Ebook Fundamentals of hardware and operating systems (Hardware Service Technician) - Part 1

Ebook Fundamentals of hardware and operating systems (Hardware Service Technician) - Part 1 presents the following content: Chapter 1 basic terms and concepts; chapter 2 adding and removing FRU modules in desktop systems; chapter 3 adding and removing FRU modules in portables; chapter 4 system resources; chapter 5 peripherals and ports; chapter 6 installing disk devices; chapter 7 installing and configuring peripheral devices; chapter 8 system upgrading and optimizing; chapter 9 symptoms and troubleshooting; chapter 10 basic troubleshooting techniques; chapter 11 preventive maintenance.

International Diploma in Computer Studies (IDCS) 2008

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Fundamentals of Hardware and

Operating Systems (Hardware Service Technician) more skilled help.

ISBN 0-9543071-4-3

This textbook is intended to provide the student with a thorough knowledge of the hardware requirements associated with PC technical support

In particular it covers:

• Installation, configuration and upgrading

• Diagnosing and troubleshooting

• Preventive maintenance

• Motherboard, processor and memory upgrades

• Supporting and servicing printers

• Supporting Local Area Networks The textbook is based upon the CompTIA (Computer Technology Industry Association) A+ syllabus.

A+ T RAINING G UIDE

Authorised English Reprint from the English Language edition, entitled A+ CERTIFICATION TRAINING GUIDE(EXAM 220-301, EXAM 220-302) by BROOKS, CHARLES J., published by Pearson Education, Inc, publishing asQUE, Copyright © 2003 by Que Publishing

All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic

or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system, without permissionfrom Pearson Education, Inc

ENGLISH language edition published by GALATEA TRAINING SERVICES LIMITED, Copyright © 2004 ISBN 0-954307-4-3

Printed by B & Jo Enterprise Pte Ltd in Singapore

Table of Contents

How This Book Helps You 1

A+ Core Hardware Service Technician Examination Blueprint 3

Domain 1.0 Installation, Configuration, and Upgrading 4

Domain 2.0 Diagnosing and Troubleshooting 8

Domain 3.0 Preventive Maintenance, Safety, and Environmental Issues 9

Domain 4.0 Motherboard/Processors/Memory 10

Domain 5.0 Printers 12

Domain 6.0 Basic Networking 13

Part I Chapters 1 Basic Terms and Concepts 17

PC Standards 21

The PC System 22

System Unit Cases 23

Inside the System Unit 25

AT and ATX Specifications 27

Power Supplies 27

System Boards 29

Microprocessors 30

Chipsets 32

Connectors and Jumpers 33

Configuration Settings 34

Expansion Slots 35

Storage Devices 40

Disk Drives 41

Digital Versatile Discs (DVD) 45

Tape Drives 46

Peripherals and Ports 46

Keyboards 47

Monitors 48

Other Peripherals 52

System Software 54

Basic Input/Output Systems 53

CMOS Setup 57

Operating Systems 59

Review Questions 62

Answers and Explanations 56

Challenge Solutions 68

2 Adding and Removing FRU Modules in Desktop Systems 71

Replacing System Boards 75

Removing External I/O Systems 76

Removing the System Unit’s Cover 77

Removing Adapter Cards 77

Removing the Cables from the System Board 79

Removing the System Board 80

Replacing System Board Devices 83

Installing Microprocessors 83

Installing Memory Modules 89

Installing Support ICs 90

Power Supplies 91

Removing a Power Supply 92

Installing Power Supplies 93

Installing Video/Monitor Systems 95

Input Devices 96

Keyboards 97

Mice 98

Installing Touch-Sensitive Screens 99

Installing Storage Devices 101

Floppy-Disk Drive Installation 102

Hard-Disk Drive Installation 102

Installing CD-ROM/DVD Devices 108

Tape Drives 110

Removable Storage 114

Installing Adapter Card-Based Peripherals 115

Installing Sound Cards 116

Modems 117

Installing an Internal Modem 118

Configuring a Modem 119

Establishing Modem Protocols 120

Character Framing 122

SCSI Adapter Cards 123

Universal Serial Bus 124

IEEE-1394 FireWire Bus 125

Installing Devices Using Advanced Buses and Ports 126

Installing Wireless LAN Components 128

Review Questions 131

Answers and Explanations 133

Challenge Solutions 135

3 Adding and Removing FRU Modules in Portables 137

Portable System Components 140

Portable System Boards 141

Installing Portable Memory 142

Portable Display Types 144

Keyboards 145

Trackballs 147

Touch Pads 148

Portable Drives 149

External Portable I/O 150

Portable Peripherals 151

Peripheral Storage Devices 151

External Drive Units 152

Removable Storage 154

Portable Power Sources 156

PC Cards 159

Cardbus 160

PC Card Functions 160

Installing PC Cards 160

Installing PC Card Support 161

Networking Portables 164

Wireless Networking with Portables 166

Expanding Portable Peripheral Capabilities 168

Docking Stations 168

Port Replicators 169

Review Questions 171

Answers and Explanations 173

Challenge Solutions 174

4 System Resources 177

Extended I/O 180

Moving Data 181

Initiating I/O Transfers 181

PC Address Allocations 186

Typical I/O Resource Allocations 188

Internal Modems 192

Floppy-Drive Controllers 193

Hard-Drive Controllers 194

Multimedia Devices 195

Network Adapter Cards 196

USB Ports 196

IEEE-1394 Ports 197

Infrared Ports 197

Review Questions 200

Answers and Explanations 203

Challenge Solutions 204

5 Peripherals and Ports 207

Standard I/O Ports 210

ATX Ports 211

AT Ports 212

Parallel Ports 215

Printer Cabling 215

LPT Handles 217

Serial Ports 217

Serial Transmission Modes 218

Serial Cables 220

Serial Port Names and Resources 222

USB Architecture 222

USB Cabling and Connectors 223

FireWire 224

Infrared Ports 225

Review Questions 229

Answers and Explanations 231

Challenge Solutions 233

6 Installing Disk Devices 235

Integrated Drive Electronics Interface 238

Configuring IDE Drives 240

Advanced EIDE Specifications 241

Small Computer System Interface 244

SCSI Specifications 245

SCSI Cables and Connectors 248

SCSI Signaling 249

SCSI Addressing 251

SCSI Termination 253

RAID Systems 256

Review Questions 261

Answers and Explanations 263

Challenge Solutions 265

7 Installing and Configuring Peripheral Devices 267

Video/Monitor Systems 269

Installing External Dial-up Modems 270

External Modem Configuration 272

Installing Digital Modems 272

IEEE-1284 Parallel Port Devices 273

Peripheral Storage Devices 274

Infrared Devices 276

Personal Digital Assistants 278

Installing Uninterruptible Power Supplies 279

Review Questions 282

Answers and Explanations 283

Challenge Solutions 284

8 System Upgrading and Optimizing 285

System Board Upgrading 289

Upgrading Microprocessors 290

Upgrading the BIOS 296

Upgrading Memory 297

Making Upgrade Decisions 300

HDD Upgrading 300

Disk-Drive Subsystem Enhancements 304

Upgrading Adapters 305

Specialized Video Cards 306

Optimizing Network Adapters 307

Upgrading Peripheral Devices 308

Power-Supply Upgrade Considerations 309

Portable System Upgrading 310

Batteries 311

Fuel Cells 312

Upgrading/Replacing Portable Drives 312

PC Cards 313

Review Questions 316

Answers and Explanations 318

Challenge Solutions 320

9 Symptoms and Troubleshooting 321

Isolating Power-Supply Problems 326

Checking Dead Systems 327

Troubleshooting the System Board 328

System Board Symptoms 329

Configuration Checks 331

Hardware Checks 333

Troubleshooting Keyboard Problems 338

Keyboard Symptoms 338

Basic Keyboard Checks 339

Keyboard Hardware Checks 339

Troubleshooting Mouse Problems 340

Problems with Port Connections 340

Problems with Correct Mouse Drivers 341

Problems with the Mouse Trackball 341

Problems with Mouse Buttons 341

Mouse Hardware Checks 342

Mouse Configuration Checks 342

Troubleshooting Video 343

Video Hardware Checks 345

Troubleshooting Monitors 348

Diagnosing Monitor Problems 350

Troubleshooting Floppy-Disk Drives 351

Basic FDD Checks 352

Troubleshooting Hard-Disk Drives 353

HDD Configuration Checks 355

Basic HDD Checks 356

HDD Hardware Checks 357

Troubleshooting CD-ROM and DVD Drives 358

Basic Checks 358

Windows Checks 359

CD-ROM/DVD Hardware Checks 360

Troubleshooting Tape Drives 362

Troubleshooting Other Removable Storage Systems 364

Troubleshooting Port Problems 365

Port Problem Symptoms 365

Basic Port Checks 366

Windows Parallel Port Checks 368

Windows Serial Port Checks 370

USB Port Checks 371

IEEE-1394 Adapters and Ports 373

Troubleshooting Infrared Ports 374

Troubleshooting Modems 375

Modem Symptoms 376

COM Port Conflicts 376

Windows Modem Checks 377

Communication Software 379

Modem Hardware Checks 382

Troubleshooting Sound Cards 383

Sound Card Configuration Checks 383

Sound Card Hardware Checks 384

Troubleshooting Network Cards 385

Troubleshooting Portable Systems 386

Troubleshooting Touch Pads 388

Troubleshooting PCMCIA 388

Troubleshooting Portable Unique Storage 389

Troubleshooting Batteries 390

Troubleshooting Docking Stations/Port Replicators 391

Review Questions 395

Answers and Explanations 399

Challenge Solutions 402

10 Basic Troubleshooting Techniques 405

Diagnostic and Repair Tools 407

Using a Multimeter 408

Information Gathering 411

Symptoms/Error Codes 412

Initial Troubleshooting Steps 413

Observing the Bootup Procedure 413

Field-Replaceable Unit Troubleshooting 418

Review Questions 421

Answers and Explanations 422

Challenge Solutions 424

11 Preventive Maintenance 425

Preventive Maintenance Procedures 429

Dust 430

Rough Handling 430

Heat Buildup 431

Protecting Monitors 432

Caring for LCD Displays 433

Protecting Hard-Disk Drives 434

Protecting Removable Media Drives 436

Protecting Input Devices 439

Power-Line Protection 440

Surge Suppressers 441

Uninterruptible Power Supplies 442

Review Questions 448

Answers and Explanations 450

Challenge Solutions 452

12 System Protection 453

Electrostatic Discharge 456

MOS Handling Techniques 458

Understanding Grounds 460

Protection During Storage 462

Disposal Procedures 463

Avoiding High-Voltage Hazards 464

Avoiding Laser and Burn Hazards 455

Review Questions 469

Answers and Explanations 468

Challenge Solutions 470

13 Microprocessors 471

The Pentium Processor 474

Advanced Pentium Architectures 476

Pentium MMX 476

Pentium Pro 477

Pentium II 478

Pentium III 479

Pentium 4 481

Itanium Processors 482

Pentium Clones 484

Socket Specifications 486

Microprocessor Clock Speeds 489

Power-Supply Levels 489

Heat Sinks and Fans 490

Configuring Microprocessors 492

Review Questions 496

Answers and Explanations 498

Challenge Solutions 499

14 Random Access Memory 501

Memory Systems 504

Advanced DRAM 505

SRAM 510

Memory Overhead 511

Cache Memory 513

SIMMs, DIMMs, and Banks 515

RAM Speeds 518

Review Questions 523

Answers and Explanations 525

Challenge Solutions 526

15 Motherboards 529

System Board Form Factors 534

ATX System Boards 535

AT System Boards 536

System Board Compatibility 537

Pentium Chipsets 539

System Bus Speeds 540

Expansion Bus Architectures 542

8-Bit Slots 543

16-Bit Slots 543

32-Bit Architectures 544

Local Bus Designs 544

PCI Local Bus 545

AGP Slots 549

Expansion-Slot Considerations 552

I/O Connections 552

Pentium ATX Ports 552

Pentium AT Ports 553

Universal Serial Bus 555

USB Data Transfers 555

Onboard Disk-Drive Connections 556

IDE Connections 556

SCSI Connections 559

Review Questions 552

Answers and Explanations 566

Challenge Solutions 568

16 CMOS RAM 569

CMOS Setup Utilities 572

Standard CMOS Setup Functions 574

The BIOS Features Setup Screen 576

Chipset Features Setup Functions 578

PnP/PCI Configuration Functions 579

Integrated Peripherals Setup Functions 581

Power Management Functions 584

Security Subsystem 585

Review Questions 588

Answers and Explanations 590

Challenge Solutions 592

17 Basic Printer Concepts 593

Printer Types 597

Fonts 598

Printer Mechanics 599

Dot-Matrix Printers 600

Printhead Mechanisms 601

Ink-Jet Printers 604

Ink-Jet Printer Components 605

Laser Printers 606

Laser Printing Operations 607

Electrophotographic Cartridges 609

Dye-Sublimation Printers 610

Printer Installation 611

Printer Cables 612

Infrared Printer Ports 614

Networked Printers 615

Other Printer Interfaces 615

Printer Options and Upgrades 616

Review Questions 622

Answers and Explanations 625

Challenge Solutions 627

18 Servicing Printers 629

General Printer Troubleshooting 633

Printer Drivers 634

Troubleshooting Interface/Controller Problems 635

Troubleshooting Network Printer Problems 637

Troubleshooting Dot-Matrix Printers 639

Dot-Matrix Printer Power-Supply Problems 639

Dot-Matrix Consumables 640

Printhead Not Printing 642

Printhead Not Moving 643

Paper Not Advancing 645

Troubleshooting Ink-Jet Printers 645

Ink-Jet Printer Configuration Checks 646

Ink Jet Consumables 647

Troubleshooting Laser Printers 650

Laser Printer Consumables 651

Printer Is Dead or Partially Disabled 652

Print on Page Is Missing or Bad 653

Preventive Maintenance and Safety Issues 657

Dot-Matrix Printers 657

Ink-Jet Printers 658

Laser Printers 658

Laser Safety Issues 659

Review Questions 661

Answers and Explanations 662

Challenge Solutions 666

19 Basic Networking Concepts 669

Local Area Networks 672

LAN Topologies 673

Logical Topologies 675

Network Control Strategies 676

Network Transmission Media 679

Copper Cabling 679

Coaxial Cable 681

Fiber-Optic Cable 682

Wireless Infrared Links 683

Wireless RF Links 683

Installing and Configuring LANs 686

LAN Adapter Cards 686

Installing LAN Cards 687

Network Architectures 691

Networking Protocols 696

Review Questions 700

Answers and Explanations 701

Challenge Solutions 703

20 Network Media 704

Coaxial Cable Specifications 709

Twisted-Pair Cabling 711

IDC Connections 713

UDC Connections 714

Fiber-Optic Cables 715

Ethernet Specifications 718

Coaxial Ethernet Specifications 718

Twisted-Pair Ethernet Specifications 719

Fiber Ethernet Standards 720

Network Repair 722

Troubleshooting LANs 722

LAN Configuration Checks 724

Security Access Problems 724

LAN Hardware Checks 725

Review Questions 729

Answers and Explanations 730

Challenge Solutions 731

21 Internet Connectivity 733

The Internet 736

Internet Service Providers 738

Internet Access Methods 739

LAN Access to the Internet 740

Dial-Up Access 742

ISDN Connections 744

Digital Subscriber Lines 746

Cable Modems 753

Satellite Internet Access 754

Wireless Internet Access 756

Review Questions 758

Answers and Explanations 759

Challenge Solutions 760

Final Review

Fast Facts: Core Hardware Service Technician Exam 763

1.0 Installation, Configuration, and Upgrading 764

2.0 Diagnosing and Troubleshooting 771

3.0 Preventive Maintenance, Safety, and Environmental Issues 773

4.0 Motherboard/Processors/Memory 776

5.0 Printers 780

6.0 Basic Networking 784

Practice Exam: Core Hardware Service Technician 815

Answers to Exam Questions 825

Appendices A Glossary 807 B Overview of the Certification Process 841

About the Author

Charles J Brooks, author of five editions of the Training Guide, is currently the president of Marcraft

International Corporation, located in Kennewick, Washington, and is in charge of research and development

He is the author of several books, including Speech Synthesis, Pneumatic Instrumentation, The Complete Introductory Computer Course, Radio-Controlled Car Project Manual, and IBM PC Peripheral

Troubleshooting and Repair A former electronics instructor and technical writer with the National Education

Corporation, Charles has taught and written on post-secondary EET curriculum, including introductory tronics, transistor theory, linear integrated circuits, basic digital theory, industrial electronics, microprocessors,and computer peripherals

I want to thank Marc Savage and David Eytchison for their invaluable insight and excellent recommendationsfor improving this book

As always, everyone I have worked with at Que Publishing has made this a pleasant experience Jeff Riley,Steve Rowe, and Dan Knott, thanks again for another great life experience Let’s do another one sometime.Finally, I want to thank all the people who purchased the previous editions of the book and cared enough toshare their feedback with me You may see one of your suggestions in this version Good luck with the exam,but I hope you don’t need it after using this book

How to Use This Book

Que Certification has made an effort in its Training Guide series to make the information as accessible as

possible for the purposes of learning the certification material Here, you have an opportunity to view the

many instructional features that have been incorporated into the books to achieve that goal.

Objective Explanations: Immediately following each

objective is an explanation of it, providing context that

defines it more meaningfully in relation to the exam.

Because vendors can sometimes be vague in their

objec-tives list, the objective explanations are designed to clarify

any vagueness by relying on the authors’ test-taking

experi-ence.

List of Objectives: Each chapter begins with a list of the

objectives as stated by the exam’s vendor.

Each chapter begins with a set of features

designed to allow you to maximize study

time for that material

Chapter Outline: Learning always gets a boost when

you can see both the forest and the trees To give you a visual image of how the topics in a chapter fit together, you will find a chapter outline at the beginning of each chapter You will also be able to use this for easy reference when looking for a particular topic

Study Strategies: Each topic presents its own learning

challenge To support you through this, Que Certification has included strategies for how to best approach studying in order to retain the material in the chapter, particularly as it is addressed on the exam.

N o t e: Notes appear in the margins and contain various kinds of useful information, such as

tips on the technology or administrative practices, historical background on terms and gies, or side commentary on industry issues.

technolo-W a r n i n g: In using sophisticated information

technology, there is always potential for mistakes or even

catastrophes that can occur through improper application of

the technology Warnings appear in the margins to alert you

F EATURES W ITHIN

These books include a large amount and

different kinds of information The many

different elements are designed to help you

identify information by its purpose and

importance to the exam and also to

provide you with varied ways to learn the

material You will be able to determine

how much attention to devote to certain

ele-ments, depending on what your goals are

By becoming familiar with the different

presentations of information, you

will know what information will be

important to you as a test-taker and

which information will be important to you

as a practitioner

E x a m T i p : Exam Tips appear in the

mar-gins to provide specific exam-related advice Such tips may address what materi-

al is covered (or not covered) on the exam, how it is covered, mnemonic devices, or particular quirks of that exam.

C h a l l e n g e: Challenges provide you with a

problem-solving scenario in which you must analyze a situation and suggest a solution Answers appear

F i g u r e: To improve readability, the figures have been

placed in the margins wherever possible so they do not interrupt the main flow of text

E XTENSIVE R EVIEW AND

S ELF - TEST O PTIONS

At the end of each chapter, along with some

summary elements, you will find a section

called “Apply Your Knowledge” that gives

you several different methods with which to

test your understanding of the material and

review what you have learned

Chapter Summary: Before the Apply

Your Knowledge section, you will find a ter summary that wraps up the chapter and reviews what you should have learned.

chap-Review Questions: These open-ended, short answer

questions allow you to quickly assess your comprehension of

what you just read in the chapter Instead of asking you to

choose from a list of options, these questions require you to

state the correct answers in your own words Although you

will not experience these kinds of questions on the exam,

these questions will indeed test your level of comprehension

of key concepts.

K e y T e r m s: A list of key terms appears

at the end of each chapter These are terms that you should be sure you know and are comfortable defining and understanding when you go in to take the exam.

Answers and Explanations: For each of the Review and Exam

questions, you will find thorough explanations located at the end of the section

Suggested Readings and Resources: The very

last element in every chapter is a list of additional resources

you can use if you want to go above and beyond

certifica-tion-level material or if you need to spend more time on a

particular subject that you are having trouble understanding.

Challange Solutions: A solution is presented for each

challenge as well as an explanation for the solution

A+ Certification Training Guide, Fifth Edition, is

designed for those with the goal of certification as an

A+ certified technician It covers both the Core

Hardware Service Technician (220-301) and Operating

System Technologies (220-302) exams

These exams measure essential competencies for a

microcomputer hardware service technician with six

months of on-the-job experience You must demonstrate

knowledge that would enable you to properly install,

configure, upgrade, troubleshoot, and repair

microcom-puter hardware This includes basic knowledge of

desk-top and portable systems, basic networking concepts,

and printers You also must demonstrate knowledge of

safety and common preventive maintenance procedures

This book is your one-stop shop Everything you need

to know to pass the exams is in here You do not have

to take a class in addition to buying this book to pass

the exam Depending on your personal study habits or

learning style, however, you might benefit from buying

this book and taking a class

This book also can help advanced users and

administra-tors who are not studying for the exam but are looking

for a single-volume technical reference

This book provides a self-guided tour of all the areas

covered by the Core Hardware Service Technician exam

and identifies the specific skills you need to achieve

your A+ certification You also will find the features

that make Que’s training guides so successful: clear

organization, helpful hints, tips, real-world examples,

and step-by-step

exercises Specifically, this book is set up to help you inthe following ways:

to individual exam objectives This book coversevery objective that you need to know for theCore Hardware Service Technician exam Theobjectives are covered in the same order as theyare listed by the certifying organization,CompTIA, to make it as easy as possible for you

to learn the information We also have attempted

to make the information accessible in the ing ways:

follow-• The Study and Exam Prep Tips section will

help you develop study strategies It also vides valuable exam-day tips and information

pro-• This introduction includes the full list of examtopics and objectives

• Each chapter begins with a list of the tives to be covered

objec-• Each chapter also begins with an outline thatprovides an overview of the material and thepage numbers indicating where you can findparticular topics

• Objectives are repeated within the text wherethe material most directly relevant to them iscovered

• Information on where the objectives are ered is also conveniently condensed on thetearcard at the front of this book

designed to provide you with multiple ways tolearn and reinforce the exam material Followingare some of the helpful methods:

• Objective explanations—As mentioned

previ-ously, each chapter begins with a list of the

objectives covered in the chapter In addition,

immediately following each objective is an

explanation in a context that defines it more

meaningfully

• Study strategies—The beginning of each

chapter also includes strategies for studying

and retaining the material in the chapter,

par-ticularly as it is addressed on the exam

• Test tips—Exam tips appear in the margin to

provide specific exam-related advice Such

tips might address what material is covered

(or not covered) on the exam, how it is

cov-ered, mnemonic devices, and particular quirks

of that exam

• Summaries— Each chapter ends with a

sum-mary

• Key terms—A list of key terms appears at the

end of each chapter This list highlights terms

and concepts you should recognize Where

possible, such terms have been italicized in

the text

• Notes—These paragraphs appear in the

mar-gin and contain various kinds of useful

information such as tips on technology or

administrative practices, historical background

on terms and technologies, or side

commen-tary on industry issues

• Warnings—When you are using sophisticated

technology improperly, the potential for

mis-takes or even catastrophes to occur is

ever-present Warnings appear in the margin to

alert you to such potential problems

• Challenges—These instructional elements

require you to analyze a situation and come

up with a solution to a technical problem.They are included here in anticipation of theapplication questions that will begin to appear

in the A+ exams Answers appear in the

“Apply Your Knowledge” section

pro-vides numerous opportunities for you to assessyour knowledge and to practice for the exam Thepractice options include the following:

• Review Questions—These questions appear in

the “Apply Your Knowledge” section Theyreflect the kinds of multiple-choice questionsthat appear on the A+ exams Use them topractice for the exam and to help you deter-mine what you know and what you need toreview or study further Answers and explana-tions for them are provided

• Practice exam—A practice exam is included

in the “Final Review” section for each exam(as discussed later)

following three valuable tools that can help youprepare for the exam:

• Fast Facts—This condensed version of the

information contained in the book will proveextremely useful for last-minute review

• Practice Exam—A full practice test for each

of the exams is included Questions are ten in the styles used on the actual exams Use

writ-it to assess your readiness for the real thing

A+ C ORE H ARDWARE S ERVICE

B LUEPRINT

For A+ certification, you must pass both this

examina-tion and the A+ Operating System Technologies

exami-nation As noted previously, the examination measures

essential competencies for a microcomputer hardware

service technician with six months of on-the-job

experi-ence

This examination blueprint includes weighting, test

objectives, and sample content Sample topics and

con-cepts are included to clarify the test objectives; do not

construe these as a comprehensive list of the content of

this examination

Table IN.1 lists the domains measured by this

examina-tion and the approximate extent to which they are

In terms of the exam itself, the examinee selects, from

four response options, the one option that best completes the statement or answers the question Theexam directions read as follows:

Read the statement or question and, from theresponse options, select only one letter that repre-sents the most correct or best answer

Distracters or wrong answers are response options thatexaminees with incomplete knowledge or skill wouldlikely choose, but are generally plausible responses fit-ting into the content area

The sections that follow outline the objectives for theexam and provide representative (but not necessarilycomplete) content areas that reflect each objective

Domain 1.0 Installation, Configuration, and Upgrading

The 1.0 domain requires the knowledge and skillsrequired to identify, install, configure, and upgrademicrocomputer modules and peripherals, followingestablished basic procedures for system assembly anddisassembly of field replaceable modules Elementsinclude the ability to identify and configure IRQs,DMAs, I/O addresses, and set switches and jumpers

Objectives and Representative Content

1.1 Identify names, purpose, and characteristics of tem modules Recognize these modules by sight or defi-nition

sys-Examples of concepts and modules are

1.2 Identify basic procedures for adding and removing

field replaceable modules for desktop systems Given a

replacement scenario, choose the appropriate sequences

• Storage (memory and hard drive)

➤ Docking station/port replicators

➤ LCD Panel

➤ Wireless

• Adapter/controller

• Antenna1.4 Identify available IRQs, DMAs, I/O addresses, and

procedures for altering these settings when installing

and configuring devices Choose the appropriate

instal-lation or configuration steps in a given scenario

Content may include the following:

➤ Legacy devices (for example, ISA sound card)

➤ Specialized devices (for example, CAD/CAM)

char-Content might include the following:

• PS2/MINI-DIN

• USB

• IEEE-1394

1.6 Identify proper procedures for installing and

config-uring common IDE/EIDE devices Choose the

appropri-ate installation or configuration sequences in given

sce-narios Recognize the associated cables

Content may include the following:

➤ IDE Interface Types

➤ Cable orientation requirements

1.7 Identify proper procedures for installing and

config-uring common SCSI devices Choose the appropriate

installation or configuration sequences in given

scenarios

Content may include the following:

➤ SCSI Interface Types

config-Content may include the following:

➤ Modems and transceivers (dial-up, cable, DSL,ISDN)

Topics may include

1.10 Determine the issues that must be considered when

upgrading a PC In a given scenario, determine when

and how to upgrade system components

Issues may include

➤ Drivers for legacy devices

➤ Bus types and characteristics

➤ Cache in relationship to motherboards

➤ Memory capacity and characteristics

➤ Processor speed and compatibility

➤ Hard-drive capacity and characteristics

➤ System/firmware limitations

➤ Power-supply output capacity

Components may include the following:

➤ PCMCIA Type I, II, III cards

Domain 2.0 Diagnosing and Troubleshooting

The 2.0 domain requires the ability to apply knowledgerelating to diagnosing and troubleshooting commonmodule problems and system malfunctions Thisincludes knowledge of the symptoms relating to com-mon problems

Objectives and Representative Content

2.1 Recognize common problems associated with eachmodule and their symptoms, and identify steps to iso-late and troubleshoot the problems Given a problemsituation, interpret the symptoms and infer the mostlikely cause

Content may include the following:

➤ I/O ports and cables

• Serial

• Parallel

• USB ports

• Front cover alignment

➤ Storage devices and cables

• Docking stations/port replicators

• Portable unique storage2.2 Identify basic troubleshooting procedures and tools,and how to elicit problem symptoms from customers.Justify asking particular questions in a given scenario.Content may include the following:

➤ Troubleshooting/isolation/problem determinationprocedures

➤ Determining whether a hardware or softwareproblem

➤ Gathering information from user

➤ Customer environment

➤ Symptoms/error codes

➤ Situation when the problem occurred

Domain 3.0 Preventive

Maintenance, Safety, and

Environmental Issues

The 3.0 domain requires the knowledge of safety and

preventive maintenance With regard to safety, it

includes the potential hazards to personnel and

ment when working with lasers, high-voltage

equip-ment, ESD, and items that require special disposal

procedures that comply with environmental guidelines

With regard to preventive maintenance, this includes

knowledge of preventive maintenance products,

proce-dures, environmental hazards, and precautions when

working on microcomputer systems

Objectives and Representative Content

3.1 Identify the various types of preventive maintenance

measures, products, and procedures and when and how

to use them

Content may include the following:

➤ Liquid cleaning compounds

➤ Types of materials to clean contacts and

connec-tions

➤ Nonstatic vacuums (chassis, power supplies, fans)

➤ Cleaning monitors

➤ Cleaning removable media devices

➤ Ventilation, dust, and moisture control on the PC

when and how to use them

Content may include the following:

➤ ESD (electrostatic discharge) precautions and cedures

pro-➤ What ESD can do, how it may be apparent or den

hid-➤ Common ESD protection devices

➤ Situations that could present a danger or hazard

➤ Potential hazards and proper safety proceduresrelating to

• High-voltage equipment

• Power supplies

• CRTs3.3 Identify environmental protection measures and pro-cedures and when and how to use them

Content may include the following:

➤ Special disposal procedures that comply withenvironmental guidelines

➤ Batteries

➤ CRTs

➤ Chemical solvents and cans

➤ MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets)

Domain 4.0 Motherboard/Processors/

Memory

The 4.0 domain requires knowledge of specific nology, facts, ways and means of dealing with classifi-cations, categories, and principles of motherboards,processors, and memory in microcomputer systems

termi-Objectives and Representative Content

4.1 Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in terms

of their basic characteristics

Content may include the following:

➤ Popular CPU chips (Pentium class compatible)

➤ Voltage

➤ Speeds (actual versus advertised)

➤ Cache level I, II, III

➤ Sockets/slots

➤ Voltage regulator modules

4.2 Identify the types of RAM (random access

memo-ry), form factors, and operational characteristics

Determine banking and speed requirements under given

scenarios

Content may include the following:

➤ Types

• EDO DRAM (Extended Data Out DRAM)

• DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)

• SRAM (Static RAM)

• VRAM (Video RAM)

• SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM)

• DDR (Double Data Rate)

• Rambus

➤ Form factors (including pin count)

• SIMM (Single In-line Memory Module)

• DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module)

• SODIMM (Small Outline DIMM)

• MicroDIMM

• RIMM (Rambus Inline Memory Module)

➤ Operational characteristics

• Memory chips (8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit)

• Parity chips versus nonparity chips

• ECC versus non-ECC

• Single-sided versus double-sided4.3 Identify the most popular types of motherboards,their components, and their architecture (bus struc-tures)

Content may include the following: