Deck 5: Logical Troubleshooting

Question 1

Asking the user to re-create the problem is usually a waste of time.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Device Manager can help prove that hardware is not the problem.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The audio beeps heard during the boot up process are caused by the RAM.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Listening to the computerʹs initialization beeps may determine whether a problem is hardware or software.

Question 5

The Windows WIN.TXT and HELP.SYS files are the best source for looking up a particular POST error code.

Question 6

Being able to communicate with users is not a problem for technicians.

Question 7

When troubleshooting a computer problem, check the easy stuff first.

Question 8

Phoenix, PCI, Award, and AMI are all BIOS manufacturers.

Question 9

The hardware devices checked by POST are performed in a specific order.

Question 10

Hardware errors are usually obvious during RAM access and game play.

Question 11

A service release is another name for a patch.

Question 12

Determining what the computer problem is usually takes longer than repairing the problem.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a reason that re-creating the problem is important to solving a computer problem?

A) Because frequently the user is in error, not the computer
B) Because the user may not be describing the problem correctly
C) Because it puts the burden of proof back to the user
D) So you can see for yourself the symptoms of the problem

Question 14

It is important to re-create a problem because

A) The user may often be the cause of the problem.
B) The user may poorly describe the problem.
C) It could provide clues to the source of the problem.
D) All these are reasons to re-create a computer problem.

Question 15

Error code 301 usually indicates a faulty or disconnected keyboard.

Question 16

Ted, the trusty technician, has a work order to fix a printer in the office of Joe Smith. Joe describes the problem by showing him a sheet of paper with hieroglyphic-like characters on it and says, ʺWhen I print, this is what I get.ʺ It would be appropriate for the technician to ask:

A) Could you print another document for me so that I can see whether the problem will reoccur again while Iʹm here?
B) Could you disconnect your printer so I can take it apart?
C) Would you mind if I asked you to leave the office, so that I can take a closer look at the problem?
D) What did you do to make the printer malfunction?

Question 17

To troubleshoot the Windows boot process, hold the Ctrl key down whiles the machine boots.

Question 18

A technician receives a call from a distraught user that claims to have a bad hard disk drive in the computer. The first step the technician should take is to

A) Have the user replace the hard drive.
B) Have the user re-create the steps that led to the problem.
C) Have the user bring in the computer.
D) Quote an outrageous on-site service call fee.

Question 19

A fix-all.bat file is software that fixes a known application problem.

Question 20

The power going into the power supply is DC power.

Question 21

is another name for a patch.

A) AUTOEXEC.BAT
B) Service release
C) Upgrade
D) Download

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT a major manufacturer of BIOS chips?

A) AMI
B) Logitech
C) Byosoft
D) Phoenix

Question 23

Jake was upset because the one beep that the computer normally emitted during the boot process stopped. He was concerned that the computer was malfunctioning even though the computer started without a problem. What is going on with his computer?

A) The CPU is bad.
B) A memory chip is going bad.
C) The speaker has been disconnected or is faulty.
D) The user inadvertently unplugged the keyboard.

Question 24

If the computer beeps once during POST and the computer has an AMI BIOS, what is the problem?

A) DRAM refresh
B) Keyboard
C) CPU register test
D) Video initialization error

Question 25

Hardware is checked out sequentially by the

A) POST
B) BIOS
C) Optical drive
D) Motherboard

Question 26

POST is executed by the

A) Numeric processor
B) Optical drive
C) RAM chips
D) BIOS chip

Question 27

If a computer beeps once during POST, what is the problem?

A) There is no problem.
B) CPU register test
C) DRAM refresh
D) Video initialization error

Question 28

Mitch Miller wants to use his optical drive to play a Moody Blues CD. When he inserts the disk and closes the drive tray, the drive turns, but he does not hear any music. What type of problem would a technician say this is?

A) The technician would say that it is a hardware problem.
B) The technician would say that it is a software problem.
C) The technician would say that it is an error of the user.
D) The technician would not be able to draw a conclusion from the description given.

Question 29

What BIOS manufacturer uses multiple beeps with pauses in between such as two beeps, pause, four beeps, pause, and then three beeps?

A) AMI
B) Award
C) IBM
D) Phoenix

Question 30

Sarah became concerned because her computer beeped once each time she turned it on. She wondered what she was doing wrong, or what was going on with her computer. As an observing technician, what do you tell her?

A) Sarah, you are pressing the power on switch too long.
B) Sarah, relax because the beep means everything is fine.
C) Sarah, the beep is a pressure valve for excess electricity and the power supply might be malfunctioning.
D) None of these answers are what you should tell her.

Question 31

You see part of the following table in a POST reference manual: The numbers refer to

A) Switch settings
B) Chip numbers
C) Error codes that display on the monitor
D) Beep sequences

Question 32

The audio beeps heard during the boot process are caused by the

A) RAM
B) Processor
C) BIOS
D) CMOS

Question 33

Hardware errors are often obvious during:

A) Printing
B) POST
C) When saving a file
D) RAM access

Question 34

What testing component could be installed into an expansion slot or attached to a USB port to perform hardware diagnostics and display the results on an LED display?

A) Loopback plug
B) Power tester
C) POPST
D) POST card

Question 35

A PC technician would most frequently rely upon which procedure to repair a PC?

A) Swapping parts
B) Analyzing electrical conductivity of circuits using a probe
C) Monitoring the clock cycle of a CPU using an oscilloscope
D) Monitoring the motherboard LEDs

Question 36

Jenny is having a difficult time using her new word processing program. While typing a document, she presses the Esc key and suddenly the monitor screen on her computer turns black. She presses the Esc key again and nothing happens. When she finally reboots the system, she hears a long beep followed by two short beeps. She watches in disbelief at what appears to be a dead computer and wonders what she did wrong to make the computer break. As an observing technician, what would you tell Jenny?

A) Jenny, it wasnʹt you. It was the word processor that messed things up.
B) Jenny, you hit the wrong command at the wrong time, and it overloaded the computerʹs circuits.
C) Jenny, although you did not do anything wrong, you really have to be more careful on what keys you strike when using your computer.
D) Jenny, striking the Esc key and the computer problem is coincidental. You are having some type of video problem.

Question 37

Which of the following helps determine whether a problem is hardware or software?

A) Listening to the computerʹs initialization beeps
B) Seeing if the problem occurs only in one application
C) Looking up any error codes that appear
D) All these could help.

Question 38

You see part of the following table in a Phoenix BIOS reference: The numbers refer to

A) DIP switch settings
B) POST error codes that display on the monitor
C) Beep sequences
D) Chip numbers

Question 39

What would be the purpose of the EPU motherboard LED?

A) To illuminate when you have a bad CPU
B) To illuminate when you have bad RAM
C) To illuminate when not all the cables are connected correctly to the front panel
D) To show that the motherboard has been enabled to moderate power consumption efficiently

Question 40

What is the best source for looking up a particular POST error code?

A) The motherboard documentation
B) The documentation for the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files
C) The operating system manual
D) The hard drive manual

Question 41

You have been asked to troubleshoot a scanner at a customerʹs location. Upon arriving at the scene and introducing yourself, what is the first step you should take?

A) Ask the customer if the scanner has ever worked before.
B) Check all scanner cabling.
C) Ensure the scanner is powered on.
D) Ensure a document has been placed in the scanner.

Question 42

A new employee calls the help desk. The employee is worried because the computer beeps once every day. What is the issue?

A) The BIOS settings are probably misconfigured.
B) The motherboard battery is going bad.
C) A resource conflict has occurred.
D) POST has detected a device with an unsigned driver.
E) There is no problem.

Question 43

Debbie keeps getting an error each time she tries to save her worksheet in AJAX ABC accounting software to the thumb drive. She then saves an Excel spreadsheet she was working on to the thumb drive and it too produces the error. What is the most likely source of the problem?

A) Something associated with the thumb drive
B) The software
C) The motherboard
D) A bad power connection

Question 44

You want to provide a list of good technical support suggestions for the new technician. Which of the following tips would you probably NOT put on your list?

A) Donʹt say words like RAM and CPU to them.
B) Donʹt ever ask the customer to re-create the problem or to repeat what they just told you.
C) When a customer is explaining the problem, it is okay to interrupt him if you donʹt understand what he just said.
D) Donʹt move the customerʹs things on her desk to get to the computer. Ask her to do it.

Question 45

Debbie keeps getting an error each time she tries to save her worksheet in AJAX ABC accounting software to the thumb drive. She then saves an Excel spreadsheet she was working on to the thumb drive and it too produces the error. A good next step would be to _______.

A) Check the computerʹs power cord.
B) Save the file to a different drive.
C) Open the computer case to see whether the thumb drive is connected properly.
D) Replace the hard drive.

Question 46

What function key permits stepping through the boot files for Windows XP or 7?

A) F1
B) F3
C) F8
D) F10

Question 47

If you wanted to do a step-by-step confirmation during the boot process in Windows Vista, you would _______ during the first part of the boot process.

A) Hold in the power button for 5 seconds.
B) Select the Reboot to Diagnostic Mode option from the Shutdown menu.
C) Hold down the Ctrl key.
D) Hold down the F8 key.

Question 48

Debbie keeps getting an error each time she tries to save her worksheet in AJAX ABC accounting software to the thumb drive. She then saves an Excel spreadsheet she was working on to the thumb drive, and it works fine. What is the most likely source of the problem?

A) Something associated with the thumb drive
B) The motherboard
C) A bad power connection
D) The software

Question 49

When multiple POST errors occur, the technician should ____.

A) Start with the first error detected.
B) Reboot.
C) Tell the customer to buy another computer.
D) Start with the last error detected.

Question 50

After pushing the power switch of the PC to the ʺonʺ position, Bob, the PC repair person, realizes that the power-on lights found on the monitor and computer case do not light up and nothing displays on the screen. What is the first thing that Bob should do to fix the problem?

A) Check the wall outlet.
B) Check the bulbs in each of the devices.
C) Swap monitors.
D) Check the switch on the power strip to make sure it is toggled to the on position.

Question 51

When POST errors occur, which of the following is NEVER a viable option?

A) Look in the motherboard/computer manual for a list of BIOS error codes.
B) Use Ctrl+Alt+Print to print a list of BIOS error codes.
C) Use the Internet to download a list of BIOS error codes.
D) Contact the manufacturer for a list of BIOS error codes.

Question 52

When a software company discovers that its software product has problems, it may distribute a _______on the Internet to fix the problem.

A) Service release
B) Gift certificate
C) Customer satisfaction survey
D) Warning

Question 53

What do you do if a customer is unprofessional and continues to swear at you?

A) Excuse yourself and go somewhere else and call your supervisor.
B) Apologize to him and tell them you are there to take care of his problem.
C) Be assertive (not aggressive) and tell him you think he is being unprofessional.
D) Give him at least 5 minutes to calm down before working on his problem.

Question 54

What is one of the biggest problems with technicians?

A) Being able to solve computer problems
B) Being able to think logically
C) Being able to determine whether a problem is hardware or software
D) Being able to communicate with users

Question 55

Software manufacturers often offer to fix known bugs in their software.

A) Upgrades
B) Downgrades
C) Patches
D) Coupons

Question 56

POST does not complete. Each time a computer boots, POST appears to start and the computer beeps a few times and then freezes. What is one of the most likely suspects?

A) Power supply
B) CPU
C) Hard drive
D) Monitor

Question 57

In which troubleshooting step would you make a list of all possible solutions?

A) Identify the problem.
B) Establish a theory.
C) Divide and conquer the problem.
D) Repair or test another theory.
E) Test the solution.
F) Provide feedback.

Question 58

Where can you find the latest information on POST error codes?

A) Computer magazines
B) The library
C) Computer repair training manuals
D) The Internet

Question 59

What is the last and most important step in resolving a computer problem?

A) Test the solution.
B) Divide and conquer.
C) Document findings, actions, and outcomes
D) Reboot.

Question 60

A service release is also called a

A) Square
B) Patch
C) Spot
D) Place

Question 61

_______ checks out hardware sequentially.

Question 62

Match the troubleshooting step with the order in which it is performed.
_______ First
_______ Second
_______ Third
_______ Fourth
_______ Fifth
_______ Sixth

A) Test the theory to determine the cause.
B) Document findings, actions, and outcomes.
C) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.
D) Identify the problem.
E) Establish a theory of probably cause (question the obvious).
F) Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures.

Question 63

In which troubleshooting step do you complete a help-desk ticket by typing the solution and closing the ticket?

A) Identify the problem.
B) Establish a theory of probably cause (question the obvious).
C) Test the theory to determine the cause.
D) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.
E) Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures.
F) Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

Question 64

When troubleshooting a problem, a technician must establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and _______ the solution.

Question 65

Fred, the finicky technician, has determined that there is no communication between one computer and a networked printer. What are the NEXT two steps that he will take?

A) Identify the problem.
B) Establish a theory of probably cause (question the obvious).
C) Test the theory to determine the cause.
D) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.
E) Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures.
F) Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

Question 66

When troubleshooting a problem, a technician must verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement _______.

Question 67

After a problem is solved, a technician must _______ findings, actions, and outcomes.

Question 68

To help determine whether a problem is in startup files, press the _______ key during the Windows boot process to bring up a menu that contains the Step-by-Step Confirmation option.

Question 69

It was a clear and pleasant night when Jeremy decided to surf the Internet. While downloading a large picture file, the HP computer suddenly locked up. His mouse wouldnʹt work, the screen wouldnʹt move, and he could not even warm boot his computer. When he turned the computer off and then back on, he heard one long beep followed by two short beeps, and saw that his computer would not start up. He wondered what the Internet did to his computer. As an observing technician, what two things would you tell Jeremy?

A) Jeremy, you did not cause the problem, but the Internet has messed up your computer.
B) Jeremy, you may be experiencing a motherboard problem.
C) Jeremy, you may have a power supply problem.
D) Jeremy, you have a virus.
E) Jeremy, you need to replace the surge protector.

Question 70

If a problem is hardware-related, the Windows _______ tool can be useful in getting the problem narrowed down to a subunit.

Question 71

After you determine that there is indeed a computer problem, what is the next step?

A) Identify the problem.
B) Establish a theory of probably cause (question the obvious).
C) Test the theory to determine the cause.
D) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.
E) Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures.
F) Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

Question 72

The ________ might contain a numeric display that contains an error code or an LED that can be useful in troubleshooting when a problem occurs.

Question 73

The _______ chip executes POST.

Question 74

A computer problem is never solved until the user is ________.

Question 75

Using good grammar, explain what might occur when a technician is establishing a theory of probably cause when troubleshooting a problem.

Question 76

Jennifer the jolly technician arrives on site after a user complained of the computer system running slowly. Jennifer has ascertained that the computer has a virus. Which step would Jennifer take next?

A) Document findings, actions, and outcomes.
B) Test the theory to determine the cause.
C) Establish a theory of probably cause (question the obvious).
D) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.

Question 77

What step should be done after a hardware component has been replaced?

A) Give feedback to the user.
B) Document the solution.
C) Test another theory to ensure the hardware is actually the fix.
D) Ensure the rest of the computer is operational.

Question 78

A user states that the laser printer isn't working. When the technician arrives, what is the FIRST thing the technician will do?

A) Document findings, actions, and outcomes.
B) Test the theory to determine the cause.
C) Establish a theory of probably cause (question the obvious).
D) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution.
E) Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures.
F) Identify the problem.

Question 79

_______ checks out hardware sequentially.

Question 80

Which scenario is an example of a technician being defensive?

A) A technician is responding to a problem that has been called in to the help desk before. After listening to the frustrated customer explain how the problem has not been solved, the technician replies, ʺI understand how you feel. I see that Sally was the technician from our company that didnʹt help you the first time. I get a lot of repeat problems that she does not fix.ʺ
B) A technician responding to a problem listens without interrupting to a customer describe and demonstrate a computer problem. The week before a different technician solved a different problem for the customer. The customer explains that the current problem did not occur until the previous technician worked on the problem. The technician responds, ʺWe have no idea what you have done between last week and this week.ʺ
C) A technician walks into a known customerʹs office and says, ʺWhat have you done wrong now, Joyce?ʺ
D) A technician walks into a customerʹs office and says, ʺTwenty bucks says I can fix your problems in 15 minutes or less.ʺ