Lesson 2

A hardware technician is working on a new desktop that can send 128 bits of data per transfer rather than 64 bits. What is this referred to as?

• 1. Single channel

• 2. Quadruple channel

• 2. Dual channel

• 1. Triple channel

Answer explanation

This is a dual channel memory controller as there are effectively two 64-bit pathways through the bus to the central processing unit (CPU) meaning that each transfer can send 128 bits of data.

An employee is leaving the company and must return any removable storage devices they may have. What devices will the employee most likely return? (Select all that apply.)

• USB flash drive

• 1. SD card

• Wireless card

• RAM

Answer explanation

The employee will most likely return universal serial bus (USB) drives which are a type of flash drive and are simply a flash memory board with a USB connector and protective cover.

The employee will most likely return secure digital (SD) cards. SD cards are a proprietary type of memory card that can have different sizes and performance ratings.

A student is learning about computer hardware and the instructor selects them to identify the component that executes program instruction code. How should the student respond?

• HDD

• Cache

• RAM

• CPU

Answer explanation

The student should respond with CPU, or central processing unit. The CPU in a computing device executes the program instruction code.

An engineer is designing a new computer system and wants to provide active cooling to improve airflow and dissipate heat from around the components. What will the engineer use in the system?

• 2. Fans

• 1. Heat sinks

• 1. Thermal pads

• Thermal paste

Answer explanation

The engineer will use fans, which actively improve airflow and help to dissipate heat. Engineers use fans on the power supply and chassis exhaust points.

A hardware technician is purchasing more servers for an organization and needs to ensure the power supply units in the data center have the correct output to support them. What is a power supply unit’s output capability measured as?

• Power

• Wattage rating

• 1. Voltage

• 1. Power

Answer explanation

The wattage rating is the measurement of the power supply unit’s output capability. Servers have units rated over 300 W to meet the demands of multiple CPUs, additional memory modules, etc.

A hardware technician is scanning a computer’s non-volatile storage devices for errors and infections. Which of the following will the technician include in the scanning? (Select all that apply.)

• 2. Solid-state drives

• 1. Hard disk drives

• 1. Random access memory

• 1. Mass storage devices

Answer explanation

The technician will include hard disk drives in their scanning. Hard disk drives are non-volatile storage that store data on metal or glass platters coated with a magnetic substance.

The technician will include solid-state drives in their scanning. Solid-state drives are non-volatile storage that use flash memory technology to implement persistent mass storage.

Non-volatile storage devices, or mass storage devices, hold data when the system is off. Mass storage devices use magnetic, optical, or solid-state technology to store data.

A technician loans a laptop to employees when they go on travel and each time an employee returns the laptop the technician reformats it and reloads the operating system and all the software. After several years of following this process, the laptop is sluggish and often freezes. What is most likely to cause this to happen?

• 1. RAM

• 2. Motherboard

• 2. SSD

• 1. CDs

Which of the following central processing unit (CPU) architectures implements a system-on-chip (SoC) where all the controllers, including video, sound, networking, and storage, are part of the CPU?

• x86

• 1. IA-32

• x64

• ARM

A hardware technician is ordering power supply units (PSUs) for the organization’s desktop computers. What type of form factor is the technician looking for the PSUs to have from the list below?

• 1. Mini-ITX

• ATX

• SFF

• 1. PCIe

A hardware technician is reinstalling a heat sink with a central processing unit (CPU). Which of the following steps should the technician take to reinstall the heat sink? (Select all that apply.)

• Clean it.

• 1. Wear an ESD wrist strap.

• 1. Thermal paste.

• 2. Pop up the CPU at a 45º angle.

Answer explanation

If reinstalling the same heat sink, the hardware technician should clean old thermal grease from the surfaces of the heat sink.

When installing a heat sink, the hardware technician should apply a small amount of new grease in an X pattern. The technician should not apply too much—if it overruns, the excess could damage the socket.

The technician should take anti-electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions, such as wearing an ESD wrist strap, when handling and storing CPUs.