Comptia A+ > Chapter 19 - Operational Procedures > Flashcards

Chapter 19 - Operational Procedures Flashcards

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1
Q

What information does an MSDS provide?

A

Handling, storage, disposal, hazards, and first‑aid guidance for a substance (legacy term; replaced by SDS).

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2
Q

What is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?

A

The standardized (GHS) safety document for chemical products: hazards, PPE, handling, storage, disposal, and first aid.

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3
Q

In an electrical fire inside a computer, what is the first step after evacuating people?

A

Unplug the equipment if you can do so safely; never use water on electrical fires.

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4
Q

Which extinguisher is designed for electrical (Class C) fires?

A

Class C (e.g., CO2 or dry chemical) extinguisher.

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5
Q

What classes of fire can an A‑B‑C extinguisher handle?

A

Class A (ordinary combustibles), Class B (flammable liquids), and Class C (electrical) fires.

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6
Q

What is a safe, eco‑friendly option for functional IT equipment you no longer need?

A

Donate to schools/charities or use certified e‑waste recyclers.

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7
Q

When donating a computer, what should you do with the OS?

A

Leave the licensed OS installed and include proof of purchase/licensing documentation.

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8
Q

What is the most important step to protect data before donating or recycling a PC?

A

Sanitize the storage (secure erase/crypto‑erase; verify wipe).

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9
Q

What must you do before working inside equipment?

A

Disconnect power; remove battery if applicable; press power button to drain residual charge.

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10
Q

What humidity range reduces ESD risk?

A

Approximately 45%–55% relative humidity.

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11
Q

What personal ESD protection can you use?

A

Antistatic wrist strap connected to chassis ground, ESD mat, or antistatic gloves.

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12
Q

Should untrained personnel service a PC power supply?

A

No. Do not open PSUs unless properly trained; capacitors can retain lethal charge.

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13
Q

What two harmful AC conditions can damage a computer?

A

Overvoltage and undervoltage.

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14
Q

What is the normal US mains voltage range?

A

Approximately 110–130 VAC.

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15
Q

What is overvoltage at a US outlet?

A

Voltage above the normal range (typically >130 VAC).

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16
Q

How does overvoltage damage electronics?

A

PSU converts excess AC to excessive DC, overstressing and destroying components.

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17
Q

What are examples of overvoltage events?

A

Surges (longer) and spikes (short, high‑amplitude).

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18
Q

What are undervoltage conditions called?

A

Sags and brownouts; a complete loss is a blackout.

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19
Q

What device mitigates sags/brownouts and provides runtime?

A

An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).

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20
Q

Name common UPS types.

A

Standby (offline), line‑interactive, and double‑conversion (online).

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21
Q

What protects against surges/spikes?

A

A quality surge protector with adequate joule rating and low clamping voltage.

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22
Q

What should you do after a surge protector takes a major hit?

A

Replace it; MOVs degrade and protection diminishes.

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23
Q

What tool should you use to clean toner or fine dust inside printers?

A

A toner‑rated HEPA vacuum (not a household vacuum).

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24
Q

How should you store or ship PCBs and RAM modules?

A

In antistatic (ESD) bags; handle by the edges.

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25
What should you remove before working inside a PC?
Jewelry/watches; secure loose clothing; tie back long hair.
26
What’s the safe way to use compressed air on a PC?
Hold fans to prevent overspin; use short bursts; keep can upright to avoid propellant discharge.
27
What is proper lifting technique for heavy equipment?
Lift with legs, keep load close, avoid twisting; use a second person or cart if needed.
28
What is best practice for cable management?
Route and secure cables to avoid trip hazards and strain; label both ends.
29
What is ‘chain of custody’ in incident handling?
Documentation of who collected/handled evidence and when, to preserve integrity for legal use.
30
What should you do if you encounter prohibited content at work?
Stop immediately and report to management/HR; do not investigate or copy.
31
What personal data falls under PII?
Data that can identify an individual (e.g., name, SSN, address, DOB).
32
What is an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)?
Rules governing how organizational IT resources may be used.
33
What is a Service Level Agreement (SLA)?
A contract defining service expectations (uptime, response, resolution times).
34
What is change management?
A formal process to request, assess, approve, schedule, and document IT changes with rollback plans.
35
What does a maintenance window mean?
A scheduled time to perform disruptive work with minimal user impact.
36
What is a post‑change rollback plan?
A documented method to revert to the previous stable state if a change fails.
37
What is the purpose of documentation after incidents or changes?
Capture root cause, actions, outcomes, and lessons learned for future prevention.
38
What are first steps in malware incident response?
Identify and report; isolate/quarantine system; disable System Restore; preserve evidence.
39
After malware removal, what system repair should you run?
System File Checker: sfc /scannow (consider DISM if needed).
40
What is the final step of malware remediation?
Educate the user and implement preventive measures (patching, AV, least privilege).
41
What is the PASS method for fire extinguishers?
Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.
42
What fire classes are D and K?
D: combustible metals; K: cooking oils/fats (kitchen).
43
What is an SDS used for at the bench?
To identify proper PPE, spill response, and disposal for chemicals (e.g., cleaners, solvents).
44
What PPE should you consider for cleaning chemicals?
Safety glasses, gloves appropriate to the chemical, and ventilation.
45
What is e‑waste?
Discarded electronic devices/components requiring responsible recycling.
46
How should you dispose of batteries?
Use approved recycling streams; do not incinerate; tape terminals of lithium cells.
47
What should you verify before donating a drive?
That the data is irrecoverably wiped; consider removing and retaining/sanitizing drives.
48
What’s the 3‑2‑1 backup rule?
Keep 3 copies, on 2 different media, with 1 offsite copy.
49
What is the purpose of a line conditioner?
To stabilize and filter AC power, reducing noise and voltage fluctuations.
50
What ergonomic practices reduce strain?
Neutral wrist posture, monitor at eye level, feet flat, regular micro‑breaks.
51
What is good customer communication etiquette?
Greet, listen actively, empathize, avoid jargon, paraphrase back, set expectations, and follow up.
52
What are best practices during on‑site work?
Wear ID badge, respect privacy, get authorization, protect confidential info, and leave the area clean.
53
Food/drink policy at the bench?
No food/drinks near equipment; liquids risk spills and damage.
54
What should you do before making any change on a user’s system?
Back up critical data and obtain user approval.
55
What is escalation in support?
Handing a case to a higher tier when it exceeds your scope or SLA targets.
56
What is a work order or ticket?
A tracked record of a user issue/change with details and status.
57
What should a ticket note include?
Symptoms, environment, steps taken, findings, resolution, and user confirmation.
58
What is asset tagging?
Labeling equipment for inventory tracking and lifecycle management.
59
What is device sanitization for SSDs vs HDDs?
SSD: crypto‑erase or NVMe/ATA sanitize; HDD: multi‑pass wipe or degauss/physical destruction.
60
What is the purpose of a privacy screen?
Reduce visual eavesdropping (shoulder surfing) in public areas.
61
Why centralize AP placement in a building?
Reduce RF leakage outside and improve even coverage.
62
What is MAC address filtering’s value?
Minor access control; weak security (MACs can be spoofed).
63
Is disabling SSID broadcast a strong control?
No; SSIDs are easily discovered; use WPA2/3 with strong credentials.
64
What should you do if a surge damages equipment?
Document, photograph, capture serials, and follow RMA procedures; test related devices.
65
What is lockout/tagout (LOTO)?
Safety procedure to ensure equipment is powered off and cannot be energized during service.
66
What is the purpose of antistatic mats?
Provide a grounded surface to dissipate electrostatic charge safely.
67
Where should an ESD wrist strap be connected?
To the PC chassis ground (not to painted surfaces or live ground prongs).
68
What should be avoided when moving a powered PC?
Do not move it while powered; risk of short, drive damage, or ESD.
69
What is the correct way to handle optical drives/media?
Handle discs by the edges/center hole; avoid touching the surface.
70
What should you check before using a ladder on site?
Stability, proper angle, three‑point contact, and area clear of traffic.
71
What is the role of a site safety briefing?
Aligns team on hazards, exits, muster points, and emergency contacts.
72
What should you do before using a chemical cleaner on equipment?
Test on a small area; ensure it’s approved; review SDS for PPE and ventilation.
73
What is the appropriate cleaner for screens?
Screen‑safe cleaner and microfiber cloth (avoid ammonia/abrasives).
74
What is the best storage for archival paper records with PII?
Locked cabinets/rooms with access controls and retention policy.
75
What’s the purpose of a visitor log?
Track who enters secure areas and when (audit/tracing).
76
What is acceptable disposal for printed sensitive docs?
Cross‑cut shredding or secure bins with certified destruction.
77
What practice prevents cable/port damage on laptops?
Use strain relief, avoid sharp bends, and disconnect by the connector—not the cable.
78
What should you do if you break something on site?
Report immediately, document, and follow incident and remediation procedures.
79
What is the first action if you smell burning electronics?
Power down and unplug immediately if safe; do not continue troubleshooting until inspected.
80
What’s a common cause of fan noise after cleaning?
Dislodged fans from overspinning with compressed air; reseat/replace.
81
What does a brownout look like to users?
Dimming lights, devices resetting, or intermittent system instability.
82
Why maintain a spares kit?
Reduce downtime by replacing common failure parts quickly (fans, cables, PSU, RAM).
83
What is a post‑maintenance verification step?
Run diagnostics, confirm user acceptance, and update maintenance logs.
84
What is the goal of standard operating procedures (SOPs)?
Ensure consistent, safe, and compliant execution of repetitive tasks.
85
What is a safety concern with CRTs?
High voltages persist after power off; implosion risk; trained technicians only.
86
What must you do before working in a server rack?
Follow hot‑aisle/cold‑aisle rules, secure rails, plan cable routes, and observe weight limits.
87
What’s the best practice for firmware updates?
Back up configs, read release notes, schedule maintenance window, and have rollback plan.
88
What is the safest response to suspected water damage in a device?
Power off, disconnect, do not apply power; dry per guidelines; document for warranty/insurance.
89
What should you do before leaving a user site?
Verify functionality, return the area to its original state, communicate next steps, and close the ticket with notes.
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