CSLB General Building (B) — All Questions

Which storage type is used in most modern laptops due to durability and speed?

• a.Solid-state drive (M.2 or SATA)✓
• b.5400 RPM hard drive
• c.Optical drive
• d.Tape drive

Modern laptops favor SSDs for their speed, low power draw, and resistance to shock from movement. Spinning drives, optical, and tape are largely obsolete in current portable designs.

A laptop battery no longer holds a charge and is swollen. What is the correct action?

• a.Keep using it until fully dead
• b.Safely replace the battery and dispose of it properly✓
• c.Puncture it to release gas
• d.Freeze it overnight

A swollen lithium-ion battery is a safety hazard and must be replaced and recycled through proper channels. Continuing to use, puncturing, or freezing it risks fire or rupture.

Which technology lets a smartphone make contactless payments when tapped at a terminal?

• a.Bluetooth
• b.GPS
• c.NFC✓
• d.Infrared

Near Field Communication (NFC) enables tap-to-pay over very short distances. Bluetooth pairs peripherals, GPS provides location, and infrared is a legacy line-of-sight link.

What does a laptop's inverter historically provide power to on older LCD screens?

• a.The keyboard backlight
• b.The webcam
• c.The trackpad
• d.The CCFL backlight✓

On older laptops the inverter supplied high voltage to the cold-cathode fluorescent (CCFL) backlight. Modern LED-backlit panels no longer need an inverter.

Which connector has become the common standard for charging and data on modern Android phones and many laptops?

• a.USB-C✓
• b.Micro-USB
• c.Lightning
• d.Mini-USB

USB-C is a reversible connector widely adopted for charging and data on Android devices and laptops. Micro-USB and Mini-USB are older, and Lightning is Apple-specific.

A user wants to sync a wireless headset to a phone. Which technology is used?

• a.NFC only
• b.Bluetooth pairing✓
• c.Ethernet
• d.HDMI

Bluetooth is used to pair and connect wireless audio devices to phones. NFC may initiate pairing on some devices but the audio link runs over Bluetooth; Ethernet and HDMI are wired.

Which component in a laptop allows it to connect to wireless networks and is often a replaceable M.2 card?

• a.Northbridge
• b.CMOS battery
• c.Wi-Fi/WLAN card✓
• d.Optical drive

The WLAN (Wi-Fi) card, frequently an M.2 module, provides wireless connectivity and can be serviced or upgraded. The CMOS battery, chipset, and optical drive serve different roles.

What is the benefit of mobile device MDM (mobile device management) in an enterprise?

• a.Improves battery chemistry
• b.Adds physical ports
• c.Increases screen resolution
• d.Centralizes policy, security, and remote wipe control✓

MDM lets IT enforce security policies, push configurations, and remotely wipe lost or stolen devices from a central console. It has no effect on hardware such as battery, screen, or ports.

A tablet's screen does not rotate when turned. Which sensor is most likely involved?

• a.Accelerometer/gyroscope✓
• b.Proximity sensor
• c.Ambient light sensor
• d.Fingerprint reader

Screen auto-rotation depends on the accelerometer and gyroscope detecting orientation. The proximity sensor handles call screen-off, the light sensor adjusts brightness, and the fingerprint reader handles authentication.

Which feature encrypts the data stored on a lost smartphone so it cannot be easily read?

• a.Airplane mode
• b.Full-device encryption with a passcode✓
• c.Do Not Disturb
• d.Screen timeout

Full-device encryption tied to a passcode protects stored data if the phone is lost or stolen. Airplane mode, Do Not Disturb, and screen timeout do not protect data at rest.

A laptop only charges intermittently and the port feels loose. What is the most likely fix?

• a.Replace the operating system
• b.Increase screen brightness
• c.Repair or replace the DC jack / charging port✓
• d.Reset the router

A loose, intermittently charging port usually indicates a worn or damaged DC jack that needs repair or replacement. Software, display, and network changes would not resolve a physical power connection fault.

Which of the following is a common way to expand storage on many Android phones and tablets?

• a.Adding a DIMM
• b.Installing a second CPU
• c.Attaching a PCIe card
• d.Adding a microSD card✓

Many Android devices accept a microSD card to expand storage. Phones do not accept desktop-style CPUs, PCIe cards, or DIMMs.

A user reports very short battery life after a recent update. What is a reasonable first troubleshooting step?

• a.Check battery usage stats and background apps in settings✓
• b.Replace the motherboard
• c.Reinstall the display driver
• d.Swap the SIM card

Reviewing the battery usage screen reveals which apps or processes are draining power, a logical first step after an update. Replacing hardware or swapping the SIM is premature and unrelated.

Which port on a modern laptop can carry video, data, and power over a single reversible connector using the appropriate standard?

• a.VGA
• b.USB-C with Thunderbolt/DP alt mode✓
• c.RJ45
• d.PS/2

A USB-C port supporting Thunderbolt or DisplayPort alt mode can deliver video, data, and power simultaneously. VGA carries analog video only, RJ45 is networking, and PS/2 is legacy input.