220-1201 Practice Test 27 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A user reports that their virtual machine is running very slowly. The host system has 16 GB of RAM, and the VM is configured with 8 GB. The host is running a Type 2 hypervisor on Windows 10. The technician checks Task Manager and sees that the host is using 14 GB of RAM. What is the most likely cause of the VM's poor performance?

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

Accepted Answer

The host does not have enough free RAM to support the VM's needs. The host is running low on available RAM because the VM's allocated memory is not being released efficiently, or other host processes are consuming memory. In a Type 2 hypervisor, the host OS manages memory, and if it is oversubscribed, the VM will experience swapping and slowdowns.

Answer

The VM's virtual CPU is overclocked

Answer

The hypervisor is not compatible with Windows 10

Answer

The VM's network adapter is set to NAT instead of bridged

Question 2

A technician is tasked with building a high-performance workstation for a data scientist who uses large datasets. The workstation has a motherboard that supports quad-channel memory. The technician has four 16 GB DDR4-3200 modules. Which configuration will yield the best memory performance?

Accepted Answer

Install one module in each of the four channels (e.g., slots 1, 3, 5, 7) to enable quad-channel mode.. Quad-channel memory architecture requires that all four memory channels be populated with identical modules to achieve maximum bandwidth. Installing one module per channel (e.g., in slots 1, 3, 5, 7 or the designated quad-channel slots) allows the memory controller to access all four channels simultaneously, quadrupling the data transfer rate compared to single-channel. Using fewer modules or mismatched sizes would reduce the channel count or cause the system to run in a lower-channel mode.

Answer

Install all four modules in the same channel (e.g., slots 1, 2, 3, 4) to maximize density.

Answer

Install two modules in one channel and two in another, leaving the other two channels empty.

Answer

Install all four modules in the same slot using a special adapter.

Question 3

A user complains that their computer boots slowly and shows a 'Press F1 to continue' message every time. The firmware settings appear to have lost their configuration. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The CMOS battery is failing. A failing or depleted CMOS battery cannot retain BIOS settings, causing defaults to load and often requiring user intervention at boot. This is a common issue that leads to the 'Press F1' prompt. The question tests understanding of CMOS battery function in maintaining firmware settings.

Answer

The boot order is incorrect

Answer

The hard drive is failing

Answer

The BIOS version is outdated

Question 4

A technician is configuring a new workstation for video editing. The user needs fast read/write speeds for large project files. Which storage technology should be selected for the primary drive?

Accepted Answer

NVMe M.2 SSD. An NVMe M.2 SSD uses the PCIe interface, offering significantly faster speeds than SATA SSDs or HDDs, ideal for video editing. SATA SSDs are slower, and HDDs are too slow for this workload.

Answer

2.5-inch SATA SSD

Answer

10,000 RPM HDD

Answer

Hybrid drive (SSHD)

Question 5

A user's 4K monitor is set to 3840x2160 resolution but text and icons appear very small and blurry. The display cable is a standard HDMI cable. What is the most likely cause of the blurriness?

Accepted Answer

The HDMI cable does not support enough bandwidth for 4K resolution. Standard HDMI cables (especially older versions) may not have sufficient bandwidth for 4K at proper refresh rates, leading to chroma subsampling and blurry text. The correct answer identifies bandwidth limitation as the cause, and the solution would be to use a high-speed HDMI or DisplayPort cable.

Answer

The monitor's refresh rate is set too high

Answer

The graphics driver is corrupted

Answer

The monitor's scaling settings are incorrect

Question 6

A technician is configuring an MFP for a law firm that requires secure printing. Users must enter a PIN at the device to release their print jobs. The MFP supports hard drive encryption and secure print release. Which feature should the technician enable to ensure print jobs are not stored unencrypted on the MFP's hard drive?

Accepted Answer

Hard drive encryption. Secure print release only holds jobs until the user enters a PIN, but the data may still be stored on the hard drive. Hard drive encryption ensures that even if the drive is removed, the data is unreadable. Both features together provide comprehensive security.

Answer

Secure Print (PIN release)

Answer

IPsec for network printing

Answer

User authentication via LDAP

Question 7

A technician is troubleshooting a laser printer that produces pages with a repeating smudge mark every 3 inches down the page. The printer uses a toner cartridge with an integrated drum. What component is most likely causing this defect?

Accepted Answer

The fuser roller is damaged.. A repeating defect at a regular interval is often caused by a damaged roller, and the interval helps identify which roller. A 3-inch interval matches the circumference of the fuser roller. The drum's circumference is typically larger, so the interval would be different.

Answer

The photosensitive drum is scratched.

Answer

The toner cartridge is low on toner.

Answer

The transfer roller is dirty.

Question 8

A user has a laptop with 8 GB of RAM and runs a Type 2 hypervisor to test a Linux VM. The VM is configured with 4 GB of RAM, but the user notices the host OS becomes sluggish whenever the VM is running. The technician checks resource usage and finds the host is using 6 GB of RAM before starting the VM. What should the technician adjust to improve performance?

Accepted Answer

Reduce the VM's RAM allocation to 2 GB. The host only has 2 GB free, but the VM requests 4 GB, causing the host to use swap memory. Reducing the VM's RAM allocation to 2 GB will allow both the host and VM to run within physical memory, avoiding swapping.

Answer

Increase the host's virtual memory page file size

Answer

Enable hyper-threading on the host CPU

Answer

Switch the VM's network adapter from NAT to bridged

Question 9

A technician is installing new cabling for a security camera system that uses PoE. The cameras are located 120 meters from the switch. The technician has Cat6 cable available. What should the technician do to ensure reliable operation?

Accepted Answer

Install a PoE extender or a switch at the 100-meter mark.. This question tests knowledge of Ethernet distance limits and solutions. The correct answer is to use a PoE extender or a switch at the midpoint, as 120 meters exceeds the 100-meter limit for Ethernet, and PoE may also have voltage drop issues.

Answer

Use a higher category cable like Cat6a to extend the distance.

Answer

Use a single-mode fiber optic cable instead.

Answer

The cable run is acceptable because Cat6 supports up to 150 meters.

Question 10

A customer says their PC randomly freezes and sometimes displays a blue screen error. You run diagnostics and find that the CPU passes all tests, but the system still crashes. Which component should you check next as a likely cause of CPU-related instability?

Accepted Answer

The CPU fan. Even if the CPU itself is functional, instability can arise from other factors. Overheating due to a failing fan can cause intermittent crashes. The CPU fan is critical for maintaining safe temperatures under load.

Answer

The hard drive

Answer

The power supply unit

Answer

The motherboard BIOS

Question 11

A customer brings in an all-in-one PC that has a cracked LCD screen. The touch function still works, but the display shows a large black area with spiderweb cracks. The customer wants the cheapest fix. What should you recommend?

Accepted Answer

Replace the whole all-in-one unit.. A cracked LCD screen requires replacement of the entire display panel, which is often as expensive as the whole unit for all-in-ones. Because the touch layer still works, the damage is to the LCD layer beneath. The most cost-effective solution is usually to replace the entire all-in-one, as screen replacement labor and parts can be prohibitive.

Answer

Replace only the touch digitizer layer.

Answer

Replace the entire LCD panel assembly.

Answer

Use a screen repair kit to fill the cracks.

Question 12

A technician is troubleshooting a laptop that will not charge. The battery is removable, and the power adapter works on another laptop. When the battery is inserted, the laptop powers on but shows '0% available (plugged in, not charging)'. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The battery is defective and needs replacement.. The 'plugged in, not charging' message often indicates a failed battery that cannot accept a charge, even though the system detects it. A defective battery cell will prevent charging. The power adapter and charging circuit are likely fine since the laptop powers on.

Answer

The charging port is loose.

Answer

The power management driver is outdated.

Answer

The CMOS battery is dead.

Question 13

A company is setting up a new branch office with 30 employees. They need to connect all workstations to the network and provide internet access. The internet connection is a fiber optic line terminating in an ONT. Which device should be placed between the ONT and the switch to route traffic and provide NAT?

Accepted Answer

Router. The ONT converts fiber to Ethernet, but it does not route or perform NAT. A router is required to connect the local network to the internet, provide NAT, and handle IP addressing. A switch alone cannot route, and a firewall is often combined with a router but is not the primary device for routing. The correct answer is a router.

Answer

Patch panel

Answer

Layer 2 switch

Answer

Firewall appliance

Question 14

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop that has a 256GB SATA SSD (C:) and a 1TB SATA HDD (D:). The user reports that the system is running very slowly, and the C: drive is nearly full. The technician runs a disk cleanup and removes temporary files, but the C: drive still has only 5GB free. What should the technician do to resolve the performance issue without replacing the SSD?

Accepted Answer

Move the user's Documents, Pictures, and other personal folders to the D: drive.. This question tests understanding of SSD performance degradation due to low free space. SSDs need free space for wear leveling and garbage collection. When an SSD is nearly full, performance drops significantly. The best solution is to move user data and large files to the D: drive to free up space on the C: drive.

Answer

Enable write caching on the SSD in Device Manager.

Answer

Defragment the C: drive to consolidate free space.

Answer

Disable the page file on the C: drive.

Question 15

After installing a new graphics card, a user's display shows distorted colors and random artifacts during boot. The system POSTs successfully. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The power supply unit is insufficient for the new card. Artifacts and color distortion after a new GPU install typically point to insufficient power delivery or a faulty card. Since the system POSTs, it's not a complete failure but likely a power or driver issue. The correct answer highlights that the power supply may not meet the card's requirements, causing instability.

Answer

The monitor is incompatible with the new card

Answer

The graphics card driver is outdated

Answer

The display cable is loose