. For example, many Intel processors have SpeedStep technology to slow the processor down to produce less heat, and they may also have adaptive thermal management.

Answer 9

C. If the integrated video card fails, you're looking at a motherboard replacement. Some laptops do have a replaceable video card. If it fails or if you choose to upgrade it, the procedure will probably resemble replacing system memory.

Answer 10

D. If you are having problems with flickering screens or dimness, it's more likely that the inverter is the problem and not the backlight itself.

Answer 11

C. Thicker paper can cause paper jams, especially in printers with curved paper paths. Paper that is too thin may not get picked up by the printer rollers at all.

Answer 12

B. Most digital displays have a native resolution, which is a single, fixed resolution that they support. Attempting to change the resolution may result in distorted images, or the image may not display at all.

Answer 13

A. Refresh rate defines the vertical scan frequency of a display and determines how many times, in one second, an image can be redrawn on the screen. Many LCD displays have a fixed refresh rate. If the refresh rate is set faster than the video card or software can run, then problems such as a black screen every few seconds may result. The solution is to lower the refresh rate or invest in new hardware.

Answer 14

B. Often when tearing happens, a video game is sending frames to the display faster than the display can render them. Setting the refresh rate of the display higher, if it supports this, may solve the problem.

Answer 15

D. The power-on self-test (POST) is a series of system checks performed by the system BIOS when the computer is turned on. Checking the system memory is part of the POST routine.

Answer 16

D. Flashing the BIOS is the recommended way to upgrade a BIOS. It involves downloading the new BIOS and flashing software from the manufacturer and installing it on the computer. The worst-case scenario is replacing the motherboard (or in this case, the RAM, since that is what you upgraded).

Answer 17

D. If the projector worked fine in a different room, then it's something about the new conference room. If the room is brighter, you'll need to turn up the brightness of the projector or turn off lights and close shades. If these don't solve the issue, then you might need a new projector. Lumens is the measure of brightness for a projector. For a well-lit business setting, you probably want a projector rated at 5,000–6,000 lumens.

Answer 18

C. Likely the friend forgot to connect the internal USB connector on the motherboard to the USB ports of the case.

Answer 19

B. The spinning pinwheel, also known as the “Spinning Wheel of Death,” can happen for several reasons. Sometimes it's a frozen app, but in this case, it's happening when different apps are running, so hardware would be suspect. Of the hardware listed, the RAM is the most likely problem. A faulty hard drive could also cause the problem.

Answer 20

B. It's rare that a computer will catch on fire, but sometimes wires are frayed and excessive dust can cause short circuits to happen. Burning electronics have an unmistakable odor. If you ever smell electronics burning, even if you don't see smoke or flame, immediately unplug the device.

Answer 21

B, D. Unexpected shutdowns are difficult to troubleshoot, as are all intermittent issues. The first thing to check is to ensure that all socketed chips are seated properly; in fact, reseating them is a good option. If that does not resolve the issue, test the RAM or replace it if possible.

Answer 22

C. Most likely, the processor is overheating. Check that the thermal paste/tape between the processor and heat sink have not dried out. If they were fine, then consider adding better or additional fans in the case. This would also be a good time to clean any dust out of the case.

Answer 23

A. Sometimes it's as simple as rebooting the system and the problem will resolve. If it doesn't, then the solution depends on any error messages received and what you find in the troubleshooting process.

Answer 24

D. Every computer has a diagnostic program built into its basic input/output system (BIOS) called the power-on self-test (POST). When you turn on the computer, it executes this set of diagnostics. If the computer doesn't perform the POST as it should, one way to determine the source of a problem is to listen for a beep code. This is a series of beeps from the computer's speaker. A successful POST generally produces a single beep.

Answer 25

D. Failure to boot at all likely means the drive is dead. But first, do your due diligence and reseat the connections and make sure the BIOS recognizes the drive before replacing it. BIOS/UEFI should autodetect the hard drive. If that autodetection fails, it's bad news for the hard drive unless there's a cable, connection, or jumper issue. If the internal hard drive is indeed dead, you might be able to get by temporarily by plugging in an external drive.

Answer 26

B. The system BIOS/UEFI contains the boot sequence for a system. Most systems probably boot to the first hard drive, but they can also be configured to boot from a secondary hard drive, the optical drive, or the network. This setting is configured in the BIOS/UEFI.

Answer 27

D. If a laptop does not display any video, it could be the screen or the integrated video. To test it, plug in an external display (that you know works) and use the function keys on the laptop to switch to external video output. If that doesn't work, it's likely that the video card is defective.

Answer 28

A. Try cleaning the fan before replacing any parts. The power supply fan has a protective grid covering it, and you won't really be able to get to it with a computer vacuum or a damp cloth. Using compressed air to blow it out is your best option. Be sure to insert something nonconductive, like a plastic knife, between the blades of the fan to keep the fan from spinning and protect the fan's motor. You will, of course, do this with the computer off.

Answer 29

C. If the battery won't charge while the laptop is plugged in, try removing the battery and reinserting it. If it still won't charge, you might want to replace the battery.

Answer 30

B, C. When repairing laptops, you should always document and label screw and cable locations, organize parts, refer to manufacturer instructions, and use appropriate hand tools. Power screwdrivers can be used. In some cases, but not all, you might need to remove the keyboard to remove the motherboard. Refer to the manufacturer's instructions.

Answer 31

D. This computer is giving you a beep code during the POST routine. One way to troubleshoot this is to use a POST card. This is a circuit board that fits into an expansion slot (PCI or PCIe) in the motherboard or connects via a USB port, and reports numeric codes as the boot process progresses. Each of those codes corresponds to a particular component being checked. If the POST card stops at a certain number, you can look up that number in the manual for the card to determine the problem.

Answer 32

A. This computer hasn't reached the video part of POST yet, so the only way it has to communicate error codes with the user is through a series of beeps. The pattern of beeps has a specific meaning. Often continuous short beeps is a RAM problem, while one short beep and three long is video, but you would need to consult the motherboard manual to be sure. A power supply tester and multimeter would be used to troubleshoot problems with power, and a loopback plug is used to troubleshoot problems with the network card.

Answer 33

A. When files are written to a hard drive, they're not always written contiguously (with all of the data in a single location). As a result, file data is spread out over the disk, and the time it takes to retrieve files from the disk increases. Defragmenting a disk involves analyzing the disk and then consolidating fragmented files and folders so that they occupy a contiguous space, thus increasing performance during file retrieval.

Answer 34

A. A rhythmic clicking sound can be made only by components with mechanical parts, such as a conventional hard disk drive (HDD). A power supply fan failure will usually result in a whining sound or no sound at all because the fan doesn't work, but it will not cause a system boot failure. Solid state drives (SSDs) and random access memory (RAM) don't make any sound when they fail.

Answer 35

D. Vertical white lines running down the page are likely due to toner that is clogged and not able to transfer properly to the drum. This is a common problem when the ambient air's humidity is too high. First remove and try gently shaking the toner cartridge to loosen the toner. If that doesn't work, you may have to replace the toner cartridge with a new one.

Answer 36

A, C, D. Printer jams and creased paper happen when something prevents the paper from advancing through the printer evenly. There are several reasons this could be happening. If the rollers that pull the paper along are damaged, they won't pick paper up properly. If the paper is too humid it can crease, jam, or tear easily. Paper that is too thick or debris in the paper path can cause paper to crease or jam.

Answer 37

C. This is most likely a problem with the power supply. Test it with a power supply tester or a multimeter. Even though the fan is spinning, the power supply might still not be providing the correct power to run the computer. Not having any indicator lights would indicate a problem with the power supply. If it were RAM, CPU, or HDD, there would at least be some lights (like the power light) on.

Answer 38

A. If you hear a grinding noise, consider yourself fortunate to have a warning that your hard drive is failing. If you don't have a good backup and a way to reinstall the operating system, you'll want to take care of that immediately then invest in a new hard drive. Solid state drives (SSDs) and RAM don't make any noise when they fail. A failing processor fan would result in an overheating CPU, which would shut the system down.

Answer 39

B. Whenever you've just replaced something and an error pops up, it's a fairly safe assumption that it had something to do with what you just replaced. A toner cartridge that isn't seated properly can cause an error message. Reseat it and the error might go away.

Answer 40

B. If your printer fails to pick up paper, it could indicate that the pickup rollers are too worn. They press up against small rubber or cork patches known as separation pads. These help to keep the rest of the paper in the tray so that only one sheet gets picked up at a time. A pickup stepper motor turns the pickup rollers.

Answer 41

C. Most likely, the ink ribbon has reached its maximum number of prints or has dried out. Since the bottom copies are printing fine, the printhead is working. Replace the worn-out ribbon and it should work fine again.

Answer 42

C. The users are connecting; it's just slower than it should be. This is likely due to too many people accessing the WAP at once. The more devices there are connected, the more likely that their signals will interfere with each other, even if the WAP hasn't reached the theoretical maximum that the manufacturer says it should support. To solve this problem, install a second WAP.

Answer 43

A. The most common reason that users on wireless networks experience intermittent connectivity issues is distance. The farther away from the WAP the user gets, the weaker the signal becomes. When the signal weakens, the transfer rates drop dramatically. Ways to fix a low RF signal range from using a more powerful transmitter, using a larger antenna, focusing the signal toward where it is needed, or moving the users closer.

Answer 44

C. Unless you replace all the network connectivity devices with faster 10 Gbps devices, the network will run at the slower speed. The customer needs to replace the switch with a 10 Gbps switch.

Answer 45

A, D. Try reseating the printer's data and power cable. The printer may need to be reset, which can sometimes be done by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plugging the power back in. If the print jobs are still garbled, replace the printer driver.

Answer 46

B. An overheating, swelling battery has the potential to explode and should be handled carefully. If the phone is plugged in, immediately unplug it. Turn the phone off and discontinue using it. While you might be able to replace the battery, for most phones you'll need to replace the device.

Answer 47

C. Most laptops have a power jack that is soldered onto the motherboard. They have been known to be knocked loose with rough handling or when a laptop is dropped or bumped while the power cord is plugged in. If the power jack isn't damaged, you may be able to rectify the problem by simply soldering the power jack back into place. If the power jack is damaged, then you'll need to find a replacement jack.

Answer 48

B. When a charger wiggles in the port, it's usually a sign that the port has been damaged by pressure against the cord plugged in, causing the port to bend out of shape. You would, of course, check the port and the cable first, but most likely you'll need to replace the port. Soldering it back into place won't help.

Answer 49

A. Phones that are stuffed in back pockets or purses often end up with lint and other debris in the charging port. Using canned air to remove debris from ports isn't recommended. Try holding the phone with the port facing downward and gently tap the phone to remove the debris. Don't blow into the port as this can introduce moisture into the phone. You may be able to remove the debris with a small sewing needle, but this could also damage the port if you're not careful. If debris isn't the problem, you'll need to try some other solutions, such as a different block and cord or replacing the battery or the port. You would never spray cleaning solution or any liquid into the phone. If the phone is compatible with wireless charging, you could try charging the battery wirelessly to determine if the battery is the problem.

Answer 50

C. Corrosion can limit or totally prevent a phone's charger port and cable from making a connection, but you don't necessarily need to replace the port or the phone. Tread carefully when cleaning corrosion. Isopropyl alcohol is used to clean because it will dry very quickly. Ensure that the phone is powered off and remove the battery if it is one that is intended to be removed. Use as little liquid as possible on a lint-free cleaning swab, and be gentle. Never use a toothbrush to clean the phone's power port.

Answer 51

A. The fusing assembly heats up the toner, and the toner melts into the paper. If the fuser isn't heating properly, images can smudge.

Answer 52

B, D. Installing another wireless access point closer to where the users are will extend the overall range of the wireless network and give them a better signal. A wireless range extender might also do the trick. You wouldn't install wired connections for the users because not all visitors will have an RJ45 connection on their device or carry a cable with them. Buying a faster WAP won't help if the network doesn't support it, and it doesn't solve the issue of the signal being weak in the lobby.

Answer 53

A, D. If the network card doesn't have any lights, it doesn't have a connection. It could be that the cable is bad or that it's not plugged in on the other side, or it could also be a problem with the NIC or the connectivity device on the other side. If nobody else in the same area is having the same problem, that points to an issue with this computer or cable.

Answer 54

D. If you need to trace a wire in a wall from one location to another, a tone generator and probe (or toner probe) is the tool for you. It consists of two pieces: a tone generator and a probe. Because it's so good at tracking, you will sometimes hear this referred to as a “fox and hound.”

Answer 55

A. For network-enabled laser printers, no connectivity can be a sign of improperly configured IP settings such as the IP address. While each printer is somewhat different, you can manually configure most laser printers' IP settings through the LCD control panel.

Answer 56

D. On a wired network, if you run into slow speeds or intermittent connectivity, it's likely a load issue. There's too much traffic for the network to handle, and the network is bogging down. Solutions include adding a switch, replacing your hubs with switches, and even creating virtual LANs (VLANs) with switches. If you want to upgrade the cabling or connectivity infrastructure to combat a speed issue, you should do all of it and not just cables or a router.

Answer 57

A. This is known as port flapping, also known as link flapping. It can be caused by a faulty or nonstandard network cable, non–Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) devices, or small form-factor pluggable (SFP) devices that are not working or synchronizing properly.

Answer 58

C. You would need to disable EEE on the switch. The port is flapping because the device connected to it is not EEE compliant. Link flap prevention settings would disable the port when port flapping is detected and require the network administrator to enable the port each time it is disabled. Eventually you may want to replace the offending device, but until that is done, disabling EEE on the switch is the best option.

Answer 59

B. Without knowing the printer's problem, it would be most helpful if the user can tell you the error code seen on the printer's display. The error code might signify a paper jam or no connectivity, but knowing the error code will save the guesswork and possibly avoid creating more problems.

Answer 60

B. You can immediately rule out client-side hardware issues because the user can connect to some resources. You need to figure out why they can't connect to others. This is most likely caused by one of two things: a configuration issue or a connectivity device (such as a router) problem. Since it's affecting multiple people, it's probably something to do with the router (default gateway).

Answer 61

A, C, D. The answer will depend on the specific printer, but common causes are that the stapler is empty, a different driver is needed, or the staple unit isn't enabled on the printer. It's usually physically impossible to put the staples in backward.

Answer 62

B, C, D. Depending on the copier/printer, you may still be able to print to it even though the stapler is jammed. Trying to staple too many pages or unsupported paper can certainly cause staple jams, as well as installing the wrong staples. Since the procedure varies by company, you'll want to consult the manufacturer's documentation for removing jammed staples.

Answer 63

C. The phone has overheated due to the car's heater blowing hot air on it and it is in an area that is not ventilated. It needs to cool down before you try to use it again. The phone wouldn't be too cold because you had the heat on. It's probably not necessary to buy a new phone. Most modern phones will shut down before damage occurs, and most modern phones don't have batteries that are intended to be removed.

Answer 64

D. If overheating is persistent, you don't have many options. The problem is most likely the battery and in modern mobile phones, the battery is not designed to be field replaceable. In this case, the only option may be to replace the device.

Answer 65

B. Dead pixels are spots on the screen that never light up. You can check for these by setting the background to white and seeing whether any spots don't light up. If the display is under warranty, you may want to return it, but otherwise there isn't much you can do to fix a dead pixel.

Answer 66

B. Oversized images and icons are related to screen resolution; it usually means that your resolution is set too low for the display or projector you are using. Set the resolution to the native setting (or higher than it was) and the problem should disappear.

Answer 67

A. Nearly every hard drive is built with Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) software installed on it, which monitors hard drive reliability and theoretically can warn you in the event of an imminent failure.

Answer 68

B. Before you do anything else, you need to back up the system's drive. S.M.A.R.T. (Self-monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) errors indicate that a hard drive failure will happen. Drive failure may be averted if the error is because of excessive heat and there is a way to correct it; otherwise, expect the drive to fail sooner rather than later. The best course of action is to ensure that the system is backed up regularly until a new drive can be installed.

Answer 69

C. Almost every circuit board will have a capacitor or a few on it. Capacitors store electricity between two dielectric plates and discharge that energy as needed. When they fail, they can swell or burst and electrolyte will seep out of the top vent. If you see a swollen or weeping capacitor on a motherboard, the best option is to replace the motherboard immediately.

Answer 70

D. CompTIA's best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps: Identify the problem. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious). Test the theory to determine the cause. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventive measures. Document the findings, actions, and outcomes.

Answer 71

A. A common issue with the BIOS/UEFI is when it fails to retain your computer's settings, such as time and date and hard drive configuration. The BIOS/UEFI uses a small battery (much like a watch battery) on the motherboard to help it retain settings when the system power is off. If this battery fails, the BIOS/UEFI won't retain its settings. Simply replace the battery to solve the problem.

Answer 72

B. If Set Automatically is turned off, the date and time will be based on what the user set it at initially, which may or may not be correct.

Answer 73

A. If you're using RAID 5 (disk striping with parity), a single drive failure usually means that your data will be fine, provided you replace the failed drive. If you lose multiple drives at the same time, you will need to restore from backup. Incidentally, the minimum number of disks for a RAID 5 array is only three, but the additional disk to stripe across will increase speed.

Answer 74

C. Of the possible issues, the least likely is the contrast setting. Having an incorrect contrast may make the image difficult to see, but it shouldn't make it blurry. Adjusting the focus and cleaning the lens are easy fixes. The most likely, if they're using their own laptop, is that the resolution is too high for the projector. In that case, change the PCs resolution to match the native resolution of the projector if possible. Depending on the projector, you may need to adjust the sharpness setting or turn on automatic keystone adjustment. The position of the projector shouldn't matter if it's in a room where it's mounted to the ceiling and doesn't get moved; otherwise, having it too far away could also be a problem.

Answer 75

C. With artifacts, no matter what you have on your screen, you can still see the outlines of a different image. That image has been “burned” into the display (sometimes simply referred to as burn-in) and isn't going away. The only solution is to replace the display. Burn-in is also called image persistence or ghosting.

Answer 76

D. When users are typing, their palm might rest on the touchpad, causing erratic pointer behavior. This is referred to as a ghost cursor because it seems like the cursor just randomly jumps all over the screen. The touchpad can be turned off through Control Panel. Depending on the OS, you disable the touchpad under Settings. You may also be able to adjust the sensitivity of the touchpad. On a laptop, there may be a function button to turn the touchpad on and off easily.

Answer 77

A, C. A corrupted driver can make any device behave in a nonstandard way. Check the driver name in Device Manager, then locate and rename the driver file with a different extension such as .old. Again in Device Manager, remove the old driver and install a new one. The driver file being renamed keeps Windows from reusing it, and leaving it there means you'll still have the file to revert to if you must. There could also be a problem with connectivity with the mouse port. Try using a different port to see if the problem disappears.

Answer 78

C. Most smartphones use capacitive touchscreens. Calibrating the screen is not an option. You can check to see if something is pressing on the phone where it shouldn't be, but otherwise fixing this problem is likely going to require replacing the digitizer.

Answer 79

C. Step 4 of the best practice methodology, which is establish a plan of action, includes Refer to the vendor's instructions. CompTIA's best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps: Identify the problem. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious). Test the theory to determine the cause. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventive measures.

Answer 80

B. If the touchscreen on a Microsoft Surface Pro is not working properly, search for calibrate and select Calibrate the screen for pen or touch, then follow the onscreen instructions.

Answer 81

D. While modern smartphones are water resistant, none of them to date are waterproof. The water-resistant feature fades over time and doesn't protect the phone against water under pressure (like a shower) or extreme temperatures. If your phone gets wet, immediately turn it off. Tap it gently with the power port facing down to remove excess water and leave it off in a well-ventilated area to allow it to dry out for several hours. A fan gently blowing cool air into the power connector may help. Wipe any visible water off the phone with a clean, soft cloth, but don't stick anything into the phone's ports. Water, especially salt water, is conductive and can cause a short in the phone that could damage or destroy it or cause the battery to swell or explode.

Answer 82

A, D. Water and electronics don't mix. A darkened screen, inability to charge, and distorted pictures and sound are all symptoms of water damage. Water inside a phone can cause a short circuit and damage the phone or the battery. Some problems might not show up until much later, when components have had time to corrode and lose their connectivity. Most phones will have some type of visible indicator, like a red line, to show when the phone has been exposed to excessive moisture.

Answer 83

C. CompTIA's best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps: Identify the problem. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious). Test the theory to determine the cause. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventive measures. Document the findings, actions, and outcomes.

Answer 84

A, B, C. Exactly what to do will depend on the printer and software being used, but most likely it's a default setting somewhere either on the printer or in the software. It could also be caused by the paper guide being inadvertently moved when paper was placed in the tray. Changing the orientation of the paper won't fix this problem as a paper mismatch or wrong paper size error means exactly that. There is a disconnect between the paper they're telling the software to print on and the paper size that the printer believes is in the tray.

Answer 85

B, C. What the users are experiencing is called jitter. There can be many causes for jitter, but setting up a VLAN for the phones to segment traffic may help as well as configuring Quality of Service (QoS) to prioritize the phone traffic. WoL is Wake-on-LAN, a feature to remotely turn on a computer. Most VoIP phones don't have user-upgradable RAM.

Answer 86

A, B. Always look for the simple things first. Is the printer turned on? Does it have the right paper in the selected tray? Restarting the print server service will delete all the jobs in the queue, which would result in some very upset accountants. So would deleting and reinstalling the printer in the OS. If one particular job is causing problems, you may be able to stop that print job and print the others, then try to resolve the problem with that one print job.

Answer 87

D. An audible pop sound and darkness is most likely the projector bulb burning out. It's time to replace the bulb. Most projectors will have an indicator light or will display a message telling you that the bulb is near its end-of-life, so hopefully you will have already purchased one and have it on hand. Projectors should not be unplugged without allowing the fan to cool the lamp down. Resetting the lamp timer would be done when the bulb is replaced so that it can keep track of remaining bulb life for you.

Answer 88

A. CompTIA's best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps: Identify the problem. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious). Test the theory to determine the cause. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventive measures. Document the findings, actions, and outcomes.

Answer 89

B. Before implementing any changes to computer systems or infrastructure, it's important to consider the corporate policies and procedures as well as what impact your plan of action will have in totality, not just on the system in question.

Answer 90

D. Hard drives, NAS, RAID arrays, NICs, and other devices, even motherboards, use LED codes to let you know what's going on with them. Knowing the LED codes for your particular system is important. In the device used for this question (a Seagate NAS array), alternating red and white means the RAID is synchronizing or software is updating. Blinking white happens when the drive is starting up, shutting down, or has activity. When the LED is solid white, the system is ready, but even an experienced tech wouldn't know that without checking the documentation or familiarity with the specific product.

Answer 91

D. While this error can be caused by a faulty hard drive, it's more likely that someone left a USB drive in the computer and it's set to boot to USB before the hard drive. It's unlikely that the OS was deleted unless there was an electrical event or someone sneaking in and deleting it. If the POST detected a problem with the system, you would not have gotten this far. To remedy the situation, enter the BIOS/UEFI and change the boot order so that USB ports are not included, or at the very least, so that it looks for the hard drive first.

Answer 92

B, C. Hole punch and staple are considered finishing options on printers. Both of these can occasionally cause print jobs to stall. Incorrect paper size can also cause printers to stall but is not a finishing option. Paper orientation will usually cause undesirable effects on the output and might stall a print job, but again this is not a finishing option.

Answer 93

C. Packet loss occurs when a chunk of data doesn't make it to its destination, and words cutting out is a symptom of it. Increasing bandwidth, setting up a VLAN for the phones, or updating hardware may fix it. Jitter manifests as garbled or stuttered speech. High bandwidth and low latency are always desirable features.

Answer 94

B, D. If hole punching isn't enabled, the printer/copier won't hole-punch the documents. User error could also be a problem. Ensure that users are trained on selecting finishing options. If the hole punch waste tray is full but everything else is in order, most printers will pause the print job until the tray is emptied. A document in the automatic document feeder (ADF) should have no effect on the current print job. If it were left on the scanning tray it might, depending on the printer.

Answer 95

D. Typically a fan should run a while to cool the bulb down when you've finished using a projector. A single loud pop sound, dim or flickering image, and muddy colors are all symptoms of a projector lamp that is burned out or on its way to burning out.

Answer 96

B. Most RAID arrays will have indicator lights to tell you the status of the drive. These may vary by manufacturer, but anything other than a green light is usually a cause for concern. Other statuses that the lights may tell you are when the drive is rebuilding, a rebuild is aborted, or the drive is predicted to fail.

Answer 97

A. Putting USB locks on all the USB ports would certainly prevent the PC from booting to them, but it would also prohibit you from using those ports when you need them. If the OS was installed on a bootable USB, you could likely boot from it, but that's not what you want either. You want it to boot to the hard drive. Whether it's Windows or Linux isn't the issue either. You need to change the BIOS/UEFI boot order settings or disable booting to USB.

Answer 98

B. Since inquire regarding environmental changes is part of step 1 of the best practice methodology, the next step is step 2, establish a theory of probable cause. CompTIA's best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps: Identify the problem. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious). Test the theory to determine the cause. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventive measures. Document the findings, actions, and outcomes.

Answer 99

C. You can't format or install an OS on the hard drive until the system can see that it's there. Occasionally you will find a drive that is DOA (Dead on Arrival), but it's more likely that you forgot to plug in either the data cable or the power cable for the drive. You would certainly check those before installing a different drive.

Answer 100

A. While the CPU may be the component that generated the error, the most common cause of this particular error is RAM. This is considered a fatal error in your operating system, producing the infamous blue screen of death (BSOD) in Windows or the rotating/spinning pinwheel in macOS.

Answer 101

C. If the CPU is overheating, it may be that the heat sink is not functioning properly or is not connected properly to the CPU. After the system cools down, try using new thermal paste and reseating the heat sink. Overclocking will only make the processor run hotter. If reseating the heat sink does not work, you might need to replace the processor or install a better cooler.

Answer 102

D. As batteries get older, they are not able to hold as much of a charge, and in some cases, they are not able to hold a charge at all. It might be time for a new tablet.

Answer 103

C. Check the easy fixes first. It might seem silly, but be sure that the display is plugged into a power outlet and turned on. Check to see if its power light is on.

Answer 104

B, C. Many laptop power adapters have a light on them indicating that they're plugged in. If there's no light, check to make sure that the outlet is working or switch outlets. Also, most laptops have a power-ready indicator light when plugged into a wall outlet as well. Check to see whether it's lit. If the outlet is fine, try another power adapter. They do fail on occasion.

Answer 105

B. Sometimes you will tap on an app and nothing happens. Most likely, this means that something has corrupted the app, but it could possibly be a memory issue. Try powering the device off and back on again and then try the app once more. If that doesn't resolve the problem, simply uninstall and reinstall the app.

Answer 106

A. Most macOS machines will make a chime sound on a successful bootup, so we're relatively certain the problem is not the motherboard itself. Before going that route, try another display or try this display on another computer. That will narrow it down quickly. Remember, if it's not the display, it's probably the video card.

Answer 107

B. If you try to power on the system but get no lights or fan, first check the obvious things. Is it plugged in? Does the cord work? If those all check out, then it's probably the power supply unit (PSU).

Answer 108

B. A display can present incorrect colors if the pins on the connector are damaged or if the connector isn't plugged all the way in.

Answer 109

A. One beep every five seconds indicates that the Mac isn't detecting any RAM. Sometimes RAM will creep out of place because of heating and cooling of the metal contacts. This might also happen if you just installed new RAM. If it's updating firmware, the Mac will beep three long, three short, and three long beeps. After a time, the Mac should start up normally. If it produces three beeps, a five-second pause, and three more beeps, then the RAM didn't pass its integrity check and needs to be reinstalled or replaced.

Answer 110

B, C. Depending on the printer and the settings, either choosing a different tray or changing the printer settings may do the trick. The printer may be overriding the software settings. Most printers don't have a single automatic tray that lets you turn the paper 90 degrees (it's done using multiple trays), although some manual-feed trays will.

Answer 111

A, B. Depending on your printer, there may be several reasons it's making a grinding sound, and the fixes vary by printer, but the two solutions here are fairly universal. If a cable moves along with the printhead, make sure that is it not caught on something or obstructed in some way. Check for any blockages or debris that may be preventing moving parts from moving. It those two things don't resolve the issue, refer to the manufacturer's documentation or online resources as there are many different kinds and manufacturers of 3D printers. 3D printers don't have ink ribbons, and you wouldn't replace the printhead (Nozzle Extruder Print Head) without further troubleshooting first.

Answer 112

B, D. Sometimes using off-brand ink and toner works just fine, and other times it doesn't. It may be close enough for most of us but not for an artist's eye. Try using ink or toner made specifically for that make and model of printer. Another quick fix is to ensure that the printer is defaulting to better quality, not faster speed. The exact steps to do that depend on the specific printer being used. Paper orientation has nothing to do with color, and you might need to reinstall a corrupted printer driver, but it's unlikely that you'll need to delete and reinstall the printer to correct a color problem.

Answer 113

B, D. Two things that can cause ghosting are a broken cleaning blade or bad erasure lamps. A broken cleaning blade causes old toner to build up on the EP drum and consequently present itself in the next printed image. If the erasure lamps are bad, then the previous electrostatic discharges aren't completely wiped away. When the EP drum rotates toward the developing roller, some toner sticks to the slightly discharged areas. A third cause can be printing many copies of a document without allowing the printer to cool off between. In that case, the toner can stick onto the fusing roller.

Answer 114

B, C. The I/O switch will not allow the PSU to power on if it is in the Off position; equally, the wrong voltage being selected may prevent the computer from starting, and if it does start, using the wrong voltage would have disastrous consequences. The other two choices are irrelevant to the problem at hand.

Answer 115

A. If the laptop works while it's plugged in but not while it's on battery power, the battery itself may be the culprit. As batteries get older, they are not able to hold as much of a charge, and in some cases, they are not able to hold a charge at all.

Answer 116

D. If you smell an odd odor or see smoke coming from a computer, shut it down immediately. Open the case and start looking for visible signs of damage. Things to look for include melted plastic components and burn marks on circuit boards. If components appear to be damaged, it's best to replace them before returning the computer to service.

Answer 117

C. Modern multifunction devices (MFDs) are practically computers on their own. As such, like computers, restarting them will sometimes clear existing problems. If that fails, you could try the other three options given, but refer to the individual printer manufacturer's troubleshooting procedures.

Answer 118

C. When a fusing assembly doesn't have a chance to cool off, toner can melt onto the overheated fusing roller, causing ghost images to appear on the printed page. The roller will need to be cleaned or replaced.

Answer 119

B. If jobs aren't printing and there's no apparent reason why, it could be that the print spooler has stalled. To fix the problem, you need to stop and restart the print spooler. This is done through your operating system. The downside is that the print jobs in the queue will be deleted and users will need to reprint them.

Answer 120

A, B. Sometimes, when you print a color document, the colors might not be the same colors that you expected based on what you saw on the screen. A few different issues could cause this problem. First, ink could be bleeding from adjacent areas of the picture, causing the color to be off. A leaking cartridge can cause this, as can using the wrong type of paper for your printer. Paper that is designed for an ink-jet printer has different characteristics than paper designed for a laser printer. You should always use the right paper for your type of printer to avoid problems like incorrect colors or ink bleeding into unintended areas. Second, it could be a dirty printhead. Try running the self-cleaning routine. If that doesn't work, consider replacing the ink cartridges.

Answer 121

C. If the pickup roller or separation pads get dirty or damaged, the result can be multiple pages picked up instead of just one at a time. To remedy the situation, either clean them or replace them. The fusing assembly has to do with melting toner on the paper, and the primary corona charges the drum. It's unlikely that a paper tray would need replacing, and you've already verified that it is properly adjusted.

Answer 122

B, C. The spots are likely being caused by dirt or debris in the printer, on the scanning tray, or in the automatic document feeder (ADF). Replacing the high-voltage power supply (HVPS) is not going to fix this problem, and you would never use compressed air to blow debris out of a printer. It may cause dust and debris to go even deeper into the device or contain an explosive material that shouldn't be used with electronics. Instead, follow the manufacturer's instructions for thoroughly cleaning all parts of the machine.

Answer 123

C. There's probably a simple explanation for this one. The device may be in silent or vibrate mode. Most mobile devices will have a switch on the side that sets them to silent or vibrate mode, and that will mute the device from making a noise when it receives a call or a message. If that doesn't resolve the problem, it might also be a good idea to check their volume settings.

Answer 124

A. Some wireless cards will have their connection and activity lights alternatively blink if there is no network connection. If the card had failed, there likely would be no lights on it at all.

Answer 125

B. The address shown is one assigned by the IPv4 Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) service. It autoconfigures your network card with an IP address if your computer is set to receive an IP address from the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server and that server doesn't respond. You can always tell an APIPA address because it will be in the format of 169.254.x.x.

Answer 126

C, D. A failing motherboard or CPU often causes continuous reboots. A hard drive failure might give an error such as “No operating system found.” If the power supply failed, the computer would not be booting at all.

Answer 127

D. If the problem affects multiple users, chances are that it's an issue with the central connectivity device. Suspect an issue with the switch that the computers are plugged into.

Answer 128

C. Given that the user recently cleaned their desk, it is likely cables were moved. The first thing to check would be the network cable. You know that they have logged in because they are working locally. If the servers were offline or the problem was caused by a reconfigured Group Policy, you would be receiving other complaints.

Answer 129

A. Opening the projector's log to review for relevant information is a good step to take. From the description, it doesn't sound like the culprit was loose cables, lighting, or overheating.

Answer 130

C. The most likely explanation is that the wireless router is overheating. If it randomly shuts down in the afternoon, being in the sun may contribute to overheating.

Answer 131

B. Part of identifying the problem is to gather information from the user, identify user changes to the computer, and perform backups before making changes. One could argue that doing external or internal research is part of identifying the problem as well, but in A+ troubleshooting methodology, that step is part of establishing a theory of probable cause. CompTIA's best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps: Identify the problem. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious). Test the theory to determine the cause. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventive measures. Document the findings, actions, and outcomes.

Answer 132

B. Wi-Fi signals can be blocked by thick walls, and concrete walls are very thick indeed. While the office might be a safe place for the billing clerk to work, the walls are blocking their Wi-Fi signal.

Answer 133

C. Although your spouse may want a better laptop, if it was working fine before and the only thing that has changed is router placement, that's most likely the problem. Large motors and microwaves, among other things, can cause electromagnetic interference (EMI), which can wreak havoc with Wi-Fi signals. To solve the problem, move the router and work area to another location.

Answer 134

A. Wi-Fi signals are radio waves and part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The metal staircase would act like an antenna, absorbing the energy of the signal. Sofas are thick and most have metal in them that will also absorb the signal. The sunny windowsill is out in the open, but sunlight can interfere with radio signals too, and too much heat might damage the router. The best option here is on the stand in the corner of the dining room, which is in the center of the home. While you have chairs and a table there, there would likely not be as much furniture to block the signal as behind the sofa. Placement would, of course, depend on the exact situation.

Answer 135

B, D. Newer iPads, like smartphones, have the display, digitizer, and glass front neatly bonded together, so if you must replace one, you must replace them all. If a backup has not been recently made and the device is still working, make one immediately. A bit of package sealing tape over the crack may keep it together until it can be repaired and keep your friend from cutting their finger again.

Answer 136

C, D. When troubleshooting an issue, a technician should never leave it unresolved. If the technician's first attempt at solving the problem failed, there are two acceptable next steps, depending on the situation and available resources. The first is to establish a new theory and test it. The second is to escalate the issue to a more experienced technician who may be able to solve it.

Answer 137

D. Part of establishing a theory of probable cause is to perform external or internal research based on symptoms. CompTIA's best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps: Identify the problem. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious). Test the theory to determine the cause. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventive measures. Document the findings, actions, and outcomes.

Answer 138

B. It's easy to accidentally bump the Airplane mode button on some smartphones. Airplane mode turns off cellular and Wi-Fi service on your device so that it won't interfere with a plane's controls during takeoff and landing. Luckily, turning off Airplane mode is equally easy.

Answer 139

B. Multiple walls and floors between you and the outside world, not to mention all the electronic equipment found inside an office building, may be interfering with your signal. Move toward an outside wall or window away from the interfering walls and equipment to see if the connection improves.

Answer 140

C. If you are using RAID 0 (disk striping), you have increased performance but no fault tolerance. RAID 0 has more points of failure than a single drive would, meaning that you're at a greater risk of failure versus using just one hard drive. One drive failure will cause the entire set to fail. To recover it, your only option is to replace the failed disk and restore from backup. You cannot rebuild the array as you could with RAID 1 or RAID 5.

Answer 141

B. According to troubleshooting methodology, backups should be made before making changes. This is part of the first step, which is identifying the problem. It does make a lot of sense to perform backups before making major changes to a system—just in case.

Answer 142

C. If print jobs are processed very slowly or if you are continually seeing “low memory” error messages, it might be a good time to upgrade the memory in the printer.

Answer 143

C. If you are using RAID 0 (disk striping), you have more points of failure than a single device, meaning that you're at a greater risk of failure versus using just one hard drive. One drive failure will cause the entire set to fail. If a single drive fails with RAID 1, RAID 5, or RAID 10, the system will not crash, and you can rebuild the failed drive from the information on the other drives. If the drives are hot-swappable, you may be able to do it without incurring any downtime at all.

Answer 144

A. If this happens, don't panic. Wait several minutes to see if it stops. Most likely the screen is flashing on and off several times because the operating system is updating. Flashing could indicate a display that is failing; however, it was working fine before you restarted it, so it's more likely to be an update.

Answer 145

CompTIA's best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps: Identify the problem. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious). Test the theory to determine the cause. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventive measures. Document the findings, actions, and outcomes.

Answer 146

A. A loose video cable may be fine while you're stationary, but wiggle enough to lose connection between the motherboard and display when the laptop is moved. Luckily, this is an easy fix. The video cable in a laptop is a very thin and delicate ribbon cable. Disassemble the laptop following manufacturer's instructions to the point where you can reseat the video cable, then carefully reseat it.

Answer 147

B. HDMI cables carry both video and audio signals. These cables can wear out over time from excessive use, plugging and unplugging, or excessive heat.

Answer 148

B. While an overheated projector will shut down, and a burned-out lamp will not project an image, the most likely cause is that the projector simply went to sleep after a time of inactivity. Usually a touch of the power button will wake it up again.

Answer 149

D. It's always good to consider the feelings of the user so that you don't make them feel worse for a situation that they likely already feel bad about. But the right answer is to consider corporate policies, procedures, and impacts before implementing changes. Perhaps considering user feelings should be part of the corporate policies and procedures for technicians.

Answer 150

C. You know that the drive's data and power cables are plugged in properly because the drive is showing in the BIOS/UEFI. The drive won't show in File Explorer until it is partitioned and formatted. There is no need to reinstall the OS or replace the drive. Neither is faulty.

Answer 151

D. A loose power cable can cause intermittent shutdown. Try reseating the cables. If the unit is overheating, it will shut down and not turn back on until it cools. Check to see if there is excessive dust in the cooling fan, and if so, clean it. Projectors also have a filter that may need periodic cleaning to avoid overheating. A loose HDMI cable would have other symptoms such as a flickering image or distorted sound.

Answer 152

B. The hard drive cache will hold information that is being used repeatedly so it can be accessed more quickly, much like the cache on a processor. It also acts as a buffer between writing data and the hard drive, improving system performance; however, if the power goes out unexpectedly, data stored in the hard drive's cache will be lost.

Answer 153

D. Replacing the mechanical drives with SSDs will improve the performance, but not the fault tolerance of the system. RAID 0 (disk striping) does the same. RAID 1 (mirroring) will provide fault tolerance but does nothing to help performance. RAID 5 provides disk striping and parity. The striping improves system read/write speed and the parity means that if one drive crashes, the system can continue working until the drive is replaced.

Answer 154

B. According to CompTIA's best practice methodology for resolving problems, the final step is to document the findings, actions, and outcomes. CompTIA's best practice methodology to resolve problems consists of the following steps: Identify the problem. Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious). Test the theory to determine the cause. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventive measures. Document the findings, actions, and outcomes.

Answer 155

A, D. Every computer has a diagnostic program built into its basic input/output system (BIOS) called the power-on self-test (POST). When you turn on the computer, it executes this set of diagnostics. The steps include checking the CPU, checking the RAM, checking for the presence of a video card, and verifying basic hardware functionality. An error in the BIOS or one of the checked components can cause a beep code.

Answer 156

A. If the laptop is locked up, the only way to reboot it is with a hard boot. Although removing all the power sources would work, it's not necessary to do so. Simply hold down the power button for about five seconds, and the laptop will power off. If that does not work, then you might need to remove power sources.

Answer 157

B. If a mobile device is overheating, turn it off to let it cool down. It could be from overuse, or perhaps it was left in a hot environment or did not have proper ventilation. If it continues to overheat or does so for no reason, expect a problem with the battery, and if possible, replace the battery. If the battery can't be replaced, replace the phone.

Answer 158

C. If the phone is really slow but isn't completely locked up, isolate the issue. Is it one app or overall performance? It could be that apps are running in the background and need to be closed. Shutting down those apps or powering the device off and then back on is a good step. You can also check to see how much memory is available. If it's one app that's giving you problems instead of the entire device, look for updates to the app, or delete and reinstall the app. Finally, if none of these steps works, perform a restore to factory settings. If the problems persist, it's time for a new device.

Answer 159

D. One potential cause of intermittent device failures is chip creep, which happens when components such as expansion cards start to creep out of their socket. This can be caused by heating and cooling. Reseat the card (and screw it into the case!) and see whether that resolves the issue. If not, you may need to replace the sound card.

Answer 160

D. In a networked environment, users need the proper permissions both to install and to print to the printer. Not having permission will result in denied access.

Answer 161

C. Printer jams (aka “The printer crinkled my paper!”) happen when something prevents the paper from advancing through the printer evenly. There are generally three causes of printer jams: an obstructed paper path, stripped drive gears, and using the wrong paper.

Answer 162

C. If you have a toner spill, don't use compressed air to blow it away. You should use a specialized toner vacuum to pick it up. Also, never use a damp cloth to try to clean up a toner spill. If a cloth is needed, use a dry one.

Answer 163

A, C. When repairing laptops, you should always document and label screw and cable locations, organize parts, refer to manufacturer instructions, and use appropriate hand tools. In some cases, but not all, you might need to remove the hard drive to remove the motherboard. To remove the motherboard, use appropriate tools recommended by the manufacturer as each system can be different.

Answer 164

B. In an LCD display, dimness or flickering is most commonly caused by the backlight starting to fail. In those cases, replace the backlight or the display.

Answer 165

A. If your printer isn't spitting out print jobs, it may be a good idea to print a test page and see whether that works. The test page information is stored in the printer's memory, so there's no formatting or translating of jobs required. If the test page works, then the problem is not communication between PC and printer. If nothing happens, double-check your connections and stop and restart the print spooler. If garbage prints, there is likely a problem with the printer or the print driver.

Answer 166

C. If a laptop keyboard is not responding, you can always plug in an external keyboard and use that. It might not be an ideal long-term solution, but it will generally get a user back up and running.

Answer 167

A, B. The most likely components are the processor and the memory. Try reseating the chips or testing them. If the problems persist, you may need to replace those components. It could also be the motherboard.

Answer 168

C. If your hard drive fails completely and you need to get critical data off it, there are third-party companies that provide file recovery software and services. These services are generally very expensive. (And your user should have been backing up the drive in the first place!)

Answer 169

C. If your wireless networking isn't working, check to make sure that the LEDs on your network card are functioning. If there are no lights, it could indicate a problem with the card itself or, on some cards, that there is no connection or signal. Considering they received a signal in that location previously, it's most likely something to do with the card. First, make sure the wireless card is enabled through the OS.

Answer 170

A. If an iPhone is entirely frozen, all you really can do is power it off and then back on. The exact buttons to press depend on the model, but the process described in this question works for iPhones X, 11, 12, and 13.

Answer 171

B. The most likely cause of this intermittent Wi-Fi issue is a low RF signal. If you get too far from a WAP, the signal will be too weak and the Wi-Fi will disconnect.

Answer 172

C. The correct printer driver needs to be installed for the printer and operating system. For example, if you have an HP LaserJet Pro M15w and a Windows 11 computer, then you need to install an HP LaserJet Pro M15w driver made for Windows 11. If this is not done, you will get garbled characters out of the printer. Often the Windows OS will have adequate drivers for your printer, but the manufacturer's driver downloads often come with other software that provides additional features for you to use with your printer, and if the output is garbled, then you certainly want to use the manufacturer's printer drivers, not those provided with Windows.

Answer 173

B, C. If a laptop does not display any video, it could be the screen or the video card/integrated video. To test it, plug in an external display (that you know works), and use the function keys on the laptop to switch to external video output. If that doesn't work, it's likely that the video card is defective. If the external display works, you know it's a problem with the display on the laptop. The backlight (or inverter) could be dead or it could be the screen.

Answer 174

B. If the phone is extremely slow but isn't completely locked up, isolate the issue. Is it one app or overall performance? It could be that apps are running in the background and need to be closed. Shutting down those apps or powering the device off and then back on is a good step. You can also check to see how much memory is available. If it's one app giving you problems instead of the entire device, look for updates to the app or delete and reinstall the app. Finally, if none of these steps works, perform a restore to factory settings. If the problems persist, it's time for a new device.

Answer 175

C. All-black pages happen when the charging unit (the charging corona wire or charging corona roller) in the toner cartridge malfunctions and fails to place a charge on the EP drum. Because the drum is grounded, it has no charge. Anything with a charge (like toner) will stick to it. As the drum rotates, all of the toner is transferred to the page and a black page is formed. Replace the toner cartridge. Other possible causes not listed include a defective DC controller PCA (printed circuit assembly) or a defective high-voltage power supply.

Answer 176

B. If the system had been operating normally but now tells you RAID not found, it's likely something is wrong with the RAID controller. Double-check to ensure that the RAID controller BIOS is configured properly and everything is connected as it should be.

Answer 177

A, C. If the screen is slow to refresh, an obvious solution is to buy a display with a faster refresh rate. Additionally, certain unacceptable video-quality issues (such as jerky refresh speeds or lags) can be remedied by increasing video card memory. Since most video cards don't have the ability to add memory, you'll likely need to purchase a new video card. Doing so generally results in an increase in both quality and performance.

Answer 178

C. Dim or flickering displays on mobile devices are usually caused by a faulty backlight in the display panel. A failing inverter can cause these problems, too.

Answer 179

B. Pointer drift is the mouse cursor slowly drifting in one direction even though you are not trying to make it move. This issue is generally related to the point stick not centering properly after it's been used. If you have pointer drift, try using the point stick and moving it back and forth a few times to get it to recenter itself. You can also try rebooting. If the problem persists, either disable or replace the point stick.

Answer 180

C. Cable testers are indispensable tools for any network technician. Usually you would use a cable tester before you install a cable to make sure it works. Of course, you can test them after they've been run as well.

Answer 181

B. The iPhone and iPad use the term Location Services to refer to GPS. Android devices will call it Location, Location Services, or Location Reporting. On an iPhone, you enable Location Services under Settings ➢ Privacy. In Android, location access settings are usually configured under Settings ➢ Location or Settings ➢ Personal ➢ Location.

Answer 182

C. The ifconfig command is used in Linux, Unix, and macOS to check a computer's IP configuration information. ipconfig is used in Windows.

Answer 183

D. Most keyboards will have status lights for the Caps Lock and Num Lock keys. If you believe a system is locked up, try pressing the Caps Lock or Num Lock key on the keyboard to see whether the lights change. If they don't, that's a sign that the system is unresponsive. Reboot the computer.

Answer 184

B. Luckily with today's large hard drives, this problem doesn't happen often. However, if a hard drive is too full and has less than 10 percent free space, it can slow down dramatically. The first solution to try is to remove files and uninstall unused apps to free up space. Then you would want to run Disk Cleanup and optimize the drive. If that doesn't resolve the issue, you may need to replace the hard drive.

Answer 185

A. The ping command is one of the most useful commands in the TCP/IP protocol. It sends a series of packets to another system, which in turn sends back a response. This utility can be extremely useful for troubleshooting problems with remote hosts. The ping -t command sets a persistent ping, which does not stop until you cancel it.

Answer 186

A. If the key physically sticks, you can try blowing out underneath the key with compressed air or use a cotton swab slightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol to clean underneath the key. Make sure to clean the entire surface underneath the sticking key. If none of this resolves the issue, you might need to replace the keyboard.

Answer 187

C. Failure to open files means that the computer can't properly read those files. In most cases, this indicates an issue with the hard drive.

Answer 188

B. In an LCD display, dimness or flickering is most commonly caused by the backlight starting to fail. In those cases, replace the backlight or the display.

Answer 189

D. Stepper motor problems on inkjet and impact printers will look similar to each other. If the main motor is damaged, lines of print will be unevenly spaced, and if the printhead motor goes bad, characters will be scrunched together.

Answer 190

D. Suspect that the WAP is down. A low RF signal would show fewer bars but should still be able to connect to the WAP, especially if they did the day before. An oversaturated WAP would show sluggish performance and dropped packets. SSID broadcast shouldn't be the issue because they've connected to this network before and likely have saved the network to their device. Since there is more than one user, the problem probably isn't the individual user. It is, most likely, that the WAP has failed.

Answer 191

C. If your printer isn't spitting out print jobs, it may be a good idea to print a test page and see whether that works. The test page information is stored in the printer's memory, so there's no formatting or translating of jobs required. It's simply a test to make sure that your printer hears your computer. If the test page works but other print jobs don't print, there could be a problem with the application or the driver.

Answer 192

B, C. Small devices sometimes suffer from an extremely short battery life. If it's a laptop, you may be able to perform a battery calibration. For all mobile devices, you can try to drain the battery completely and then charge it fully before turning the device back on. If these options don't work, then it's likely that the battery needs to be replaced.

Answer 193

C. The yellow exclamation point tells you that there is a problem with the driver, and updating the driver may be all it takes to get this user on the network.

Answer 194

C. Nearly all PCIe RAID controllers will have their own BIOS for setup, configuration, and troubleshooting. Some will have utilities available for use within an operating system as well. If a motherboard has an onboard RAID controller, you will likely need to go to the BIOS/UEFI to configure it.

Answer 195

D. The power supply is the only component listed with moving parts and therefore is the most likely component to cause a whining sound. It's more than likely a fan. Either it needs to be cleaned (desperately) or replaced. Power supplies that are failing can also sound louder and quieter intermittently because a fan will run at alternating speeds.

Answer 196

A. Every computer has a diagnostic program built into its basic input/output system (BIOS) called the power-on self-test (POST). When you turn on the computer, it executes this set of diagnostics. If the computer doesn't perform the POST as it should, one way to determine the source of a problem is to listen for a beep code. This is a series of beeps from the computer's speaker. A successful POST generally produces a single beep. If there's more than one beep, the number, duration, and pattern of the beeps can sometimes tell you what component is causing the problem. Check the documentation to determine the specific issue.

Answer 197

B. The most likely cause is that the router is configured to not broadcast SSIDs. 802.11ac and 802.11ax are compatible, and they are certainly within range if your computer is connected right next to theirs. Provide the user the SSID and password so that they can connect.

Answer 198

C. Both repeated crashes and soaring data usage could indicate malware on a phone. Typically, Android OS security updates end three years after the OS release, and without security updates an older device is more at risk of contracting malware. The best thing to do in this scenario is go to the Google Play store and download anti-malware software to check the device. It might also be time to consider an upgrade.

Answer 199

D. A groove or scratch in the EP drum can cause the problem of vertical black lines running down all or part of the page. Because a scratch is lower than the surface, it doesn't receive as much (if any) of a charge as the other areas. The result is that toner sticks to it as though it were discharged. The groove may go around the circumference of the drum, so the line may go all the way down the page.

Answer 200

A. Dim or flickering displays on mobile devices are usually caused by a faulty backlight in the display panel. A failing inverter can cause these problems, too.

Answer 201

A, D. If you're curious as to the state of your power supply, you can buy hardware-based power supply testers or multimeters to test it. Loopback plugs are for testing network interface cards (NICs), and POST cards are for testing motherboards.

Answer 202

C. If the laptop won't output a screen image to an external display or projector, it means one of two things (assuming you know that the display or projector works): either the external video port is malfunctioning or the function keys aren't working. In either case, you likely need to replace the motherboard if you want the display to appear on an external device.

Answer 203

A. Your first step is to see if a firmware update to the WAP will provide the new security protocol that you need. You'll want to try updating the devices' firmware or software as well. During transition times, WAPs will often have a transitional security setting that will support both the older and the new devices until you can get everything updated. If you can't update your old WAP, the next step would be to look for a new WAP to use during your transition.

Answer 204

B. Input/output operations per second (IOPS) is the only way to truly compare the speed when some drives are solid state and others are mechanical. Mechanical drives often use revolutions per minute (RPM), which is also known as spindle speed, as an indication of how fast they can access data. Solid-state drives (SSDs) have no moving parts, so there is no spindle speed. Regardless of the drive type, IOPS is a better way to compare drive performance, and the only way when they are not the same type of drive. Other factors to consider are how long the drive is expected to last and drive latency.

Answer 205

B, C. HDDs have a natural speed disadvantage compared to SSDs because of their moving parts. As hard drive storage gets bigger, the performance lag is exaggerated. SSDs have no moving parts, so their latency is much lower. Either replacing the existing HDDs with several smaller drives or the same size of SSDs would increase the performance, but also the cost of the drives. IOPS is the best measure to use when comparing drive performance.

Answer 206

B, D. A significant change in usage patterns can affect the IOPS on the system based on the type/size of files being transferred and the software used to do it. If a drive in the array has failed, that will also affect the maximum IOPS the system is capable of, as there is one less drive to do the work.

Answer 207

C. This error will happen when you have logged on to a familiar Wi-Fi but it is unable to connect to the Internet. If the password was the problem, you would have gotten an error about being unable to automatically connect, in which case you would forget the network and rejoin with the new password. You could use your cellular data, but it might be better to help the friend get their Internet connection working again instead.

Answer 208

D. Improperly adjusted antennas can make a big difference in wireless connectivity. In this case, take a few minutes and a Wi-Fi analyzer to check the signal strength and adjust the antenna until it's just where you want it. You would not need to adjust the WAP's signal strength because you're right under it, looking up at it. Even on the lowest power setting you should still see more bars. The SSID being broadcast or not is irrelevant.

Answer 209

B. Setting a WAP to transmit at the maximum power may cause the Wi-Fi to extend into areas you would rather it didn't. It can also cause problems like more interference causing poor performance and stability because it's picking up signals from nearby Wi-Fi networks. Enabling or disabling the SSID broadcast will have no effect on the signal strength. It may take a bit of playing with settings, antennas, and placement to get the Wi-Fi transmission exactly how you need it to be, but in this case, lowering the WAP's power setting is a good start.

Answer 210

C, D. The answer will depend on the exact situation, but if your WAP is experiencing interference from other WAPs or networks, you may want to lower, rather than raise, the signal strength. You would want to run a network analyzer and choose the channel with the least traffic, or optionally, if the WAP allows, let it choose the best channel for you. Installing an antenna with a lower gain might also work.