HP Enterprise Desktop & Workstation Support 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An HP ZBook mobile workstation's discrete GPU stops being recognized after a Windows update. The integrated GPU still works. What is the BEST first step?
- Reinstall the HP-provided discrete GPU driver from hp.com (Correct answer)
- Replace the GPU module
- Roll back the Windows update via Recovery
- Disable the integrated GPU in Device Manager
Correct answer: Reinstall the HP-provided discrete GPU driver from hp.com
Windows updates can replace OEM GPU drivers with generic ones that don't properly support the discrete GPU; reinstalling the HP-certified driver resolves this.
Question 2: Which memory configuration provides the best performance on HP Z-series workstations that support quad-channel memory?
- 4 x 16GB DIMMs in slots A1, B1, C1, D1 (Correct answer)
- 2 x 32GB DIMMs in slots A1 and B1
- 1 x 64GB DIMM in slot A1
- 8 x 8GB DIMMs in alternating slots
Correct answer: 4 x 16GB DIMMs in slots A1, B1, C1, D1
Populating one DIMM per channel (A1, B1, C1, D1) enables quad-channel operation, maximizing memory bandwidth.
Question 3: HP Sure Start detects a corrupted BIOS during POST. What action does it automatically take?
- Powers off the system and emails IT
- Restores the BIOS from a protected golden copy (Correct answer)
- Boots into a minimal safe mode environment
- Prompts the user to insert a recovery USB
Correct answer: Restores the BIOS from a protected golden copy
HP Sure Start maintains a protected golden copy of the BIOS and automatically restores it if corruption or tampering is detected during POST.
Question 4: A technician needs to wipe an NVMe SSD on an HP EliteDesk before asset disposal. Which method meets NIST 800-88 guidelines?
- Quick format from Windows installation media
- HP Secure Erase via F10 BIOS utility (Correct answer)
- Deleting all partitions in Disk Management
- Overwriting with a single pass of zeros using Diskpart
Correct answer: HP Secure Erase via F10 BIOS utility
HP Secure Erase in the BIOS uses the drive's built-in sanitize command, which meets NIST 800-88 Purge guidelines for SSDs.
Question 5: Which HP utility scans a workstation's current drivers and BIOS and recommends updates specifically validated for that model?
- Windows Update
- HP Image Assistant (HPIA) (Correct answer)
- HP Support Assistant (HPSA)
- HP Driver Pack Catalog
Correct answer: HP Image Assistant (HPIA)
HP Image Assistant analyzes installed software and recommends HP-validated driver, firmware, and BIOS updates for the specific device model.
Question 6: A desktop technician is troubleshooting intermittent POST failures on an HP EliteDesk. The system beeps three times with a pause, then three more. What does this POST code typically indicate?
- CPU not detected
- Graphics card failure
- Memory (RAM) failure or not detected (Correct answer)
- Power supply failure
Correct answer: Memory (RAM) failure or not detected
On HP desktops, a 3-3 beep code (three beeps, pause, three beeps) typically indicates a memory error or no memory detected.
Question 7: In HP Wolf Security, which component specifically prevents firmware-level attacks by monitoring BIOS integrity at runtime?
- HP Sure Click
- HP Sure Sense
- HP Sure Run
- HP Sure Start (Correct answer)
Correct answer: HP Sure Start
HP Sure Start monitors BIOS integrity at runtime and during boot, detecting and recovering from firmware-level attacks.
HP Enterprise Desktop & Workstation Support 3
An HP ZBook mobile workstation's discrete GPU stops being recognized after a Windows update.
The integrated GPU still works.
What is the BEST first step?