A+ 220-701 And 220-702 Ch9

Smaller form factors for laptop and portable systems use 2.5-inch or 1.8-inch hard disks, instead of the 3.5-inch hard disks found in desktop computers; also, laptop and portable systems use slim line optical drives, rather than half-height drives that are used in desktop computers.

To assist in saving space, laptops without a numeric keypad use the Fn key to perform tasks

A docking station expands the capability of a portable computer by adding features such as expansion slots and I/O ports. Examples of expansion slots include PCMCIA and Express Card. Examples of I/O ports include serial, parallel, VGA, component video, SPDIF digital audio, and USB 2.0.

The built-in touch pad is the most common mouse equivalent used in laptops. Some laptops might also use a pointing stick (for example, Lenovo ThinkPads) or other technologies instead of or in addition to the touch pad.

An overheated system might quit, display STOP errors (also known as Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD), or throttle down the processor to very low clock speeds. Overheating can be caused by a blocked cooling fan outlet, cooling fan failure, or damage to the heat sink.

Processor throttling is a feature of recent processors from both Intel and AMD. Some processors also reduce the front side bus speed during time periods when processor loads are light.

The Windows Wireless Zero Configuration can automatically locate wireless networks and start a connection. Ethernet is a type of network and can be wired or wireless (though most people will refer to Ethernet as a wired network). The Bluetooth devices applet in the Control Panel enables the user to configure Bluetooth devices such as a Bluetooth Anycom networking device, or a Bluetooth printer. WPA2 is a type of encryption used in wireless networks.

Generally, portable systems have only one or two connectors for additional memory. Older portable systems might use proprietary memory modules, whereas recent systems use SODIMMs (a reduced-size version of a DIMM module).

Laptop and portable computers don’t use the PCI, AGP, or PCI Express expansion slots designed for desktop computers, but feature expansion slots especially designed for portable use. Examples of PCMCIA cards are wireless cards or NIC cards.

The stylus, keyboard, and mouse are all examples of input devices. They can be used to enter data on to a computer.

When troubleshooting power problems, use a multimeter to check to see if the outlet is working properly. Make sure the multimeter is set for DC power.

All of the listed technologies are installed on most of the newer laptops available in today’s market.

To configure user alerts and automatic actions to take when the system reaches low or critical battery power levels, use the Alarms tab of the Power Options Properties window in Windows XP. The Advanced tab configures actions the computer will perform when the lid is closed or the power or sleep buttons are pressed. The Power Schemes tab controls how long the system is idle before the monitor and hard disks are turned off or the system goes into standby or hibernation modes. The Suspend tab does not exist.

Look for an ejector button next to the PC Card slot. On some systems, the button is folded into the unit for storage. Unfold the button and remove any connected cables or dongles from the card.