Hardware technical questions

What is motherboard? System board?

Motherboard is the heart of the computer where each and every component is connected
to it directly or indirectly.

What are the types of the motherboard?

• Integrated motherboard
• Semi-integrated motherboard
• Fully-integrated motherboard

Integrated motherboard where all components are fixed to it

Semi-integrated we can connect the ports on it.
Fully integrated motherboard all connectors on the board, i.e. processor socket RAM
module Etc

What are Physical components of computer?

In put devices: keyboard, joystick, etc.
Out put devices: monitor, printer, speakers etc.

What are storage devices?

Primary storage devices: R A M (random access memory) temporary storage
Secondary storage devices: HDD, ROM (read only memory) permanent storage

RAM is divided into 2 parts

• Basic RAM: loads operating system files, icons, of desk top
• Application RAM: loads applications icons of MS-office etc.
Windows operating system supports up to 4 G B of RAM
UNIX operating system supports up to 64 T B of RAM.

What are DDR and SDR RAM?

DDR-double data RAM high speed having single gap
SDR-static data RAM low speed having two gaps

What is booting?
Booting is the process of copying important files of operating system into RAM from
secondary storage device.

What are communication devices?

Modem: modulate demodulate
NIC: card network interface card.

What is a processor?
Processor is a brain of computer it can hold data it uses RAM to process the data.

What are CPU categories?

Central processing unit (CPU)
• Complete instruction set computing C I S C perform one job at a time.
• Reduce instruction set computing RISC performs 4 –10 jobs at a time.

What are the types of motherboard?

Desktop motherboards only one processor
Network motherboards up to 32 processors

What are slots?

Slots are used to connect input and output devices inside the motherboard

What are the types of slots?

Expansion slots: ISA (Industrial standard architracture), EISA Extended ISA are out
Dated. PCI slots are in white in color
Reserved slots: AGP (accelerated graphic port) CNR (communication network register)
AMR (Audio modem register) combination of modem and audio these are in brown in
color.

What is PCI slot?

PHERIFARAL COMPONENT INTERFACE CARD
Both 32 and 64 bit card is used to connect white or brown in color.
Use to connect extra cards on the motherboard

AGP: Accelerated Graphical Port OR Advanced graphical port

It is a 64-bit card used for display. It converts digital signal to analog signals.

LAN-card: local area network card can divided the data into packets and also combines
packet into data.
RJ-45 used for broad brand
RJ-11 used for dial-up connection (RJ-register jack)

Sound card converts the digital signal to amplified signals

Companies; Yamaha creative c-media etc

What are ports?

Used to connect the I/O devices at the back of CPU
USB-universal serial bus
SATA-serial advanced technology attachments
VGA-video graphic adaptor
FDC-floppy disk controller
IDE-integrated drive electronic connector

PORT-----------------PIN-----------COMMUNICATION---------TYPE----MAIL/FEMAIL
USB 4 pen drive ----- ----------
PS2 5 keyboard/mouse female
SATA 7 hard disk
COM 9 serial port, printer COM1, 2
VGA 15 monitor female
Sound 25 sound cables
FDC 34 floppy disk
IDE 40 HDD/CD-ROM

CONNECTORS:
9 pin mail used for connecting serial mouse
9-pin female used for monitor
15 pin female 2 rows game controller
15 pin female 3 rows used for connecting V G A, monitor
25 pin mail extra modem
25 pin female printer or scanner

POWER CONNECTORS.
SMPS switch mode power supply used to pass the current to all the components of the
computer
Types of power supplies: AT.ATX, BTX, MBTX.
AT-advanced technology 12 pins
ATX-advanced technology extended 20 pins
BTX-balanced technology extended 20 + 4 pins
MBTX-micro balanced technology extended 24 + 4 pins

What is Molex?
It is present on the SMPS, which will give the power supply for hard-disk CD-ROM.
Mini MOLEX it will supply the power supply to the floppy disk.

What is BIOS?
Basic input out put of a system (BIOS)
Also known as POST (power on self test)
It will check all the hard ware components with the signal called IRQ
IRQ-interrupt request.

What is cache memory?

Helps in speeding up the transfer of data

What is COMS?
Complementary metal oxide semi conductor
It is small battery present on the motherboard to retain the information about the
computer.
COMS is apart of BIOS
To enter in to COMS F2, F10 DEL buttons.
What are file-systems?
File systems are of 3 types
• Disk base file system used in CD’s Floppy HDD.
• Virtual base file system temporary file system in the HDD.
• Network base file system used for transmission of data

What is disk base file system?

Disk base file system is divided into 5 types
FAT, NTFS, USF, CDFS, HSFS
FAT- FILE ALLOCATION TABLE
Fat-12 in this file system we can install windows 3.1, 3.11,3.11x,operating systems using
this bootable
Fat-16 in this file system we can install windows 3.1,3.11,3.11x, 95,98,ME, NT operating
systems using this bootable
Fat-32 in these file system windows 98,ME, XP, 2000 can install using this bootable
IN FAT file system security is low (no security)

NTFS-New Technology File System

NTFS 4.0 is used for installing of Windows NT server
NTFS 5.0 is used for installing of Windows NT 2000 server
NTFS 5.3 IS used for installing of Windows NT 2003 Server.
Extra feature shadow copying is available in the NTFS 5.3.
NTFS file system high security

Installation of windows operating system 95

12 M B of RAM
150 GB OF HDD
386-PROCESSOR

What are DEVICE DRIVERS?

Device drivers are software’s applications used to run hardware

How to install software?

Two types of software installation: windows base, DOS base
DOS –disk operating system.

What is virus?
A virus is a program created by a programmer intentionally to infect or corrupt the data

How to identify virus?

Replication of data, virus code execute first etc.

What are the types of virus?

Program virus: infects programs
Boot sector virus: effects bootable files
File virus: effects applications
Micro virus; effects MS-OFFICE applications
Polymorphism virus: this virus changes code to one system to another system
More difficult to delete

What is anti-virus?
An anti-virus defense against virus it remove all infected files and protect the computer
file system (need to update)

What is safe mode?

A safe mode is a state where no graphics no sound will be present. Only basic operations
will work in the safe mode.

How to partition of a hard disk?

First boot device should be CD-ROM in the BIOS setup.
Insert operating system disk in the CD-ROM then restart the computer
Now booting will take place form CD-ROM (not from HDD disk)
We will get the display of all the partitions of HDD on the blue screen
Then select the partition you want to delete press “D”.
Then press “L” to conform this is the process to delete the partition.

How to create the partitions?

Press “C” to create the partition and give the amount of space for the partition

Windows 98 operating system partition

Insert the bootable CD in the CD-ROM then restart the computer
We will get into DOS prompt
A:/>fdisk
Checks whether the partition is present or not
If partitions are there we need to delete the partitions in the following order
Del the partition logical
Del the partition extended
Del the partition primary then total space of HDD we will get
To create partition in the dos prompt
Cerate primary
Create logical
Create extended then primary partition should made active then we can install any
operating system
NOTE: before and after creating and deleting partition we must re start the computer
And also before installing any operating system we must format the dive.

How to format the drive?

After creating the partition restart the computer then we will get into DOS prompt
A:>/ format c:
Is the command to format c-drive
How to create BIOS password?
Restart the computer press F8 to get into BIOS setup selects the option password in the
advanced features give the password then press F10 save the settings restart the
computer.

How to remove the BIOS password?

Remove the BIOS battery from the motherboard restart the computer
Then replace the battery then restart the computer. (OR) Remove the jumper from the
motherboard then restart and replace the jumper then restart the computer.

NOTE; by default jumper will present in 1st and 2nd positions on the motherboard

While booting what command will come first?

Boot.inp

What are chip sets?

Chips are present on the motherboard
• North Bridge it controls all high-speed components like processor RAM, AGP
slots.
It present near the processor
• South Bridge it presents near the PCI-slots it controls all PCI slots connectors and
all I/O devices.

What are the types of heat shinks?

Two types of heat shinks
Active heat shink and passive heat shink
Active heat shink present on the processor shinks heat from processor
Passive heat shink on North Bridge

What are the types of hard disk?

ATA: advanced technology attachment
SCSI: small computer system interface
ATA is divided into two types
PATA and SATA
PATA: Parallel advanced technology attachment it contain 40 pins and IDE-cable data
tram mission rate is 150 mbps
SATA: serial advanced technology attachment it contains 7 pins and SATA cable data
tram mission rate 300mbps

8bits =1 byte
1024byts =1 kilo byte 1024PB=1Exa byte
1024 KB= 1 mega byte 1024EX=1Yota byte
1024MB=1gega byte 1024YB=1 Zota byte.
1024GB=1tera byte
1024TB=1peta byte
TROUBLE SHOOTING

Beep errors
Numerical errors
System errors
Dynamic link library errors (DLL)
Kernel errors
Fatal errors.

BEEP ERRORS
Single beep indicates P.C is working properly
Long beep indicates problem with R A M.
One long 3 short beeps problem with display card
One long 2 short beeps problem with COMS or keyboard

No beep no display problem with SMPS

Check SMPS
Check connectors
Check RAM
Check processor
Check BIOS battery

NUMERIACL ERRORS
1XX- problem with motherboard
2XX-problem with RAM
3XX-problem with keyboard
4XX or 5XX problem with display card
6XX or 16XX problem with floppy drive
7XX-problem with ISP (INTER NET SERVICE PROVIDER)
17XX-problem with HDD
18XX-problem with CD-ROM
ERROR 640-problem with modem or device drives.

SYSTEM ERRORS
System reboots after every 15 minutes
Check A.C power
Check R A M
Re install operating system
If UPS is connected remove the UPS and connect the system directly

System hanging every 10 minutes

Check processor
Check R A M
Check connectors
Check motherboard
NTLDR MISSING
This problem comes only in WIN NT/2000/XP operating systems reinstall O S

Disk boot failure

When there are no system files it will display like this reinstall O S (OR) problem with
HDD, IDE cable.

FATAL ERRORS
Fatal error
HDD file system problem delete all partitions and create them again

DLL ERROR
DLL file is missing re install operating system or problem with link files

Kernel error
Reinstall all device drives

OPTICAL DEVICES

CD-compact disk capacity 700 MB

DVD-digital versatile disk 4.7 GB
BDR-blue ray disk 27 GB

DVD single side single layer 4.7GB

DVD single side double layer 8.4 GB
DVD double side single layer 9.5 GB
DVD double side double layer 17.1 GB

BDR single side single layer 27 GB

BDR Single side double layer 54 GB
BDR disk cost from 15000Rs to 2000 Rs
BDR drive cost from 25k to 30k
 OPERATING SYSTEM TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

What is an operating system?

An operating system is a user interface between H/W and S/W
An operating system is collection of programs that coordinate with the operation of
computer H/W and S/W.

What are the different types of operating systems?

DOS-disk operating system
WINDOWS-windows operating system
LINUX-operating system
UNIX-operating system etc

What serves as a translator in-between O S and H/W?

Device drives

On the task bar time is shown on

System tray

Right click on the desktop

Will display the properties of dialog box

To open the file menu from key board

Alt + F

The most common O S for small computers is

Windows

Windows is an example of
GUI (Graphical user interface) an application program

What are the components of an O S process management?

Main memory management
File management
I/O management
Secondary storage management
Networking
Protecting system
Command interrupts

What is system restore?

System restore is a process of restoring the data from backups
It is used to undo harmful changes to our system and restore its settings and performance.
NOTE: O S can automatically maintain the restore it is called system checkpoint.
What is multi programming?
Multiprogramming is task where memory can maintain more than one program

Mono programming?
Memory contains only one user and maintains one program

What is time-sharing?
Time-sharing is logical extension of multiprogramming.

What is batch processing?

All programs, which are to be executed, are collected together and store in a file is called
batch processing

What are system calls?

System calls for process management
System calls for file management
System calls for device management etc.

What Different between threat and process?

Thread will share the memory it is a S/W
Process will not share the memory.

What are multiple threads?

It can complete execution of batch of data while reading next batch from another device.

What is a monitor?
A monitor is abstract data type used for multiple processes

What is trashing?
A situation in which a program cause page faults for every few instructions

What is RAID?
Redundant array of inexpensive disk (RAID) use many disk drives in parallel to get high
transfer rate and more error correction

What is an interrupt?
Can be defined as an immediate transfer of control caused by an event in the P C

What is buffer?
Buffer is memory area that stores data while they are transferred between two devices or
applications.

WINDOWS VISTA
To install windows vista
512 M B of R A M
120 G B of HDD and dual core processor
What are the advantages of windows vista?
Graphically high value
High security
Automatic updates from Internet
Greater efficiency in managing both memory devices and I/O devices

What are the Features of windows vista?

Basic, premium, business, ultimate

Windows vista features

Most secure with windows defender and firewall.

Quickly find our what we need with instant search and windows Internet explorer 7
Best choice for laptops with windows mobility center and tablet P C support
Collaborate and share documents with windows meeting space
Extend windows vista to secondary displays and devices with windows slid show
Experience photos and entertainment in your living room with windows media player.
Protect against hardware failure with complete P C backup and restore
Easy Windows fax and scan
Easier networking connectivity
Better protect your data with automatic up backup and update. With data encryption

Windows XP operating system

Windows XP developed by Microsoft in the year 2001

Minimum configuration
64 MB of R A M
233 Mhz of processor
1.5 GB of HDD
It is built on NTFS file system

Windows XP service pack 1 was introduced in the year 2002

Compatibility updates (optional)
Enabling technology for new devices
U S B 2.0 support
No security center
Java virtual machine

Windows XP service pack 2introdused in the year 2004

Special emphasis on security
Add new functionality
Windows security center
State of anti-virus S/W

Which lowest version of DOS can install on windows XP

3.2 versions
Which operating system supports MS-OFFICE 2007?
Windows vista

In windows XP, XP stands for

Experience

Short cut keys for registry files

Run then regedit

What is use of activation keys?

Activation keys that register us total 25 letters will be present while installing O S

Scan disk is used for?

Check errors (or) corrupted sectors and automatically fix them

Windows server operating systems

Windows NT 4.0 server operating system was introduced in the year 1996.
40 thousand clients can work at a time
Not support large hardware
WINS is the service (windows internet naming service) it will work

Windows NT 5.0 server operating system was released in the year 2000 (windows 2000)
Windows 2000 proficiently is client operating system for windows 2000 server.
12 millions clients can connect to it at a time.

Flavors of windows 2000 server

Windows 2000 server for small networks
Windows 2000 advanced server for large networks
Windows 2000 data center for very large networks

Windows 2000 server 5.3 was released in the year 2003 (windows 2003 server)
I billion clients can connect at a time.

Flavors of 2003 windows server

Standard edition for small networks
Enterprise edition for large networks
Data center edition for very large networks
Web edition used for hosting wed sites

Note: in the web edition we cannot install active directory

If we install active directory then only we can say it is a server or P C in work group
Advantage is forest-to-forest trust relation ship in 2003 server
What is active directory?
Active directory is a directory service, which contains information of all user accounts
and share resources on a network.

What is Unix?
Unix is an interactive system designed to handle multiple processors and multiple users at
the same time.

What is E-mail?
Electronic mail used for sending message through computer network such as Internet

What is Internet?
Inter net is the networks of the networks

What is firewall?
A security measure that protect a computer network from unauthorized access

What is hacking?
Some one who access and do some changes in the information with out our notice

What is infrared?
Infrared is a light waves to allow a device for communication with out cables

What is blue tooth?

A technology that enables Internet through mobile communication like laptops
And other devices to communicate with out wire

What is browser?
A software program that lets you to access and navigate the inter net
Like: Internet explorer, fire fox, etc

JPEG?
Joint photographic expert group

What is a protocol?
A set of standards that allow standardized communication between two or more devices

What is spy ware?

Programs that get installed on our computer to track your activates or popup advertising
on your serene installed by Internet with our notice.

What are cookies?

Internet automatically installs cookies for fast accessing the web page

What is web browser?

A program that allows you to connect Internet
NETWORKING CONSEPTS

What is a network?
The inter connection of two or more devices

What is networking?
The communication between two or more devices is called networking

What is communication?
Communication is sharing of data

What are the types of net works?

LAN, MAN, WAN
LAN: local area net work a network which is established with in the area
MAN: metropolitan area network which is established with in the city or connecting
different LAN’s
WAN: wide area network, which is defined with out any area limitation

What are the requirements of network?

NIC-CARD
MEDIA
TPOLOGY
PROTOCAL
IP-ADDRESS

NIC-CARD, which contain unique MAC-ADDRESS (media access code)

MEDIA-it’s a way for communication

GUIDED-MEDIA-physical connection like twisted cables fiber optics etc..
UNGUIDED-MEDIA-logical connection, with out wires like blue tooth radio waves etc.

TOPOLOGY-a physical or logical lay out of the network is called topology

Like star topology, mesh topology, ring topology

PROTOCAL-protocol is some set of rules for communication

Like TCP/IP PROTOCOL, IPX/SPX, APPLE TALK etc
IPX-internet packet exchange SPX-sequence packet exchange
APPLE TALK for novel computers

IP-ADDRESS-it is a logical address to identify the P C in the network

IP VERSION 4 IP VERSION 6
32-bit divided into 4 octal 128-bits divided into 8 quarters
Each quarter is converted into hexa decimal
RANGES OF IP-ADDRESSS

Class A 0-------127 used for big N/W

Class B 128-----191 used for medium N/W
Class C 192----223 used for small N/W
Class D 224----239 used for multicasting
Class E 240----255 used for reaches and development

How to assign the IP address?

My N/W pleases right click properties, select TCP/IP, properties
In IP version 4 total 4.8 billions of IP-address are there they are divided into
PRIVATE (classA, class B, class C) and PUBLIC (internet)

How to check IP address?

Start-run-command-ipconfig/all

What is packet?
Data will transform in the form of packets, which will contain source IP and destination
IP

What is frame?
A frame contains a packet along with source MAC address and destination MAC address

What is ping?
Ping used to communicate in between the network and P C
Packet Internet grower (ping)

TCP/IP?
Transmission control protocol, which works along with IP to ensure that packets reach
their destinations

What is POP3?
Post office protocol 3 is the latest version of a standard version of protocol used for
receiving mails.

What is D N S?
Domain name service or domain name system used to resolve the IP-address to host
name and host name to IP-address.

How to install DNS?

Start – settings-control panel- add/remove programs-add/remove windows components
Select networking services –details-select DNS-next-finish.

What is WINS? Windows inter net naming service (WINS)

Before DNS we were using WINS it will resolve only flat name i.e. yahoo, rediff etc
What are host files?
Host files are used to resolve the naming service before WINS we were using this service
Administrator needs to do the entries in the host files burden on administration.

What is DHCP?
Dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) it maintains centralized of IP-address to
prevent IP-conflict it gives the range of IP-address to the clients.

What is BOOT-P-SERVER?
Before DHCP we were using this server. Administrator needs to collect the MAC address
and IP-address maintained in a server called BOOT-P-SERVER

What is static IP?

Address which is assigned manually and don’t change over the time called static IP

What is dynamic IP?

Address that are automatically assigned for a specific period of time and might change

How to install DHCP?

Start-settings-control panel-add/remove programs-add/remove windows components
Network services-details-select DHCP-next-finish.
DHCP can configure only in server operating system

What is SMTP?
Simple message transmission protocol used to sending and receiving e-mails

What is IMAP?
Internet message access protocol for accessing mails from server to view the sender and
headings of the mail

What are routers?

Router is a device used for communication between two or more different networks
Used for inter network communication, best path way selection, packet switching, packet
forwarding

What is packet switching?

Moving of data from one interface to another interface is call packet switching

What is packet forwarding?

Sending the data out of an interface is called packet forwarding

What are the layers of router?

Access layer used for small originations
Distributed layer used for ISP’S
Core layer used for global ISP’S
What are the internal components of a router?
ROM it is bootstrap program
FLASH MEMORY stores the IOS here (internet working operating system)
NV-RAM similar to HDD permanent storage
RAM is a temporary storage device

What are the types of interface in a router?

LAN INTERFACE
WAN INTERFACE
ADMINISTRATOR INTERFACE

What is LAN interface in a router?

LAN interface is a AUI inter face (ATTACHNMENT UNIT INTER FACE)
P C to ROUTER cross cable

What is WAN interface?

In wan interface are used by serial interfaces S0, S1

What is administrator interface?

Administrator interface contains two types CONSOLE port it is a local admin port
It is most sensitive and important port of the router
AUXILARY port used for remote access when Internet is not in use

What is IP-routing?
It is a process of moving packets from one N/W to another N/W

What are the types of routing?

Static routing
Default routing
Dynamic routing

What is Static routing?

If Routing is configured by admin manually it is called static routing it is safe and fast

What is dynamic routing?

Advertise only directly connected N/W
Administrative work is reduced because dynamic up dates

What are WAN protocols?

Pint to point protocol (ppp) and high-level data link (HDLC)
PPP supports open standard protocol and supports authentication
HDLC supports vender protocol and not supports compression

What is sub netting?

Divides a single network into multiple networks is called sub netting
Used for reducing wastage of IP address by converting host bits into N/W bits
What are OSI-layers?
Open system inter-connector (OSI) was introduced by ISO international standard
origination in the year 1984.
This consists of 7 layers
Application layer
Presentation layer
Session layer
Transport layer
N/W layer
Data link layer
Physical layer

Application layer provides interface for the users to access applications with in remote
system and with the ports NO.s we can identify the N/W services (http 80,ftp 21,smtp-25)

Presentation layer it describes standard format by 3 major functions (encoding decoding)

(Encryption decryption) (Compressing decompressing)

Session layer it is responsible for establishing the session maintains and termination the
session by RPC (REMOTE PROCEDURE CALL)

Transport layer responsible for data delivery by two major protocols (TCP)-transmission
control protocol it is connection oriented and reliable AND (UDP) user data gram
protocol it is connection less not reliable

Network layer in this layer 2 major protocols they are ROUTED and ROUTING
Routed protocol it carries user data source to destination viscera’s
Routing protocol will select the best pathway for sending the data

Data link layer it contains MAC address IP-address for logical communication and
MAC-address for physical communication by ARP- address resolution protocol

Physical layer in this layer the data-tacking place from source to destination and
destination to source in the form of bits depend on the media.

Application layer, presentation layer, session layer are S/W layers

Transport layer is core of OSI layer
N/W layer, data link layer, physical layer are H/W layers.

What are straight cable and cross cable?

Straight cable is for communication between different devices like P C TO HUB
PC TO SWITCH PC TO MODEM
Cross cable is used for communication between same devices PC TO PC HUB TO HUB
What is SWITCH?
Switch function at data link layer
It is an intelligent device because no collisions
It maintains MAC address table
Fixed bandwidth at each port
It works with flooding and uni-cast

What is flooding?
If switch receives broad cast frame it flood the information out of all the ports except the
switch port it has received that frame

What is uni-cast?
Switch maintains MAC address table so it check the destination MAC address and drops
the frame on that particular port

What are the types of switch?

Manageable switch and UN manageable switch
Manageable switch, which is having console port and UN manageable switch cannot
having console port

What is port security?

Port security is used to control N/W access based on the following MAC –address
Maximum 132 MAC address can assign to single port
If any violation takes place need to configure shut down mode, protect mode and restrict
mode

Shut down the port or interface will become error disable and the port led turn off
Protect mode frames with unknown source address are dropped it does not notify that a
security violation occurred
Restricted mode frames with unknown source address are dropped it gives a notice

What is HUB?
HUB is abroad cast device and no security less expensive
Hub receives the data from different devices and forwards it in another different devices
Not maintain MAC address table

What is boot p server?

Boot p server were used before DHPC in this method administrator need to collect the
MAC address of the system and assign corresponding IP address
Burden on administrator

What is WINS?
Windows Internet naming service used before DNS used for naming resolve to IP address
But it will resolve only fate names
What are host files?
B4 WINS we were using it administrator need to do he entries in the host.