Chapter 2: Computer Hardware and Peripheral Devices (Set-4)
Which CPU component temporarily holds the next instruction address so the CPU knows what to fetch next
A A. Program counter
B B. Hard disk
C C. USB hub
D D. Printer driver
The program counter is a special CPU register that stores the address of the next instruction to execute. This helps the CPU fetch instructions in order unless a jump or branch changes flow.
Which CPU register is used to store intermediate results during calculations inside the processor
A B. VGA connector
B C. CMOS battery
C A. Accumulator register
D D. Optical disk
The accumulator is used in many CPU designs to hold intermediate arithmetic or logic results. It supports faster processing by keeping data inside the CPU rather than repeatedly using slower main memory.
Which BIOS/UEFI setting is most directly related to choosing the device used to start the operating system
A B. Screen brightness
B C. Print quality
C D. Speaker balance
D A. Boot order
Boot order determines whether the system tries to start from SSD/HDD, USB, or optical drive first. Correct boot order is important for installing OS, troubleshooting, and normal startup.
When BIOS settings are reset after every power-off, which part is most likely weak or dead
A B. RAM module
B A. CMOS battery
C C. Heat sink
D D. USB cable
A weak CMOS battery cannot preserve BIOS/UEFI settings and the real-time clock when power is off. This often causes time reset and default BIOS settings after each shutdown.
Which motherboard component is mainly responsible for providing many USB ports and storage controllers support
A B. Keyboard switch
B C. Monitor panel
C A. Chipset controller
D D. Printer head
The chipset manages communication between CPU and other devices like USB controllers, SATA ports, and sometimes PCIe lanes. It affects system features, I/O capacity, and compatibility.
Which SMPS feature helps protect PC parts by shutting down during overcurrent or short circuit
A B. Mouse sensor
B C. VGA signal
C D. Disk cache
D A. Protection circuits
SMPS protection circuits prevent damage by detecting abnormal current, voltage, or short circuits and stopping output. This helps avoid burning components. Mouse sensors, VGA signals, and cache are unrelated.
Which cooling issue most commonly occurs when thermal paste dries out on an old CPU
A B. Faster Wi-Fi speed
B C. More storage space
C A. Higher CPU temperature
D D. Clearer monitor text
Dry or poorly applied thermal paste reduces heat transfer between CPU and heat sink. This increases temperatures and can cause throttling or shutdowns. It does not affect Wi-Fi, storage, or display clarity.
Which component on the motherboard usually provides a slot for installing M.2 NVMe SSDs
A B. RJ45 port
B A. M.2 slot
C C. VGA port
D D. PS/2 port
An M.2 slot supports compact SSDs. NVMe M.2 SSDs often use PCIe lanes for very high speed. RJ45 is Ethernet, VGA is display, and PS/2 is an older input port.
Compared to SATA SSD, which storage type usually offers higher speed due to PCIe and NVMe
A B. DVD drive
B C. Tape drive
C D. Floppy disk
D A. NVMe SSD
NVMe SSDs use PCIe lanes and a faster protocol, giving much higher throughput and lower latency than SATA SSDs. DVD, tape, and floppy are much slower storage technologies.
Which storage interface cable is commonly used inside a desktop for older SATA HDD connections
A B. HDMI cable
B C. VGA cable
C A. SATA data cable
D D. RJ11 cable
SATA data cables connect internal HDDs/SSDs to motherboard SATA ports for data transfer. HDMI/VGA are for display, and RJ11 is for telephone connections.
Which input device is best for capturing handwritten signatures digitally in offices
A A. Digitizer tablet
B B. Dot matrix
C C. Laser printer
D D. Projector
A digitizer or graphics tablet captures pen movements accurately, making it suitable for digital signatures and drawing. Printers output on paper, and projectors only display visuals.
Which device is commonly used to convert a paper document into editable text using OCR software
A B. Speaker device
B C. Monitor device
C D. Plotter device
D A. Scanner device
A scanner captures the document image. OCR software then converts the scanned image into editable text. Speakers and monitors are output devices, and plotters print large drawings.
Which output device generally uses CMYK ink and is designed for high-quality color photo printing
A B. Laser printer
B C. Speaker system
C A. Inkjet printer
D D. Barcode reader
Inkjet printers use liquid inks (often CMYK) and can produce smooth color gradients, making them suitable for photos. Laser printers are fast for text; speakers and barcode readers are unrelated.
Which monitor specification directly describes how many pixels are displayed on screen
A A. Screen resolution
B B. Refresh switch
C C. Ink capacity
D D. Cable length
Resolution (like 1920×1080) indicates the number of horizontal and vertical pixels. Higher resolution generally provides sharper images. Ink, cable length, and switches do not define pixel count.
Which port is typically used to connect a PC to a 4K TV with audio support in one cable
A B. VGA port
B C. RJ45 port
C A. HDMI port
D D. PS/2 port
HDMI carries digital video and audio together and supports high resolutions like 4K depending on version. VGA is analog video only; RJ45 is networking; PS/2 is for old input devices.
Which connector is commonly used for connecting a desktop to a monitor in offices where VGA is replaced
A B. RJ11 connector
B A. DVI connector
C C. SATA connector
D D. Molex plug
DVI is a digital video connector used on many PCs and monitors, often replacing VGA. RJ11 is for telephone, SATA is for storage data, and Molex is a power connector, not video.
Which cable type carries internet data for a wired LAN connection and usually has 8 pins in the plug
A B. HDMI cable
B C. VGA cable
C D. SATA cable
D A. Ethernet cable
Ethernet cables use RJ45 connectors with 8 pins and are used for LAN and internet. HDMI and VGA are display cables, while SATA is for internal storage device data.
Which USB feature allows connecting external storage and safely removing it through “Eject” option
A B. Screen scaling
B C. Boot loader
C A. Mass storage mode
D D. Print spooling
USB mass storage class makes devices like pen drives appear as storage disks. The OS provides safe removal to avoid write corruption. Screen scaling and printing spool are unrelated to storage mode.
Which Windows option helps restore an older driver if a new driver update causes problems
A B. Disk cleanup
B A. Driver rollback
C C. Screen saver
D D. File rename
Rollback returns the driver to a previous working version from saved driver files. This helps fix issues caused by a bad update. Disk cleanup removes files and does not restore driver versions.
When a graphics driver is missing, what problem is most likely noticed by a user
A B. Faster printing
B C. Stronger Wi-Fi
C D. More RAM space
D A. Low display resolution
Without proper graphics drivers, the system may use a basic display adapter with limited resolution and performance. Printing speed, Wi-Fi strength, and RAM capacity are not improved by missing drivers.
Which tool is best used to view hardware properties like device name, status, and driver version in Windows
A A. Device Manager
B B. Word processor
C C. Taskbar calendar
D D. Paint tool
Device Manager shows installed devices, their driver versions, and error codes. It also allows updating, disabling, or uninstalling drivers. Other listed tools do not manage hardware drivers.
Which problem is most likely when a 64-bit OS is forced to use a wrong 32-bit hardware driver
A B. Monitor gets brighter
B C. Printer prints faster
C A. Driver will fail
D D. Mouse moves smoother
A 64-bit OS typically requires 64-bit drivers; 32-bit drivers often cannot load. This can prevent the device from working. Brightness, printing, and smoothness are unrelated to driver architecture.
Which option best describes “firmware” in devices like SSDs, printers, and motherboards
A B. Internet browser
B C. Email attachment
C D. Office document
D A. Device internal software
Firmware is low-level software stored on hardware that controls device operation. Updating firmware can fix bugs and improve stability. It is not an application like a browser or document file.
Which port is typically used for connecting a microphone headset with a single 3.5mm plug on many laptops
A B. SATA port
B A. Combo audio jack
C C. DVI port
D D. RJ45 port
Many laptops provide a combo audio jack that supports both headphone output and microphone input through one port. SATA is storage, DVI is video, and RJ45 is for Ethernet networking.
Which storage device is best for long-term archiving with low cost per GB but slow access
A B. NVMe SSD
B C. Cache memory
C A. Tape drive
D D. CPU register
Tape drives are used for backups and archiving because they are economical for large data, though access is slow and sequential. SSD and CPU memory are fast but not cheapest for archiving.
Which unit is commonly used to measure RAM size in modern computers like 8 or 16
A A. Gigabyte unit
B B. Hertz unit
C C. Volt unit
D D. Pixel unit
RAM capacity is commonly measured in gigabytes (GB). Hertz is frequency, volt is electrical potential, and pixels measure screen resolution. GB is the standard for memory size labeling.
Which type of RAM module is commonly used in desktop computers rather than laptops
A B. SO-DIMM module
B C. MicroSD card
C D. SATA module
D A. DIMM module
Desktop RAM typically uses DIMM modules, while laptops commonly use smaller SO-DIMM modules. MicroSD is storage for portable devices, and “SATA module” is not a standard RAM type.
If a computer supports dual-channel memory, what is the main benefit when RAM is installed correctly
A B. More disk storage
B C. Faster internet speed
C A. Better memory bandwidth
D D. Higher speaker volume
Dual-channel uses two memory channels to increase data transfer between RAM and CPU, improving performance in many tasks. It does not increase disk storage or internet speed, and it does not change audio volume.
Which device is mainly designed to protect computers from sudden voltage spikes during power problems
A B. Mouse device
B A. Surge protector
C C. Scanner device
D D. VGA cable
A surge protector guards electronics from sudden high-voltage spikes. It is different from UPS backup time but still protects hardware. Mice, scanners, and VGA cables cannot protect against surges.
Which cabinet airflow practice best helps keep internal temperature lower during long usage
A B. Close all vents
B C. Remove heat sink
C D. Stop all fans
D A. Front-to-back airflow
Proper airflow pulls cool air in and pushes hot air out, keeping CPU and GPU temperatures stable. Closing vents, removing heat sink, or stopping fans increases overheating risk.
Which connector from SMPS is commonly used to power SATA HDD or SATA SSD directly
A B. DVI connector
B C. RJ45 connector
C A. SATA power connector
D D. VGA connector
SATA power connectors supply power from SMPS to SATA drives. DVI and VGA are video connectors, and RJ45 is a network connector; none of these supply drive power.
When a USB port provides power to charge a phone, what does it mainly supply
A A. DC power
B B. Laser light
C C. Magnetic ink
D D. Sound waves
USB ports supply DC power (commonly 5V) for charging and powering small devices. Laser light, ink, and sound waves are unrelated to USB electrical power delivery.
Which input device is most suitable for video calls because it captures face and movement
A B. Plotter device
B C. Laser printer
C D. UPS device
D A. Webcam device
A webcam captures video for calls and recording. Plotters and printers are output devices, and UPS provides power backup. Webcam is the correct device for video conferencing input.
Which output device produces visuals on paper using heat-sensitive paper commonly seen in billing machines
A B. Inkjet printer
B C. Laser printer
C A. Thermal printer
D D. Dot matrix
Thermal printers use heat to print on special paper and are common in receipts and billing. Inkjet uses ink, laser uses toner, and dot matrix uses impact pins and ribbon.
Which printer type is best suited for printing carbon copies and multi-part forms
A A. Dot matrix
B B. Thermal printer
C C. Inkjet printer
D D. Photo printer
Dot matrix printers are impact printers that can press through carbon paper to print multiple copies at once. Other printer types are non-impact and typically cannot print multi-part forms well.
What is a common sign of a failing hard disk that may indicate physical or mechanical issues
A B. Loud keyboard
B C. Bright monitor
C A. Clicking noise
D D. Smooth mouse
Clicking sounds from an HDD can indicate read/write head or mechanical problems. This may lead to data loss. Keyboard sound, monitor brightness, and mouse smoothness are unrelated.
Which storage practice best helps protect important files against ransomware or accidental deletion
A B. Extra desktop icons
B C. Faster mouse speed
C D. Higher screen zoom
D A. Offline backup copy
Keeping a backup offline or disconnected helps prevent ransomware from encrypting it and protects from accidental deletion. UI changes like icons, speed, or zoom do not protect data.
Which connector is typically used to connect a smartphone to a PC for charging and data transfer
A B. VGA cable
B A. USB cable
C C. DVI cable
D D. SATA cable
USB cables are used for both charging and data transfer for phones and many devices. VGA and DVI are display cables, while SATA is used for internal storage device connections.
Which network device is most directly responsible for connecting multiple wired devices in a LAN
A B. Optical drive
B C. Heat sink
C A. Network switch
D D. UPS unit
A network switch connects multiple devices on a LAN and forwards data to the correct port. Optical drives store data, heat sinks cool components, and UPS provides backup power.
Which option best explains why a driver update can sometimes break a device that worked earlier
A B. More free storage
B C. Better cooling
C D. Stronger cable
D A. Version incompatibility
A new driver may have bugs or may not match the hardware or OS version properly, causing failures. Storage space, cooling, and cable strength do not directly cause driver update problems.
Which output connector is commonly used to connect speakers to a PC when using a wired connection
A A. Audio jack
B B. SATA port
C C. RJ45 port
D D. VGA port
Speakers commonly connect using a 3.5mm audio jack or similar audio output port. SATA is for storage, RJ45 is networking, and VGA is video output, not sound output.
Which statement is correct about LCD and LED monitors in common market terms
A B. LCD uses laser light
B A. LED uses LED backlight
C C. LED is CRT monitor
D D. LCD works without power
Most LED monitors are LCD screens that use LED backlighting, making them thinner and efficient. LCD does not use lasers, CRT is older tube tech, and all monitors need power.
Which component is most likely to be checked first if a desktop shows no power signs at all
A B. Printer driver
B C. Wi-Fi adapter
C D. VGA cable
D A. Power supply
If there are no lights or fans, the SMPS/power supply and power connections are checked first. Drivers and cables for display do not prevent the system from powering on.
Which motherboard setting can disable unused onboard devices like onboard audio to avoid conflicts
A B. File compression
B C. Print spooling
C A. BIOS disable option
D D. Screen mirroring
BIOS/UEFI can enable or disable onboard devices like audio or LAN. This helps troubleshooting and resource conflicts. File compression and printing spool are OS features, not firmware hardware toggles.
Which component is most responsible for providing extra USB ports on the front panel of a desktop cabinet
A B. CPU register
B A. Front I/O panel
C C. ROM chip
D D. GPU cooler
Front I/O provides accessible USB/audio ports connected internally to the motherboard headers. CPU registers, ROM, and GPU coolers are internal parts and do not provide front external ports.
Which type of connector is used to connect a monitor when the PC has only VGA but the monitor supports HDMI
A B. SATA to USB adapter
B C. RJ45 to VGA
C A. VGA to HDMI adapter
D D. Audio to DVI
An adapter converts analog VGA output to HDMI input (often with electronics). SATA-to-USB is for storage. RJ45 and audio connectors do not convert VGA to HDMI display signals.
Which common troubleshooting step helps when a USB pen drive is not visible in File Explorer
A B. Change desktop theme
B C. Increase speaker volume
C D. Update wallpaper
D A. Check Disk Management
Disk Management can show if the drive is detected but missing a drive letter or has partition issues. Theme and wallpaper changes do not affect storage detection.
Which storage device is usually best for very fast temporary data access inside the CPU itself
A A. CPU registers
B B. External HDD
C C. DVD drive
D D. Memory card
CPU registers are the fastest storage, located inside the CPU and used for immediate operations. External HDD, DVDs, and memory cards are much slower and used for longer-term storage.
Which safety measure helps prevent hardware damage when moving a desktop computer to another location
A B. Increase print quality
B C. Change BIOS time
C A. Secure internal parts
D D. Add more icons
Securing or removing heavy parts like GPU and ensuring cables are disconnected prevents physical damage during transport. Printing settings, BIOS time, and desktop icons do not protect hardware in movement.
Which term best describes connecting devices like keyboard and mouse through a wireless receiver dongle
A B. SATA host mode
B C. VGA refresh
C D. BIOS checksum
D A. Wireless USB receiver
Many wireless keyboards and mice use a small USB receiver dongle that communicates by radio frequency. SATA host mode, VGA refresh, and BIOS checksum are unrelated to wireless peripheral connection.