CompTIA A+ 901 Flashcards

Study Notes

UEFI and Secure Boot

UEFI enables booting from GPT disks larger than 2.2TB and supports remote connections.
Secure Boot compares the digital signatures of the operating system to ensure integrity.

Power Supply Connectors

Motherboard power typically has a 20/24 pin connector; a 24 pin fits a 20 pin for PCIe power.
Molex connectors provide 4-pin power options at either 12V or 5V.
4 pin ATX connectors supply 12V, while 8 pin EPS connectors provide 12V for multiple CPUs.

PCI and Expansion Slots

PCI buses operate on 32 and 64-bit architectures, using parallel data transfer where all bits are sent simultaneously.
PCI-X offers greater throughput and is tailored for server environments.
PCIe utilizes serial communication for faster data transfer, available in configurations like x1 to x32 with full duplex capabilities.

Memory Types and Specifications

DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) has a 64-bit data width and contacts on both sides.
Northbridge connects CPUs to high-speed graphics and memory, while Southbridge connects to peripheral interfaces like USB and Ethernet.

USB Standards

USB 1.1 supports speeds of 1.5Mb/s and 12Mb/s, with a maximum length of 5m.
USB 2 achieves 480Mb/s at the same maximum length.
USB 3 can transfer data at 5 Gb/s, limited to 3m of cable.

FireWire Connections

FireWire (IEEE 1394) chains up to 63 devices and has a max length of 4.5m.
FireWire 400 supports speeds of 100, 200, and 400 Mb/s, while FireWire 800 reaches 800 Mb/s.

SATA Specifications

SATA uses a 15 pin power and a 7 pin data connector; version 1 tops at 1.5Gb/s and version 3 at 6Gb/s, each with a maximum length of 1m.

Video Connectors

VGA is an analog-only signal with a DB-15 connector and a 5-10m maximum length.
HDMI features a 19 pin type A connector with a 20m limit before signal loss.

Networking Standards

Bluetooth ranges from Class 1 (100m) to Class 3 (1m) and has versions with speeds from 1Mb/s to 24Mb/s.
The 802.11 family of wireless standards varies by speed and frequency, from 802.11b at 2.4GHz/11Mb/s to 802.11ac at 5GHz/693Gb/s.

Storage Methods

Raid configurations include RAID 0 for striping without redundancy, RAID 1 for mirroring, and RAID 5 for striping with parity.
Optical media capacities include CD-ROM (700MB), DVD-ROM (4.7GB single layer, 8.5GB dual layer), and Blu-Ray (25GB single layer, 50GB dual layer).

Troubleshooting Techniques

For lockups, check HDD lights and update drivers; low RAM may also cause issues.
Boot into last known good configuration to fix bad driver configurations.
Common printer troubleshooting includes checking drum for scratches, cleaning print heads for inkjets, and ensuring proper drivers are used.

Types of Memory

PROM can be written once, while EPROM is erasable.
ECC memory includes error correction, while parity memory adds an extra bit but cannot correct errors.
Registered/Buffered memory includes a register for stability.

Fiber Optic Information

Multimode fiber can reach up to 2Km using an inexpensive LED source, while single-mode fiber can extend up to 100Km using a laser source.

Networking Protocols

APIPA (Automatic Private Internet Protocol Addressing) allocates IPs between 169.254.1.0 to 169.254.254.255.
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) operates over TCP/UDP on port 389.

Security Protocols

WEP offers basic security but is vulnerable, while WPA and WPA2 use TKIP and AES encryption respectively for improved security.

Description

Test your knowledge with these flashcards designed for the CompTIA A+ 901 certification. Each card covers important terms and definitions essential for understanding computer hardware and firmware. Prepare effectively for your exam by mastering key concepts.