220-1201 Practice Test 15 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A company's file server uses a RAID 5 array with five 2 TB HDDs. After a power outage, the server boots but the RAID array is shown as 'Failed' in the controller utility. The drives are all detected. What is the most likely cause and the best first step to recover the array with minimal data loss?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

Check the RAID controller's event log and attempt to import the array.. A power outage can cause multiple drives to be marked as offline or failed due to incomplete writes, even if they are healthy. The array status 'Failed' with all drives detected suggests a metadata issue. The best first step is to check the controller's event log and attempt to import or rebuild the array without initializing it, which would destroy data.

Answer

Replace all five drives and restore from backup.

Answer

Initialize the array to clear the failed status.

Answer

Reseat all SATA cables and power connectors.

Question 2

A small office has a multifunction device that prints, scans, and faxes. Users report that incoming faxes are not being received, but outgoing faxes work. The MFP is connected to a VoIP phone system. What is the most likely issue?

Accepted Answer

The VoIP system is not configured for T.38 fax protocol.. VoIP systems often use codecs that compress audio, which can interfere with fax tones. The T.38 protocol is designed to transmit faxes over IP networks reliably. Without it, incoming faxes may fail while outgoing faxes might still work if the MFP negotiates differently.

Answer

The fax line is plugged into the wrong port on the MFP.

Answer

The MFP's fax memory is full.

Answer

The MFP's firmware is outdated.

Question 3

A technician is configuring a small office network and needs to assign a static IP address to a printer. The technician pings the intended IP address and gets no reply, but the printer still fails to communicate after configuration. Which tool should be used to verify that no other device on the network is using that IP address?

Accepted Answer

arp -a. The `arp -a` command displays the current ARP cache, which maps IP addresses to MAC addresses on the local network. If another device is already using the intended IP address, its MAC address will appear in the ARP cache for that IP, confirming a conflict. This is the correct tool because it directly shows which MAC address is associated with the IP, even if the device does not respond to ping (e.g., due to firewall rules).

Answer

Ping -t

Answer

ipconfig /all

Answer

Netstat -r

Question 4

A client wants to upgrade their workstation with a high-end GPU that requires two 8-pin PCIe power connectors. Their current power supply has only one 6+2 pin PCIe cable. What is the best solution to safely power the new GPU?

Accepted Answer

Install a new power supply that has two 8-pin PCIe cables. Using a modular power supply with the correct cables is safest because it ensures proper gauge and pinout. Adapters can be risky if they exceed the power supply's capacity or cable rating. Replacing the PSU is the most reliable solution for high-power GPUs.

Answer

Use a Molex-to-PCIe adapter to create a second 8-pin connector

Answer

Connect the GPU using only the 6+2 pin cable and leave the second connector empty

Answer

Use a Y-splitter on the existing 6+2 pin cable to create two 8-pin connectors

Question 5

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that powers on but shows no display on the monitor. The monitor's power LED is amber (standby). The PC has an integrated GPU and a discrete GPU. Which step should be taken FIRST to isolate the issue?

Accepted Answer

Check that the monitor cable is plugged into the discrete GPU, not the motherboard. An amber LED indicates the monitor is not receiving a signal. The most common oversight is connecting the cable to the wrong video port (motherboard vs. GPU). The correct first step is to verify the cable is connected to the discrete GPU's ports, as integrated graphics are often disabled when a dedicated card is installed.

Answer

Reseat the RAM modules

Answer

Replace the CMOS battery

Answer

Test the monitor on another computer

Question 6

A technician is troubleshooting a PC that fails to POST. The CPU fan spins, but there is no display output. The motherboard has a diagnostic LED that shows a CPU error. Which step should the technician take first to resolve the issue?

Accepted Answer

Reseat the CPU. A CPU error LED indicates a problem with the processor or its installation. The most common cause is improper seating or bent pins. Reseating the CPU is a logical first step before replacing components. This tests systematic troubleshooting methodology.

Answer

Replace the power supply

Answer

Update the BIOS using a USB flashback

Answer

Replace the CPU

Question 7

A technician is configuring a new VM for a developer who needs to test software on Windows 10. The host runs Hyper-V on Windows Server 2019. The developer requests that the VM have 8 GB RAM and 4 virtual CPUs. After creating the VM, the technician finds that the VM will not start and displays an error: 'The virtual machine could not be started because the hypervisor is not running.' What is the most likely solution?

Accepted Answer

Enable Intel VT-x or AMD-V in the host’s BIOS/UEFI settings.. Hyper-V requires the Windows Hyper-V role to be installed and the hardware virtualization features (VT-x/AMD-V) to be enabled in the BIOS. If the hypervisor is not running, it is often because virtualization is disabled in BIOS or the Hyper-V role is not properly configured. The correct answer addresses enabling virtualization in BIOS.

Answer

Install the latest Windows updates and reboot the host.

Answer

Change the VM’s generation from Generation 2 to Generation 1.

Answer

Reinstall the Hyper-V role from Server Manager.

Question 8

A user complains that their external monitor flickers intermittently when connected via a VGA cable to their laptop. The laptop has a VGA port, and the monitor works fine with another computer. Which connector-related issue is most likely?

Accepted Answer

A bent pin inside the VGA connector is causing poor contact.. VGA connectors have pins that can bend or become loose over time, causing intermittent signal loss. This tests knowledge that VGA is an analog connector susceptible to physical damage and signal degradation.

Answer

The monitor's resolution is set too high for the VGA cable.

Answer

The laptop's VGA port is not providing enough power.

Answer

The VGA cable is not compatible with the laptop's graphics card.

Question 9

A customer reports that their desktop PC emits a series of three long beeps and then nothing appears on the screen. The system was working fine yesterday. What is the most likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

Loose or failed RAM module. Three long beeps during POST typically indicate a memory (RAM) failure. This is a common POST code for many BIOS manufacturers, and reseating or replacing the RAM modules is the first troubleshooting step. The beeps are a diagnostic signal from the motherboard that the system cannot proceed without functional memory.

Answer

Faulty power supply unit

Answer

Overheating CPU

Answer

Corrupted operating system files

Question 10

A user complains that their PC sometimes fails to boot and displays a 'CMOS Checksum Error' message. After replacing the CMOS battery, the error persists. What motherboard component should you inspect next?

Accepted Answer

The BIOS/UEFI chip. A CMOS checksum error indicates the BIOS settings are corrupted or not being saved. If a new battery doesn't fix it, the CMOS (RTC) chip itself may be failing, or the BIOS/UEFI firmware may need to be reset or updated. This points to a hardware issue on the motherboard beyond the battery.

Answer

The CPU socket pins

Answer

The RAM modules

Answer

The power supply unit

Question 11

A technician is troubleshooting a network where a user's PC has an IP address of 169.254.12.34. The PC is connected to a switch that is uplinked to a router with DHCP enabled. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The Ethernet cable between the PC and the switch is faulty.. An APIPA address (169.254.x.x) indicates the PC failed to get a DHCP lease. Since the router has DHCP enabled, the issue is likely a bad Ethernet cable or a port problem preventing communication with the DHCP server.

Answer

The DHCP server is out of IP addresses.

Answer

The PC's DNS settings are incorrect.

Answer

The router's firewall is blocking DHCP requests.

Question 12

A small business owner wants to access their accounting software from any device, including a tablet and a home computer, without installing the software locally. Which cloud service model should the technician recommend?

Accepted Answer

Software as a Service (SaaS). SaaS (Software as a Service) delivers applications over the internet, accessible via a web browser without local installation. This matches the requirement of accessing accounting software from any device without installation. PaaS and IaaS provide platforms or infrastructure, not end-user applications.

Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Answer

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Answer

Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

Question 13

A user reports that their laptop's touchpad is not working properly. The cursor jumps around randomly when they try to use the touchpad. An external mouse works fine. Which of the following should the technician do first?

Accepted Answer

Clean the touchpad surface with a soft cloth. Cursor jumping is often caused by a dirty or greasy touchpad surface. Cleaning the touchpad with a soft, lint-free cloth is the simplest and most effective first step before considering driver or hardware issues.

Answer

Update the touchpad driver

Answer

Disable the touchpad in Device Manager and re-enable it

Answer

Replace the touchpad

Question 14

You are troubleshooting a workstation that randomly reboots when running 3D rendering software. The CPU and GPU temperatures are normal. You have already replaced the RAM and tested the hard drive. What component is most likely the root cause?

Accepted Answer

The power supply is unable to deliver consistent power under load. Random reboots under load, especially with normal temperatures, often point to a failing power supply that cannot sustain stable voltage under high demand. The PSU may still power the system at idle but fail under peak load. Other components have been ruled out.

Answer

The CPU is overheating despite normal readings

Answer

The GPU driver is corrupted

Answer

The motherboard has a short circuit

Question 15

A customer says their laptop battery no longer charges. The laptop works when plugged into AC power, but the battery icon shows '0% available (plugged in)'. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Defective battery. When a laptop runs on AC but the battery shows 0% and does not charge, the battery has likely reached the end of its life cycle. Lithium-ion batteries degrade over time and lose capacity; eventually they can no longer hold a charge. The solution is to replace the battery.

Answer

Faulty AC adapter

Answer

Dead CMOS battery

Answer

Corrupted battery driver