PC Repair Fundamentals

Questions 1 - 25

1-6 Chapter 3 Questions

April

1. What is the difference between a hard boot and soft boot?

Answer:

-Hard Boot is turning the power of a computer on or off by the power button.

-Soft Boot is using software to turn the computer on or off. (ctrl/alt/delete)

2. What are the four main parts of the boot process?

Answer:

1. The startup BIOS runs the POST and assigns system resources.

2. The startup BIOS program searches for and loads an OS.

3. The OS configures the system and completes its own loading.

4. Application software is loaded and executed.

3. What memory address is always assigned to the first instruction in the ROM BIOS startup program?

Answer:

FFFF0h

4. How does startup BIOS communicate errors during POST if video is not yet available?

Answer:

Through a series of audio beeps, different numbers of beeps mean different errors depending on your bios manufacturer.

5. Name the program that is needed to locate the beginning of the OS on a drive.

Answer:

Master Boot Record (MBR)

6. List three types of information contained in a hard drive’s partition table.

Answer:

1- Map to the partitions on the hard drive. 2- Information about where each logical drive is located, where it starts and where it ends. 3- Which partition contain the drive to be used for booting. (the active partition)

7-12 Chapter 3 Questions

James

7. What is the name of the windows NT/2000/XP boot

loader program?

Answer

•Ntldr or Io.sys

8. How many startup disks are needed to boot Windows 2000

from floppy disks?

Answer

•4

9. When is troubleshooting a failed boot, if you don’t see any lights or hear any noise, what hardware system do you first

assume is at fault?

Answer

• Power system

10. When booting your computer and you see a blank screen, but hear a single beep, what can you assume worked

with no errors?

Answer

•Power

11. When booting your computer and you see a blank screen, but hear a single beep, what component should you

check first?

Answer

• Video system

12. Using the rule “trade good for suspected bad,”

describe how easily troubleshoot a video

problem?

Answer

• Is the monitor electrical cable plugged in?

• Is the monitor turned on?• Is the monitor cable plugged into the

video port?• Try a different monitor and different

monitor cables.

Questions 13-18 are not displayed

19-25 Chapter 3 Questions

Alex Coffey

19.) If you are unsure how to properly dispose of a can of contact cleaner, how can you find out the acceptable method of disposal?

Check with local county or environmental officials for laws and regulations in your area for proper

disposal of these items.

20.) What two tools can be used to remove dust from inside a computer

case?

Compressed Air, or Vacuum (Safe to use antistatic vacuum)

21.) What are three types of ribbon cables you might find inside a PC?

1.) 34-pin floppy drive cable with twist

2.) 40-pin IDE cable with 40 wires3.) 40-pin IDE cable with 80 fine

wires (80 conductor cable)

22.) Why is it important to NOT rock an expansion card from side to side

as you remove it from its slot?

Rocking an expansion card from side to side might spread the slot

opening and weaken the connection.

Instead rock it from end to end.

23.) What type of expansion card can have a retention mechanism at

the bottom of the card to help stabilize it in the slot?

Video Card

24.) Name three tools that you can use to protect a system against ESD

as you work on it.

1.) Antistatic Gloves2.) Ground Mats

3.) Ground Bracelet

25.) If you suspect that a USB port is faulty, what tool can you use to test

the port?

Loop-Back Plug