Practice Exams Flashcards
1
Q
The printer in the accounting department has stopped all printing
processes. The print queue shows that there are seven jobs in the queue
that are waiting to be printed. Which of the following would be the BEST
next troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Send a test job to the printer and move it to the top of the queue
❍ B. Restart the printer’s spooler
❍ C. Install an updated version of the printer driver
❍ D. Delete everything in the queue and resend the print jobs
A
The Answer: B. Restart the printer’s spooler
The print spooler is the software responsible for storing print jobs and
sending them to the printer. If the printer spooler has failed or has
stopped, then none of the print jobs will be sent to the printer.
2
Q
A system administrator has connected an external USB drive to a
computer to transfer some documents. When booting the computer, the
system tries to boot from the external drive and gives an error message.
Which of the following would be the BEST way to prevent the USB drive
from booting?
❍ A. Modify the BIOS to boot from the internal hard drive
❍ B. Modify the boot order in Windows Disk Management
❍ C. Rebuild the MBR on the external hard drive
❍ D. Disable the external drive in Device Manager
A
The Answer: A. Modify the BIOS to boot from the internal hard drive
The boot order is managed in the system BIOS, and one way to avoid the
computer from attempting to boot from an external storage device is to
move the internal drive to have a higher boot priority.
3
Q
A computer has been configured with an SSD, a high-end video adapter,
and the maximum amount of RAM. Which of the following would be the
MOST likely use for this computer?
❍ A. Thin client
❍ B. Network attached storage device
❍ C. CAD/CAM workstation
❍ D. VDI client
A
The Answer: C. CAD/CAM workstation
The graphical designs created by a CAD/CAM (Computer Aided
Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing) computer requires high-speed
SSD (Solid State Drive) storage, high-end video, and as much RAM as
possible.
4
Q
A network connection in a conference room was installed years ago, and
there’s no documentation for the cable run. Connecting a device to the
cable results in a successful Ethernet connection, so the other end of
the cable should terminate somewhere in the wiring closet. Which of
these tools would be the best choice to find the other end of the network
connection?
❍ A. Cable tester
❍ B. Tone generator
❍ C. Multimeter
❍ D. Crimper
A
The Answer: B. Tone generator
A tone generator is used to produce an analog tone on the cable, and an
inductive probe is used to “listen” for the tone on the other end of the
cable.
5
Q
A client’s laptop has recently had its internal mini-PCIe wireless adapter
card replaced. Although Device Manager shows the card working
properly, the wireless card management software shows very low signal
strength. The wireless card keeps dropping its wireless connection and
will not maintain a consistent network link. What is the most likely
reason for this problem?
❍ A. The mini-PCIe card isn’t compatible with the laptop
❍ B. The wireless adapter antenna cable isn’t connected
❍ C. The operating system doesn’t support the wireless card
❍ D. The wireless card is administratively powered off
A
The Answer: B. The wireless adapter antenna cable isn’t connected
The antenna cable connectors are very small, and it’s easy to leave them
disconnected after working inside of a laptop. A missing antenna cable
will cause the wireless signal strength to be very low, and often there’s not
enough signal strength to reliably send or receive data.
6
Q
A user has powered on their computer and received the message
“Operating system not found.” A check of the system shows that the hard
drive cables are properly connected. Which of the following would be the
NEXT best troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Boot to Safe Mode
❍ B. Replace the boot drive
❍ C. Restore from a known good backup
❍ D. Check for removable drives
A
The Answer: D. Check for removable drives
If a USB (Universal Serial Bus) storage device is connected to a computer
and the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is checking USB devices
before the primary storage drive, the “Operating system not found” error
could appear with some USB devices. To avoid this error, the boot order in
the BIOS can be changed, or the USB device can be disconnected during
the boot process and reconnected after the operating system has started.
7
Q
A user is having an issue with a smartphone not recognizing their
location on a map. All other Internet and phone features are working
properly. Which of the following would be the MOST likely cause of this
issue?
❍ A. GPS is disabled
❍ B. The battery is low
❍ C. Wi-Fi is enabled
❍ D. Storage space is low
A
The Answer: A. GPS is disabled
The GPS (Global Positioning System) option on a smartphone provides
precise location services for apps and utilities. The map feature on the
smartphone uses the GPS to help determine the location, speed, and
direction of the user.
8
Q
A client’s laptop sounds like it is booting normally, but nothing appears
on the LCD display. After closer inspection, you notice the output is
visible but it’s too faint to clearly see anything. What is the MOST likely
cause of this issue?
❍ A. Video card
❍ B. Inverter
❍ C. Video driver
❍ D. Power adapter
A
The Answer: B. Inverter
The inverter powers the CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) LCD
(Liquid Crystal Display) backlight, allowing you to easily view the pixels
on the display. Most newer laptops will use LED (Light Emitting Diode)
backlights that use the existing DC (Direct Current) power and don’t
require an inverter.
9
Q
A graphics designer is experiencing increasing delays when accessing files
on her hard drive. The user maintains a daily backup of all data on the
drive. Which of these would be the BEST next troubleshooting step for
this issue?
❍ A. Reinstall Windows
❍ B. Perform a hard drive diagnostic
❍ C. Restore from the daily backup
❍ D. Boot to Safe Mode
A
The Answer: B. Perform a hard drive diagnostic
Before making any changes, it would be useful to gather more information
about this problem. A hardware diagnostic would determine if the hard
drive itself is working properly. If the hard drive is operating normally, the
troubleshooting process can then shift to the operating system
and software.
10
Q
. Which of the following would be MOST likely found on a DVD-ROM? ❍ A. Document archive ❍ B. Operating system boot files ❍ C. RAID parity files ❍ D. BIOS configurations
A
The Answer: A. Document archive
The DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc - Read Only Memory) format
has the advantage of a relatively large storage area and the ability to
write once and never worry about an accidental deletion. The storage of
documents and other files is a common use of DVD-ROM optical discs.
11
Q
When a user starts their computer, the screen remains blank and the
computer beeps twice. Which of these would be the MOST likely cause
of this issue?
❍ A. The boot device is not connected
❍ B. The memory is faulty
❍ C. The operating system has become corrupted
❍ D. The PC is infected with malware
A
The Answer: B. The memory is faulty
The POST (Power On Self Test) is the initial hardware check that occurs
during the startup process. If a major hardware component is faulty, the
computer will beep and a message will be displayed on the screen. If the
issue is related to a critical component, the computer will not be able to
display a message on the screen and instead will beep a certain number of
times as a code to specify the error.
12
Q
A firewall is configured to block email transfers from a remote server.
Which of the following ports is the firewall blocking?
❍ A. 443
❍ B. 22
❍ C. 23
❍ D. 25
A
The Answer: D. 25
Port 25 is used by SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) to send email
messages from devices and transfer those messages between SMTP email
servers.
13
Q
A technician is connecting a laptop to an LCD projector in a conference
room. The display on the laptop works properly, but the projector image
is constantly flickering and pixelating. The technician has modified the
resolution and refresh rates, but the projector image continues to flicker.
Which of the following would be the BEST next troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Replace the video cable
❍ B. Disable the laptop display
❍ C. Replace the projector bulb
❍ D. Power cycle the projector
A
The Answer: A. Replace the video cable
A display issue associated with flickering and poor video quality would
commonly point to the connection between the video adapter and the
display device. In the case of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) projector,
there’s sometimes a very long (and very worn) cable that can cause signal
issues to show on the projected image.
14
Q
The stylus on a Windows tablet will no longer interact with the user
interface. Which of these would be the MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. Digitizer
❍ B. Backlight
❍ C. Antennas
❍ D. Inverter
A
The Answer: A. Digitizer
The digitizer is the component in a touch screen that converts the
analog input from a fingerprint or stylus into a digital input that can
be understood by the computer. If the digitizer is having an issue, then
problems will occur with any direct screen input.
15
Q
A user in the accounting department needs to output a form on the laser
printer that prints on both sides of the page. Which of the following
options should be configured in the accounting software?
❍ A. Collate
❍ B. Orientation
❍ C. Duplex
❍ D. Resolution
A
The Answer: C. Duplex
The duplex setting prints the output on both sides of the page, and a
printer that supports duplexing will flip the page over without any manual
intervention from the user.
16
Q
A user needs to connect their laptop to the wired Ethernet network, but
the laptop does not have an integrated Ethernet interface. Which of the
following would allow the laptop to connect to an Ethernet network?
(Pick TWO)
❍ A. Docking station
❍ B. VGA interface
❍ C. USB to Ethernet adapter
❍ D. DisplayPort to HDMI cable
❍ E. DVI to HDMI adapter
❍ F. Bluetooth
A
The Answer: A. Docking station
C. USB to Ethernet adapter
There are a few ways to create a wired Ethernet connection on a laptop
computer. Using a docking station is a common solution that provides
many different interfaces, and often includes the ability to install a fullsize PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) adapter.
A USB (Universal Serial Bus) to Ethernet adapter is a simpler solution
that only provides an Ethernet interface, but it’s much more portable than
a docking station.
17
Q
A server administrator has received an alert showing that one drive in a
RAID 1 array has failed. Which of the following would be the best way
to resolve this alert?
❍ A. Replace the bad drive and resync the array
❍ B. Replace all drives in the array and resync the array
❍ C. Replace the bad drive and restore from backup
❍ D. Convert the array to RAID 0 and replace the drive
❍ E. Replace all drives in the array and restore from backup
A
The Answer: A. Replace the bad drive and resync the array
A RAID 1 (Redundant Array of Independent Disks, level 1) array is a
mirrored array, which means that all of the information on one physical
drive is also copied and maintained on a separate drive. If one drive fails,
then the drive with the redundant data continues to be available. To
repair the array, the bad drive needs to be replaced and the data from the
redundant drive is synchronized to the new drive.
18
Q
. A system administrator is building a server for a data center in another
country. The server will manage a print queue and provide a local storage
partition for temporary file transfers. Which of the following power
supply specifications will be the MOST important for this server?
❍ A. Voltage input options
❍ B. Number of PCIe connectors
❍ C. Modular cabling
❍ D. Fan noise rating
A
The Answer: A. Voltage input options
Connecting to the power source in a different country is an important
consideration when selecting a power supply. If the voltage specifications
are incorrect, the server may not operate at all or components in the server
may be damaged. Many servers use auto-switching power supplies are
compatible with the power systems in other countries.
19
Q
Which of the following ports are used for file transfers? (Select TWO) ❍ A. 21 ❍ B. 110 ❍ C. 25 ❍ D. 23 ❍ E. 20 ❍ F. 53
A
The Answer: A. 21 and E. 20
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a standard method of transferring files
across different operating systems. FTP uses TCP (Transmission Control
Protocol) port 21 for control messages and port 20 to transfer data.
20
Q
Which of these technologies do not require a backlight to provide a viewable display? ❍ A. LCD ❍ B. IPS ❍ C. OLED ❍ D. LED
A
The Answer: C. OLED
An OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display emits light when a
current is provided to an organic compound, so a backlight would not be
necessary with an OLED display.
21
Q
A system administrator has tripped over an Ethernet cable and the cable’s
RJ45 connector has broken. Which of the following should be used to
resolve this issue?
❍ A. Punch-down tool
❍ B. Tone generator and probe
❍ C. Cable tester
❍ D. Crimper
A
The Answer: D. Crimper
A crimper is used to attach a modular connector to a cable. In this
example, a new connector can be reattached to the cable using an RJ45
(Registered Jack type 45) crimper.
22
Q
A network administrator is troubleshooting a network outage, and she
believes that the issue is related to a bad switch. The old switch is replaced
with a newer model and the cabling is moved to the new switch. Which
of the following should be the NEXT troubleshooting steps? (Choose
TWO)
❍ A. Test the theory
❍ B. Verify full system functionality
❍ C. Establish a plan of action
❍ D. Identify the problem
❍ E. Document the findings
A
The Answers: B. Verify full system functionality, and
E. Document the findings
Once the theory has been tested, a plan of action has been determined,
and the plan has been implemented, it’s important to verify that full
system functionality has been restored. After all of this work, it’s useful to
document the problem, the proposed solutions, and the ultimate fix. This
problem might occur again, and it would be useful to have some historical
documentation on how to address the issue.
23
Q
A gaming enthusiast is building her own computer to provide the best
performance with 3D action games. Which of these would be the most
important components of a gaming PC? (Choose TWO)
❍ A. RAID array
❍ B. Small form factor
❍ C. High-end GPU
❍ D. Built-in tuner
❍ E. SSD
❍ F. Network-connected printer
A
The Answers: C. High-end GPU, and E. SSD
The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is an important consideration when
building a gaming computer. Many computer games also read extensively
from storage, so the speed of an SSD (Solid State Drive) will provide the
fastest possible data access.
24
Q
What type of device connects multiple computers to the network, but
becomes less efficient as network traffic increases?
❍ A. Switch
❍ B. Hub
❍ C. Repeater
❍ D. Router
A
The Answer: B. Hub
A hub operates as a multi-port repeater, where incoming traffic is repeated
to every other port in the hub. If more than one device attempts to do this
at the same time, these conflicting signals are called a collision. Each time
a collision occurs, the sending devices have to stop transmitting, wait a
random amount of time, and try sending traffic again. If many devices are
sending large amounts of data, the overall network efficiency will decrease
as the number of collisions increase.
25
In which of the following would a Lightning cable MOST likely be used?
❍ A. Connect a server to a display monitor
❍ B. Increase the available memory of a device
❍ C. Remotely control a mobile device
❍ D. Charge a mobile device
The Answer: D. Charge a mobile device
The Lightning interface is a proprietary interface used exclusively
on mobile devices from Apple. The Lightning interface is a common
connection for data transfers and power charging for most Apple mobile
devices.
26
A network administrator would like to enable DHCP on a laptop, but he
would like the same IP address to be assigned to the laptop each time it
starts. Which of the following would provide this functionality?
❍ A. Create an IP reservation on the DHCP server
❍ B. Administratively configure the laptop’s MAC address
❍ C. Use APIPA addressing
❍ D. Assign the laptop to a static IP VLAN
The Answer: A. Create an IP reservation on the DHCP server
A DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server will
automatically assign IP (Internet Protocol) addresses to devices on the
network from an available pool. This means that the IP address for a
device may change over time based on the IP addresses that are currently
available in the pool. To force the same IP address assignment each time,
the network administrator can create an IP reservation in the DHCP
server that will associate a specific IP address to the MAC (Media Access
Control) address of the laptop.
27
A user is complaining about slow network performance from their
workstation. A network technician checks the data closet and finds
that the wires are not properly seated in the 110 block. Which of the
following should the technician use to correct this issue?
❍ A. Crimper
❍ B. Multimeter
❍ C. Punch-down tool
❍ D. Cable tester
The Answer: C. Punch-down tool
A punch-down tool is used to firmly "punch" a wire into a wiring block,
such as a 110 block. These blocks are usually located in a wiring closet or
on the back of a patch panel.
28
A user has just connected to a new wireless network, but they cannot view
any Internet web sites. Their network configuration shows the IP address
as 169.254.228.109, the subnet mask is 255.255.0.0, and they have not
been assigned a default gateway. Which of these is the MOST likely
cause of this issue?
❍ A. The subnet mask is not correct
❍ B. The Internet provider is experiencing a temporary outage
❍ C. The DHCP server is down
❍ D. The wireless adapter is not working properly
The Answer: C. The DHCP server is down
If a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server is not
responding, then the local workstation will configure itself with an
APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address. The usable APIPA
addresses are in the range between 169.254.1.0 through 169.254.254.255.
An APIPA address is a link-local address, so network communication is
limited to the local IP subnet.
29
. A help desk technician needs to use different Windows versions to
study for an industry certification exam. The technician currently uses
a Windows desktop computer with 4 GB of RAM and a 750 GB free
on the hard drive. Which of the following would be the BEST way to
perform this task? (Choose TWO)
❍ A. Install a KVM
❍ B. Install an additional hard drive
❍ C. Create a Windows Recovery Environment boot drive
❍ D. Upgrade the system RAM
❍ E. Install Windows guest VMs
The Answer: D. Upgrade the system RAM, and
E. Install Windows guest VMs
The easiest way to use multiple operating systems on a single machine
is to run them as virtual machines. Although there's plenty of storage
space for multiple virtual machines, the 4 GB (Gigabytes) of RAM
(Random Access Memory) on the host computer is too small to support
multiple Windows operating systems at the same time. Once the memory
upgrade is complete, it's a relatively easy process to install the guest virtual
machines on the existing hard drive.
30
While configuring a new workstation in the lab, one of the engineers
recommends using 255.255.255.0. What part of the configuration is this
associated with?
❍ A. Default gateway
❍ B. Subnet mask
❍ C. DNS server
❍ D. IP address
The Answer: B. Subnet mask
Subnet masks are used by the local device to determine what subnet
it's connected to. Subnet masks are a series of binary ones that are
used to "mask" the subnet address from the host address. Instead of
representing this mask in binary, it's almost always shown in decimal form.
Common decimal representations of subnet mask start with 255, such as
255.255.255.0.
31
```
Which of the following BEST describes a Bluetooth network?
❍ A. PAN
❍ B. WAN
❍ C. LAN
❍ D. MAN
```
The Answer: A. PAN
A PAN (Personal Area Network) is designed for a small area and usually
an individual person. Bluetooth devices such as headsets, speakers, and
automobile connections are considered PANs.
32
Sam, a user in the accounting department, is migrating from Android to
iOS. She would like all of her emails, contact lists, and calendar events to
be moved to her new phone. Which of the following would be the BEST
way to accomplish this task?
❍ A. Use a Windows-based migration tool
❍ B. Save the Android phone data as a CSV file
❍ C. Connect the new phone to the corporate Exchange server
❍ D. Use a USB-to-Lightning cable
The Answer: C. Connect the new phone to the corporate Exchange
server
Microsoft Exchange manages email, calendar events, and contact
information in a single database. Using this central database, Exchange can
synchronize all of this information to both iOS and Android smartphones.
33
The internal Bluetooth adapter of a laptop has failed, and the user would
like to get a repair estimate. Which of the following would be the BEST
way to determine an accurate price of an exact replacement?
❍ A. Research online forums
❍ B. Determine the purchase price of a USB to Bluetooth adapter
❍ C. Disassemble the laptop case and document the process
❍ D. View the Bluetooth information in Network settings
The Answer: C. Disassemble the laptop case and document the process
Although the operating system driver can sometimes provide details about
what's inside, they often can hide details about the specific hardware. The
only way to know the exact make and model of the Bluetooth adapter is
a physical examination. Some laptops are easier to open than others, so
it's useful to document the process used to gain access to the Bluetooth
hardware.
34
A server administrator has been asked to configure the storage
requirements for a new database server. The database owner requires the
fastest performance, and redundancy if a single drive fails. The storage
array should support 8 TB or larger of available space. Which of the
following options would be the BEST choice?
❍ A. RAID 10 with 5,400 RPM, 8 TB drives
❍ B. RAID 5 with 10,000 RPM, 5 TB drives
❍ C. RAID 1 with 7,200 RPM, 8 TB drives
❍ D. RAID 0 with 15,000 RPM, 5 TB drives
The Answer: B. RAID 5 with 10,000 RPM, 5 TB drives
The question is focused on three requirements; performance, drive space,
and redundancy. This option provides the highest number of RPMs
(Revolutions Per Minute), the RAID 5 (Redundant Array of Independent
Disks) redundancy, and enough storage to support more than 8 TB
(terabytes) of drive space.
35
A user would like to access email from their Windows 10 laptop using a
smartphone’s Internet connection. Which of these technologies needs to
be enabled on the laptop?
❍ A. LTE
❍ B. Bluetooth
❍ C. NFC
❍ D. IR
The Answer: B. Bluetooth
Bluetooth can be used to tether the laptop to the smartphone, and the
smartphone can then be used to allow access to resources on the Internet.
36
A user has connected their laptop to an LCD projector, but video isn't
displaying through the projector. What laptop key is often combined with
the "CRT/LCD" key to control the video output?
❍ A. Fn
❍ B. Alt
❍ C. Windows
❍ D. Ctrl
The Answer: A. Fn
The laptop function key (Fn) is usually combined with another laptop
key to control features such as volume, wireless adapter functionality,
and video output. This allows the laptop manufacturers to add additional
functionality to the laptop keyboard without adding any physical keys or
switches.
37
A member of the management team is developing a product based on
wearable technology. Which of the following would BEST describe this
product type?
❍ A. Virtual reality
❍ B. e-Reader
❍ C. Smart watch
❍ D. Smart phone
The Answer: C. Smart watch
Wearable technologies are devices that can be worn all day as an extension
of a phone and body. Common wearable technologies would be smart
watches and fitness monitors.
38
A system administrator is using a maintenance kit on a networkconnected laser printer. Which of the following should be the LAST step
when performing this maintenance?
❍ A. Examine the feed rollers
❍ B. Wait until the fuser unit cools down and replace it
❍ C. Reset the page counter
❍ D. Replace the power cord
The Answer: C. Reset the page counter
The page counter is a helpful metric to determine how much the printer
is used, which in turn determines when the next maintenance should be
scheduled. After performing the current maintenance cycle and verifying
the printer's operation, the page counter should be reset so that the next
maintenance time-frame can be properly estimated.
39
An application developer needs to test an application across all of the
operating systems used by the company. Each operating system will be
tested individually in a lab environment. The company would like to
minimize any additional hardware purchases for this project. Which of
the following would be the BEST way to test this application?
❍ A. Purchase a system that is configured just above the hardware
requirements for the highest-end operating system. Create separate
VMs for each operating system.
❍ B. Purchase individual test computers that match the hardware
requirements for each OS. Install different operating systems on
each test computer.
❍ C. Designate existing user workstations to be used as testing systems.
Run all application tests during non-working hours.
❍ D. Purchase a system that matches the minimum hardware
requirements for the highest-end operating system. Create a system
image for each operating system and reimage the computer
between tests.
The Answer: A. Purchase a system that is configured just above the
hardware requirements for the highest-end operating system. Create
separate VMs for each operating system.
Creating virtual machines for these tests would be a great way to
minimize hardware costs, and the machine used for the testing should be
able to properly virtualize the testing OS while the host OS is running.
Purchasing a system that is slightly more powerful than the highest-level
operating system configuration should cover any technical requirements.
40
```
Which wireless standard operates in the 5 GHz band and provides over
5 Gbit/sec of throughput?
❍ A. 802.11n
❍ B. 802.11g
❍ C. 802.11ac
❍ D. 802.11a
```
The Answer: C. 802.11ac
802.11ac operates in the 5 GHz band and can provide almost 7 gigabits
per second of total throughput.
41
A user in the manufacturing department reports that every page printed
from the central networked laser printer has a single black line that
extends from the top of the page to the very bottom. Which of the
following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. The fuser is damaged
❍ B. The printer is out of memory
❍ C. The photosensitive drum is damaged
❍ D. The toner is low
The Answer: C. The photosensitive drum is damaged
A scratched photosensitive drum would cause a line to appear down the
printed page as the toner sticks to the scratched part of the drum. Some
printers allow individual drums to be replaced, and others require the
entire toner cartridge with drum to be replaced. Once the scratched drum
is replaced, the black line will no longer appear on the printer output.
42
```
Which mobile device connection is commonly used for making payments
at a store checkout?
❍ A. NFC
❍ B. Infrared
❍ C. Cellular
❍ D. Bluetooth
```
The Answer: A. NFC
NFC (Near Field Communication) is designed to transfer small amounts
of data wirelessly over a limited area. It's common to use a smart phone or
smart watch with a credit card terminal to pay for goods or services.
43
A company is planning to use a cloud-based file storage service to store,
share, and synchronize files across all company devices. Which of the
following would be the MOST important resource requirement for
this service?
❍ A. Local storage capacity
❍ B. Internet bandwidth
❍ C. CPU utilization
❍ D. System memory
The Answer: B. Internet bandwidth
Cloud-based services work almost exclusively over the network, and file
synchronization services will require additional bandwidth to process
constant updates and changes over the network.
44
When printing a document on a laser printer, a user finds that all of the
text on the page smears when touched. What is the MOST likely cause
of this issue?
❍ A. Fuser is damaged
❍ B. Toner cartridge is low
❍ C. Photosensitive drum has been scratched
❍ D. Incorrect printer driver is installed
❍ E. Printer cleaning process is not working
The Answer: A. Fuser is damaged
The fuser permanently melts the toner to the paper using heat and
pressure. If the fuser is not working, the toner will easily smear when
touched.
45
A manager’s computer is able to connect to Internet sites while in
conference rooms or in the building courtyard. When the laptop is
brought back to the manager’s desk and placed into the docking station,
the Internet access is unavailable but all other features are working.
Which of the following should be the FIRST troubleshooting task for
this issue?
❍ A. Replace the docking station power supply
❍ B. Upgrade the laptop BIOS
❍ C. Replace the docking station
❍ D. Check the docking station network cable
The Answer: D. Check the docking station network cable
The Internet access on the laptop appears to be working properly on the
wireless network, but the docking station connection would use a wired
Ethernet connection. If everything else is working properly, then the issue
would most likely be associated with the Ethernet interface in the docking
station.
46
A company is developing an internal application that will run on
smartphones and tablets. What should the application use to simplify the
authentication process?
❍ A. Strong passwords
❍ B. SSO
❍ C. VPN
❍ D. SSL
The Answer: B. SSO
SSO (Single Sign-on) is a method of centralizing authentication to a
common database. This allows the users to authenticate once with a single
username and password, and those credentials will be used across all
services.
47
One of the software developers in your company would like to install six
virtual machines on their desktop for application testing. Each VM would
run a different operating system, but only one VM would be running at
any particular time. Which of the following components would be the
MOST important for this configuration? (Choose TWO)
❍ A. Video adapter RAM
❍ B. Hard drive space
❍ C. Gigabit NIC
❍ D. System RAM
❍ E. Enhanced audio
The Answers: B. Hard drive space and D. System RAM
Six virtual machines will require enough hard drive space to install all
six operating systems, so it will be important to have enough free storage
space. Running more than one operating system at a time on a computer
also requires additional memory, so having enough system RAM is also an
important consideration.
48
What is the minimum category of unshielded copper cable that would
run a 10 gigabit per second Ethernet link with a fifteen meter distance?
❍ A. Category 5
❍ B. Category 6
❍ C. Category 5e
❍ D. Category 6A
The Answer: B. Category 6
The physical characteristics of networking cables are separated into
categories. A category 6 cable can support a ten gigabit per second
10GBASE-T network to a distance of thirty-seven to fifty-five meters.
49
An engineer has manually configured IP addresses for a small office
that uses a cable modem for Internet connectivity. However, none of the
devices configured with a manual IP address are able to browse Internet
websites. All devices are connected to the cable modem with twisted-pair
Ethernet cables. This is the configuration of one device:
IP address: 192.168.1.7
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.1
DNS: 192.168.1.7
The engineer can successfully ping the local IP address and the
default gateway address. Which of the following should be the NEXT
troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Check for duplicate IP addresses
❍ B. Replace the Ethernet cable
❍ C. Check the DNS configuration
❍ D. Replace the cable modem
The Answer: C. Check the DNS configuration
One of the most noticeable of the IP (Internet Protocol) configuration
settings was that the DNS (Domain Name Service) server IP address
was configured to be the same as the local device. Since DNS servers are
commonly separate (and often remote) devices, it would be unusual to
see a DNS configured with the same IP address of the local device. The
next step should be to confirm the DNS settings with the local network
administrator.
50
A user in a SOHO office needs to connect a laptop to the DSL router.
Which of the following cables should be used for this connection?
❍ A. Ethernet
❍ B. Lightning
❍ C. Coaxial
❍ D. USB-C
The Answer: A. Ethernet
A SOHO (Small Office Home Office) with a DSL (Digital Subscriber
Link) modem will commonly connect to the modem using an Ethernet
cable connection.
51
A user in the accounting department has turned on their computer and
received the message “Date and Time not set.” Which of the following
would be the MOST likely reason for this message?
❍ A. The motherboard battery has discharged
❍ B. Windows update has rebooted the computer
❍ C. Daylight Saving Time occurred during the weekend
❍ D. The BIOS was just upgraded
The Answer: A. The motherboard battery has discharged
The battery on a motherboard is used to maintain the date and time
configuration when the computer is not connected to a power source. If
the battery has discharged, the computer will not be able to maintain the
proper time and an error message will appear during startup.
52
A technician has just replaced a broken touch screen on a laptop used for
trade shows. However, the touch functionality is no longer working on
the display. Which of the following would be the MOST likely reason for
this issue? (Select TWO)
❍ A. The digitizer is not calibrated
❍ B. The replacement screen is not a touch screen
❍ C. The BIOS needs to be updated
❍ D. The display resolution is incorrect
❍ E. The digitizer is not properly connected
❍ F. The wireless network is conflicting with the digitizer
The Answers: B. The replacement screen is not a touch screen, and
E. The digitizer is not properly connected
When replacing a touch screen display, it's important to make sure the
replacement is also a touch screen unit. The two look almost identical, so it
would be a common mistake to accidentally install the wrong hardware.
After installation, a separate connection is often required to enable the
digitizer. If the display panel is the correct hardware, then it's important to
check that all of the cables are connected, especially the cables specific to
the digitizer features.
53
A system administrator created a series of VMs that will use a portion of
a server's available physical memory. Which of the following describes
this cloud computing characteristic?
❍ A. Resource pooling
❍ B. Rapid elasticity
❍ C. Metered
❍ D. On-demand
The Answer: A. Resource pooling
Resource pooling places all of the computing resources in one place, and
then distributes from the pool when needed. A VM (Virtual Machine)
manager using a portion of available physical memory is taking advantage
of resource pooling.
54
A group of wireless laptops in a conference room are reporting
intermittent connectivity issues. The wired computers in the room are not
experiencing any network problems. A check of the laptops shows that
the IP addresses and configurations appear to be correct. Which of the
following would be the best NEXT troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Verify the wireless signal strength
❍ B. Check the ARP table on the default gateway
❍ C. Confirm the operation of the DHCP server
❍ D. Perform a wire map on the network drops
The Answer: A. Verify the wireless signal strength
Since the wired devices are working properly, the troubleshooting process
should focus on the wireless network. The connectivity is also intermittent,
which means that the network is operating normally during certain
periods. This would move the focus from the network configuration to an
availability issue.
55
A server administrator has been asked to troubleshoot a system that
has been slowing down over time. While examining the computer, the
administrator can hear a series of clicks from the inside of the case.
Which of the following should be the FIRST step to address this issue?
❍ A. Replace the motherboard
❍ B. Power the system off and back on
❍ C. Replace the hard drive
❍ D. Perform a full backup of the server
❍ E. Replace the power supply
The Answer: D. Perform a full backup of the server
A clicking noise indicates some type of hardware issue with the computer,
so the first step would be to confirm that a recent backup is available for
all of the data on this system. If the computer fails completely, at least the
data will be secure.
56
When pressing the power button on a desktop computer, the power
indicator lights up but the computer does not display any message on the
screen. The voltage at the wall outlet has been checked with a multimeter
and it appears to be normal. The motherboard power connector voltage
was checked, and the 12 volt pin was showing 6 volts. What is the
MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. The components that use 12 volt power are faulty
❍ B. The power supply is faulty
❍ C. The wall outlet voltage does not match the power supply
❍ D. The motherboard is faulty
The Answer: B. The power supply is faulty
If the 12 volt line from the power supply to the motherboard is showing
6 volts, it's likely a problem with the power supply itself. A power supply
replacement should be the next troubleshooting step for this system.
57
A manager in the marketing department is printing many copies of a
twenty page document. The manager would like to print all twenty pages
of the document before the next copy begins printing. What setting
should the manager configure in the output settings?
❍ A. Duplex
❍ B. Collate
❍ C. Quality
❍ D. Orientation
The Answer: B. Collate
The printing of multiple copies in their proper order is called collating the
output. If the output was not collated, all of the page one copies would
print, then all of the page 2, etc.
58
A remote user is visiting their corporate office. They are trying to connect
their laptop to the office wireless network, but the network name does not
appear in the list of available wireless networks. Which of the following
would be the most likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. There is interference with the wireless signal
❍ B. The laptop has been assigned an APIPA address
❍ C. The user does not have permission to use the wireless network
❍ D. SSID broadcasts have been disabled
The Answer: D. SSID broadcasts have been disabled
The name of the wireless network, or SSID (Service Set Identifier) is
normally broadcast to all nearby devices. If the SSID broadcasts are
administratively disabled, the network name will not appear in the dropdown list of available wireless networks.
59
A manager is able to receive email messages on their tablet, but they’re
having problems configuring the tablet to send email messages. Which of
the following should be the FIRST troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Check the SMTP settings
❍ B. Check the IP address configuration
❍ C. Send a test message using web-based email
❍ D. Check the IMAP settings
The Answer: A. Check the SMTP settings
If you're sending an email message from an email client, you're commonly
using SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). There are three SMTP
configuration settings that are important; the SMTP server name or IP
address, the SMTP username, and the SMTP password.
60
A user is reporting that a shared laser printer in the marketing
department is not printing from one particular application. The front
panel of the printer shows that the printer is online and ready to receive
print jobs. Other users in the department are able to successfully
print to the printer. Which of the following would be the BEST next
troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Power cycle the printer
❍ B. Restart the print spooler
❍ C. Perform a test print from the printer console
❍ D. Verify the network printer name in the application
The Answer: D. Verify the network printer name in the application
We know that the printer is working normally because other people are
able to print successfully. This also means that the spooling process is
working and that the print server is successfully queuing the print jobs.
Given the other options, it's most likely that the user is directing the print
job to a different printer.
61
A network administrator is connecting four company locations that reside
in different countries. Which of the following would BEST describe this
configuration?
❍ A. LAN
❍ B. PAN
❍ C. MAN
❍ D. WAN
The Answer: D. WAN
A WAN (Wide Area Network) connects LANs across a long geographical
distance. Once the link extends past the local city area, the connection
would be considered a WAN link.
62
A new SOHO remote site includes the installation of IoT lights,
thermostats, and cameras. Which of the following would be the BEST
way to protect the rest of the network against IoT hacking?
❍ A. Use WPA2 encryption
❍ B. Configure SSID suppression on the wireless network
❍ C. Connect the IoT devices to a DMZ
❍ D. Configure static IP addressing
The Answer: C. Connect the IoT devices to a DMZ
One of the concerns around IoT (Internet of Things) is that a single
exploit of an IoT device can potentially put the entire network at risk.
To avoid this issue, it's useful to put IoT devices into their own protected
network, such as a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). This means that if an IoT
device was exploited, the attacker would not have any access to the more
important devices and services on the rest of the network.
63
A system administrator has configured a VM for dual processors, 16 GB
of RAM, and 120 GB of disk space. Which of the following is required
to start this VM?
❍ A. Shared network address
❍ B. Hypervisor
❍ C. Virtual switch
❍ D. Video display
The Answer: B. Hypervisor
A hypervisor, or virtual machine manager, is the software that manages the
virtual platform and guest operating systems.
64
A site manager has found that her smartphone has a short battery life
when used at work, and the battery life is normal when working from
home. The work location has limited mobile service reception, but most
office services are provided over the local 802.11 Wi-Fi network. The site
manager does not enable Bluetooth on her smartphone. Which of the
following would be the BEST way to extend the battery life of her mobile
device?
❍ A. Disable 802.11 Wi-Fi
❍ B. Disable the cellular radio at work
❍ C. Replace the battery
❍ D. Enable Bluetooth on the mobile device
The Answer: B. Disable the cellular radio at work
When a mobile provider's network isn't available, a phone will constantly
try to reconnect to a cellular network. This reconnection process constantly
uses the radio, and subsequently more of the battery is used in the process.
To conserve battery life, it would be useful to disable the cellular network
connection when outside of a coverage area.
65
A desktop computer has just abruptly shut off, and pressing the power
button doesn’t restart the system. There are no fans spinning, no lights are
on, and no messages appear on the display. Which of these would be the
MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. The BIOS is configured with a startup password
❍ B. The LCD display backlight has failed
❍ C. The power supply is faulty
❍ D. The master boot record is corrupted
❍ E. The boot sector is missing
The Answer: C. The power supply is faulty
A faulty power supply could cause a loss of power across all computer
systems, and the lack of fans, lights, and output on the display would be
the most likely cause given the available options.
66
```
What kind of device is commonly used to filter traffic based on a
predefined set of rules?
❍ A. PoE switch
❍ B. Repeater
❍ C. DSL modem
❍ D. Firewall
```
The Answer: D. Firewall
A firewall is designed to evaluate inbound traffic, compare that traffic
to predefined security policies, and then allow or block that traffic from
passing through the firewall. Firewalls are common security appliances
between an organization's internal network and the Internet.
67
```
Which of these connection types use coax to provide Internet data, voice,
and video over the same wire?
❍ A. DSL
❍ B. Cable
❍ C. ISDN
❍ D. Dialup
```
The Answer: B. Cable
Cable television brought cable into everyone's home, and now they include
voice and Internet services on the same coax cable.
68
A desktop administrator has been asked to troubleshoot a laptop
computer that beeps during the power on process while the laptop
screen remains dark. Which of the following would be the best NEXT
troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Implement a solution
❍ B. Document findings
❍ C. Establish a theory
❍ D. Evaluate results
The Answer: C. Establish a theory
Once an issue has been identified, it's important to consider all of the
possible reasons the problem may have occurred. It's useful to list all
possible causes, even those that might not be obvious.
69
```
A manager is complaining of short battery life on their laptop when
traveling. Which of the following should be disabled to provide the
BEST battery conservation?
❍ A. Internal speakers
❍ B. Webcam
❍ C. Smart card interface
❍ D. Bluetooth
❍ E. Touchpad
```
The Answer: D. Bluetooth
Bluetooth, and any radio-based communication, constantly uses some of
the power, and those systems can quickly deplete the battery. If you're not
going to be using wireless devices, then it's useful to place the device in
airplane mode or disable Bluetooth, 802.11, and cellular radios.
70
A company is deploying cloud-hosted virtual desktops for training room
classes. The VMs have already been configured in the cloud. Which of the
following is required to access these VMs using thin clients in the
training room?
❍ A. High-end video cards
❍ B. Separate Internet connection
❍ C. Mouse, keyboard, and monitor
❍ D. Category 6A cabling
The Answer: C. Mouse, keyboard, and monitor
Cloud-hosted virtual desktops are a type of VDI (Virtual Desktop
Infrastructure). Access to the desktop is provided over a remote accessstyle client, and access can be provided from almost any operating system
using a low-bandwidth network connection. The client device is usually a
thin-client that has a minimum set of resources, a mouse, keyboard, and a
monitor.
71
A technician has connected a laptop to an LCD display. The LCD display
is presenting the correct information, but all of the content appears to be
compressed vertically. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason
for this issue?
❍ A. The LCD display is faulty
❍ B. The laptop display adapter is incompatible with the LCD display
❍ C. The laptop resolution is incorrect
❍ D. The LCD display cable is faulty
The Answer: C. The laptop resolution is incorrect
An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) has an optimal resolution that is based
on the physical dimensions of the display. If the resolution settings in the
operating system don't match the physical display, then the information on
the screen may appear blurry or skewed. Configuring the correct resolution
in the operating system will commonly resolve this issue.
72
An engineering firm is upgrading their storage array to include additional
drive space for documents and designs. The primary goal is to provide
high performance and uptime, even if two drives were to fail. Which of
the following would be the BEST choice for this firm?
❍ A. RAID 1
❍ B. RAID 5
❍ C. RAID 0
❍ D. RAID 10
The Answer: D. RAID 10
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a method of
combining storage drives together to add speed and/or redundancy. A
RAID 10 array is a nested RAID configuration that creates a mirrored set
of RAID 0 drives. As long as only one drive fails in each RAID 0 mirror,
the redundancy will remain valid and the user's data will continue to be
available.
73
```
A network administrator is installing a wireless access point in a new
conference room. Which of these settings would provide the BEST
security for this installation?
❍ A. WPA2 encryption
❍ B. SSID suppression
❍ C. Static IP addressing
❍ D. UPnP
❍ E. MAC filtering
```
The Answer: A. WPA2 encryption
Configuring WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access II) encryption would
prevent unauthorized users from accessing the wireless network and would
encrypt the data sent over the wireless network
74
A university library needs to purchase a new printer for an open study
area. The primary requirement of this printer is to be as quiet as possible.
Which of these printer types would be the best fit for this requirement?
❍ A. Dot-matrix
❍ B. Inkjet
❍ C. Laser
❍ D. Thermal
The Answer: D. Thermal
Of the available options, thermal printers are the quietest. The only
moving parts in a thermal printer are the motors that push the paper
through the printer, and those motors are small and run almost silently
75
```
Which of the following would be the BEST choice for reading textbooks
in bright sunlight?
❍ A. Tablet
❍ B. Augmented reality
❍ C. Wearable technology
❍ D. e-Reader
```
The Answer: D. e-Reader
e-Readers are standalone book and magazine reading devices that are
often designed with electronic paper or electronic ink technology. The
electronic ink screens on the e-Readers are specifically designed for
reading text-based content in bright sunlight.
76
A company has designed an application platform to scale up when the
application use increases during the day, and scale back down at night.
Which of the following BEST describes this characteristic of
cloud computing?
❍ A. Resource pooling
❍ B. Measured service
❍ C. Hybrid
❍ D. Rapid elasticity
The Answer: D. Rapid elasticity
Scaling up and down as needed is a significant characteristic of cloud
computing. This allows organizations to manage and pay for resources
when busy, but save time and money when the resources are no longer
needed.
77
A user’s tablet has stopped responding to any type of finger input on the
screen. The clock and other tablet functions appear to be working. Which
of the following would be the BEST way to correct this issue?
❍ A. Replace the screen
❍ B. Reset the wireless network
❍ C. Connect to a power source
❍ D. Restart the tablet
The Answer: D. Restart the tablet
Before making any changes to hardware or software, it's useful to restart
the tablet to see if a software glitch may have been the underlying issue.
78
A user would like to connect a tablet to their laptop computer using
802.11, but they are in a location without a wireless access point. Which
of the following would be the BEST way to make this connection?
❍ A. Enable Bluetooth discovery on the tablet
❍ B. Configure infrastructure mode on both devices
❍ C. Create shared folders on the laptop computer
❍ D. Use ad hoc mode
The Answer: D. Use ad hoc mode
Ad hoc mode allows two devices to directly communicate over an 802.11
wireless link without using an access point.
79
A server administrator is upgrading the memory in a web server from
16 GB of non-ECC RAM to 64 GB of ECC RAM. After starting
the system with the new memory, the computer beeps and nothing is
displayed on the screen. Changing the number and location of new RAM
modules results in the same beeping sounds and blank screen. After
replacing the original 16 GB modules, the system starts normally. Which
of the following is the MOST likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. The new memory is not compatible with the motherboard
❍ B. The new memory is faulty
❍ C. The BIOS needs to be updated
❍ D. The system is overheating during the startup process
The Answer: A. The new memory is not compatible with the
motherboard
ECC (Error Correcting Code) memory is designed to detect errors
and correct them on the fly. Not all systems use ECC memory, and it's
important that the memory matches the motherboard requirements. If
non-ECC RAM (Random Access Memory) is replaced with ECC RAM
and the system fails to start, then the issue is most likely associated with
the change from non-ECC to ECC RAM.
80
A workstation has been assigned an APIPA address. Which of the
following would be the MOST likely reason for this configuration?
❍ A. The workstation is not connected to the wireless network
❍ B. The DNS server is misconfigured
❍ C. The network is using public Internet addresses
❍ D. The DHCP server is down
The Answer: D. The DHCP server is down
APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) is an IPv4 (Internet Protocol
version 4) link-local addressing scheme. If a device does not have a static
IP address and an address is not available from a DHCP server, the local
device will assign itself an APIPA address so that communication to other
APIPA devices on the same subnet will be available.
81
```
A86. Which of the following is used to forward traffic based on a destination
MAC address?
❍ A. Unmanaged switch
❍ B. Repeater
❍ C. Router
❍ D. Firewall
```
The Answer: A. Unmanaged switch
Switches determine how traffic is forwarded based on the destination
MAC (Media Access Control) address in the frame. The qualification of
managed or unmanaged is not important in this case, since both types
of switches make forwarding decisions the same way. The difference
between a managed and unmanaged switch are based on other features not
associated with the forwarding process.
82
A system administrator made some BIOS changes to a desktop computer
running Windows 10, and now this message appears when starting the
computer:
“This drive can only boot in UEFI mode.”
Which of the following would be the BEST next troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Modify the boot drive sequence
❍ B. Enable Secure Boot
❍ C. Remove the BIOS password
❍ D. Boot the system with the Windows setup media
The Answer: B. Enable Secure Boot
Secure Boot is part of the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)
standard for a computer BIOS (Basic Input Output System). Secure Boot
ensures that the underlying operating system has not been modified by
malware or any other process.
83
A user has spilled coffee on their laptop keyboard, and now the system
will not start. The laptop contains a presentation for an upcoming
conference. Which of the following would be the BEST way to gain
access to this presentation?
❍ A. Boot the system with a drive image utility
❍ B. Connect an external monitor and boot from a USB drive
❍ C. Boot to the Windows Recovery Environment
❍ D. Remove the storage drive and place it into an external enclosure
The Answer: D. Remove the storage drive and place it into an
external enclosure
The current laptop will not boot due to the liquid damage, so the only
option would be to remove the storage device from this laptop and use a
different computer to access the required presentation files.
84
A technician is installing a DSL modem at a SOHO facility. Which of
the following connectors would be used to connect the DSL modem to
the Internet provider line?
❍ A. RS-232
❍ B. RJ11
❍ C. BNC
❍ D. F-connector
The Answer: B. RJ11
The RJ11 connector (Registered Jack 11) is the modular connector
commonly associated with analog POTS (Plain Old Telephone System)
lines. Since DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) uses the existing telephone
lines, the DSL connection from an Internet Service Provider will also use
those same lines with RJ11 connectors. These connectors will be the same
for both residential, large-scale commercial, and SOHO (Small Office /
Home Office) use.
85
Which of the following would be the BEST choice for capturing an
image from a printed page and saving it on a computer?
❍ A. QR code reader
❍ B. Optical drive
❍ C. Flatbed scanner
❍ D. Webcam
The Answer: C. Flatbed scanner
A flatbed scanner is designed to capture images from paper and convert
them into digital form.
86
A server administrator has four identical drives to install into a database
server. Which of these RAID types would provide both redundancy and
the most available storage space?
❍ A. RAID 5
❍ B. RAID 10
❍ C. RAID 0
❍ D. RAID 1
The Answer: A. RAID 5
With RAID 5, three drives would contain user data and the fourth drive
would store parity information. This efficient use of space and the included
redundancy make RAID 5 the best option.
87
A user has just restarted their smartphone after performing an OS update,
and now they are experiencing slow performance with all of their apps. A
hardware diagnostic reports no hardware issues. Which of the following
would be the MOST likely reason for this slowdown?
❍ A. The operating system is corrupted
❍ B. The battery is charging
❍ C. The WiFi signal strength is low
❍ D. The operating system is still updating
The Answer: D. The operating system is still updating
After restarting after an upgrade, it's common for additional housekeeping
and conversion functions to continue in the background. This process
can sometimes cause the mobile device to slow down or appear sluggish,
but the issue is often resolved after the post-installation processes are
complete.
88
. Jack gets an error message when trying to receive email messages on his
smartphone, but he is able to send email messages without a problem. The
IMAP server name appears to be correct in the smartphone configuration.
Which of the following would be the best NEXT troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Verify the SMTP server name
❍ B. Restart the smartphone
❍ C. Confirm the IMAP username and password
❍ D. Connect to a different wireless network
The Answer: C. Confirm the IMAP username and password
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is commonly used for
retrieving emails from a central server. Most IMAP configurations require
a valid IMAP server address and correct credentials for the mailbox, so
it's useful to check those configuration settings before any additional
troubleshooting.
89
```
What kind of IPv6 address starts with fe80: ?
❍ A. Link-local
❍ B. Broadcast
❍ C. Loopback
❍ D. Multicast
```
The Answer: A. Link-local
A link-local address is an address that can only communicate to other
devices on the same subnet. In IPv6, all link-local addresses start with
fe80:.
90
A user has reported that their tablet is not able to retrieve or send mail,
browse the Internet, or connect to video conferences. Apps on the device
that do not require connectivity are working as expected. Which of these
would be the MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. Battery is very low
❍ B. Airplane mode is enabled
❍ C. An invalid certificate is installed
❍ D. The tablet is overheated
The Answer: B. Airplane mode is enabled
Airplane mode will disable all network connectivity for a device. This
would include the 802.11 network, cellular network, and Bluetooth
connections. All other device functions will continue to work normally.
91
A PC technician has been asked to replace the LCD display on a touchscreen laptop computer. Which of the following would be the MOST
important component to test after this replacement?
❍ A. Digitizer
❍ B. Keyboard
❍ C. Audio controls
❍ D. System memory
The Answer: A. Digitizer
A digitizer is built into the LCD display, and it would be the most likely
component to have a problem after the entire display has been replaced.
92
The computers in the shipping department are receiving the message
“No connectivity” on their computers. The ipconfig output on one of the
computers provides this information:
IPv4 Address: 192.168.1.22
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
From this device, a technician is able to successfully ping 127.0.0.1 and
192.168.1.22. The technician can also ping other devices in the shipping
department, but cannot receive a ping response from servers in the data
center or from the 192.168.1.1 address.
Which of these would be the MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. The DHCP server is down
❍ B. The wireless network is experiencing interference
❍ C. The local router is down
❍ D. The Internet provider is experiencing an outage
The Answer: C. The local router is down
The default gateway is commonly the local router for the IP subnet. If the
default gateway address of 192.168.1.1 is not responding to a ping, then
the router may not be operational.
93
. Jack is planning to travel overseas, and he wants to be sure his tablet
computer will have enough power to make it through the long flight. The
airline does not guarantee that power outlets will be available during the
trip. Which of the following should Jack consider taking on this flight?
❍ A. Extra-long USB charging cord
❍ B. Universal travel adapter
❍ C. MicroSD cards
❍ D. External USB chargers
The Answer: D. External USB chargers
An external USB charger can be used to recharge a device without
requiring a power outlet. If you're in an area with no charging options, an
external USB charger can provide you with additional battery time.
94
. A graphics designer is working on a computer that powers itself off after
about an hour of work. The computer tends to power down when working
on complex designs that require extensive CPU utilization. Which of the
following would be the MOST likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. The case fans are blocked
❍ B. The hard drive is failing
❍ C. The graphics software is corrupted
❍ D. A device driver is outdated
The Answer: A. The case fans are blocked
Most motherboards are designed to power off automatically if the
temperatures become excessive. If the case fans are blocked, the inside of
the computer will not be able to efficiently cool the system. Eventually, the
heat from the heavily-worked CPU will cause the system to power down.
95
```
Which of these services would be associated with a Windows file
transfer?
❍ A. LDAP
❍ B. SMB
❍ C. IMAP
❍ D. AFP
```
The Answer: B. SMB
SMB (Server Message Block) is the protocol used by Microsoft Windows
for file sharing, printer sharing, and other Windows services. SMB
commonly uses port 445 to provide direct SMB communication between
Windows devices.
96
A server administrator is configuring a new system for virtualization.
Which of the following configurations would provide virtualization
support on an Intel CPU?
❍ A. Install a 64-bit operating system
❍ B. Turn on HTT
❍ C. Allocate a larger amount of storage space to the
virtualization partition
❍ D. Enable VT in the firmware
The Answer: D. Enable VT in the firmware
Many Intel processors support VT, or Intel Virtualization Technology.
This CPU (Central Processing Unit) feature for virtualization provides
hardware support for hypervisors and can make the virtualization process
much more efficient than running the virtual machines in a software-only
environment
97
A user in the shipping department is printing a single page to your laser
printer, but the output includes the printed page with three or four pages
stuck together underneath it. Which of these would be the most likely
cause of this issue?
❍ A. Duplexer
❍ B. Transfer belt
❍ C. Fuser assembly
❍ D. Separation pad
❍ E. Imaging drum
The Answer: D. Separation pad
The separation pad ensures that the printer will pull a single page from the
paper tray at a time. As the separation pad becomes worn, more than one
page can be pulled through the laser printing process.
98
A company is using a cloud-based service that provides a hardware
platform and no additional software. Which of these would BEST
describe this purchase?
❍ A. SaaS
❍ B. Hybrid
❍ C. Metered
❍ D. IaaS
The Answer: D. IaaS
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) is a model that provides the computing
platform, but no additional software. The user will usually configure the
platform with the appropriate CPU, memory, and storage options, and
the service provider is only responsible for the uptime and availability of
the hardware platform. The user is generally responsible for all software
administration.
99
While working at their desk, a laptop user would like to use a full-size
keyboard and external mouse. They would also like to connect to a
monitor and wired network without connecting and disconnecting cables
each time they leave the desk. Which of these would be the BEST way to
provide this functionality?
❍ A. Use separate desktop and laptop computers
❍ B. Install a docking station at the user’s desk
❍ C. Use a wireless access point at the user’s desk
❍ D. Install a USB hub for the laptop
The Answer: B. Install a docking station at the user’s desk
A docking station provides the laptop with a single connection to video,
network, keyboard, mouse, and other peripheral connections on their desk.
100
A server administrator would like to archive all of the company’s server
performance statistics for the past year. The total amount of space used by
the statistics files is 7.4 GB of information. Which of these can be used
to store this information onto a single disc with a minimum of wasted
space?
❍ A. Blu-ray SL
❍ B. CD-ROM
❍ C. DVD-RW DL
❍ D. Blue-ray DL
The Answer: C. DVD-RW DL
A DVD-RW DL (Digital Versatile Disc, Read/Write, Dual-Layer)
provides 8.5 GB (gigabytes) of available storage space.
101
In which of the following would a cable with a DB-9 connector be used?
❍ A. Attaching a mouse or keyboard to a desktop computer
❍ B. Configuring a router
❍ C. Connecting an external storage device
❍ D. Attaching a video camera to a computer
The Answer: B. Configuring a router
A DB-9 connector, or less commonly, DE-9 (D-subminiature size E, 9
pin) is a connector used to send serial signals to another device. A DB-9
connector on a computer is commonly used to connect to the management
interface of a switch, router, firewall, or another infrastructure device.
102
A workstation administrator is configuring a new system for graphics
designers, and the users have requested the fastest possible storage speed
for reading and writing data. Which of the following would be the BEST
choice for this requirement?
❍ A. 10 TB NAS
❍ B. 8 TB HDD
❍ C. 5 TB SAN
❍ D. 2 TB SSD
The Answer: D. 2 TB SSD
The most important requirement for this new system is the speed of
reading and writing data. Of the available options, the fastest throughput
is an SSD (Solid-State Drive). Although the storage space is the lowest
of the available options, the users didn't specify any minimum storage size
requirements.
103
A new laptop is connected to an LCD projector in a conference room.
However, the LCD projection shows a compressed picture where squares
look more like rectangles. Which of the following would resolve this
issue?
❍ A. Replace the video cable
❍ B. Change the laptop resolution
❍ C. Power cycle the projector
❍ D. Replace the projector bulb
The Answer: B. Change the laptop resolution
The resolution setting of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor or
projector will display information with a specific number of horizontal and
vertical pixels. If the resolution of the display is different than the settings
on the computer, the output may appear skewed or blurry due to an
incorrect aspect ratio. Setting the computer to match the native resolution
of the monitor will provide the best possible output.
104
A marketing manager is printing twenty copies of a three-page document.
The printer outputs twenty copies of page one, twenty copies of page two,
and twenty copies of page three. Which of the following would allow the
marketing manager print multiple copies in their proper order?
❍ A. Select the duplex print option
❍ B. Modify the print sharing permissions
❍ C. Enable collated output
❍ D. Change the output orientation
The Answer: C. Enable collated output
Collated output will print each page of a document before printing
another copy of that same document. Before printing with the collated
option, the printer would output page 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, etc. With the
collated option, the printer output would be 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, etc.
105
A system administrator has been asked to create a group of application
server VMs. The application team has provided a list of the hardware
requirements for each server. Which of the following tools should the
system administrator use to configure the VMs?
❍ A. Memory manager
❍ B. Hypervisor
❍ C. Defragmentation utility
❍ D. Network manager
❍ E. Service manager
The Answer: B. Hypervisor
A hypervisor is software that manages virtual machines (VMs) and their
connection to the physical hardware.
106
A manager needs a device that can provide text message notifications
while out of the office without using a mobile phone. Which of the
following would BEST fit this requirement?
❍ A. e-Reader
❍ B. Smart watch
❍ C. Augmented reality
❍ D. GPS
The Answer: B. Smart watch
A smart watch with cellular radio connectivity can provide text messaging
and other connectivity features without requiring a mobile phone to be
nearby.
107
A company uses riser cards in all of their rack-mounted servers. Which of
the following would BEST describe the use of these riser cards?
❍ A. Improves airflow
❍ B. Increases PCIe bus throughput
❍ C. Improves security to PCIe-connected devices
❍ D. Accommodates larger PCIe adapters
The Answer: D. Accommodates larger PCIe adapters
Riser cards extend motherboard expansion slots 90-degrees and allow
PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) slots to be installed
horizontally in a computer or server.
108
```
. A medical office is installing a new network attached storage device.
Which of the following components would be MOST important for this
installation? (Choose TWO)
❍ A. SSD
❍ B. High-end video
❍ C. Gigabit NIC
❍ D. Dual monitors
❍ E. Enhanced audio card
❍ F. RAID array
```
The Answers: C. Gigabit NIC, and F. RAID array
A NAS (Network Attached Storage) device needs a lot of storage space,
and it needs to provide access to that storage across the network. For those
reasons, a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) array and a
gigabit NIC (Network Interface Card) are important components of any
NAS configuration.
109
. A manufacturing company uses a specialized printer that connects to
a Windows computer over a USB connection. Which of the following
would be the BEST way to allow all Windows devices in the company to
send print jobs to this printer?
❍ A. Connect using AirPrint
❍ B. Configure Windows Printer Sharing
❍ C. Use Print to File and copy the file to the printer
❍ D. Copy the print jobs to a USB drive
The Answer: B. Configure Windows Printer Sharing
Windows Printer Sharing allows the Windows computer connected to
the printer to act as a print server. All devices on the network can view the
printer and send print jobs to the printer using the Printer Sharing feature.
110
```
Which of these would commonly be used to connect to an external
storage device?
❍ A. F-connector
❍ B. BNC
❍ C. eSATA
❍ D. Molex
```
The Answer: C. eSATA
eSATA (External Serial ATA) is the external version of the internal SATA
standard. The connectors for eSATA are slightly different than the internal
SATA connectors.
111
A company has acquired computers that were previously part of a thirdparty lease. All of the computers prompt for a password when powering
on the system before the operating system will load, but the password was
not included with the computers. Which of the following would be the
BEST way to resolve this issue?
❍ A. Replace the primary storage drive
❍ B. Boot from the Windows installation media
❍ C. Reset the BIOS using jumpers on the motherboard
❍ D. Disconnect the power cable for ten minutes
The Answer: C. Reset the BIOS using jumpers on the motherboard
The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) of a computer can often be
assigned configuration or management passwords that would prevent
any changes to the BIOS settings. The BIOS also supports a boot or
user password, and the system will not boot until the correct password
is entered. This password can often be reset by shorting a jumper on the
motherboard and restarting
112
A user has complained that a laptop will not charge their battery past
25% percent, and the laptop only operates for fifteen minutes when on
battery power. The battery and the AC adapter have already been replaced.
Which of the following components would be the MOST likely cause of
this issue?
❍ A. Motherboard
❍ B. Backlight inverter
❍ C. 802.11 adapter
❍ D. CPU
The Answer: A. Motherboard
The motherboard on a laptop usually contains all of the major subsystems,
including the CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, video, and power.
If the laptop will not charge a battery or power the system, then the entire
motherboard will need to be replaced
113
A field engineer is working at a remote site that is under construction, but
the site does not have an Ethernet or Wi-Fi Internet connection. Which
of the following would be the BEST way to get access to the Internet at
this location?
❍ A. Bluetooth
❍ B. Hotspot
❍ C. WMN
❍ D. NFC
The Answer: B. Hotspot
Configuring a mobile phone as a hotspot allows one or more people to
use the phone's Internet connection over Wi-Fi. If Internet isn't currently
available from another 802.11 wireless network, then using the hotspot
feature can provide an option for Internet access.
114
Which of the following would be the MOST likely reason a laser printer
would show an "Out of Memory" error?
❍ A. The output was designed in color, but the laser printer prints
only black and white
❍ B. The output is a complex graphical diagram
❍ C. The printer is low on toner and cannot complete the print job
❍ D. The connection between the computer and the printer is faulty
The Answer: B. The output is a complex graphical diagram
A laser printer has to build a the entire page of output in memory before
the printing process can begin. If the content of the page contains complex
graphics, then more memory will be required. If the printer is not able to
build the entire page in RAM (Random Access Memory), then the printer
will usually print a portion of the page and show an "Out of Memory"
error.
115
A technician is upgrading the RAM on a laptop computer. Which of the
following would BEST describe the memory required for this upgrade?
❍ A. SSD
❍ B. SO-DIMM
❍ C. CMOS
❍ D. ECC
The Answer: B. SO-DIMM
The SO-DIMM (Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Module) form
factor is about half the length of standard DIMMs. This smaller size
makes it a common option for memory modules in laptop computers
where size is limited.
116
A user in the marketing department requires a device with the
following features:
• Display slide presentations to a group without a projector
• Respond to email messages without using a laptop
• View complex graphical documents
Which of the following would BEST meet all of these requirements?
❍ A. Tablet
❍ B. Smart phone
❍ C. e-Reader
❍ D. Smart watch
The Answer: A. Tablet
A tablet is the only device from this list that is large enough to display
slide presentations to more than one person, send and receive email
messages, and display graphical information on the screen.
117
Daniel is building out a new floor of office space for his company. Which
of the following cables would be the BEST choice to install in the active
airspace above the drop ceiling?
❍ A. Plenum-rated
❍ B. Shielded twisted-pair
❍ C. Coaxial
❍ D. PVC jacketed twisted-pair
The Answer: A. Plenum-rated
The plenum space is the area above a drop ceiling that is used for building
air circulation. In the case of a fire, this area should contain objects that
have specific characteristics when heated. Network cables in this area are
categorized as plenum-rated, and their construction will limit smoke and
toxic fumes.
118
A developer is connecting a laptop to an LCD projector, but the system is
displaying artifacts on both screens when the two are connected. Which
of the following should resolve this issue?
❍ A. Disable advanced video features
❍ B. Turn the projector off and back on again
❍ C. Change the laptop resolution
❍ D. Connect the laptop to a power source
The Answer: A. Disable advanced video features
The visual "glitches" displayed by graphical artifacts are often associated
with a device driver configuration or with a video adapter hardware
problem. Many graphics drivers include advanced features that can
sometimes conflict with certain software, and disabling the advanced
features can usually correct this issue.
119
A graphics designer needs to connect their macOS computer to a second
monitor and an external storage drive. Which of the following interface
types would provide this connectivity?
❍ A. Lightning
❍ B. DisplayPort
❍ C. DVI-D
❍ D. Thunderbolt
The Answer: D. Thunderbolt
The Thunderbolt standard was created by Intel to connect external
peripherals to a computer at high speeds. The Thunderbolt standard
supports many different peripheral types, including displays, external
storage, Ethernet network connections, and many others.
120
What cloud-based service provides hardware, but still requires the user to
setup, configure, and manage the operating system and applications?
❍ A. SaaS
❍ B. PaaS
❍ C. IaaS
❍ D. DaaS
The Answer: C. IaaS
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) is a service hosting option that provides
CPU, memory, network connections, and storage, and the customer installs
and manages all of the software that uses the infrastructure hardware.
121
```
Which of these network types would be MOST associated with a PAN?
❍ A. ISDN
❍ B. Bluetooth
❍ C. Ethernet
❍ D. Satellite
```
```
The Answer: B. Bluetooth
Bluetooth describes the short-range networks used on many mobile
devices. These networks are designed for an individual and are categorized
as PANs (Personal Area Networks).
```
122
While standing in line at the store, you see another customer use their
mobile phone with the contactless payment option. Which of these
connection types was used to complete this sales transaction?
❍ A. Bluetooth
❍ B. IR
❍ C. NFC
❍ D. 802.11
The Answer: C. NFC
NFC (Near Field Communication) is a limited-area wireless technology,
and it's commonly used with payment systems, information exchange, and
other quick transactions.
123
A manager in the accounting department is complaining of slow
performance on her computer. Initial troubleshooting shows low
utilization of CPU and memory. A network speed test reports normal
throughput to the local network devices. Which of the following would
be the BEST next step for troubleshooting this issue?
❍ A. Boot to Safe Mode
❍ B. Upgrade the BIOS
❍ C. Replace the memory modules
❍ D. Perform a hard drive diagnostic
The Answer: D. Perform a hard drive diagnostic
If a slowdown is not associated with CPU, memory, or the network,
then the issue may be with some other type of hardware. A diagnostic
of the hard drive would identify any issues that could be slowing down
the computer.
124
A server administrator has moved a database server from a lab to a data
center. After installing the server in a data center rack, the system does
not power on. None of the system lights are on, and the power supply and
cooling fans do not spin up. Which of the following should be the FIRST
troubleshooting step for this issue?
❍ A. Replace the power supply
❍ B. Use a multimeter to check motherboard voltages
❍ C. Check the power cable
❍ D. Replace the motherboard
The Answer: C. Check the power cable
When troubleshooting, the easiest possible solution should usually be the
first one to check. This particular system has already been in use, and the
system administrator was the person who moved it from one location to
another. Of the available options, checking the power cable should be the
first thing to check when power issues arise.
125
A user is traveling and has enabled airplane mode on their laptop, but
they would still like to use their wireless headset. Which of these settings
should be enabled to allow this functionality?
❍ A. Wi-Fi
❍ B. USB
❍ C. Bluetooth
❍ D. Cellular
The Answer: C. Bluetooth
Bluetooth networks are PANs (Personal Area Networks) that provide a
short-distance connection to local peripherals. For example, it's common
to use a Bluetooth link to connect to headsets, wireless mice, keyboards, or
speakers.
126
A production editor is configuring a new video editing workstation.
Which of the following would be the MOST important component for
this system?
❍ A. RAID array
❍ B. Dual monitors
❍ C. High-end cooling
❍ D. Gigabit NIC
The Answer: B. Dual monitors
Video editors need one monitor for editing and a second monitor to view
the results of the output.
127
A system administrator has been asked to troubleshoot a print server that
is no longer operating. The print server displays an error code on the front
panel and does not respond to any user input. The system administrator
has created a list of four theories that might cause this particular error.
Which of the following would be the best NEXT troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Test each theory on a lab system
❍ B. Document the theories in the company knowledgebase
❍ C. Try different theories on the print server until the
problem is resolved
❍ D. Replace the print server device
The Answer: A. Test each theory on a lab system
Before a plan of action can be established, it's important to know which
plan to follow. Testing each theory can help determine which guesses
might resolve the issue and which theories had no effect.
128
```
Which of these devices sends incoming traffic to every other port
on the device?
❍ A. Router
❍ B. Unmanaged switch
❍ C. Cable modem
❍ D. Hub
```
The Answer: D. Hub
A hub does not make any forwarding decisions based on the contents of a
network frame. When the frame is received by the hub, it sends a copy of
that frame to every other interface on the hub.
129
```
Which of these wireless standards was the first to introduce 54 Mbit/sec
throughput on the 2.4 GHz band?
❍ A. 802.11g
❍ B. 802.11ac
❍ C. 802.11n
❍ D. 802.11b
```
The Answer: A. 802.11g
802.11g used the same 2.4 GHz frequencies as the 802.11b standard, but
the maximum theoretical throughput was increased from 11 megabits per
second to 54 megabits per second.
130
An organization has implemented a cloud solution that uses a thirdparty data center. Access to the cloud service is available to anyone on the
Internet. Which of the following describes this deployment model?
❍ A. Hybrid
❍ B. Public
❍ C. Community
❍ D. Private
The Answer: B. Public
Public cloud deployments are for organizations that would like to provide
services to anyone on the Internet. Google Mail is an example of a public
cloud service.
131
```
What voltages would be commonly found on a motherboard's power
supply connector?
❍ A. 120 V AC
❍ B. 12 V AC, 5 V AC, 3.3 V AC
❍ C. 12 V DC, 5 V DC, 3.3 V DC
❍ D. 120 V DC
```
The Answer: C. 12 V DC, 5 V DC, 3.3 V DC
A computer's power supply provides direct current (DC) at twelve volts,
five volts, and 3.3 volts.
132
A user is reporting this message on their Windows computer taskbar
icon: "Limited or No connectivity." Which of the following would be the
best NEXT troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Check the local IP address configuration
❍ B. Restart the computer
❍ C. Ping the default gateway
❍ D. Check the switch VLAN configuration
❍ E. Check for a duplicate IP address
The Answer: A. Check the local IP address configuration
The message of limited connectivity is usually based on a system that
does not have access to network resources. This is often occurs when a
system is not able to contact a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol) server and instead assigns itself an APIPA (Automatic Private
IP Addressing) address. A check of the local IP address may identify a
configuration error or an link-local address.
133
```
What kind of device is installed into a computer and directly connects the
computer to an Ethernet network?
❍ A. NIC
❍ B. Switch
❍ C. Repeater
❍ D. Bridge
```
```
The Answer: A. NIC
A NIC (Network Interface Card) is the hardware that connects a device
to a network. Some NICs are integrated into computer motherboards, and
other NICs are separate interface cards.
```
134
A network administrator is planning to connect the network of two
buildings together with a Category 5e cable. Ten Ethernet cables have
been run from a wiring closet, through a conduit, and into a wiring closet
on the other side. The network administrator needs to identify the ends of
the cables so they can be properly terminated on each side. Which of the
following should be used to complete this task?
❍ A. Multimeter
❍ B. Loopback plug
❍ C. Tone generator
❍ D. Crimper
The Answer: C. Tone generator
A tone generator places an analog audio tone onto the wires of a cable, and
an inductive probe is then used on the other side to precisely identify the
cable that contains the tone signal. By moving the tone generator to each
of the ten cables, the other cable end can easily be identified and labeled.
135
A server administrator has configured a database server with a RAID 0
array containing four hard drives. An error notification from the RAID
controller states that disk 3 has failed. Which of the following would be
the BEST way to address this disk failure?
❍ A. Replace the drive and re-mirror the array
❍ B. Replace the drive and resynchronize the array
❍ C. Replace the drive and restore from backup
❍ D. Replace all drives and restore from backup
❍ E. Replace all drives and resynchronize the array
The Answer: C. Replace the drive and restore from backup
RAID 0 (Redundant Array of Independent Disks, Level 0) is a type
of array that provides an efficient storage method at the expense of
redundancy. Data in RAID 0 is striped across multiple drives, and if one
drive is lost then the data in the array is also lost. To resolve a bad RAID
0 drive, the bad drive will need to be replaced and all of the data must be
restored from a backup.
136
A user on a Windows workstation would like to configure their system to
discover Apple devices on the LAN. Which of the following should be
installed on the Windows computer?
❍ A. Bonjour
❍ B. SNMP
❍ C. Finder
❍ D. NetBIOS
The Answer: A. Bonjour
Bonjour is an Apple protocol that assists with discovering Apple devices
on the local network. This protocol is included in macOS, and it can be
added to Windows by installing Apple software such as iTunes.
137
. A server administrator has replaced a bad hard drive in a RAID array and
has verified that the array is operating with full functionality. Which of
the following would be the best NEXT troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Run diagnostics on the bad hard drive
❍ B. Replace the RAID controller
❍ C. Create a list of optional troubleshooting steps
❍ D. Document the drive replacement
The Answer: D. Document the drive replacement
After an issue has been resolved, the last step of the troubleshooting
process is to document the issue, the solution, and any important details
that were identified during the process.
138
An application developer is designing an app that uses three servers
running simultaneously as VMs on her desktop. An upgrade to the
application will add three additional servers to the list of running VMs.
Which of these hardware resources will be the MOST important for
this upgrade?
❍ A. Video adapter
❍ B. Network connection
❍ C. RAM
❍ D. CPU
The Answer: C. RAM
Without any additional information about the applications, the most
critical resource for these new servers will be the amount of RAM required
to keep all of the operating systems running simultaneously.
139
```
Which of these characteristics would be most important for a CAD/
CAM workstation? (Choose TWO)
❍ A. SSD storage
❍ B. High-end video
❍ C. Enhanced audio
❍ D. HDMI interfaces
❍ E. TV tuner
```
The Answers: A. SSD storage, and B. High-end video
A CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided
Manufacturing) system will be using applications that have significant
graphical requirements and storage needs. For these types of computers,
high speed SSD (Solid State Drive) storage and high-end video are a
necessity.
140
A network engineer is troubleshooting an issue communicating to the
Internet over a newly installed DSL connection. A laptop is connected to
a DSL router over twisted pair copper. The IP configuration of the
laptop is:
IP address: 169.254.228.109
Subnet mask: 255.255.0.0
DNS: 9.9.9.9
Which of the following should be the NEXT troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Reset the DSL modem
❍ B. Modify the subnet mask
❍ C. Change the DNS server address
❍ D. Check the status of the DHCP server
The Answer: D. Check the status of the DHCP server
A DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server is the service
that automatically distributes IP addresses to the new devices that
connect to a network. If the DHCP isn't available, the computer will
commonly auto-configure itself with an APIPA (Automatic Private IP
Addressing) address. Addresses between the range of 169.254.1.0 through
169.254.254.255 are assigned to devices using APIPA.
141
A user in the accounting department has configured their mobile phone
for tethering. Which of these would BEST describe this configuration?
❍ A. Use the phone as a method of payment
❍ B. Fast-charge the phone
❍ C. Access the Internet through the phone
❍ D. Connect to external speakers
The Answer: C. Access the Internet through the phone
Tethering allows a user to turn their phone into an Internet router. A
separate device can be physically wired or wirelessly connected to the
phone, and the phone then provides access to the Internet over the cellular
network.
142
. A user has connected an external display to their laptop computer and
would like to mirror the contents of the laptop’s LCD to the external
monitor. Which of these would be the BEST way to provide this
functionality?
❍ A. Modify the video output interface in the BIOS
❍ B. Power cycle the external display
❍ C. Update the laptop's video driver
❍ D. Use the Fn key to toggle between video configurations
The Answer: D. Use the Fn key to toggle between video configurations
The laptop's Fn (Function) key can be used with a specially labeled key to
control the video output between the internal laptop LCD (Liquid Crystal
Display) panel, the external video display, or both simultaneously.
143
. An organization has recently implemented a browser-based email system
that requires no additional software on the user devices. Which of the
following would describe this type of application?
❍ A. SaaS
❍ B. IaaS
❍ C. HaaS
❍ D. PaaS
The Answer: A. SaaS
SaaS (Software as a Service) is on-demand software. The client does
not maintain a local software installation, and the application support is
managed by the service provider. Google Mail is an example of SaaS.
144
```
What type of power supply can operate in countries that use
different voltages?
❍ A. High-voltage
❍ B. Primary
❍ C. Notched
❍ D. Auto switching
```
The Answer: D. Auto switching
An auto switching power supply can automatically detect and use different
input voltages without the need to manually select an input voltage before
connecting. This is especially useful when using equipment in countries
that provide 120 volts of alternating current, and then moving that same
equipment in a country that uses 240 volts of alternating current.
145
A user is reporting that after starting their desktop, they receive the
message “Windows has detected an IP address conflict.” Which of the
following would be the BEST way to resolve this issue?
❍ A. Replace the Ethernet patch cable
❍ B. Enable DHCP on the workstation
❍ C. Bounce the switch port
❍ D. Reboot the default gateway
The Answer: B. Enable DHCP on the workstation
One of the more useful features of a DHCP (Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol) server is the controlled assignment of IP (Internet
Protocol) addresses. If the DHCP server is assigning all IP addresses, then
a duplicate is unlikely. If a device is configured for manual addressing,
then configuring the device to receive IP addresses via DHCP can avoid
possible address duplication.
146
Daniel has just been issued a new smartphone, and he now has access to
email, the corporate VPN, and a secure app for time tracking. Which of
the following should be used to manage authentication for all of these
services?
❍ A. SSL
❍ B. Virtualization
❍ C. GPS
❍ D. SSO
The Answer: D. SSO
SSO (Single Sign-on) is a common method of managing the
authentication process. The user provides their authentication credentials
one time, and those credentials are used to provide access to all services
without requiring the user to authenticate separately to each service.
147
```
Which of the following would be used to terminate a copper Ethernet
patch cable?
❍ A. BNC
❍ B. RS-232
❍ C. RJ45
❍ D. DB-9
```
The Answer: C. RJ45
Copper Ethernet cables are commonly terminated with an 8P8C
(Eight Position / Eight Conductor) RJ45 (Registered Jack 45) standard
connector.
148
A technician has replaced a laser printer toner cartridge, but now the
output does not appear as dark as the original toner cartridge. Which of
the following would be the best way to address this issue?
❍ A. Run a printer calibration
❍ B. Replace the fuser
❍ C. Use a laser printer maintenance kit
❍ D. Clean the OPC drum
The Answer: A. Run a printer calibration
A laser printer calibration allows the user to adjust the amount of toner
used for the output. Different models of toner cartridges can cause the
amount of toner output to vary, and the calibration process adjusts the
toner output to the best levels.
149
A system administrator has just received a laptop that was previously sent
out for repair. However, after powering on the computer, the laptop no
longer responds to the stylus. Which of the following is the MOST likely
reason for this issue?
❍ A. The GPU requires an updated device driver
❍ B. The display needs a new inverter
❍ C. The display needs to be paired to the laptop motherboard
❍ D. The digitizer is faulty
The Answer: D. The digitizer is faulty
The digitizer converts the touch of a finger or a stylus to digital signals
that can be used by the computer. If the digitizer is not operational, then
the screen will not be able to interpret the input from a stylus.
150
A graphics designer has noticed that small dots on their screen remain a
solid red color, even when the image should be a different color. Which of
the following would describe this issue?
❍ A. Burn-in
❍ B. Artifact
❍ C. Motion trail
❍ D. Stuck pixel
The Answer: D. Stuck pixel
A stuck pixel is a single dot (pixel) on the screen that remains a single
color and does not change with the image. These pixels are usually more
obvious when the entire screen is black, but a single pixel remains "stuck"
as red, green, or another color. A pixel that does not display any color is
often called a "dead" pixel.
151
A gaming enthusiast has upgraded his home computer from integrated
graphics to a separate video adapter card. The computer operates as
expected for web browsing and word processing applications. However,
playing a game results in the system shutting down after a few minutes
of operation. Which of the following would be the MOST likely
component causing this issue?
❍ A. CPU
❍ B. Power supply
❍ C. RAM
❍ D. SSD
The Answer: B. Power supply
Adding additional components to a computer can often increase the power
usage, and video adapter cards are one of the most power-hungry devices
that you can add to a computer. If a system is displaying errors or shutting
down during periods of heavy use, then the issue is commonly related to
heat or power.
152
A network administrator has just installed a new WAP in a downtown
office building, but now users are reporting intermittent connectivity
to the Internet. Which of the following would be the FIRST thing to
check?
❍ A. SSID broadcast option
❍ B. Firmware version
❍ C. MAC filter
❍ D. Channel interference levels
The Answer: D. Channel interference levels
In areas with many different organizations located near each other, it's
possible that the frequencies used on different WAPs (Wireless Access
Points) could conflict with each other and cause interference with wireless
communication. In busy areas, it's recommend to perform an analysis of
the current frequencies in use before installing a new access point.
153
A network administrator would like to prevent wired kiosk workstations
from connecting to the wireless network. Which of the following would
be the BEST way to provide this type of control?
❍ A. QoS
❍ B. Port forwarding
❍ C. UPnP
❍ D. MAC filtering
The Answer: D. MAC filtering
Filtering on a MAC (Media Access Control) address allows the network
administrator to control which physical devices can connect to a network.
If the kiosk workstations are added to a MAC address blacklist, those
specific devices will be blocked from connecting to the wireless network.
154
A network administrator is installing a wireless network for a new
development project. Which of the following would be the BEST
configuration for wireless security?
❍ A. WPS
❍ B. WPA
❍ C. QoS
❍ D. WEP
The Answer: B. WPA
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption is one of most useful security
features on a wireless network. Version two, or WPA2, is one of the more
popular versions of this encryption standard, and it's common to see this
encryption type enabled on secure wireless networks.
155
Users in the marketing department are reporting that one network
printer is not working. There are many print jobs in the queue, but
none of the jobs have started to print. A test print from the printer's front
panel does not print any pages. What is the MOST likely reason for this
printing issue?
❍ A. Printer drivers need to be updated
❍ B. Network is disconnected
❍ C. Printer hardware has failed
❍ D. Print spooler needs to be restarted
The Answer: C. Printer hardware has failed
If the printer was operational, then a printer check from the front panel
should provide output. The test print bypasses the network and print
spooler and provides a check for print quality. If the local test print isn't
working, then the printer itself has some type of hardware failure.
156
A member of the accounting department would like to work remotely
while attending a conference in another city. Which of these technologies
would BEST provide this functionality?
❍ A. VLAN
❍ B. 802.11
❍ C. VPN
❍ D. NAT
The Answer: C. VPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) would allow a remote user to connect
back to the corporate office over a secure encrypted tunnel.
157
In which of the following situations would you be MOST likely to
use a multimeter?
❍ A. Identify interference on wireless channels
❍ B. Map the pins of an Ethernet cable
❍ C. Test packet loss on a router interface
❍ D. Locate a specific workstation connection on a punch-down block
The Answer: B. Map the pins of an Ethernet cable
The continuity feature of a multimeter can be used to create a wire map if
both ends of the cable are relatively close to each other.
158
A digital graphics department has been using a SAN to store their image
files. The team now reports that all of the files on the SAN are no longer
accessible. Which of the following should be the FIRST thing to check
on the SAN?
❍ A. RAID array status
❍ B. CPU utilization
❍ C. Input voltage
❍ D. Cache hits
The Answer: A. RAID array status
A SAN (Storage Area Network) is a network-connected storage array. If
the SAN is unavailable, then it's possible that the drive array is having a
technical issue. The first thing to check on the SAN is the sharing service
and network connectivity. Once those are verified to be working, the
troubleshooting can continue.
159
A network administrator is troubleshooting an issue in a home with a
brand of IoT light switches. Which of these technologies would MOST
likely be used?
❍ A. NFC
❍ B. Bluetooth
❍ C. RFID
❍ D. Zigbee
The Answer: D. Zigbee
Zigbee is a common mesh wireless technology used for IoT (Internet
of Things) devices. Zigbee uses the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequencies
of the ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) band to provide
communication between lights, doors, and other IoT devices.
160
A network administrator has upgraded the wireless router in a small
remote location. Now that the upgrade is complete, the computers and
laptops on the network are not able to connect to any local servers.
Which of the following would be the MOST likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. The operating systems are not compatible with the new network
❍ B. The DHCP configuration has changed
❍ C. The Internet connection is not active
❍ D. The computers and laptops need to be upgraded
The Answer: B. The DHCP configuration has changed
SOHO (Small Office / Home Office) routers often include many
different components, including a wireless access point, network switch,
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server, and more. The
IP addressing scheme can sometimes be different between models, so any
of the existing network devices may require the renewal of their DHCPobtained IP addresses before they can communicate to each other.
161
A system administrator needs to replace the keyboard on a laptop, but
the vendor has not provided any repair documentation. Which of the
following would be the BEST way to handle this issue?
❍ A. Check the vendor’s website each day for a repair document
❍ B. Replace the entire laptop
❍ C. Disassemble the laptop case and document the process
❍ D. Use an external USB keyboard
The Answer: C. Disassemble the laptop case and document the process
Although it's common to find hardware guides, you'll occasionally need
to work on equipment that does not have any documentation or the
documentation is not available to you. In these circumstances, the only
option may be to disassemble the device and document each step of the
repair process yourself
162
A user in the accounting department is printing to a thermal printer, but
the output is completely blank. Which of the following would be the
MOST likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. Printer is out of toner
❍ B. Heating element is damaged
❍ C. Feed assembly is faulty
❍ D. Fuser is not operating
The Answer: B. Heating element is damaged
A thermal printer uses a heating element to change the color of the paper.
If the heating element isn't working, then the paper color won't change
and the final output will remain blank.
163
A user’s desktop computer does not start in the morning when the power
button is pressed. A technician notices that the screen remains dark, but
fans are spinning inside of the computer case. No messages are displayed
and no beeps are heard. Which of the following would be the MOST
likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. Faulty RAM
❍ B. No boot drive found
❍ C. The CPU is overheating
❍ D. Bad power supply
The Answer: D. Bad power supply
A bad power supply can sometimes provide power for some voltages but
not others. If the fans are running but no other devices are working, then a
bad power supply should be a consideration.
164
A user in the shipping department needs a charging cable for their
Android phone. Which of the following connectors would be the MOST
likely to work on this phone?
❍ A. USB-C
❍ B. Lightning
❍ C. RJ45
❍ D. Thunderbolt
The Answer: A. USB-C
Android devices commonly used the USB standard for connectivity, and
USB-C is a common standard for many devices.
165
A system administrator has installed a KVM switch in a data center.
When connecting to one of the remote devices, the keyboard works
properly but the mouse does not move. Which of the following should be
the FIRST step when troubleshooting this issue?
❍ A. Replace the KVM mouse
❍ B. Check the keyboard and mouse connectors
❍ C. Replace the KVM keyboard
❍ D. Replace the KVM unit
❍ E. Replace the remote device mouse
The Answer: B. Check the keyboard and mouse connectors
A KVM (Keyboard-Video-Mouse) switch allows a single keyboard, video
display, and mouse, to be used across multiple devices. The KVM switch
will physically connect to the keyboard, video, and mouse interfaces on
other computers, and a control on the KVM switch can be used to move
between devices. If a keyboard or mouse connection isn't working, the
first troubleshooting step is to confirm that the KVM switch is properly
connected to the remote device.
166
A workstation administrator has been asked to troubleshoot an issue
with Internet connectivity on a laptop computer. The network status
in the taskbar shows a yellow exclamation mark with the message “No
Internet access.” When examining the Ethernet connection on the laptop,
the cable sheath is an inch short and individual copper wires are visibly
disconnected from the RJ45 connector. Which of the following should be
used to correct this issue?
❍ A. Crimper
❍ B. Punch-down tool
❍ C. Loopback plug
❍ D. Multimeter
The Answer: A. Crimper
A crimper is used to attach modular connectors to the end of cables. In
this example, the cable would be cut back past the missing cable sheath
and the wires would be attached to a new connector using an RJ45
crimper.
167
A network administrator needs to connect two sites together that are
located on opposite sides of the city. Which of these network connections
would be the MOST appropriate?
❍ A. MAN
❍ B. PAN
❍ C. LAN
❍ D. WAN
The Answer: A. MAN
A MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) connects locations that are in the
same city or metropolitan area. Once the distance is outside the scope of
the immediate metro area, the connection is categorized as a WAN (Wide
Area Network).
168
Which of the following would be the BEST way to remove toner and
paper dust from the inside of a laser printer?
❍ A. Use a chemical cleaner that removes toner particles
❍ B. Run a cleaning page through the printer
❍ C. Wipe the inside with a damp cloth
❍ D. Use compressed air to blow out the particles
The Answer: C. Wipe the inside with a damp cloth
There can be a significant amount of dust and toner particles inside of a
laser printer, and using a normal vacuum cleaner or compressed air would
release the particles into the air and the static discharge would potentially
damage the printer. Instead, a damp cloth will capture the toner and dust
without causing more issues in the immediate area.
169
A system administrator is connecting a remote site to the Internet over a
single pair of copper cabling. Which of the following is the administrator
using for this installation?
❍ A. PoE switch
❍ B. Hub
❍ C. DSL modem
❍ D. Repeater
The Answer: C. DSL modem
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) Internet connections use the same single
copper pair of wires that are traditionally used by POTS (Plain Old
Telephone Service) lines. DSL modems connect to this pair of wires and
convert the signal to an Ethernet connection that can be used by other
devices.
170
```
Which of the following would be MOST associated with a handheld
barcode scanner?
❍ A. 802.11
❍ B. Bluetooth
❍ C. DVD-RW
❍ D. TRS
```
The Answer: A. 802.11
Handheld barcode scanners are often networked devices using 802.11
wireless connectivity
171
A system administrator has been assigned the task of installing an
operating system, application, and data onto a cloud-based server.
Which of these best describes this scenario?
❍ A. Infrastructure as a Service
❍ B. Platform as a Service
❍ C. Hybrid Cloud
❍ D. Software as a Service
The Answer: A. Infrastructure as a Service
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) provides the CPU, memory, storage,
and other infrastructure components necessary for the installation of an
operating system and application.
172
A network engineer is installing a device that will allow wireless devices to
access the wired Ethernet network. Which of the following would BEST
describe this technology?
❍ A. Hub
❍ B. Managed switch
❍ C. VLAN
❍ D. WAP
The Answer: D. WAP
A WAP (Wireless Access Point) is a device that bridges the 802.11
wireless network together with a wired Ethernet network. Since the
WAP is acting as a bridge, it's making forwarding decisions based on the
destination MAC address of the network frame.
173
A systems administrator has added a new video adapter to a desktop
computer, installed the latest video driver, and rebooted the system.
When the system starts, it continuously reboots before it reaches the
login prompt. Which of the following would be the BEST next
troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Press F8 during startup and choose “Boot from last known
working configuration”
❍ B. Upgrade the system BIOS using an update file from the
motherboard manufacturer
❍ C. Disconnect all USB storage devices and restart the system
❍ D. Reinstall the operating system
The Answer: A. Press F8 during startup and choose
“Boot from last known working configuration”
If a recent configuration causes a boot issue, Windows provides a way to
restart the operating system using the last known working configuration.
Each time Windows successfully boots, it makes a backup of that
configuration. If the startup option to "boot from last known working
configuration" is selected, that working backup is used instead of the
current Windows configuration. This can help resolve reboot issues like
those detailed in this question.
174
A system administrator is configuring a lab computer that will run five
server VMs at the same time. Which of the following hardware resources
will be the MOST important for this configuration?
❍ A. CPU
❍ B. Storage space
❍ C. Video adapter
❍ D. NIC
The Answer: B. Storage space
Adding five virtual machines to a single device would require as much
storage space as five separate operating systems. Of the available options,
the system storage will be used the most.
175
A user would like a tablet that can control the television volume and
cable box channels at home. Which of the following tablet features would
MOST likely be required?
❍ A. NFC
❍ B. Bluetooth
❍ C. IR
❍ D. Hotspot
The Answer: C. IR
IR (Infrared) communication is a line-of-sight connection that is
commonly used for low-bandwidth applications over a relatively short
distance. Infrared is commonly used to control televisions and other home
entertainment systems.
176
```
Which of the following would provide segmentation of broadcast
domains on the same physical switch?
❍ A. VLAN
❍ B. DNS
❍ C. VPN
❍ D. DHCP
```
```
The Answer: A. VLAN
A VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) is used to segment interfaces
on a single switch or across multiple switches. This allows a network
administrator to separate networks on a single switch instead of installing
multiple physical switches.
```
177
A user is reporting that every page printed from a networked laser printer
appears as garbled graphics and text characters. Which of the following is
the MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. Incorrect printer driver
❍ B. Damaged network cable
❍ C. Printer is low on memory
❍ D. Toner is low
The Answer: A. Incorrect printer driver
The printer driver formats the print job into a language that the printer
can understand. If the incorrect driver is used, the language sent to the
printer may not be interpreted correctly and the output may appear very
different than the original document. In extreme cases, the output may
appear as readable pages of garbled text and graphics.
178
During a presentation in a conference room, the lamp in an LCD
projector is turning off every five minutes and back on five minutes later.
Which of the following would be the MOST likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. The video cable is faulty
❍ B. The display lamp has failed
❍ C. The cooling process is failing
❍ D. The display resolution is incorrect
The Answer: C. The cooling process is failing
If an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) projector becomes overheated, it
will automatically turn off to protect the bulb and other components.
This is similar to the automatic protections found in laptop and desktop
computers, and once the system cools down it can be restarted. If the
cooling fans are blocked or not working, this process may continue the
cycle until the cooling problem is resolved.
179
A system administrator has just completed a memory upgrade on a
database server. When starting the system, this message is displayed:
“Boot Device Not Found.” The BIOS configuration does not show any
hard drives in the system. Which of the following would be the NEXT
best troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Replace the hard drive
❍ B. Upgrade the BIOS
❍ C. Check the hard drive cables
❍ D. Modify the BIOS boot sequence
The Answer: C. Check the hard drive cables
A memory upgrade would require work inside of a computer case, and it's
very easy to accidentally unseat or disconnect other cables. Since the only
change was the memory upgrade, a change to the storage subsystem would
not be expected. The most likely cause would be a cable issue.
180
If a laptop's inverter is faulty, which of the following would be the MOST
likely result?
❍ A. The battery will not recharge
❍ B. The system will not power on
❍ C. The screen will be difficult to see
❍ D. The USB interfaces will not be powered
The Answer: C. The screen will be difficult to see
The inverter is used to convert the DC (Direct Current) power inside of
the laptop to AC (Alternating Current). The AC power is then used to
power the CCFL (Cold Cathode Florescent Lamp) backlights found in
older laptop computers. Without the backlight, it will be very difficult to
see the information displayed on an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen.
181
What is the most common use for the switch on a computer’s
power supply?
❍ A. Sets the input voltage
❍ B. Controls the speed of the CPU
❍ C. Sets the cooling fan speed
❍ D. Boots from different operating system partitions
The Answer: A. Sets the input voltage
The input voltage to a power supply should match the capabilities of the
power supply unit. Many power supply units are auto-switching, and they
will automatically adjust between 120 volts and 240 volts based on the
input voltage. Alternatively, some power supply units have a switch that
must be manually set to specify input voltage.
182
```
Which of these devices would be required to use an 802.1Q trunk?
❍ A. Router
❍ B. Repeater
❍ C. Managed switch
❍ D. Cable modem
```
```
The Answer: C. Managed switch
A managed switch includes features not found in an unmanaged switch,
such as traffic prioritization, redundancy support, remote management,
and VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) support for connectivity to
other switches via 802.1Q
```
183
Rodney, a user in the manufacturing department, would like to have a
local backup of his iPhone data. Which of the following would provide
this backup?
❍ A. Download the phone data from iCloud
❍ B. Use iTunes to perform a local backup
❍ C. Connect the iPhone directly to an external storage device
❍ D. Connect using USB and copy the files from File Manager
The Answer: B. Use iTunes to perform a local backup
Apple's iTunes application can be used to manage iOS devices, and it also
includes a backup and restore feature. Backups can be performed over a
wireless connection or from a directly connected iOS device.
184
A network administrator needs to connect Ethernet between two
buildings that are located across the parking lot from each other. The total
distance between the buildings is approximately 400 meters. Which of the
following technologies would be the BEST choice for this installation?
❍ A. Coax
❍ B. Category 6A
❍ C. Fiber
❍ D. UTP
The Answer: C. Fiber
Fiber optic communication can extend over very long distances using light
instead of radio frequencies. Since the maximum supported distance of
most Ethernet connections using copper are one hundred meters, any type
of connection that needs additional distance would be a good candidate
for fiber optic cabling.
185
A systems administrator needs to configure a smartphone to retrieve
email messages from the corporate mail server. Which of the following
protocols could be configured for this purpose? (Pick TWO)
❍ A. IMAP
❍ B. AFP
❍ C. SMTP
❍ D. LDAP
❍ E. POP3
❍ F. SNMP
❍ G. SMB
The Answer: A. IMAP and E. POP3
The two most common protocols used to retrieve email messages are
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and POP3 (Post Office
Protocol 3).
186
An administrator would like to maintain an inventory of company-owned
smartphones in a central database. Which of the following would allow
the administrator to identify a unique physical mobile device?
❍ A. IP address
❍ B. IMEI
❍ C. Phone number
❍ D. PRL
The Answer: B. IMEI
The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique number
associated with a physical device. No other mobile phone or cellular device
in the world shares the same IMEI, so it's a common way to reliably
identify a unique mobile device.
187
Which of these cloud computing architectures would BEST describe
several organizations sharing the same resources?
❍ A. Community
❍ B. IaaS
❍ C. Public
❍ D. Hybrid
The Answer: A. Community
A community cloud model is often used by multiple organizations to
build a pool of resources with their combined financial contributions.
This multi-tenant model provides a shared cloud-based deployment to
organizations with similar goals and objectives.
188
```
What port should be configured in a firewall to block secure terminal
communication?
❍ A. 23
❍ B. 443
❍ C. 22
❍ D. 110
```
The Answer: C. 22
Port 22 is used by SSH (Secure Shell), the encrypted terminal
communication protocol.
189
The cooling fan controller in a server is failing. The server administrator
has tested possible reasons for the failures and has created a plan for
correcting the issue. Which of the following would be the best NEXT
troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Verify the fan controller is working properly
❍ B. List possible reasons for the controller failure
❍ C. Present the plan to the change control team
❍ D. Test for full functionality
The Answer: C. Present the plan to the change control team
Change control is an important part of the troubleshooting process for any
organization. When the change control committee approves the plan, the
fix can be tested and the issue can be documented.
190
A desktop administrator is troubleshooting an LCD display that shows a
faint image at the bottom right of the screen. The faint image is displayed
even when spreadsheets or browser screens are shown. Which of the
following would be the MOST likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. Stuck pixels
❍ B. Incorrect resolution
❍ C. Bad video cable
❍ D. Burn-in
The Answer: D. Burn-in
If an image is shown on a screen for an extended period of time, the
display may continue to show a faint "ghost" of the image after the display
has changed. This burn-in may be temporary, but it can be permanent in
extreme circumstances.
191
A systems administrator is troubleshooting a laptop that appears to
boot normally, but nothing appears on the LCD display. After closer
inspection, the administrator notices that text appears on the display
but the output is so faint that it's difficult to see anything. What is the
MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. The video card is faulty
❍ B. The laptop is not receiving enough power
❍ C. The video driver is not configured properly
❍ D. The inverter is faulty
The Answer: D. The inverter is faulty
The inverter on some LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens is used to
convert the internal DC (Direct Current) to AC (Alternating Current)
for use by the CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) backlights. If
the inverter has failed, the backlights will not operate and it will be very
difficult to read the information on the LCD screen.
192
A network administrator has installed a fifty meter network connection
from one side of the building to the other, and now he would like to make
sure that the punch-downs and crimps are connected to the correct pins
on each side. Which of these tools would be the best way to confirm the
wiring map?
❍ A. Multimeter
❍ B. Cable tester
❍ C. Toner probe
❍ D. Loopback plug
The Answer: B. Cable tester
A cable tester can quickly perform a wire map to determine if all of the
wires were properly crimped or punched down on both ends of the cable.
193
```
Which of these characteristics would be MOST associated with a thin
client workstation?
❍ A. Multiple CPUs
❍ B. Specialized GPU
❍ C. Network connectivity
❍ D. Maximum RAM installed
```
The Answer: C. Network connectivity
Thin client computers are viewing applications that are run on a separate
computer across the network, so the hardware requirements would be
minimal. Since most of the application use occurs across the network, the
NIC (Network Interface Card) would be an important component of any
thin client.
194
```
A user in the shipping department would like to connect multiple
displays to a desktop computer. Which of the following would support
this requirement? (Pick TWO)
❍ A. RJ45
❍ B. Lightning
❍ C. Fiber
❍ D. HDMI
❍ E. DB-9
❍ F. DVI-D
```
The Answer: D. HDMI and F. DVI-D
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and DVI-D (Digital
Visual Interface-Digital) are two common video connections. Some video
adapters will provide multiple video connection types and allow different
video outputs for each interface.
195
A user is trying to listen to a playlist on a pair of wireless speakers, but
the speakers are not visible from the music app. The user has restarted
the smartphone and the speakers, but the problem has not been resolved.
Which of the following would be the BEST way to correct this issue?
❍ A. Restart the smartphone
❍ B. Pair the smartphone with the speakers
❍ C. Replace the speakers
❍ D. Install updated drivers in the smartphone
The Answer: B. Pair the smartphone with the speakers
A Bluetooth device must be paired with a mobile phone or tablet to
appear available to applications. Once the Bluetooth speakers are paired
with the smartphone, the speakers should appear in the music app.
196
A network administrator has configured a wireless network to use two
contiguous 20 MHz bonded channels on the 2.4 GHz band. Which of
these wireless standards is in use?
❍ A. 802.11ac
❍ B. 802.11b
❍ C. 802.11n
❍ D. 802.11g
The Answer: C. 802.11n
The 802.11n standard can operate with 20 MHz channel bandwidths
or two contiguous 20 MHz channels to provide a 40 MHz channel
bandwidth. If the 802.11n network is using the 2.4 GHz range, much
of the available bandwidth will be consumed with this single 40 MHz
transmission range.
197
A system administrator has found that other companies in the same office
building have been connecting to her private wireless network. Which of
the following would limit this access to the wireless network?
❍ A. Enable WPA2 encryption
❍ B. Change the wireless channel
❍ C. Assign QoS values
❍ D. Configure NAT
The Answer: A. Enable WPA2 encryption
WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access II) encrypts network traffic and prevents
unauthorized users from accessing the wireless network.
198
A network engineer is installing a cable modem at a remote site. Which
of these connectors would commonly be found on a cable modem?
❍ A. BNC
❍ B. eSATA
❍ C. SCSI
❍ D. F-connector
The Answer: D. F-connector
The F-connector is the common coax screw-on connector used for
television cable or cable modems. A cable modem installation will often
use coax from the cable provider, and the F-connector is used to connect
the coax to the cable modem.
199
A technician has just upgraded the memory on a desktop computer. After
the computer runs for a few minutes, the system locks up completely and
does not respond to keyboard or mouse input. After rebooting, no error
messages are found in Event Viewer. Which of the following would be
the BEST next troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Reinstall the operating system
❍ B. Upgrade the BIOS
❍ C. Update device drivers
❍ D. Run hardware diagnostics
The Answer: D. Run hardware diagnostics
Issues that result in the system hanging without any additional
information can be frustrating to troubleshoot. Since there are no error
messages or log entries associated with the issue, the best option would be
to perform a hardware diagnostic and at least confirm that the hardware is
working
as expected.
200
Which of these network types would MOST likely be categorized
as a WAN?
❍ A. A point-to-point connection to an office in another country
❍ B. A fiber connection to a building across a campus
❍ C. A connection to a remote office on the other side of town
❍ D. A link between a mobile device and an automobile
The Answer: A. A point-to-point connection to an office
in another country
WAN (Wide Area Network) connections are between locations in
different cities, states, or countries.
201
```
Which of these tools would be the MOST appropriate when working
with 110 blocks?
❍ A. Loopback plug
❍ B. Multimeter
❍ C. Crimper
❍ D. Punch-down tool
```
The Answer: D. Punch-down tool
Punch-down tools are used to attach individual wires into punch-down
blocks such as the 66 block or 110 block. The punch down tool pushes
wires into the block and cuts any excess wire from the block.
202
A system administrator is configuring the IP address settings on a remote
server. Which of these settings would enable the server to communicate
with other devices using a fully qualified domain name?
❍ A. DHCP
❍ B. IP address
❍ C. DNS
❍ D. Subnet mask
The Answer: C. DNS
A DNS (Domain Name System) server provides the conversion between
fully qualified domain names and IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. With a
DNS, we can refer to servers by their name instead of using IP addresses.
203
```
Which of the following devices makes forwarding decisions based on
destination IP address?
❍ A. Repeater
❍ B. Router
❍ C. Hub
❍ D. Managed switch
```
The Answer: B. Router
A router decides the next hop of an packet based on the packet's
destination IP (Internet Protocol) address.
204
A system administrator has been tasked with running an application from
one system architecture on a computer running a completely different
system architecture. Which of the following would BEST describe this
requirement?
❍ A. Virtualization
❍ B. Elevation
❍ C. Emulation
❍ D. Synchronization
The Answer: C. Emulation
The best environment for running an application is the system architecture
in which it was originally designed. However, there may be instances
where the original architecture may be unavailable. In those instances,
it may be possible to emulate the original system architecture on a
completely different computing system.
205
A user in the accounting department had a new laptop delivered and
installed, but they are reporting that the network throughput seems much
slower than the previous computer. Which of the following would be the
most likely cause of these slow transfer speeds?
❍ A. Incorrect SSID
❍ B. Device is assigned an APIPA address
❍ C. Incorrect gateway configuration
❍ D. Duplex mismatch
❍ E. Device is assigned an RFC 1918 address
The Answer: D. Duplex mismatch
A mismatch of half-duplex and full-duplex will not cause a total
disruption of network communication, but it will cause the network to
have slow performance.
206
A workstation is configured with a video card that outputs DVI-D,
but it needs to connect to an LCD projector that requires an HDMI
connection. Which of the following would be the BEST way to connect
this workstation to the projector?
❍ A. DVI-D to HDMI adapter
❍ B. Digital to analog converter
❍ C. VGA to HDMI adapter
❍ D. USB to HDMI converter
The Answer: A. DVI-D to HDMI adapter
DVI-D (Digital Visual Interface-Digital) and HDMI (High-Definition
Multimedia Interface) are electrically compatible and only require an
interface adapter to connect between devices. No conversion of the video
signal is required between DVI-D and HDMI.
207
An Android user needs to transfer some presentations from their desktop
computer to their smartphone. Which of the following would be the
BEST choice?
❍ A. Lightning
❍ B. RJ45
❍ C. USB-C
❍ D. Thunderbolt
The Answer: C. USB-C
| USB-C is a connection type used on many Android-based devices.
208
```
What type of network connection is commonly used by DSL?
❍ A. Coax
❍ B. Fiber optic
❍ C. Line-of-sight
❍ D. Twisted pair copper
```
The Answer: D. Twisted pair copper
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) networks use the same twisted pair copper
as traditional phone lines.
209
A workstation has been configured with a gigabit NIC, RAID array, and
a series of hard drives. Which of the following would be the MOST
likely use of this workstation?
❍ A. NAS
❍ B. CAD/CAM workstation
❍ C. Gaming PC
❍ D. Thin client
The Answer: A. NAS
A NAS (Network Attached Storage) device is a centralized storage facility
on the network. A NAS commonly uses RAID (Redundant Array of
Independent Disks) to provide uptime and availability should a drive fail.
210
A system administrator has just built a new server with an eight core
CPU. When viewing information in Windows Task Manager, the utility
shows CPU performance for sixteen different processors. Which of the
following would be the MOST likely reason for this output?
❍ A. Task Manager displays CPU input and output separately
❍ B. The CPU supports hyper-threading
❍ C. The BIOS requires an upgrade to support the newer CPU
❍ D. The CPU is faulty
The Answer: B. The CPU supports hyper-threading
HTT (Hyper-threading Technology) provides additional processing
efficiency by treating a single CPU (Central Processing Unit) as two
separate processors. Although this does not provide twice the performance,
it can increase processing efficiency by fifteen to thirty percent.
211
```
What type of proprietary Apple connector can be plugged in face up or
face down?
❍ A. Lightning
❍ B. Thunderbolt
❍ C. FireWire
❍ D. USB-C
```
The Answer: A. Lightning
The Apple lightning connector is only found on Apple devices, and it
allows for a higher power output to charge larger phone and tablets. The
connector can also be plugged in either face up or face down.
212
Which of the following best describes elasticity in cloud computing?
❍ A. A cloud-based application framework is used to build
more complex apps
❍ B. The cloud operates in an internal virtualized data center
❍ C. All cloud storage is managed from a central pool
❍ D. The cloud resources can scale up as needed
The Answer: D. The cloud resources can scale up as needed
Rapid elasticity is a cloud computing characteristic that allows the scaling
up and down of cloud-based applications on an as-needed basis.
213
A network administrator has been asked to control network access to
destination websites based on the URL. Which of the following would
provide this functionality?
❍ A. QoS
❍ B. Whitelisting
❍ C. NAT
❍ D. MAC filtering
The Answer: B. Whitelisting
Whitelisting allows an administrator to limit all access through a device
unless the content has been previously approved and configured in the
device. This is a very restrictive security posture, but it does provide
extensive control of network traffic flows. In this example, the whitelists
are based on the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a website,
commonly referenced as the web site address.
214
```
Which of the following would be MOST commonly associated with
a KVM switch?
❍ A. DB-9
❍ B. 802.11
❍ C. VGA
❍ D. BNC
```
The Answer: C. VGA
VGA (Video Graphics Array) is a standard video format that's often used
on KVM (Keyboard/Video/Mouse) switches. USB (Universal Serial Bus)
or PS/2 (Personal System/2) interfaces would be commonly connected to
the keyboard and mouse ports.
215
A user has reported that they can't browse to Google's search page at
https://www.google.com. The workstation IP address is 192.168.1.5, the
subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, the default gateway is 192.168.1.1, and
the domain name servers are 10.2.2.1 and 10.2.2.2. A technician can
successfully ping the local IP address, the default gateway, and Google's
DNS server at 8.8.8.8. Which of the following is the most likely cause of
this issue?
❍ A. The Ethernet adapter's duplex setting is incorrect
❍ B. The default gateway is faulty
❍ C. The Internet connection is down
❍ D. The DNS servers are faulty
❍ E. The client's default gateway configuration is incorrect
The Answer: D. The DNS servers are faulty
The DNS (Domain Name System) servers are responsible for converting
a name (www.google.com) to an IP address. If the DNS servers are not
working, then an IP address for a device cannot be resolved and the
communications process can't continue.
216
A user in the facilities department is having an issue printing their
complex blueprints to a network laser printer. When they pick up their
output, the top half of the blueprint is printed but the bottom half of the
page is completely blank. Which of these is the MOST likely cause of
this issue?
❍ A. Network is faulty
❍ B. Printer is out of memory
❍ C. The fuser is not operating
❍ D. Printer is out of toner
The Answer: B. Printer is out of memory
A laser printer must render an entire page in memory before starting the
printing process. If a complex image exhausts the available memory, only a
portion of the page will be printed.
217
A user is connecting their laptop to a docking station for the first time,
but is not able to see any video output. The USB keyboard and mouse
connected to the docking station appear to be working normally. Which
of the following should be the NEXT troubleshooting task?
❍ A. Use the secondary Fn display key
❍ B. Toggle airplane mode on the laptop
❍ C. Install an updated video driver
❍ D. Enable external video output in the laptop BIOS
The Answer: A. Use the secondary Fn display key
The Fn (Function) key on a laptop is used to control laptop features
without requiring additional keys or buttons. Most laptops will include
a Fn key that will enable the external video display and select the type of
video that will appear on the external screen.
218
Two computers in a test lab are used to transfer files to each other over a
wireless network, but the test lab does not have an access point. Which of
the following would best describe this connection?
❍ A. WPA2 mode
❍ B. Ad hoc mode
❍ C. SSID mode
❍ D. Infrastructure mode
The Answer: B. Ad hoc mode
Ad hoc mode configures a device to communicate directly to another
device using the wireless network adapter. With ad hoc mode, a central
access point is not required to communicate to another device.
219
A Windows computer is configured to obtain an IP address automatically.
Which of the following would occur if the automatic assignment process
was not working?
❍ A. The IP address would be set to 0.0.0.0
❍ B. A link-local address would be assigned
❍ C. The Ethernet adapter would be disabled
❍ D. The last known good IP address would be used
The Answer: B. A link-local address would be assigned
If a device is configured to obtain an IP address from a DHCP (Dynamic
Host Configuration Protocol) server and the DHCP server is not
available, an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address, or linklocal address, would be self-assigned.
220
A web server administrator has received a notification that disk 1 in a
RAID 5 array has failed. Which of the following would be the BEST
next step to resolve this drive failure?
❍ A. Replace disk 1 and restore from backup
❍ B. Replace all drives and restore from backup
❍ C. Replace all drives and rebuild the array
❍ D. Replace disk 1 and rebuild the array
The Answer: D. Replace disk 1 and rebuild the array
A RAID 5 (Redundant Array of Independent Disks, level 5) array is
designed to maintain data availability in the event of a single drive failure.
In this example, it's unlikely that the users even realized that one of the
drives on the array was suddenly unavailable, because the array would
continue to operate normally with all data intact. To resolve this issue, the
bad drive would need to be replaced, and the array would rebuild the data
on the new drive using the redundant data from other drives.
221
IoT devices can build connections between each other to increase the
overall network communication distance. Which of the following would
best describe this type of network?
❍ A. PAN
❍ B. LAN
❍ C. WMN
❍ D. MAN
The Answer: C. WMN
A WMN (Wireless Mesh Network) is commonly used by IoT (Internet
of Things) devices to extend the overall reach of the network. All devices
connect to each other to create a mesh "cloud" that can be used by all of
the IoT devices.
222
A user in the accounting department is reporting that all of the printed
pages from a networked laser printer are completely blank. Nothing
appears to be written on any of the printed pages. Which of the following
would be the MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. Fuser is faulty
❍ B. Print drivers are incorrect
❍ C. Printer out of memory
❍ D. Toner cartridge is faulty
The Answer: D. Toner cartridge is faulty
If the toner cartridge is completely empty or is not properly providing
toner to the printer, then nothing will be printed on the final output.
223
A systems administrator has just installed a new server in a data center.
When pressing the power button, there’s no response from the server, no
lights appear on the front display, and no fans are spinning. Which of the
following would be the MOST likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. An operating system is not installed on the server
❍ B. The power supply switch is set to the wrong input voltage
❍ C. The BIOS needs to be upgraded
❍ D. The keyboard and mouse are not connected
The Answer: B. The power supply switch is set to the wrong input voltage
If the data center power provides 120 volts and the computer's power
supply is set to 240 volts, the computer will not be able to start. Some
power supplies will attempt to start with the lower voltage while other
power supplies will not work at all. In either case, the computer is not
going to perform properly with the lower voltage and may be damaged by
the difference in expected voltage.
224
Which of the following services would automatically provide an IP
address to any device connected to the network?
❍ A. DNS
❍ B. Proxy
❍ C. IPS
❍ D. DHCP
The Answer: D. DHCP
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is used to automatically
assign IP addresses to network devices. A device configured to use DHCP
will be assigned an IP address without any intervention from the user or
network administrator.
225
A quality assurance team is planning to use a single workstation to
simultaneously test an application across multiple operating systems.
Which of the following components would be MOST important for
this workstation?
❍ A. Enhanced sound card
❍ B. Gigabit NIC
❍ C. Dual monitors
❍ D. Maximum RAM
The Answer: D. Maximum RAM
Running multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single system
will require extensive CPU and RAM usage.
226
A computer lab is purchasing supplies for their 3D printers. Which of the
following should be included on this order?
❍ A. Toner cartridge
❍ B. Ink ribbon
❍ C. Plastic filament
❍ D. Ink cartridge
The Answer: C. Plastic filament
| 3D printers melt plastic filament in layers to create a 3D object.
227
A network administrator has configured a system to operate in
infrastructure mode. Which of the following would BEST describe
this mode?
❍ A. The wireless network communicates through an access point
❍ B. The BIOS settings cannot be changed without an
administrator password
❍ C. No changes can be made to the operating system files
❍ D. All files shares are stored on a central NAS
The Answer: A. The wireless network communicates through
an access point
Infrastructure mode uses an access point to communicate with other
devices on the network. Ad hoc mode communicates directly to another
device without using an access point.
228
A server administrator is building a web server with three hard disk
drives. The storage for the server requires the fastest possible access and
redundancy is not a primary requirement. Which of the following would
be the BEST choice for this server?
❍ A. RAID 10
❍ B. RAID 1
❍ C. RAID 0
❍ D. RAID 5
The Answer: C. RAID 0
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) level 0 does not provide
any redundancy, but it will efficiently stripe data across multiple drives.
RAID 0 does not require the duplication of data or calculation of parity, so
it's commonly considered the fastest access of the RAID levels.
229
A network engineer is troubleshooting the connection of a tablet to a
cellular provider’s network. Which of these would BEST describe this
network connection?
❍ A. Integrated Services Digital Network
❍ B. Long Term Evolution
❍ C. Media Access Control
❍ D. Near Field Communication
The Answer: B. Long Term Evolution
Long Term Evolution, or LTE, is a converged standard used by mobile
providers to provide high-speed communication over cellular frequencies.
230
A developer has requested a server for testing a new application. To
complete this request, the system administrator logs into his cloud
console and allocates a new server configuration. Which of the following
describes this process?
❍ A. Metered
❍ B. Resource pooling
❍ C. Measured
❍ D. On-demand
The Answer: D. On-demand
The characteristic of on-demand self-service is an important aspect of
cloud computing. With an on-demand process, system administrators can
instantly create, modify, or delete services. This provides the flexibility to
build an application infrastructure for any service at any time.
231
A user is complaining that their laptop keyboard is displaying numbers
when letter keys are pressed. When you look at the laptop, you confirm
that pressing some of the letters on the keyboard shows numbers on the
screen. What is the MOST likely cause of this problem?
❍ A. Windows has remapped the keyboard layout
❍ B. The secondary function key has enabled NumLock
❍ C. The Caps Lock key is enabled
❍ D. The laptop’s keyboard is faulty
The Answer: B. The secondary function key has enabled NumLock
The smaller keyboard on laptop has a limited amount of space available.
To resolve this lack of real estate, many manufacturers will add a secondary
Fn (Function) key to the keyboard that will toggle between a normal key
and a secondary function. This allows manufacturers to have the same
functionality as a full-size keyboard with a smaller number of physical
keys. If the Fn key enables NumLock, then the keyboard letters will
operate as a numeric keypad.
232
```
Which of the following would be commonly used to connect a chip
reader to a point of sale terminal?
❍ A. TRS
❍ B. BNC
❍ C. VGA
❍ D. USB
```
The Answer: D. USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a common interface to use for mouse,
keyboard, printers, and many other peripheral connections. The chip reader
used on a point of sale terminal commonly connects over this
USB interface.
233
A server administrator has recently upgraded the CPU in one of his
database servers, and he has also installed a new heat sink and a CPU fan.
Unfortunately, the computer is now powering down after ten minutes of
normal use. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason for
this issue?
❍ A. Insufficient thermal paste
❍ B. Overloaded power supply
❍ C. The OS is out of memory
❍ D. Incorrect BIOS configuration
The Answer: A. Insufficient thermal paste
If a computer runs for a number of minutes and suddenly shuts down,
then heat is probably the root cause of the issue. Since this system was just
upgraded and the cooling system was changed, the most likely reason for
this problem is related to the cooling of the CPU.
234
```
Which of the following technologies performs BEST when reading a
text-based document in direct sunlight?
❍ A. Tablet
❍ B. Smart phone
❍ C. e-Reader
❍ D. Augmented reality glasses
```
The Answer: C. e-Reader
The electronic ink or electronic paper used on e-Readers allows their
screens to be viewed easily in bright light.
235
The mouse on a desktop computer has stopped operating. Which of the
following would be the best NEXT troubleshooting step?
❍ A. Replace the mouse
❍ B. View Device Manager
❍ C. Reinstall the mouse driver
❍ D. Move the mouse to a different USB interface
The Answer: B. View Device Manager
The first step of the troubleshooting process is to identify the problem.
Before making any changes, it's important to research the issue and gather
as much information as possible.
236
A network administrator is viewing the interface statistics on a WAN
router and has noticed that error rates are increasing. The administrator
has replaced the WAN cables, but the errors continue. Which of the
following tools should be used to BEST troubleshoot
this issue?
❍ A. Loopback plug
❍ B. Toner probe
❍ C. Multimeter
❍ D. Cable tester
The Answer: A. Loopback plug
A loopback plug is useful when running diagnostics on a device interface.
Data is sent out an interface, and the loopback plug redirects that data
back to the interface. By comparing the data sent and received, the
technician can determine if an interface may not be operating properly.
237
```
Which part of the laser printing process requires extensive use of
printer memory?
❍ A. Processing
❍ B. Fusing
❍ C. Transferring
❍ D. Exposing
```
The Answer: A. Processing
The processing phase is the first phase of the laser printing process. The
printer builds the entire page in memory before the rest of the printing
processes can continue.
238
An administrator is trying to print some customer letters on company
letterhead, but the multi-tray laser printer is printing everything on plain
paper. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. Print spooler has crashed
❍ B. Printer hardware is faulty
❍ C. Tray selection in the printer driver is incorrect
❍ D. Printer does not support printing on letterhead
The Answer: C. Tray selection in the printer driver is incorrect
Many organizations will use a multi-tray printer with plain paper in one
tray and letterhead in the other. The printer driver allows the user to
configure and select certain printer functions, including the print tray that
will be used during the printing process.
239
Walter, a hardware technician, has been asked to purchase a system that
will be used as a database server. One of the specifications for the server
requires the system to detect and correct memory errors during operation.
Which of the following would be the BEST option for this project?
❍ A. Parity memory
❍ B. Single channel
❍ C. ECC
❍ D. SO-DIMM
The Answer: C. ECC
ECC (Error Correcting Code) memory is designed to both identify
memory errors and correct them if possible. It's common to see ECC
RAM (Random Access Memory) used in servers to minimize any
potential downtime.
240
A system administrator is replacing a cracked LCD display on a
Windows laptop. Which of the following would be the MOST important
component to test after this replacement?
❍ A. Trackpad
❍ B. Wireless network
❍ C. USB devices
❍ D. Primary storage drive
The Answer: B. Wireless network
The antenna wires of the 802.11 wireless and Bluetooth adapters
commonly wrap around the laptop display for the best possible height.
When replacing the display, it's important to make sure that the wires are
properly installed and have not detached from the antenna connectors on
the wireless adapter or motherboard.
241
```
Which of the following would be MOST associated with M.2?
❍ A. HDD
❍ B. Hybrid
❍ C. RAID
❍ D. SSD
```
The Answer: D. SSD
SSDs (Solid State Drives) are storage devices that use non-volatile
memory and have no moving parts. The M.2 interface is a small form
factor interface that allows for high-throughput storage in a smaller
footprint than a 2.5-inch storage drive.
242
A user in the accounting department is reporting that her smartwatch
is not synchronizing with her mobile phone. The phone is powered on
and unlocked, but the phone does not show the smartwatch in a list of
available devices. Which of the following would MOST likely solve this
issue?
❍ A. Enable NFC on the mobile phone
❍ B. Disable Wi-Fi on the mobile phone
❍ C. Enable Bluetooth on the mobile phone
❍ D. Restart the phone and smartwatch
The Answer: C. Enable Bluetooth on the mobile phone
The PAN (Personal Area Network) used for connectivity between local
devices is Bluetooth, so enabling Bluetooth on the phone should allow the
watch and phone to communicate to each other.
243
A computer used for testing high-resolution gaming displays has a highend video adapter and DisplayPort video connection. The computer works
properly for word processing and spreadsheets, but it powers down after
only a few minutes of graphics testing. Which of the following would be
the MOST likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. The storage drive is not fast enough for the testing application
❍ B. The CPU fan is faulty
❍ C. The video display is not properly connected
❍ D. One of the memory modules is faulty
The Answer: B. The CPU fan is faulty
If a system powers off after some intense CPU (Central Processing Unit)
utilization, then the issue is most likely associated with heat or power.
Most computers have many different temperature sensors that will
recognize when the system gets too hot, and they will automatically power
down to prevent damaging the CPU, memory, and other hardware.
244
A network administrator has created a configuration that provides a
server with the same IP address each time the server is started. Which of
the following would BEST describe this configuration?
❍ A. Link-local address
❍ B. IP reservation
❍ C. Default gateway
❍ D. APIPA
The Answer: B. IP reservation
An IP (Internet Protocol) reservation is usually configured on a DHCP
(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server to ensure that specific
devices always receive the same IP address. This is commonly done to
ensure that important network resources are always available using the
same IP address.
245
Which of the following BEST describes a hypervisor?
❍ A. Manages the resources required for virtualization
❍ B. Increases the overall CPU efficiency of a computer
❍ C. Improves the throughput of network communication
❍ D. Prevents malware from executing in secure areas of memory
❍ E. Caches CPU transactions to provide an overall faster response time
The Answer: A. Manages the resources required for virtualization
A hypervisor, or virtual machine manager, is the software that manages
the connection between the physical world and the virtual machine. The
hypervisor is commonly associated with the management of the CPU
(Central Processing Unit), memory, networking, and security on the virtual
machines.
246
A network technician is installing a new copper gigabit Ethernet
connection, but when they plug in the network cable the status light
indicators are dark. Which of the following would be the MOST likely
status of the network connection?
❍ A. The DHCP server has not assigned an IP address
❍ B. There is no signal on the Ethernet cable
❍ C. The Ethernet link is running at 100 megabits per second
instead of 1 gigabit per second
❍ D. The primary DNS server is not responding
The Answer: B. There is no signal on the Ethernet cable
A least one light on the Ethernet adapter is commonly associated with
the link status. The link light will turn on if a signal is identified on the
Ethernet cable. Most Ethernet adapters will have lights to indicate the
status of an Ethernet signal and the speed of the link.
247
A finance manager is printing a contract that is designed to be printed
on both sides of the page, but the printer is only providing output on
one side of the paper. Which of the following options would resolve this
issue?
❍ A. Collate
❍ B. Caching
❍ C. Orientation
❍ D. Duplex
The Answer: D. Duplex
The duplex setting on a printer enables printing on both sides of the page
without requiring a person to manually flip the pages over.
248
A technician is troubleshooting a mobile phone that turns off after
about an hour of normal use. Before powering off, the phone displays
the message, “High temperature detected.” The phone is used inside the
building at room temperature, and is not used in direct sunlight. Which
of the following would be the MOST likely reason for this issue?
❍ A. An app is using a large amount of CPU
❍ B. The Wi-Fi network is overloaded
❍ C. The battery has low voltage
❍ D. The mobile phone has an invalid certificate
The Answer: A. An app is using a large amount of CPU
Electronic devices generate a lot of heat, and the amount of heat from a
CPU increases dramatically as it is used. Although most mobile devices
will dissipate the heat using passive cooling, it's still possible to overheat
the device in certain circumstances.
249
The help desk has received a ticket that a desktop computer is reporting
slow performance. The hard drive access LEDs are continuously lit, and
it takes sixty seconds to load a file that previously took five seconds.
The CPU and memory utilization statistics show minimal resource use.
Which of the following would be the BEST next step?
❍ A. Upgrade the RAM
❍ B. Replace the hard drive
❍ C. Upgrade the BIOS
❍ D. Boot to Safe Mode
❍ E. Upgrade the power supply
The Answer: B. Replace the hard drive
Slow file access and a low amount of memory and CPU utilization
indicates a problem with the hard drive. Performing a backup and
replacing the drive should return the system to normal operation.
250
A user in the marketing department was using their computer to send
some email messages. The computer made an unexpected loud pop
and immediately powered down. The computer would not respond to
additional attempts to power it back on. Which of the following would be
the MOST likely cause of this issue?
❍ A. Incorrect video refresh rate
❍ B. Faulty capacitor
❍ C. Incomplete software update
❍ D. Bad memory module
The Answer: B. Faulty capacitor
Not all capacitors pop when they fail, but often a loud pop inside of a
computer is related to a blown capacitor. The second symptom of the
immediate powering off of the system also helps make the case that a
capacitor is to blame.
251
A manager in the shipping department needs to connect their laptop to
wireless portable speakers while in the office. Which of these should be
configured on their laptop?
❍ A. Tethering
❍ B. Bluetooth
❍ C. NFC
❍ D. IR
The Answer: B. Bluetooth
Most external portable speakers use Bluetooth to receive audio signals
from a mobile device. Bluetooth has the best fit for connectivity options,
distance requirements, and bandwidth for sending audio data.
252
A technician has two hard disk drives that need to be configured
redundantly, and all information should be duplicated across physical
drives. Which of the following should be configured?
❍ A. RAID 5
❍ B. RAID 1
❍ C. Dynamic disks
❍ D. RAID 0
The Answer: B. RAID 1
The RAID 1 (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) array keeps an
exact duplicate of data across multiple drives. If one drive fails, the other
drive containing the duplicated data continues to provide access to the
data.
253
A system administrator has connected a desktop computer to a new
LCD monitor. After connecting the monitor, all of the desktop icons and
windows appear oversized and larger than usual. Which of the following
would be the BEST way to correct this issue?
❍ A. Modify the display resolution
❍ B. Use a different LCD display
❍ C. Replace the monitor cable
❍ D. Restart the desktop computer
The Answer: A. Modify the display resolution
The display resolution determines how many horizontal and vertical pixels
are used when displaying information on a screen. If the resolution is set
relatively low, then the screen information will appear larger than a higher
resolution. To correct this oversized view, the system administrator will
need to configure a higher resolution setting on the desktop computer.
254
A company is developing a product that will monitor a user’s heart rate
and sleep patterns. Which category BEST fits this type of product?
❍ A. Augmented reality
❍ B. Tablet
❍ C. Smart phone
❍ D. Wearable
The Answer: D. Wearable
Wearable products are designed to be worn on the body and can
constantly monitor health information and other nearby sensors. Fitness
monitors are a common wearable technology.
255
A system administrator is installing a new LCD projector in the company
conference room. Which of the following would MOST likely be used
with this projector?
❍ A. Lightning
❍ B. UTP
❍ C. Coaxial
❍ D. HDMI
The Answer: D. HDMI
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a common interface
for transmitting audio and video to televisions, displays, and projectors.
256
You are preparing to upgrade the battery in your laptop. You have turned off the laptop and disconnected it from the AC. Which of the following other precautions should you take when upgrading a laptop battery?
Touch a metal object outside the laptop before touching the battery.
Wipe any dirt or dust from the battery compartment with a spray bottle of clean water and a clean, wet cloth.
Clean the contacts inside the battery compartment with an ammonia-based cleaner.
Carefully remove the new battery from its bag and set it on a clean metal surface.
Explanation:
Touching a metal object before touching the battery helps to discharge any static electricity that might be in your body. An even better idea would be to use an ESD wrist strap or mat. Do not remove an electronic component from its protective plastic bag until you are ready to install it. That bag protects the component from ESD. Never set a component down on a metal surface because metal conducts electricity and that can damage the component. Dirt inside the battery compartment and corrosion on the terminals should be cleaned with a soft, dry cloth, but never with water or ammonia.
257
The Thunderbolt 3 technology accepts the same connector interface as which of the following?
USB Type-C
DisplayPort
HDMI
Mini DisplayPort
Explanation:
Thunderbolt 3 accepts the same connector as USB Type-C. Thunderbolt 1 and 2 use the same connector as the Mini DisplayPort.
