IT Essentials v8 (ITE v6.0 + v7.0) Chapter 2 Test Online

Hint

Computer cases can easily be a hazard to technicians. Before working inside a computer, examine the case edges and put tape over any of the sharp edges to prevent physical harm. A case is opened, but seldom removed when installing or removing parts. Loose clothing should be secured before you work inside a computer.

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When using the P-A-S-S memory aid with a fire extinguisher, the “A” in P-A-S-S is for aiming at the base of the fire and not at the flames.

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To install a power supply into a PC tower case, open the case, align the power supply with the case holes, and use screws to attach the power supply to the case.

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A technician should consider the following when choosing a power supply:Type of motherboard Wattage Number and type of connectors Type of case The computer input power level is either 120 or 240 VAC. Output voltages are standard 3.3, 5, and 12 VDC. A power supply normally has one fan and this is not a selectable option on a fan.

Hint

Screws and standoffs that are non-metallic may be insulators and protect against grounding.

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The I/O plate connects to the back of the case and has holes for each of the ports on the motherboard to push through, allowing the motherboard to be used in many different cases regardless of the number of ports on the board or their layout.

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The CPU is sensitive to static discharges. Its pins are very delicate and it works at high temperatures, so precautions must be taken. If the CPU has been used in another machine or if the fan is being replaced, you might need to remove the old thermal compound using isopropyl alcohol (not on the CPU contacts). The battery does not need to be removed from the motherboard during the CPU installation. This would cause the saved BIOS settings to be lost. Minimum force should be needed to lock the CPU load lever into place.

Hint

The choice of motherboard determines the type of case and power supply. The form factor of a motherboard must match the type of case and power supply. RAM modules, video cards, and sound cards are installed on the motherboard. They must be compatible with the motherboard. A hard disk is attached to the case, but the dimensions of the drive bays are standardized.

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When the RAM on a motherboard is being replaced or upgraded, the new RAM module must be compatible with the current motherboard. In addition, the speed of the new RAM must be supported by the chipset.

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Memory modules insert into memory expansion slots that have a retaining clip at each end of the slot.

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A PCIe expansion slot connects to a serial bus that sends data one bit at a time at a much faster rate than the older PCI slot that connects to a parallel bus.

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The front-side bus (FSB) is used to connect the CPU to RAM, expansion cards, and other motherboard components. The speed of this bus is relevant when selecting replacement motherboards and RAM.

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Buffered memory is used in computers that have a lot of RAM such as servers and high-end workstations. Buffered memory should be avoided in gaming, business, and home computers because it slows the memory speed.

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Two architectures used with CPUs today are the pin grid array (PGA) and the land grid array (LGA). The PGA has pins on the bottom of the processor. The LGA has pins within the socket.

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Motherboards in tower computers accept dual inline memory modules (DIMMs) in the memory expansion slots. A motherboard supports a particular type of DIMM such as a DDR3 or DDR4 module.

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Optical drives are installed in 5.25 inch (13.34 cm) drive bays that are accessed from the front of the case. Flash drives typically connect to USB ports. SSDs and hard drives typically install in a 3.5 inch (8.9 cm) drive bay or a 5.25 inch (13.34 cm) drive bay that is not accessed from the front of the case. If the drive is smaller than the bay, a tray may be purchased.

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For tower computers, internal HDDs are available in the 3.5 and 2.5 inch (8.89 cm and 6.35 cm) form factors. SSDs tend to be the 2.5 inch form factor.

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Mechanical hard drives today use SATA. Legacy PATA drives used IDE and EIDE. RAID 5 is a drive redundancy technology.

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The PCIe, or PCI Express, bus has four types of expansion slots with varying lengths: x1, x4, x8, and x16.

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When a high performance video adapter card is used, multiple power connectors may be required. These connectors may each use a 6-pin or 8-pin power connector. Video adapter cards commonly use the PCIe X 16 slot. A 24-pin ATX power connector is used to provide power to the motherboard.

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The four expansion slots shown in the exhibit from left to right are the PCIe x1, PCI, PCIe x16, and PCIx1.

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A media reader can be an external USB-attached device or an internal device used to read or write to media cards.

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Each cable that connects to the front panel connector on the motherboard is marked with a small arrow to identify which pin is pin 1 so that it can be aligned with pin 1 on the panel.