A+ CompTIA Guide To Hardware 1

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  • 1/19 Questions

    The most popular motherboard form factor is the ____

    • ATX
    • BTX
    • AT
    • NLX
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About This Quiz

This quiz covers essential aspects of computer hardware, focusing on historical and modern expansion buses, system interfaces, and motherboard components, relevant for the CompTIA A+ certification.

A Plus Certification Quizzes & Trivia

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  • 2. 

    ______or spacers are round plastic or metal pegs that separate the motherboard from the case, so that components on the back of the motherboard do not touch the case.

    • Jumpers

    • Dual Inline Package (DIP) switches

    • Standoffs

    • On-board ports

    Correct Answer
    A. Standoffs
    Explanation
    Standoffs are round plastic or metal pegs that are used to separate the motherboard from the case. They ensure that the components on the back of the motherboard do not touch the case, preventing any electrical short circuits or damage. By creating a gap between the motherboard and the case, standoffs provide insulation and support for the motherboard, allowing it to function properly and securely within the computer system.

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  • 3. 

    _______ is also called the real time clock/nonvolatile RAM (RTC/NVRAM) chip, which retains the data even when the computer is turned off.

    • SDRAM

    • Communication and Networking riser (CNR)

    • CMOS RAM

    • Data Packet

    Correct Answer
    A. CMOS RAM
    Explanation
    CMOS RAM, also known as the real-time clock/nonvolatile RAM (RTC/NVRAM) chip, retains data even when the computer is turned off. This type of memory is used to store the computer's BIOS settings, such as the date, time, and hardware configuration. It is powered by a small battery on the motherboard, allowing it to maintain its data even during power loss. SDRAM, CNR, and data packets are not related to the retention of data when the computer is turned off.

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  • 4. 

     How many power-on passwords can the CMOS Setup hold to help secure a system?

    • 1 or 2

    • 3 or 4

    • 5 or 6

    • None of the above

    Correct Answer
    A. 1 or 2
    Explanation
    The CMOS Setup can hold up to 1 or 2 power-on passwords to help secure a system. This means that users can set one or two passwords to restrict access to the system during the power-on process.

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  • 5. 

    ______is a legacy memory that uses RIMM memory modules and is named after Rambus Inc.

    • Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM)

    • Direct Rambus DRAM (RDRAM or Direct RDRAM)

    • DDR2 SDRAM

    • SyncLink SDRAM (SLDRAM)

    Correct Answer
    A. Direct Rambus DRAM (RDRAM or Direct RDRAM)
    Explanation
    Direct Rambus DRAM (RDRAM or Direct RDRAM) is the correct answer because it is a legacy memory that uses RIMM memory modules and is named after Rambus Inc. RDRAM was a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) developed by Rambus Inc. It was used in some computer systems in the late 1990s and early 2000s. RDRAM offered higher bandwidth and lower latency compared to other memory technologies at the time, but it was more expensive and had compatibility issues.

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  • 6. 

    With ________, the memory controller can communicate with two DIMMs at the same time, effectively doubling the speed of memory access.

    • Fast Page Memory (FPM)

    • Extended Data Out (EDO)

    • Dual Channels

    • Rambus DRAM (RDRAM)

    Correct Answer
    A. Dual Channels
    Explanation
    Dual Channels is the correct answer because it allows the memory controller to communicate with two DIMMs simultaneously, enhancing the speed of memory access. This technology effectively doubles the bandwidth and improves overall system performance by increasing the data transfer rate between the memory and the processor.

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  • 7. 

    This PCI bus is not backward-compatible and uses a serial bus, which is faster than a parallel bus because it transmits data in packets similar to how an Ethernet network, USB, and Firewire transmits data.

    • PCI-X

    • PCI Express

    • Conventional PCI

    Correct Answer
    A. PCI Express
    Explanation
    PCI Express is the correct answer because it is a serial bus that is not backward-compatible with Conventional PCI or PCI-X. It uses packets to transmit data, similar to how Ethernet, USB, and Firewire networks transmit data. This allows for faster data transmission compared to a parallel bus, which transmits data in parallel.

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  • 8. 

    ________is an improved version of SDRAM.It has one notch and uses 184 pins. Instead of processing data for each beat of the system clock, as a regular SDRAM does, it processes data, when the beat rises and again falls, doubling the data rate of memory.

    • DDR2

    • Rambus DRAM

    • Synchronous DRAM

    • DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM

    Correct Answer
    A. DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM
    Explanation
    DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM is an improved version of SDRAM that has one notch and uses 184 pins. It differs from regular SDRAM by processing data not only when the system clock rises, but also when it falls, effectively doubling the data rate of memory. This technology allows for faster and more efficient data transfer, making DDR SDRAM a preferred choice in modern computing systems.

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  • 9. 

    The first DIMM to run synchronized with the system clock is ______, which has two notches and uses 168 pins.

    • SyncLink SDRAM (SLDRAM)

    • Rambus DRAM (RDRAM)

    • Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)

    • DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM

    Correct Answer
    A. Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)
    Explanation
    SDRAM stands for synchronous dynamic random-access memory. It is the first DIMM to run synchronized with the system clock. SDRAM has two notches and uses 168 pins. This type of memory is able to synchronize its operations with the clock signal of the computer system, allowing for faster and more efficient data transfer.

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  • 10. 

    What does CAS (Column Access Strobe) Latency and RAS (Row Access Strobe) Latency do?

    • Read and Write data

    • Measures Speed

    • Correct Errors

    • Adds memory

    Correct Answer
    A. Measures Speed
    Explanation
    Both features refer to the number of clock cycles it takes to write and read a column or row of data off a memory module.

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  • 11. 

    Older PC's had an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) which had an __-bit data path and ran at 4.77 MHz.

    • 8

    • 16

    • 24

    • 32

    • 64

    Correct Answer
    A. 8
    Explanation
    Older PC's had an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) which had an 8-bit data path and ran at 4.77 MHz. This means that the ISA allowed for the transfer of 8 bits of data at a time and had a clock speed of 4.77 million cycles per second.

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  • 12. 

    Older motherboards have small expansion slots the length of a PCI Express x1 slot called an__________ slot or a communication or networking riser (CNR) slot.

    • Expansion slot

    • PCI slot

    • Audio/modem riser (AMR) slot

    Correct Answer
    A. Audio/modem riser (AMR) slot
    Explanation
    Also called a communication or networking riser (CNR) slot.

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  • 13. 

    ______ refers to an error checking procedure in which either every byte has an even number of ones or every byte has an odd number of ones.

    • ECC (error-correcting code)

    • Parity

    • System Restore

    • Reboot

    Correct Answer
    A. Parity
    Explanation
    Parity refers to an error checking procedure in which either every byte has an even number of ones or every byte has an odd number of ones. This technique is used to detect errors in data transmission by adding an additional bit (parity bit) to each byte. The parity bit is set to 1 or 0 in a way that ensures the total number of ones in the byte, including the parity bit, is either even or odd. If the number of ones in the received byte does not match the expected parity, an error is detected.

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  • 14. 

    The first PCI bus that had a 32-bit data path, supplied 5 V of power and allowed expansion cards to run in sync with the CPU is

    • PCI-X

    • PCI Express

    • Conventional PCI

    Correct Answer
    A. Conventional PCI
    Explanation
    Conventional PCI is the correct answer because it was the first PCI bus to have a 32-bit data path, supplied 5 V of power, and allowed expansion cards to run in sync with the CPU. PCI-X and PCI Express were developed later and offered improvements over Conventional PCI, but they did not meet all the criteria mentioned in the question.

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  • 15. 

    The latest motherboard form factor is the _____

    • ATX

    • BTX

    • AT

    • NLX

    Correct Answer
    A. BTX
    Explanation
    The correct answer is BTX. BTX stands for Balanced Technology Extended, which is a motherboard form factor that was introduced as a successor to the ATX form factor. BTX motherboards are designed to improve airflow and cooling within the computer case, resulting in better overall system performance and stability. They also feature a different layout and component placement compared to ATX motherboards. While ATX is still widely used, BTX was intended to address some of the limitations of the ATX form factor and provide a more efficient and optimized design for modern computer systems.

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  • 16. 

    In Windows, memory errors can cause frequent __________ errors which causes a computer to freeze, hang, boot failures, or become unstable.

    • Parity

    • Disk

    • General Protection Fault (GPF)

    • Parity Memory

    Correct Answer
    A. General Protection Fault (GPF)
    Explanation
    Memory errors in Windows can lead to General Protection Fault (GPF) errors, which can cause a computer to freeze, hang, experience boot failures, or become unstable. GPF errors occur when a program attempts to access memory that it does not have permission to access or when there is a violation of memory protection. These errors indicate a problem with the memory management system and can be caused by faulty RAM modules, incompatible hardware or software, or corrupted system files. Resolving memory errors and addressing the underlying cause is essential to ensure the stability and proper functioning of the computer system.

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  • 17. 

    An early version of the SDRAM is _______, which was never embraced by the industry.

    • Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)

    • Rambus DRAM (RDRAM)

    • SyncLink SDRAM (SLDRAM)

    • Burst EDO (BEDO)

    Correct Answer
    A. SyncLink SDRAM (SLDRAM)
    Explanation
    SyncLink SDRAM (SLDRAM) is the correct answer because it is stated that an early version of SDRAM is being referred to, and SLDRAM fits that description. The question also mentions that this early version was never embraced by the industry, which further supports SLDRAM as the correct answer.

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  • 18. 

    This bus has three major revisions and are backward-compatible, increased bandwidth and data integrity. It is generally to keep up with system bus speeds.

    • PCI-X

    • PCI Express

    • Conventional PCI

    Correct Answer
    A. PCI-X
    Explanation
    PCI-X (Peripheral Component Interconnect eXtended) is the correct answer. PCI-X is a computer bus technology that is backward-compatible with conventional PCI. It offers increased bandwidth and data integrity, making it suitable for keeping up with system bus speeds. PCI-X has undergone three major revisions to improve its performance and capabilities.

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  • 19. 

    These DIMMs have two notches on the edge connector and run at constant speeds independent of the system bus speed. What are they called?

    • Burst EDO (BEDO)

    • DDR SDRAM

    • DDR2

    • EDO

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. Burst EDO (BEDO)
    A. EDO
    Explanation
    The DIMMs with two notches on the edge connector and constant speeds independent of the system bus speed are called burst EDO (BEDO) and EDO.

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Quiz Review Timeline (Updated): Mar 22, 2023 +

Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.

  • Current Version
  • Mar 22, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • May 12, 2009
    Quiz Created by
    Msjoanne
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