CompTIA A+ Certification 2006
CompTIA A+ Exam Test-Prep questions from a popular yellow book. Explanations with chapter references are included for all questions.
- 1.
You are installing a second hard disk in the computer, what should you set the jumper to?
- A.
Master
- B.
Slave
- C.
ID 0
- D.
ID 7
Correct Answer
B. SlaveExplanation
You will typically set the jumper on the second hard disk to slave. See Book II, Chapter 5.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Which of the following is not a reason to implement a preventative maintenance schedule?
- A.
Reduce office temperature
- B.
Improve performance
- C.
Protect data
- D.
Improve productivity
Correct Answer
A. Reduce office temperatureExplanation
Reducing office temperature is something that may help systems as part of a preventative maintenance plan, but it is not a reason to implement the plan. See Book IV, Chapter 1.Rate this question:
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- 3.
Which users on a Windows XP computer have the right to load device drivers?
- A.
Guests
- B.
All Users
- C.
Administrators
- D.
Power Users
Correct Answer
C. AdministratorsExplanation
Only members of the Administrators group have been granted the right to load and unload device drivers, by default. See Book VI, Chapter 1.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Device settings, such as IRQs, can be modified through which tools? (Choose all that apply)
- A.
Device Manager
- B.
Resource Manager
- C.
Device's Control Panel, such as Network Control Panel
- D.
Device Arbitrator
Correct Answer(s)
A. Device Manager
C. Device's Control Panel, such as Network Control PanelExplanation
Most device settings can be modified through either the Device Manager or the device's control panel. Resource Manager and Device Arbitrator are made-up terms. See Book VI, Chapter 1.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Which of the following components is not usually found on a motherboard?
- A.
BIOS chips
- B.
USB drives
- C.
Memory
- D.
I/O ports
- E.
FISH /chips
Correct Answer(s)
B. USB drives
E. FISH /chipsExplanation
The motherboard will include I/O ports or connectors for a variety of devices, but will not typically include the devices themselves. It will include the ATA controller, and a connector to attach the ATA drive, but not the drive itself. The same would be true of USB drives; the motherboard will include the controller and connector for the USB bus, but not the actual device. See Book I, Chapter 4.Rate this question:
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- 6.
What is the best way to ensure that your system is up to date with security patches?
- A.
Virus-protection software
- B.
Virus definition update
- C.
Spyware
- D.
Windows Update
- E.
RSS News Feed
Correct Answer
D. Windows UpdateExplanation
You should perform a Windows Update regularly to download current patches to your system. See Book IX, Chapter 3.Rate this question:
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- 7.
The System Configuration Tool is able to do all of the following, except for what?
- A.
Perform selective startup
- B.
Disable services
- C.
Expand system file from OS CD
- D.
Edit autoexec.bat
Correct Answer
D. Edit autoexec.batExplanation
The Windows 9x version of msconfig.exe is able to edit most of the startup files, while the Windows XP version is not able to edit autoexec.bat. See Book VI, Chapter 4.Rate this question:
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- 8.
What type of virus can prevent the system from booting?
- A.
File virus
- B.
Macro virus
- C.
Boot sector virus
- D.
Trojans
- E.
Flu virus
Correct Answer
C. Boot sector virusExplanation
A boot sector virus prevents a system from booting because it corrupts the boot sector. See Book IX, Chapter 3.Rate this question:
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- 9.
How many pins are in the end of a parallel cable connector that connects to the computer?
- A.
40
- B.
15
- C.
25
- D.
9
Correct Answer
C. 25Explanation
A parallel cable has a different style of connector at each end of the cable. The end that connects to the computer has 25 pins, and the end that connects to the printer has 36 pins. See Book II, Chapter 1.Rate this question:
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- 10.
The computer constantly prompts for the date and time. What does this indicate?
- A.
The date and time are wrong
- B.
The time has fallen back by one hour
- C.
The battery on the motherboard is losing its charge
- D.
The time has increased by one hour
- E.
Marty McFly is going to be late
Correct Answer
C. The battery on the motherboard is losing its chargeExplanation
The CMOS configuration information is stored in CMOS RAM. This special RAM chip maintains its information by using a small battery on the system board. If the battery loses its charge, then the CMOS RAM is flushed out, meaning that it will prompt you for the information such as the date and time as the system boots up. See Book II, Chapter 4.Rate this question:
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- 11.
Which of the following does not describe ALL of the pathways of data flow for the related devices?
- A.
Output - Monitor
- B.
Input - Keyboard & Scanner
- C.
Input & Output - Modem
- D.
Output - Modem
Correct Answer(s)
A. Output - Monitor
B. Input - Keyboard & Scanner
C. Input & Output - ModemExplanation
Modems occupy one of those dual roles that can also be held by network cards, as they allow for information to enter and leave the computer. See Book I, Chapter 4.Rate this question:
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- 12.
Which operating system allows for 16-bit Windows applications to be preemptively multitasked?
- A.
Windows XP
- B.
Windows 98
- C.
Windows 95
- D.
MS-DOS
Correct Answer
A. Windows XPExplanation
16-bit applications can be preemptively multitasked within Windows XP by running each application in a separate memory space. See Book VI, Chapter 2.Rate this question:
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- 13.
Which of the following types of multitasking are supported by Windows XP? Choose all that apply.
- A.
Share-based multitasking
- B.
Equality multitasking
- C.
Cooperative multitasking
- D.
Preemptive multitasking
Correct Answer(s)
C. Cooperative multitasking
D. Preemptive multitaskingExplanation
Windows XP supports cooperative and preemptive multitasking. See Book VI, Chapter 2.Rate this question:
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- 14.
Which topology must be terminated at both ends to prevent signal bounce?
- A.
Ring
- B.
Star
- C.
Bus
- D.
Coaxial
Correct Answer
C. BusExplanation
A bus topology must have all loose ends terminated to prevent signal bounce. See Book VIII, Chapter 1.Rate this question:
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- 15.
Where do you go to read and clear the Windows XP Event Log?
- A.
Event Log
- B.
Event Viewer
- C.
Log Reader
- D.
Disk Cleanup
Correct Answer
B. Event ViewerExplanation
Event Viewer is used to read, back up, and clear your event logs. See Book VII, Chapter 1.Rate this question:
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- 16.
What is the maximum character length of a filename under Windows XP?
- A.
64
- B.
128
- C.
254
- D.
255
- E.
256
Correct Answer
D. 255Explanation
The maximum length of a filename is 255 characters. See Book V, Chapter 4.Rate this question:
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- 17.
What does ESD stand for?
- A.
Electrostatic Discharge
- B.
Electromagnetic Interference
- C.
Electronic Standards Definition
- D.
Electrostatic Damage
Correct Answer
A. Electrostatic DischargeExplanation
ESD stands for electrostatic discharge and occurs when there is an inbalance of electrons between two sources. The electrons move from one object to another to create a balance and create the "shock" that we feel when we touch one another. This shock is enough to kill computer chips. See Book I, Chapter 3.Rate this question:
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- 18.
What components can be tested by BIOS self tests? (Select all that apply)
- A.
Hard drives
- B.
CPU temperature deviations
- C.
Magnetic media
- D.
Memory
Correct Answer(s)
A. Hard drives
D. MemoryExplanation
The system BIOS on some systems allow for testing of IRQs, memory, hard disks, CPU processing ability, and most internal components. See Book IV, Chapter 2.Rate this question:
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- 19.
Which of the following does not help improve computer airflow?
- A.
Adding exhaust fans
- B.
Leave spaces between devices
- C.
Keeping vents clear of debris and dust
- D.
Using ribbon cables where possible
Correct Answer
D. Using ribbon cables where possibleExplanation
Ribbon cables create small walls in the path of airflow and can be replaced with rounded cables to improve airflow in most situations. See Book IV, Chapter 1.Rate this question:
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- 20.
What effect does a 16-bit Windows application have on the rest of a Windows XP system when it hangs or crashes?
- A.
It halts 32-bit Windows applications that are running on the system
- B.
It halts 16-bit Windows applications that are running on the system
- C.
It halts MS-DOS based applications running on the system
- D.
It has no effect on other applications
Correct Answer
B. It halts 16-bit Windows applications that are running on the systemExplanation
When a 16-bit Windows application crashes, it halts other 16-bit Windows applications in the same memory space. MS-DOS-based applications and 32-bit Windows applications should continue to operate. See Book VI, Chapter 2.Rate this question:
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- 21.
What is the standard range of 802.11a/b/g wireless networks?
- A.
10 meters
- B.
30 meters
- C.
50 meters
- D.
100 meters
Correct Answer
B. 30 metersExplanation
Most 802.11 wireless networks have a range of 30 meters in open air. See Book VIII, Chapter 2.Rate this question:
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- 22.
What does the acronym POP stand for?
- A.
Post Office Protocol
- B.
Private Outside Postal Service
- C.
Portable Office Protocol
- D.
Peoples Office Protocol
Correct Answer
A. Post Office ProtocolExplanation
The acronym POP stands for Post Office Protocol. See Book VIII, Chapter 4.Rate this question:
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- 23.
What protocol is used to send e-mail?
- A.
POP3
- B.
IMAP
- C.
HTTP
- D.
SMPT
- E.
BLT
Correct Answer
D. SMPTExplanation
SMTP is used to send mail messages over the Internet. See Book VIII, Chapter 4.Rate this question:
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- 24.
Virtual memory contains which item?
- A.
A special section of memory used for caching data
- B.
An area of a hard drive for caching data
- C.
An expanded memory PCI expansion card
- D.
An extended memory PCI expansion card
Correct Answer
B. An area of a hard drive for caching dataExplanation
Virtual memory is created by using a page file, which resides on a hard drive. Disk caching uses memory to cache data from the hard drive. See Book VI, Chapter 3.Rate this question:
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- 25.
Which of the following will not help optimize printer performance?
- A.
Using a newer driver
- B.
Moving the spool directory to a faster drive
- C.
Reducing the number of other applications running on the print server
- D.
Allocating more RAM to the printer cache
Correct Answer
D. Allocating more RAM to the printer cacheExplanation
There is no specific area of RAM that is used for caching printer data. See Book VI, Chapter 3.Rate this question:
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- 26.
What type of input device is used by a warehousing application to take inventory of all the products?
- A.
Touch pad
- B.
Touch screen
- C.
Touch mouse
- D.
Bar code reader
Correct Answer
D. Bar code readerExplanation
A bar code reader is a type of device that reads bar codes and converts the code into data to be used on the computer. See Book III, Chapter 2.Rate this question:
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- 27.
What is the purpose of CMOS RAM?
- A.
On system boot, the contents of the BIOS are copied to faster CMOS RAM.
- B.
CMOS RAM is memory used to store the CMOS information. CMOS RAM maintains its information by using a battery found on the motherboard.
- C.
CMOS RAM is the amount of memory that is registered into CMOS.
- D.
CMOS RAM is read-only memory that stores CMOS information.
Correct Answer
B. CMOS RAM is memory used to store the CMOS information. CMOS RAM maintains its information by using a battery found on the motherboard.Explanation
CMOS RAM is a small amount of memory that maintains the CMOS configuration information. Since this information is stored in a type of RAM, the memory has to have constant power; this power comes from the battery found on the system board. Choice A describes shadow RAM. See Book II, Chapter 3.Rate this question:
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- 28.
What is disk latency?
- A.
The time it takes to move the read/write heads to the appropriate track
- B.
The speed at which the disk spins
- C.
The time it takes for the sector that needs to be read to move under the read/write head
- D.
The time it takes to get the disk to spin at the maximum speed
Correct Answer
C. The time it takes for the sector that needs to be read to move under the read/write headExplanation
Disk latency is the time it takes to move the sector that has the data under the read/write heads. See Book II, Chapter 5.Rate this question:
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