220-1201 Practice Test 2 — 25 Questions

Question 1

A customer reports that their desktop computer, used for video editing, frequently runs out of memory and slows down. They want to upgrade the RAM but are not sure which type is compatible. The motherboard manual lists support for DDR4-3200 and DDR4-2666. The system currently has two 8 GB DDR4-2666 modules installed. What is the best upgrade to maximize performance and capacity?

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

Accepted Answer

Replace the two 8 GB modules with two 16 GB DDR4-3200 modules.. Mixing RAM speeds forces all modules to run at the slowest speed, so adding DDR4-3200 modules would cause them to downclock to 2666 MHz, wasting potential performance. The best upgrade is to replace the existing modules with a matched kit of DDR4-3200 modules, ensuring full speed and capacity. This scenario tests understanding of RAM speed compatibility and the importance of matched modules for optimal performance.

Answer

Add two 8 GB DDR4-3200 modules to the existing RAM.

Answer

Replace the two 8 GB modules with two 16 GB DDR4-2666 modules.

Answer

Add two 16 GB DDR4-2666 modules to the existing RAM.

Question 2

A user reports that their LCD monitor intermittently goes black for 2-3 seconds, then returns to normal. This happens randomly, not during any specific activity. The monitor's power LED stays green during the blackouts. Which component is most likely failing?

Accepted Answer

The monitor's backlight or inverter is failing. A green power LED during blackouts indicates the monitor is receiving power and signal, but the backlight is failing. Intermittent backlight failure is a common issue in aging CCFL or LED-backlit LCDs, often due to failing capacitors or inverter. The correct answer identifies the backlight or inverter as the culprit, as the display logic is still working.

Answer

The video cable is loose

Answer

The graphics card is overheating

Answer

The monitor's power supply is failing

Question 3

A technician is setting up a new wireless network in a crowded office building. Users report that their laptops frequently disconnect from the Wi-Fi and have slow speeds, even when close to the access point. The technician scans the area and sees many overlapping Wi-Fi networks. What is the best solution to improve performance?

Accepted Answer

Change the access point to a less congested channel.. In a dense environment with many overlapping networks, channel congestion is a major cause of interference and disconnections. Changing the access point to a less congested channel reduces co-channel interference and improves stability and throughput.

Answer

Increase the transmit power of the access point.

Answer

Disable SSID broadcast to hide the network.

Answer

Replace the access point with a higher-gain antenna model.

Question 4

A user reports that their laptop cannot connect to the internet, but other devices on the same wired network work fine. The technician checks the IP configuration and sees the laptop has an IP address of 169.254.3.12. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The DHCP server is not responding. The IP address 169.254.3.12 falls within the Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) range (169.254.0.0/16), which Windows assigns when a DHCP discovery broadcast fails to receive a response. Since other devices on the same wired network work fine, the issue is isolated to this laptop's inability to reach the DHCP server, most likely due to a local configuration problem or a faulty network interface.

Answer

The DNS server is unreachable

Answer

The default gateway is misconfigured

Answer

The network cable is faulty

Question 5

A user has a laptop that supports Thunderbolt 3 and wants to connect two external 4K monitors at full resolution. They currently have a single USB-C hub that only supports DisplayPort over USB-C. What is the most likely limitation?

Accepted Answer

The hub does not support Thunderbolt 3 bandwidth.. Thunderbolt 3 supports up to 40 Gbps bandwidth, which is required to drive two 4K monitors at full resolution (60 Hz) over a single connection. A standard USB-C hub that only supports DisplayPort over USB-C is limited to USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) or USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) bandwidth, which is insufficient to carry two uncompressed 4K video streams simultaneously. Therefore, the hub itself is the bottleneck because it lacks Thunderbolt 3 controller and bandwidth capabilities.

Answer

The laptop's graphics card cannot drive two 4K monitors.

Answer

The monitors are not compatible with USB-C.

Answer

The user needs a USB-C to HDMI adapter for each monitor.

Question 6

A small business runs a legacy application that requires Windows 7. The company wants to upgrade all desktops to Windows 11 while still running that application. Which virtualization solution would allow the application to run on the new OS without compatibility issues?

Accepted Answer

Use a Type 2 hypervisor such as VirtualBox to run Windows 7 as a virtual machine. This scenario tests understanding of application virtualization, where a legacy OS runs as a guest on a modern host. Using a Type 2 hypervisor like VirtualBox allows Windows 7 to run inside Windows 11, solving the compatibility problem without hardware changes.

Answer

Install Windows 7 in a dual-boot configuration

Answer

Deploy Windows 11 and use Windows 7 compatibility mode

Answer

Replace the legacy application with a cloud-based alternative

Question 7

A technician is setting up a temporary network for a conference where attendees' laptops need to share files directly without any central access point or router. The conference room has no existing network infrastructure. Which network type should be configured, and what is a potential security risk?

Accepted Answer

Ad hoc network; each laptop connects directly to others, but encryption may not be enforced.. An ad hoc network (IBSS) allows laptops to communicate directly without a central access point, which matches the requirement for direct file sharing with no existing infrastructure. The security risk is that encryption (like WEP or WPA2-Personal) may not be enforced by default in ad hoc mode, leaving data transmissions vulnerable to eavesdropping.

Answer

Infrastructure mode WLAN; configure a laptop as a software access point.

Answer

PAN network using Bluetooth; all laptops pair via Bluetooth.

Answer

Mesh network; each laptop acts as a node forwarding traffic.

Question 8

A user's iPhone connects to a public Wi-Fi hotspot but cannot load any web pages. The Wi-Fi icon shows full signal. Other devices on the same network work fine. What is the most likely issue?

Accepted Answer

The iPhone is not accepting the captive portal's terms and conditions.. The most likely issue is that the iPhone has connected to the Wi-Fi network but has not completed the captive portal authentication process. Captive portals require users to accept terms and conditions or log in via a web page before internet access is granted. Since other devices work fine, the network itself is functional, and the iPhone's full signal indicates a good physical connection, pointing to a failure in the portal acceptance step.

Answer

The iPhone's DNS settings are misconfigured.

Answer

The iPhone's Wi-Fi antenna is faulty.

Answer

The public Wi-Fi network is using an incompatible security protocol.

Question 9

A technician is building a new PC for a video editing workstation. The selected components include an Intel i9-13900K, an NVIDIA RTX 4080, 64GB DDR5 RAM, three NVMe SSDs, and six case fans. What is the minimum recommended power supply wattage for this build?

Accepted Answer

1000W. High-end CPUs and GPUs like the i9-13900K and RTX 4080 can draw over 300W each under load, plus other components. A 1000W PSU provides sufficient headroom for peak power spikes and ensures stability during intensive tasks.

Answer

750W

Answer

850W

Answer

1200W

Question 10

A small office uses an inkjet printer that has started leaving horizontal white lines across printed documents. The printhead cleaning cycle has been run twice without improvement. Which step should be taken next?

Accepted Answer

Perform a manual printhead cleaning using distilled water or a cleaning solution. Horizontal white lines on inkjet output indicate clogged nozzles in the printhead. If cleaning cycles fail, a more thorough cleaning using a manual method or a printhead soak may be needed. Replacing ink cartridges or the entire printer would be premature, and adjusting print settings does not address the physical clog.

Answer

Replace the ink cartridges

Answer

Adjust the print quality settings to 'Best'

Answer

Replace the printer

Question 11

A technician is troubleshooting a system that experiences random lockups and blue screens. The technician suspects a CPU issue but has already run a stress test without errors. Which diagnostic step should the technician perform next to isolate the problem?

Accepted Answer

Run a memory diagnostic tool like MemTest86. Random lockups and blue screens can also be caused by memory errors. Running a memory diagnostic tool like MemTest86 will test the RAM for faults, which can produce symptoms similar to a failing CPU. This helps rule out memory before replacing the CPU.

Answer

Replace the CPU with a known good one

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version

Answer

Check the CPU voltage in BIOS and increase it slightly

Question 12

A user reports that their laptop can connect to the internet via Ethernet but cannot connect to any Wi-Fi networks. The wireless adapter is enabled and shows available networks, but connecting always fails. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The wireless security settings are incorrect.. When a device can connect via Ethernet but not Wi-Fi, the issue is usually with the wireless configuration or hardware, not the network itself. Incorrect wireless security settings, such as a mismatched encryption type or password, are a common cause of connection failure after the network is detected.

Answer

The DHCP server is out of IP addresses.

Answer

The wireless adapter driver is corrupted.

Answer

The router’s SSID is hidden.

Question 13

A technician is setting up a multifunction printer for a small business that wants to allow employees to print from their smartphones. The printer does not have Wi-Fi Direct, but it is connected to the company's wired network. Which solution would enable mobile printing?

Accepted Answer

Configure the printer to support AirPrint. This question tests knowledge of mobile printing solutions in a network environment. AirPrint is a built-in iOS feature that discovers printers on the same network via Bonjour. Google Cloud Print is deprecated, and Bluetooth or USB tethering are not suitable for a wired network.

Answer

Enable Bluetooth on the printer and pair it with each phone

Answer

Use a USB cable to connect each phone to the printer

Answer

Install Google Cloud Print on the printer

Question 14

A user's laser printer is producing pages with a repeating horizontal line defect every 3.75 inches. Which component is most likely causing this issue?

Accepted Answer

OPC drum. The distance between repeating defects often matches the circumference of a roller. In laser printers, the OPC drum is a common source of such defects. A defect repeating every 3.75 inches indicates a damaged component with a circumference of 3.75 inches. Some OPC drums have a circumference of approximately 3.75 inches (meaning a diameter of about 1.19 inches), making the OPC drum the most likely cause. Other components have different circumferences.

Answer

Fuser roller

Answer

Transfer roller

Answer

Toner cartridge

Question 15

A user reports that their inkjet printer prints blank pages even though the ink cartridges are full and the printer shows no error messages. The technician has already checked the ink levels and performed a nozzle check, which showed no ink on the test pattern. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The printhead has failed and needs to be replaced.. Blank pages despite full cartridges and no errors often indicate a failed printhead that cannot deliver ink to the nozzles. The nozzle check pattern being blank confirms no ink is being ejected. A clogged printhead might show partial patterns, but a completely blank test suggests electrical or mechanical failure of the printhead.

Answer

The printer driver is corrupted and needs reinstallation.

Answer

The paper type setting is set to 'transparency'.

Answer

The ink cartridges are not properly seated.

Question 16

A technician is setting up a virtualized test environment where each virtual machine must have a unique MAC address and IP address, and the VMs must be able to communicate with each other and the physical network. The host has only one physical NIC. Which virtual switch configuration should the technician use?

Accepted Answer

Bridged (external) virtual switch. A bridged (or external) virtual switch connects VMs to the physical network through the host's NIC, giving each VM its own MAC and IP address on the same subnet. This allows full communication with other VMs and physical devices.

Answer

Internal virtual switch

Answer

Private virtual switch

Answer

NAT virtual switch

Question 17

A technician is replacing a cracked screen on a smartphone. After removing the old screen, they notice a small, flat, rectangular component with a metal shield is loose near the battery connector. What should they do?

Accepted Answer

Reattach it using double-sided adhesive tape.. The loose component is a battery connector bracket or grounding clip, which is typically secured with adhesive to prevent the battery connector from dislodging. Reattaching it with double-sided adhesive tape restores mechanical stability without soldering, as these parts are not soldered to the motherboard. This ensures reliable power delivery and prevents intermittent shutdowns or charging issues.

Answer

Discard it as it is not needed for the screen replacement.

Answer

Solder it back onto the motherboard.

Answer

Leave it loose; it will not affect screen operation.

Question 18

During a conference call, a user complains that their wireless earbuds keep disconnecting from their smartphone every few minutes. The earbuds work fine when paired with a different phone. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Bluetooth interference from other devices in the conference room.. Bluetooth operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM band, which is shared with Wi-Fi, cordless phones, and other wireless devices. In a conference room with many active devices, RF interference can cause packet loss or retransmission delays, leading the Bluetooth Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) mechanism to fail to avoid all congested channels, resulting in periodic disconnections. The fact that the earbuds work fine with a different phone isolates the issue to the smartphone's environment rather than the earbuds themselves.

Answer

The earbuds have a low battery.

Answer

The smartphone's Bluetooth driver is outdated.

Answer

The earbuds are not compatible with the smartphone's Bluetooth version.

Question 19

A technician is setting up a mobile point-of-sale system using a tablet and a portable receipt printer. The printer supports both Bluetooth and NFC. Which connection method should the technician use for reliable, low-latency printing?

Accepted Answer

Bluetooth. Bluetooth is the correct choice because it provides a reliable, low-latency wireless connection specifically designed for peripheral devices like printers. Unlike NFC, which is optimized for very short-range (under 4 cm) tap-to-pair operations and not sustained data streaming, Bluetooth maintains a stable link over distances up to 10 meters and supports the Serial Port Profile (SPP) or Bluetooth Basic Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR) for consistent print job throughput.

Answer

NFC

Answer

Infrared

Answer

Wi-Fi Direct

Question 20

A technician is configuring a dual-monitor setup for a stock trader. One monitor is a 24-inch 1080p display, and the other is a 27-inch 4K display. The user wants the mouse to move seamlessly between them. What setting must the technician configure in the OS display settings?

Accepted Answer

Arrange the displays in the OS to match their physical positions.. The OS display arrangement settings (e.g., in Windows Display Settings or macOS Displays) allow the technician to drag and position the virtual representations of the monitors to match their physical placement. This ensures that the cursor moves seamlessly across the bezel edge from one screen to the other, preventing it from getting 'stuck' at an invisible boundary. Without this alignment, the mouse may jump to an unexpected location or fail to cross between displays smoothly.

Answer

Set both monitors to the same resolution.

Answer

Adjust the scaling settings on the 4K monitor.

Answer

Set the 4K monitor as the primary display.