2024-25 Competitive Events Guidelines

Computer Problem Solving

Computer Problem Solving provides members with the opportunity to demonstrate
knowledge about operating systems, networks and hardware. This competitive event consists
of an objective test. This event aims to inspire members to learn about computer problem
solving.

Event Overview
Division: High School
Event Type: Individual
Event Category: Objective Test, 100-multiple choice questions (breakdown of question by
competencies below)
Objective Test Time: 50 minutes
NACE Connections: Career & Self-Development

Objective Test Competencies

• Operating systems Test Composition

• Networks 25
20
• Personal computer components 15
• Security 10
5
• Safety and environmental issues 0
• Laptop and portable devices
• Printers and scanners

District/Region/Section
Check with your District/Region/Section leadership for District/Region/Section-specific
competition information.

State
Check with your State Leader for state-specific competition information.

National

Required Competition Items

Items Competitor Must Provide Items FBLA Provides
• Sharpened pencil • One piece of scratch paper per
• Fully powered device for online testing competitor
• Conference-provided nametag • Internet access
• Photo identification • Test login information (link & password)
• Attire that meets the FBLA Dress Code

Important FBLA Documents

• Competitors should be familiar with the Competitive Events Policy & Procedures
Manual, Honor Code, Code of Conduct, and Dress Code.

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Eligibility
• FBLA membership dues are paid by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on March 1 of the current
program year.
• Members may compete in an event at the National Leadership Conference (NLC) more
than once if they have not previously placed in the top 10 of that event at the NLC. If a
member places in the top 10 of an event at the NLC, they are no longer eligible to
compete in that event.
• Members must be registered for the NLC and pay the national conference registration
fee to participate in competitive events.
• Members must stay in an official FBLA hotel block to compete.
• Each state may submit four entries per event.
• Each member can only compete in one individual/team event and one chapter event
(American Enterprise Project, Community Service Project, Local Chapter Annual
Business Report, Partnership with Business Project).
• Picture identification (physical or digital: driver’s license, passport, state-issued
identification, or school-issued identification) matching the conference nametag is
required when checking in for competitive events.
• If competitors are late for their assigned objective test time, they will be allowed to
compete with a five-point penalty until such time that results are finalized, or the
accommodation would impact the fairness and integrity of the event.
• Some competitive events start in the morning before the Opening Session of NLC. The
schedules for competitive events are displayed in the local time of the NLC location.
Competitive event schedules cannot be changed.

Recognition
• The number of competitors will determine the number of winners. The maximum
number of winners for each competitive event is 10.

Event Administration
• This event is an objective test administered online at the NLC.
• No reference or study materials may be brought to the testing site.
• No calculators may be brought into the testing site; online calculators will be provided
through the testing software.
• Competitors may flag questions within the online testing platform for the Competitive
Events Committee to review before finalizing results at the NLC.

Tie Breaker
• Ties are broken by comparing the correct number of answers to 10 pre-determined
questions on the test. If a tie remains, answers to 20 pre-determined questions on the
test will be reviewed to determine the winner. If a tie remains, the competitor who
completed the test in a shorter amount of time will place higher.

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• FBLA meets the criteria specified in the Americans with Disabilities Act for all
competitors with accommodations submitted through the conference registration
system by the registration deadline.

Penalty Points
• Competitors may be disqualified if they violate the Code of Conduct or the Honor
Code.
• Five points are deducted if competitors do not follow the Dress Code or are late to the
testing site.

Electronic Devices
• Unless a pre-approved accommodation is in place, all cell phones, smart watches, and
headphones must be turned off and put away before competition begins. Any visibility
of these devices will be considered a violation of the Honor Code.

Study Guide: Competencies and Tasks

A. Operating Systems
1. Compare and contrast the functionality of various operating systems.
2. Explain what an operating system is, describe its purpose, and site examples of
different operating systems including DOS, Windows, and Macintosh.
3. Identify the fundamentals of using operating systems (e.g., Mac, Windows, and
Linux) and describe operating system revision levels including GIU system
requirements, application, and hardware compatibility.
4. Identify names, purposes, and characteristics of the primary operating system
components including registry virtual memory and file system.
5. Install, configure, optimize, and upgrade operating systems using appropriate
procedures and utilities.
6. Describe features of operating system interfaces.
7. Use command-line functions and utilities to manage operating systems,
including proper syntax.
8. Identify concepts and procedures for creating, viewing, and managing disks,
directories, and files on operating systems.
9. Demonstrate proficiency with file management and structure (e.g., folder
creation, format, file creation, backup, copy, rename, delete, move, open, and
save).
10. Demonstrate file management skills and perform basic software configuration
operations (e.g., install new software, compress and expand files as needed,
and download files as appropriate).
11. Identify the names, locations, purposes, and characteristics of operating
system files.
12. Demonstrate the ability to recover operating systems (e.g., boot methods,
recovery console, ASR, and ERD).
13. Recognize and resolve common operational problems, such as blue screen,
system lock-up, input/output device, and application install.

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14. Recognize, explain, and resolve common error messages and codes.
15. Identify the names, locations, purposes, and characteristics of operating
system utilities.
16. Use disk management tools (e.g., DEFAG, NTBACKUP, CHKDSK, and format),
system management tools (e.g., device and task manager and MSCONFIG>EXE)
and file management tools (e.g., Windows Explorer and ATTRIB.EXE) to enhance
optimization of operating system.
17. Demonstrate the ability to perform preventive maintenance on operating
systems including software and Windows updates (e.g., service packs),
scheduled backups/restore, and restore points.
18. Document computer system malfunction and software malfunction.
B. Networks
1. Define networking and describe the purpose, benefits, and risks of a network.
2. Identify the types (e.g., LAN, WAN, and MAN), features, advantages, and
disadvantages of different networks.
3. Identify names, purposes, and characteristics of basic network protocols and
terminologies.
4. Identify names, purposes, and characteristics of technologies for establishing
connectivity.
5. Identify the purposes and interrelationships among the major components of
networks (e.g., servers, clients, transmission media, network operating system,
and network boards).
6. Understand the differences between various network environments (e.g., peer-
to-peer, client-server, thin client, n-tier, internetworks, intranets, and
extranets).
7. Analyze the advantages and the disadvantages of the client/server model.
8. Identify and analyze the seven layers at which decisions must be made
according to the OSI standard.
9. Install, configure, optimize, and upgrade networks.
10. Describe standard topologies, such as bus, star, ring, and broadband.
11. Demonstrate knowledge of IP addressing schemes.
12. Identify the types of wireless network media and the uses, advantages, and
disadvantages of each.
13. Install, identify, and obtain wired and wireless connection.
14. Identify tools, diagnostic procedures, and troubleshooting techniques for basic
network issues.
15. Configure protocols such as TCP/IP (e.g., gateway, subnet mask, DNS, WINS,
and static and automatic address assignment) and IPX/SPX (e.g., NWLink).
16. Perform preventive maintenance of networks including securing and protecting
network cabling.
17. Install and configure e-mail applications.
18. Differentiate areas of responsibilities between the telecommunications
providers’ responsibilities and their clients’ responsibilities.

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C. Personal Computer Components
1. Identify how hardware components interact and work with software to perform
computing tasks.
2. Install, configure, optimize, and upgrade personal computer components.
3. Identify tools, diagnostic procedures, and troubleshooting techniques for
computer components.
4. Describe the characteristics and functions of CPUs, motherboards, random
access memory (RAM), expansion connections, hard drives, and CD-ROM
drives.
5. Explain the functions and characteristics of system expansion devices (e.g.,
graphics cards, sound cards, and modems).
6. Recognize and isolate issues with peripherals, multimedia, specialty input
devices, internal and external storage, memory utilization, and CPUs.
7. Identify the steps used to troubleshoot components (e.g., installation,
appropriate components, error codes, connections, compatibility,
functionality, settings, and drivers).
8. Identify and apply common preventative maintenance techniques for personal
computer components.
9. Identify issues that must be considered when purchasing or upgrading a
computer.
10. Demonstrate the use of connectivity devices and peripheral equipment (e.g.,
portable storage devices, printers, cable modem, and wireless technologies).
11. Identify the various types of computer steerage devices and compare the
advantages and disadvantages of certain storage devices.
12. Identify and demonstrate resolutions to simple hardware and software
problems as they occur (e.g., frozen screen, disk error, and printing problems).
D. Security
1. Identify the purposes and characteristics of access control and permissions,
auditing, and event logging.
2. Identify names, purposes, and characteristics of hardware and software
security issues including wireless, data and physical security.
3. Define the various virus types and describe the common symptoms caused by
viruses and their potential effects.
4. Implement virus protection and removal procedures for a stand-alone
computer or a network.
5. Describe importance and process of incidence reporting.
6. Install, configure, upgrade, and optimize software, wireless, and data security.
7. Recognize social engineering and address social engineering situations.
8. Implement security preventive maintenance techniques such as installing
service packs and patches and training users about malicious software
prevention technologies.
9. Define concepts such as phishing, viruses, e-mail attachments, social
engineering, spoofing, identity theft, and spamming.
10. Explain concepts such as denial of service, hacking/cracking, intrusion, and
intellectual property.

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11. Implement procedures used to recover information from failures and security
breaches (e.g., malware and viral infection).
12. Assess security threats and develop plan to address.
E. Laptop and Portable Devices
1. Identify names, purposes, and characteristics of laptop-specific devices.
2. Identify and distinguish between mobile and desktop motherboards and
processors including throttling, power management, and Wi-Fi.
3. Identify appropriate applications for laptop-specific communications such as
Bluetooth, infrared, cellular Wan, and Ethernet.
4. Identify appropriate laptop-specific power and electrical input devices and
determine how amperage and volage can affect performance.
5. Identify the major components of the LCD including inverter, screen, and video
card.
6. Install, configure, optimize, and upgrade laptops and portable devices.
7. Remove laptop-specific hardware such as peripherals, hot-swappable, and
non-hot swappable devices.
8. Describe how video sharing affects memory upgrades.
9. Use tools, diagnostic procedures, and troubleshooting techniques for laptops
and portable devices.
10. Identify and apply common preventive maintenance techniques for laptops and
portable devices, cooling devices, hardware and video, cleaning materials,
operating environments including temperature and air quality, storage,
transportation and shipping.
F. Printers and Scanners
1. Identify differences between types of printers and scanners including laser, ink
dispersion, thermal, solid ink, impact printers, and scanners.
2. Identify names, purposes, and characteristics of printer and scanner
components (e.g., memory, driver, and firmware) and consumables (e.g., toner,
ink cartridge, and paper).
3. Identify the names, purposes, and characteristics of interfaces used by printers
and scanners including port and cable types.
4. Install and configure printers/scanners.
5. Install and configure printer upgrades including memory and firmware.
6. Optimize scanner performance including resolution, file format, and default
settings.
7. Optimize printer performance for example, printer settings such as tray
switching, print spool settings, device calibration, media types, and paper
orientation.
8. Isolate and resolve identified printer/scanner problems including defining the
cause, applying the fix, and verifying functionality.
9. Identify appropriate tools used for troubleshooting and repairing
printer/scanner problems.
10. Perform scheduled maintenance according to vendor guidelines (e.g., install
maintenance kits and reset page counts).
11. Use recommended supplies and a suitable environment.

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G. Safety and Environmental Issues
1. Explain how information technology affects the natural environment (e.g.,
disposal of equipment, energy use, and use of natural resources).
2. Identify potential hazards and implement proper safety procedures including
ESD precautions and procedures, safe work environment, and equipment
handling.
3. Identify potential hazards and proper safety procedures including power
supply, display devices, and environment (e.g., trip, liquid, situational,
atmospheric hazards, and high-voltage and moving equipment).
4. Identify proper disposal procedures for batteries, display devices, chemical
solvents, and cans.
5. Describe methods to handle environmental and human (e.g., electrical,
chemical, and physical) accidents including incident reporting.
6. Determine safe working practices to avoid or eliminate electrical hazards.
7. Use Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or equivalent documentation.
8. Use appropriate repair tools.
9. Describe ergonomic issues related to input technologies and demonstrate
proper safety techniques.

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