Book: LPI Linux Certification in a Nutshell
Section: Chapter 22.  Exam 102 Review Questions and Exercises


22.1 Hardware and Architecture ( Topic 1.1)

22.1.1 Review Questions

  1. Describe the general functions of the PC BIOS and how its embedded routines are used by LILO.

  2. Why is there a concern for Linux systems regarding disk cylinders beyond 1024?

  3. Name three files in the /proc filesystem that contain information on resource allocations.

  4. What is the general procedure to configure a SCSI controller to boot from a device at SCSI ID 3?

  5. Why are you unlikely to be able to use a WinModem on a Linux system?

22.1.2 Exercises

22.1.2.1 Exercise 1.1-1: PC BIOS

  1. Boot your PC and enter the BIOS configuration utility using the method defined for your system. Locate the section that covers date and time. Is the programmed time correct?

  2. Examine the enabled serial and parallel ports. Can you manually configure the interrupts and/or I/O ports assigned to them?

  3. If you have an IDE hard disk, examine the BIOS reported cylinder count. Does the disk have more than 1024 cylinders? If so, what precautions are required when locating LILO and kernel images on the disk?

22.1.2.2 Exercise 1.1-2: NIC

  1. Examine your network interface. Is it a standalone card or is the interface included on your system board? If it is a card, is it a PCI or ISA card? If it is an ISA card, determine what resources it is using by examining jumpers or running its configuration utility.

  2. Examine the kernel's interrupt assignments by executing cat /proc/interrupts. Is your NIC correctly described? Are there any surprises in the list?

  3. Repeat number 2 for /proc/dma and /proc/ioports.

22.1.2.3 Exercise 1.1-3: SCSI

  1. If you have a SCSI controller, reboot your PC and enter the SCSI BIOS using the method defined for your system. What device number is selected, if any, for boot? How are the controller's onboard terminators configured? What data rate is the controller configured for?

22.1.2.4 Exercise 1.1-4: Modems

  1. Using minicom, attach to your modem. For example: 

# minicom /dev/modem
Welcome to minicom 1.82

OPTIONS: History Buffer, F-key Macros, 
Search History Buffer, I18n
Compiled on Mar 21 1999, 21:10:56.

Press CTRL-A Z for help on special keys

AT S7=45 S0=0 L1 V1 X4 &c1 E1 Q0
OK
AT
OK

  1. Does the modem respond to the AT command with OK ? Try manually dialing your Internet Service Provider and watch the output of the modem.

22.1.2.5 Exercise 1.1-5: Sound

  1. Examine /etc/conf.modules or /etc/modules.conf. Do you see sound configuration parameters? Try to determine what each parameter does and why it is in the file.