Chapter 4: Preventive Maintenance & Troubleshooting

Which task should be performed on a hard drive as part of a preventive maintenance plan?

• Ensure cables are firmly connected.

• Blow out the inside of the drive with compressed air to remove dust.

• Clean the read and write heads with a cotton swab.

• Ensure the disk spins freely.

Which step in the troubleshooting process is important to help avoid repeating repair processes that were performed previously?

• implementation of the solution

• identification of the problem

• documentation of the problem and its solution

• preparation of a plan of action

A scientific expedition team is using laptops for their work. The temperatures where the scientists are working range from -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 degree Celsius) to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). The humidity level is around 40 percent. Noise levels are low, but the terrain is rough and winds can reach 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour). When needed, the scientists stop walking and enter the data using the laptop. Which condition is most likely to adversely affect a laptop that is used in this environment?

• the humidity

• the temperature

• the wind

• the rough terrain

When you run out of possible theories for the cause of a problem, what should you do?

• Escalate the problem.

• Document your actions so far.

• Establish a plan of action.

• Question the user.

A user has opened a ticket that indicates that the computer clock keeps losing the correct time. What is the most likely cause of the problem?

• The operating system needs to be patched.

• The motherboard clocking crystal is damaged.

• The CPU needs to be overclocked.

• The CMOS battery is loose or failing.

A user has noticed that the hard drive LED on the front of the computer has stopped working. However, the computer seems to be functioning normally. What is the most likely cause of the problem?

• The hard drive LED cable has come loose from the motherboard.

• The hard drive data cable is malfunctioning.

• The power supply is not providing enough voltage to the motherboard.

• The motherboard BIOS needs to be updated.

Which procedure is recommended when cleaning inside a computer?

• Remove the CPU before cleaning.

• Hold the CPU fan to prevent it from spinning and blow it with compressed air.

• Invert the can of compressed air while spraying.

• Clean the hard drive heads with a cotton swab.

What is a symptom of a failing power supply?

• The computer displays a POST error code.

• The display has only a blinking cursor.

• The computer sometimes does not turn on.

• The power cord will not attach properly to either the power supply or wall outlet or both.

An employee mentions that opening a large document file is taking longer than usual. The desktop support technician suspects that there might be a fault in the hard disk. What should the technician do next?

• Back up the user data from the workstation.

• Perform the disk cleanup procedure.

• Contact a data recovery company for service.

• Replace the hard disk with a new one to pinpoint the exact problem.

Which negative environmental factor does cleaning the inside of a computer reduce?

• dust
• EMI
• rust
• ESD