220-1201 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting — 20 Questions

Question 1

A user reports that a laptop connects to Wi-Fi but cannot reach any websites, while other devices on the same network work fine. The technician suspects a DNS or IP configuration issue. Which two commands should the technician use to verify and resolve the problem? (Choose two.)

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

Accepted Answer

ipconfig /all. The laptop can connect to Wi-Fi but cannot reach websites, while other devices work, indicating a problem with the laptop's IP or DNS configuration. ipconfig /all reveals the assigned IP address, DNS servers, and DHCP details, while nslookup tests whether DNS queries succeed. Together they diagnose whether the issue is addressing or name resolution.

Answer

tracert

Answer

ping 127.0.0.1

Answer

netstat -an

Question 2

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that intermittently fails to boot, sometimes displaying a 'Boot Device Not Found' error. The system has a single NVMe SSD. The technician has already reseated the SSD and verified the boot order in BIOS. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The motherboard's M.2 slot is faulty or has a loose connection.. The intermittent nature of the 'Boot Device Not Found' error, even after reseating the SSD, points to a faulty M.2 slot or a poor connection. Overheating, firmware corruption, and SSD firmware issues would typically cause different symptoms or more consistent failures. Therefore, the most likely cause is a hardware connection problem in the M.2 slot.

Answer

The UEFI firmware is corrupted.

Answer

The NVMe SSD is overheating and throttling.

Answer

The SSD's firmware needs updating.

Question 3

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that intermittently powers off after 15–20 minutes of use, especially under heavy load. The power supply is a 500 W unit that came with the case. The system has a high-end GPU and an overclocked CPU. The technician has already confirmed the wall outlet and power cable are good. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the shutdowns?

Accepted Answer

The power supply is undersized or failing, causing voltage rail sag under load.. The system powers off after sustained heavy load, which strongly suggests the power supply cannot deliver stable voltage to the high-end GPU and overclocked CPU. A 500 W unit is often insufficient for such a configuration, and aging components can worsen the issue. Replacing the PSU with a higher-capacity unit and testing under load is the correct troubleshooting path.

Answer

The RAM is mismatched, causing memory errors that crash the system.

Answer

The motherboard BIOS is outdated and does not support the GPU.

Answer

The CPU cooler is loose, causing thermal throttling and automatic shutdown.

Question 4

A technician is replacing a failed hard drive in a desktop PC. The user wants the fastest possible storage for the operating system and frequently used applications. The motherboard has available M.2 slots and SATA ports. Which of the following should the technician install?

Accepted Answer

An M.2 NVMe SSD. The user requires the fastest storage for the OS and applications. An M.2 NVMe SSD uses the PCIe interface, providing far greater speed than SATA SSDs or mechanical drives. Since the motherboard has M.2 slots, this is the correct choice to meet the performance need.

Answer

A 5400 RPM SATA hard drive

Answer

A 7200 RPM SATA hard drive

Answer

A SATA SSD

Question 5

A user reports that their desktop PC powers on, but the monitor displays 'No Signal' and remains black. The PC's fans spin, and the power LED is solid. After reseating the video card and trying a different monitor cable, the issue persists. What is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The motherboard's PCIe slot or the GPU itself is faulty.. The system powers on but shows no display after reseating the GPU and swapping cables, pointing to a faulty GPU or PCIe slot. A power issue would likely cause shutdowns or no power, while a monitor input error would have been addressed by cable changes. A CMOS battery problem would not block video entirely. Thus, the most likely cause is a hardware failure in the video card or slot.

Answer

The power supply is failing to provide sufficient wattage to the GPU.

Answer

The CMOS battery is dead and the BIOS has reset.

Answer

The monitor's input source is set to the wrong port.

Question 6

A user complains that their laptop's wireless connection drops frequently when they move around their home office. The laptop is running Windows 11 and connects to a Wi-Fi 6 router. Which of the following should a technician check FIRST?

Accepted Answer

The signal strength and potential interference in different locations.. Since the wireless connection drops only when the user moves, the most likely cause is varying signal strength or interference. Checking signal strength and interference patterns in different locations directly addresses the mobility factor. Driver, firmware, and channel width issues would typically cause consistent problems regardless of location. Therefore, the first step is to assess the wireless environment.

Answer

The router's channel width setting.

Answer

The laptop's wireless adapter driver version.

Answer

The router's firmware version.

Question 7

A user reports that their laser printer produces pages with vertical streaks and smudges. The technician suspects a problem with the printer's internal components. Which two components are MOST likely to cause this issue? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Drum unit. Vertical streaks and smudges in laser printing are typically caused by issues with the toner cartridge or the drum unit. A scratched drum or uneven toner distribution creates streaks as the drum rotates. The fuser, transfer roller, and paper feed rollers may cause other print defects but are less directly linked to vertical streaks. Thus, the toner cartridge and drum unit are the most likely culprits.

Answer

Transfer roller

Answer

Fuser assembly

Answer

Paper feed rollers

Question 8

A technician is configuring a small office network and needs to connect a new VoIP phone that requires Power over Ethernet (PoE). The existing switch does not support PoE. Which of the following is the BEST solution to provide power to the phone without replacing the switch?

Accepted Answer

Use a PoE injector between the switch and the phone.. A PoE injector is the best solution because it adds power to the Ethernet connection without requiring a new switch. It is a small device that combines data from the switch and power from an outlet, sending both to the PoE device. Using an AC adapter bypasses PoE and may not meet the requirement. Adding a NIC is not applicable, and replacing the switch is unnecessary. Thus, the injector is the most efficient fix.

Answer

Connect the phone to a power outlet using its AC adapter.

Answer

Replace the existing switch with a PoE switch.

Answer

Install a PoE-enabled network interface card (NIC) in the phone.