Apply Your Knowledge
Review Questions
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What functions are performed by the external power supply of a portable computer system?
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Convert commercial AC voltage into DC voltage for system usage and battery charging.
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Convert commercial DC voltage into AC voltage for system usage and battery charging.
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Store commercial power to recharge the battery.
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Increase the voltage of commercial power for the computer.
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Why would a notebook computer show only 64MB of RAM after you have just upgraded the system to 256MB of RAM?
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The operating system's memory allocation was improper.
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CMOS needs to be configured.
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BIOS needs upgrading.
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The memory type is incorrect.
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What is the most common repair for a failed LCD monitor?
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Demagnetize the LCD screen.
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Replace the signal cable.
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Replace the LCD panel.
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Replace the computer.
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_________ is a redefined and enhanced 32-bit version of the PC Card standard whose main purpose is to extend the PCMCIA bus to higher speeds with more powerful devices, and to provide support of 32-bit I/O and memory data paths.
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Cardbus
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Rambus
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Pc-bus
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IEEE bus
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In a portable computer system, the operating system must support the PCMCIA slots at two levels. What are they?
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At the socket level (universal support for all PCMCIA devices)
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At the card level (specific drivers to handle the function of the particular card installed)
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At the device manager level (a Device Manager version with support for PC Cards)
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At the BIOS level (built-in BIOS support for PC Cards)
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In a portable PC that has PCMCIA slots, the ______ portion of the operating system's socket services delivers the correct device driver for an installed PC Card when it is hot-swapped into the system.
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card services
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autodetect
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driver bank
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Universal PnP
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Which of the following options is not a legitimate way in which the Card Services utility in a Windows 2000based portable PC delivers the proper drivers to the PCMCIA card hot-swapped into the system?
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The Windows 2000 PC Card Wizard starts up to guide the user through the driver installation process.
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The operating system recognizes the card and has its driver but needs to reboot the operating system for the driver to be loaded.
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The operating system does not recognize the card and requires that an external driver be loaded.
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The operating system immediately recognizes the card and installs the driver without restarting.
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At different times when you are traveling, you need to prevent the PC Card driver from being loaded. To turn off support for a PC Card in a Windows 9x machine, you must __________.
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access the Device Manager tab and expand the PC Card slot node. Then double-click the PC Card controller, and in the Device usage area, check the Disable in This Hardware Profile check box.
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access the Add/Remove Hardware Wizard through the Control Panel, double-click the PC Card controller option, and check the Disable in This Hardware Profile check box.
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access the Add/Remove Programs Wizard through the Control Panel, select the PC Card controller option, and check the Disable in This Hardware Profile check box.
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access the System node in the MMC, select the PC Card controller option, and click the Disable in This Hardware Profile entry.
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To install the PC Card Wizard on a Windows 9x system, you must __________.
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select Start, Settings, Control Panel and access the Add/Remove Programs applet. Click the Windows Setup tab, select a category, and then click on the Details tab. Then simply click on the PC Card component listed in the Add/Remove Programs dialog box.
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select Start, Settings, Control Panel and access the Device Manager in the System applet. Right-click on the PCMCIA node and select the desired PC Card component listed in the dialog box.
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select Start, Settings, Control Panel and access the Add New Hardware applet. When the Add New Hardware Wizard starts, select the Details tab. Then simply click on the PC Card component listed in the dialog box.
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select Start, Programs, Accessories and access the Administrative Tools applet. Select the Computer Management option and click on the System node in the MMC. Then simply click on the PC Card component in the list on the right side of the screen.
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Before you remove a PC Card device from a PCMCIA slot in a working computer, you should ___________.
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click on the PC Card status indicator on the taskbar and then select the option to stop the operation of the PC Card you want to remove.
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open the Device Manager and click on the PC Card node. Then select the option to disable the PC Card you want to remove.
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access the Add New Hardware applet in the Control Panel and start the Add New Hardware Wizard. When the wizard starts, select the option to disable the PC Card device. Then remove the card from the system.
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do nothing. PCMCIA devices are hot swappable and can be removed from the system at any time.
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Which of the following steps are required to set up wireless networking on a portable PC? (Select all that apply.)
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Insert the wireless PC Card adapter in a vacant PCMCIA slot.
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Load the OEM drivers for the PC Card adapter into the system.
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Connect the access point's signal cable to the notebook.
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Load PC Card socket services enablers in the operating system.
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What is the maximum distance that an 802.11b rated wireless network card should be located away from its designated access point?
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Less than 500 feet
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Less than 110 feet
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1 mile
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Up to 5 miles
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You are trying to determine the best place to locate your desk in a large, open office area. You communicate with the office network through a wireless 802.11b PC Card adapter in your notebook computer. Three different access points are positioned more or less equally around the periphery of the office. What is the easiest way to determine where to put your desk?
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Use the power meter in the wireless device's configuration program to view the relative signal strength as you move your portable around the office. Put the desk in the area of the room where the meter shows the highest signal strength.
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Use the power meter in the wireless device's configuration program to view the relative signal strengths of the different access points and then place your desk near the strongest one.
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Use the power meter in the wireless device's configuration program to view the relative signal strengths of the different access points and then configure your notebook card to communicate with the strongest one. You can put the desk anywhere in the office you like.
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Obtain a handheld power meter to take high-quality samples of the signal strengths produced by the different access points and then configure your wireless card to communicate with the AP that has the highest signal strength. Then place the desk in the area where that AP is strongest.
Answers and Explanations
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A. Portable power supplies, also referred to as AC adapters, convert commercial AC voltage into a single DC voltage that the computer can use to power its components and recharge its batteries.
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D. If the type of RAM device being installed is not one of the recommended types, the PC may not be able to recognize the new memory. If the new RAM is being added to expand the existing banks of memory, the system may not recognize this additional RAM. The problem will show up in the form of a short memory count during the POST routines.
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C. When an LCD panel fails the most common repair is to replace the entire display panel/housing assembly.
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A. Cardbus is a redefined and enhanced 32-bit version of the PC Card standard. The main purpose of this new specification is to extend the PCMCIA bus to higher speeds with more powerful devices, and to provide support for 32-bit I/O and memory data paths.
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A, B. The operating system must support the PCMCIA slots at two levels: at the socket level (universal support for all PCMCIA devices) and at the card level (specific drivers to handle the function of the particular card installed).
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A. Because PCMCIA cards are hot swappable, the operating system's socket service must update the system when a new card is installed or an existing card is removed. If it does not, the system loses track of its actual resources. The card service portion delivers the correct device driver for the installed PC Card (that is, when a PC Card modem is removed and replaced with a LAN card, the operating system must automatically update its capability of controlling and using the new card).
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A. Windows 2000 does not supply a PC Card Installation Wizard.
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A. To stop a PC Card driver from being loaded, turn off support for a PC Card. Access the Device Manager tab and expand the PC Card slot node. Then double-click the PC Card controller, and in the Device usage area, check the Disable in This Hardware Profile check box.
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A. To install the PC Card Wizard on a Windows 9x system, you must select Start, Settings, Control Panel and access the Add/Remove Programs applet. Click the Windows Setup tab, select a category, and then click on the Details tab. If you don't see the component listed in the Add/Remove Programs dialog box, it might be one that is present only on the Windows 9x distribution CD.
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A. The proper procedure for removing a PC Card from the computer begins with clicking on the PC Card status indicator on the taskbar. Then select the command to stop the operation of the PC Card you want to remove. When the operating system prompts you, physically remove the PC Card from the system.
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A, B. The installation process for a PC Card wireless network adapter involves inserting the wireless card in the PCMCIA slot and loading the OEM drivers from the manufacturer's CD. The wireless PC Card adapter should be auto-detected by the system.
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A. Type 802.11b cards have a limited range of operation (that is, about 500 feet). This estimation relies on a clear line-of-sight pathway existing between the card and the access point. The signals used under this wireless specification do not travel well through objects.
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A. Many wireless configuration applications include a built-in power meter program that shows the relative signal strength being received from the access point. When you're positioning a computer that has a wireless network card, you should use this tool to maximize the location of the computer. Likewise, if you are operating in a multiple-access-point environment, you can use this tool to identify the best access point to use in a given location.
Challenge Solutions
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You can temporarily disable the unused PC Card adapters by making sure that the Enable Infrared Communication check box is checked. To turn off infrared communications, make sure this item is not checked. When infrared communication has been turned off, the Search for Devices Within Range and Enable Plug and Play options are also turned off. To engage support for infrared Plug-and-Play devices, right-click the Infrared icon on the taskbar.
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Make sure that the Enable Plug and Play option is checked. Conversely, to turn off support for Plug-and-Play device installation, make sure this item is not checked. It is available only if the infrared and searching functions are enabled. If the Taskbar icon is not visible, click on the Related Topics option.
Suggested Readings and Resources
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Portable Computer Components
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Notebook Computer
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Docking Station
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Liquid Crystal Display
http://www.pctechguide.com/25mob2.htm
http://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/n/notebook_computer.html
http://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/d/docking_station.html