Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary purpose of a Wireless Network Interface Card (NIC)?
What is the primary purpose of a Wireless Network Interface Card (NIC)?
Which type of storage device retains data even when not powered?
Which type of storage device retains data even when not powered?
Which of the following is a characteristic of dual layer optical media?
Which of the following is a characteristic of dual layer optical media?
What function does a sound adapter provide for a computer?
What function does a sound adapter provide for a computer?
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Which type of card connects a computer to the internet via a network cable?
Which type of card connects a computer to the internet via a network cable?
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What is a primary goal of the new occupational safety and health framework?
What is a primary goal of the new occupational safety and health framework?
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What type of storage devices includes Hard Disk Drives (HDD) and tape drives?
What type of storage devices includes Hard Disk Drives (HDD) and tape drives?
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Which of these is NOT a type of adapter card mentioned?
Which of these is NOT a type of adapter card mentioned?
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What is a key advantage of a thermal printer?
What is a key advantage of a thermal printer?
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Which of the following is a disadvantage of direct thermal printers?
Which of the following is a disadvantage of direct thermal printers?
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What material do thermal transfer printers commonly use for prints?
What material do thermal transfer printers commonly use for prints?
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What is a primary characteristic of impact printers?
What is a primary characteristic of impact printers?
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Which of the following poses a disadvantage for using thermal paper?
Which of the following poses a disadvantage for using thermal paper?
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Which of the following statements about HDMI is correct?
Which of the following statements about HDMI is correct?
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What is a primary feature of Thunderbolt 3 compared to Thunderbolt 2?
What is a primary feature of Thunderbolt 3 compared to Thunderbolt 2?
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What is a common issue with impact printers?
What is a common issue with impact printers?
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How do thermal transfer printers create a print?
How do thermal transfer printers create a print?
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Which connector is used for transmitting both video and audio in older multimedia devices?
Which connector is used for transmitting both video and audio in older multimedia devices?
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Which factor influences hardware compatibility?
Which factor influences hardware compatibility?
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What is a disadvantage of inkjet printers?
What is a disadvantage of inkjet printers?
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Which type of printer uses heat from the print head to create images on paper?
Which type of printer uses heat from the print head to create images on paper?
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What is a common advantage of using an inkjet printer?
What is a common advantage of using an inkjet printer?
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Which of the following is NOT a function of DisplayPort?
Which of the following is NOT a function of DisplayPort?
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Which statement about Thunderbolt interfaces is true?
Which statement about Thunderbolt interfaces is true?
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What is the main purpose of backward compatibility?
What is the main purpose of backward compatibility?
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Which component may need to be replaced when upgrading a motherboard?
Which component may need to be replaced when upgrading a motherboard?
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What is an essential requirement when upgrading a CPU?
What is an essential requirement when upgrading a CPU?
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What must be checked when selecting new RAM for an upgrade?
What must be checked when selecting new RAM for an upgrade?
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What could happen if the RAM installed is slower than existing RAM?
What could happen if the RAM installed is slower than existing RAM?
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Which component must adequately cool a faster CPU after an upgrade?
Which component must adequately cool a faster CPU after an upgrade?
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When performing a motherboard upgrade, what is crucial for fitting the new component?
When performing a motherboard upgrade, what is crucial for fitting the new component?
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What is recommended to apply between the new CPU and the heat sink?
What is recommended to apply between the new CPU and the heat sink?
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What is the best approach to interject while a customer is explaining their problem?
What is the best approach to interject while a customer is explaining their problem?
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What type of questions should be asked after summarizing a customer's problem?
What type of questions should be asked after summarizing a customer's problem?
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Which of the following should be avoided when communicating with customers?
Which of the following should be avoided when communicating with customers?
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What is an inappropriate action when handling customer calls?
What is an inappropriate action when handling customer calls?
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Which behavior should be avoided to maintain professionalism?
Which behavior should be avoided to maintain professionalism?
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What is the goal of summarizing a customer's problem?
What is the goal of summarizing a customer's problem?
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What should you do before transferring a customer's call?
What should you do before transferring a customer's call?
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Which of the following is a key technique in effective communication for customer service?
Which of the following is a key technique in effective communication for customer service?
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What should you do when dealing with a talkative customer?
What should you do when dealing with a talkative customer?
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What is the best approach to take with a rude customer?
What is the best approach to take with a rude customer?
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How should one interact with a knowledgeable customer?
How should one interact with a knowledgeable customer?
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What should be avoided when asking a talkative customer questions?
What should be avoided when asking a talkative customer questions?
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What is an appropriate action to take if a customer insists on speaking with their preferred technician?
What is an appropriate action to take if a customer insists on speaking with their preferred technician?
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What should you do if a rude customer wants you to repeat something?
What should you do if a rude customer wants you to repeat something?
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How should you interact with a knowledgeable customer regarding basic troubleshooting?
How should you interact with a knowledgeable customer regarding basic troubleshooting?
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What is NOT recommended when helping a talkative customer?
What is NOT recommended when helping a talkative customer?
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Study Notes
Common PSU Connectors
- P1: A 20-pin or 24-pin connector that provides power to the motherboard. Some PSUs split the P1 into one 20-pin connector and one 4-pin connector, combining them if needed to form a 24-pin connector.
- ATX12V (or P4): A 4-pin or 8-pin power connector that goes to the motherboard, in addition to a 20-pin P1, to supply power to the processor.
- Molex: A 4-pin peripheral power connector that provides power to IDE disk drives and CD-ROM/DVD drives.
"80 Plus" Certification
- A voluntary program to promote efficient energy use in computer power supply units (PSUs).
- Certifies products with more than 80% energy efficiency at 20%, 50%, and 100% of rated load.
Motherboard
- The main printed circuit board.
- Contains buses (electrical pathways) for data transfer among components.
- Also called the system board or main board.
- Houses the CPU, RAM, expansion slots, heat sink/fan assembly, chipset, sockets, BIOS, internal and external connectors, and various ports.
- All devices communicate with the CPU on the motherboard via cables.
- Input/Output (I/O) ports connected to peripherals like keyboards, mice, parallel ports, USB ports, and sound ports.
Motherboard Chipset
- Most chipsets consist of two types:
- Northbridge: Controls high-speed access to RAM and the video card.
- Southbridge: Allows the CPU to communicate with slower devices (hard drives, USB ports, and expansion slots).
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
- The amount of data a CPU processes depends on the size of the Front Side Bus (FSB), measured in bits.
- Overclocking: A technique to make a processor run faster than its original specification, not recommended as it can damage the CPU.
- CPU Throttling: The opposite of overclocking, where a processor runs below its rated speed to conserve power or reduce heat.
- CPU Virtualization: A hardware feature (supported by AMD and Intel CPUs) that allows a single processor to act as multiple processors. This allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously on virtual machines.
Cache Memory
- A smaller, faster memory closer to the processor core that stores copies of data frequently used from main memory.
- Divided into three levels:
- Level 1 (L1) cache: Fastest; holds data the CPU is most likely to need for a given task.
- Level 2 (L2) cache: Slower than L1 but larger (256KB to 8MB); holds data the CPU is likely to need next.
- Level 3 (L3) cache: Slower than L2 but still faster than main memory (RAM); feeds information to L2 and then to L1.
Types of Memory (ROM)
- Read-Only Memory (ROM): Information written during manufacturing; obsolete.
- Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM): Information written after manufacturing, programmable only once.
- Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM): Non-volatile, erasable with UV light; can be reprogrammed.
- Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM): Non-volatile; can be erased and reprogrammed electrically (also known as Flash ROM), often used to store BIOS.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
- Temporary working storage for data and programs being accessed by the CPU. RAM is volatile memory.
- More RAM generally enhances system performance as it provides more capacity to hold and process large programs and files.
- The maximum amount of RAM installable is limited by the motherboard.
Types of RAM
(Different types of RAM are detailed, but listing all is extensive. Provide a specific request if you need a particular type of RAM details.)
Adapter Cards and Expansion Slots
- Adapter cards enhance computer functionality by adding controllers for devices or replacing malfunctioning ports. Examples include sound, network, wireless network, video, and capture cards.
Types of Storage Devices
- Data storage devices store data non-volatiley, retaining data even when power is lost.
- They can be magnetic (HDD, tape drives), solid state, or optical (CD, DVD, BD).
Optical Storage Devices
- Optical media (CD, DVD, BD) can be pre-recorded (read-only), recordable (write-once), or re-recordable (read and write). Dual-layer media roughly doubles the capacity of a single-layer disc. (Detailed descriptions of various CD,DVD, BD formats are provided).
Occupational Safety and Health Framework
- Guiding principles of the new framework include:
- Reducing risks at the source.
- Instilling greater ownership of safety and health.
- Preventing accidents through penalties.
Safety Sign Codes
- Red: Prohibition
- Yellow: Caution
- Green: Positive action
- Blue: Mandatory actions
- Discs: Prohibitions and instructions
- Triangles: Warnings
- Squares/Rectangles: Emergency and information signs
Risk Management Steps
- Identify: recognize hazards
- Assess & Analyze: evaluate the risks.
- Plan Action: develop strategies to mitigate the risks.
- Monitor & Implement: put mitigation plan into action.
- Measure & Control: assess the effectiveness of mitigation strategies.
Types of Hazards
- Physical and Mechanical: environmental factors harming the body w/o touching it.
- Chemical: exposure to workplace chemicals (solid, liquid, gas).
- Biological: associated with animals, people, or infectious plant materials.
- Ergonomic: work, body positions, work conditions causing strain on body.
- Electrical: improper handling of electrical equipment.
Risk Levels and Risk Control
- Low risk: existing precautions are likely to be adequate; no further need.
- Medium/High risk: more steps may be necessary for hazard mitigation.
Types of Risk Control
- Elimination: removing the hazard.
- Substitution: replacing a hazard with non-hazard alternative.
- Engineering controls: isolating people from the hazards.
- Administrative controls: changes in ways people work, including procedure changes, employee training, and signs/warnings.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): measures such as gloves, respirators, hard hats, safety glasses, high-visibility clothing, and safety footwear to protect from hazards.
Safety Handling of Computer
- Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is the buildup of an electric charge on a surface.
- ESD Protection:
- Antistatic bags to store components.
- Grounded mats/floors in work areas.
- Antistatic wrist straps.
BIOS and UEFI Settings
- All motherboards require BIOS to operate.
- BIOS is ROM chip with program controlling communication between the OS and hardware.
- BIOS identifies available and bootable drives, memory configuration, PCle/PCI expansion slots, SATA/USB configurations, and motherboard power management features.
- UEFI is a newer standard that improves security and supports 32/64-bit systems for larger drives. (detailed information about secure boot)
Various Peripheral Devices
- Input devices allow user communication with the computer. Examples include:
- Keyboard and Mouse
- ADF/Flatbed Scanner
- Joystick and Gamepad
- KVM Switch
- Touch Screen
- Stylus
- Magnetic Strip Reader
- Barcode Scanner
- Digital Camera
- Webcam
- Signature Pad
- Smart Card Reader
- Microphone
- NFC devices / terminals
- Facial recognition scanners
- Fingerprint scanners
- Voice recognition scanners
- Virtual Reality Headsets
Monitor Characteristics
- Computer monitors are varied by use, size, quality, clarity, brightness.
- Screen size: diagonal measurement in inches.
- Resolution: number of horizontal and vertical pixels (e.g., 1920 x 1080).
- Monitor resolution: amount of information displayable.
- Native resolution: best monitor resolution.
External Peripheral Device Interfaces
- DVI: Supports uncompressed digital video (DVI-A analog, DVI-D digital, DVI-I integrated).
- HDMI: Carries digital video and audio signals.
- DisplayPort: Replaces DVI and VGA, providing high-bandwidth video and audio.
- Thunderbolt: High-speed connection for peripherals, including transmitting high-definition video.
- RCA: Audio/video connectors (yellow for video, red/white for audio).
Printer Technologies and Interfaces (Inkjet, Thermal, Impact)
Hardware Compatibility Requirements
- Refers to the compatibility of computer hardware with components like the CPU architecture, bus, motherboard, and operating system.
- Backward compatibility is the usability of newer versions of a technical object with an older version.
- Forward compatibility is the usability of older versions on a newer version.
Process of Upgrading Computer Devices (Motherboard, CPU, RAM, Storage, Graphic Card, Replacing Laptop Components)
Error Codes and Startup Messages (POST Errors)
Troubleshooting Process (Step 1 - Identify the Problem)
Common Problems and Solutions (PC Troubleshooting)
Key Activities of the First Level IT Help Desk:
Techniques for Effective Communication in Delivering Customer Service (Know, Relate, Understand, Active Listening, Professional Behavior with the Customer, Helping a Talkative Customer, Helping a Rude Customer, Helping a Knowledgeable Customer, Helping an Angry Customer, Helping an Inexperienced Customer)
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