220-1201 Practice Exam 51 — 20 Questions

Question 1

A technician is configuring a RAID 5 array with three 1 TB HDDs on a motherboard RAID controller. After setup, the array works but the system occasionally freezes during heavy disk I/O. The drives are all SATA 3 Gb/s and the motherboard supports SATA 6 Gb/s. What is the most likely cause?

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

Accepted Answer

The drives are overheating due to continuous I/O.. Mixing SATA speeds (3 Gb/s drives on a 6 Gb/s controller) is generally backward-compatible and should not cause freezes. The freezing during heavy I/O suggests a thermal issue, as RAID 5 rebuilds and heavy writes generate significant heat. Overheating can cause drives to throttle or the controller to lock up.

Answer

The SATA 3 Gb/s drives are bottlenecking the SATA 6 Gb/s controller.

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The RAID controller's firmware is outdated.

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The stripe size is set too small.

Question 2

A technician is troubleshooting a display that shows a single vertical line of dead pixels from top to bottom. The monitor is under warranty. Which of the following is the most appropriate resolution?

Accepted Answer

Replace the monitor under warranty. A vertical line of dead pixels indicates a defect in the LCD panel's column driver or bonding, which is a hardware failure. Unlike a few stuck pixels, this cannot be fixed by software or gentle pressure. The correct answer is to replace the monitor under warranty, as this is a manufacturing defect.

Answer

Use a pixel-fixing software to cycle colors rapidly

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Gently massage the affected area with a soft cloth

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Update the graphics card driver

Question 3

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

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The graphics card is overheating

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The monitor's power supply is failing

Question 4

A user reports that their laptop screen flickers intermittently, especially when the lid is moved. The flickering stops when an external monitor is connected. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The display cable is loose or damaged.. Intermittent flickering when moving the lid points to a loose or damaged display cable (LVDS or eDP) connecting the motherboard to the screen. The external monitor works because it bypasses this internal connection.

Answer

The graphics driver is outdated.

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The inverter board is failing.

Answer

The LCD panel is failing.

Question 5

A customer brings in a desktop PC with a 4K monitor that displays a blurry image at native resolution. The monitor's settings show 3840x2160 resolution, but text is hard to read. What is the most likely issue?

Accepted Answer

The display scaling is set to 100%.. Blurry text at native resolution on a 4K monitor often indicates incorrect scaling settings in the operating system. Windows scaling should be set to 150% or 200% to make text readable, otherwise it appears too small and blurry due to pixel density.

Answer

The monitor's sharpness setting is too low.

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The HDMI cable does not support 4K.

Answer

The graphics card is overheating.

Question 6

A technician is configuring a dual-monitor setup for a financial analyst. Both monitors are identical 27-inch 1440p displays. After connecting them, one monitor shows a pink tint across the entire screen. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The video cable is not fully seated or has a bent pin.. A pink tint on one monitor while the other looks normal suggests a loose or damaged video cable, specifically a missing blue color channel. VGA cables are prone to this, but even HDMI or DisplayPort cables can have pin issues. Swapping cables can confirm.

Answer

The monitor's color temperature is set incorrectly.

Answer

The graphics card driver is corrupted.

Answer

The monitor's backlight is failing.

Question 7

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop that fails to boot and displays 'No bootable device' after a power outage. The system has a single SATA SSD for the OS and a separate HDD for data. The BIOS detects both drives. What should the technician check first?

Accepted Answer

Check the boot order in BIOS/UEFI.. After a power outage, the boot order in BIOS can reset to defaults, causing the system to try booting from the wrong drive. This tests understanding of BIOS/UEFI boot settings.

Answer

Replace the SATA cable for the SSD.

Answer

Run a CHKDSK on the HDD.

Answer

Replace the CMOS battery.

Question 8

After installing a second hard drive in a desktop PC, the system boots but the new drive does not appear in File Explorer. The drive is listed in Disk Management as 'Unknown' and 'Not Initialized'. What should the technician do first?

Accepted Answer

Initialize the disk in Disk Management.. This scenario tests initial steps for adding a new storage device. The drive must be initialized and partitioned before it can be used. The correct first step is to initialize the disk using a partition style like GPT or MBR.

Answer

Replace the SATA cable.

Answer

Format the drive immediately.

Answer

Update the motherboard chipset drivers.

Question 9

A technician is troubleshooting a display that shows a 'ghost' image of a previous screen that fades slowly. The monitor is a 4-year-old IPS panel. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The LCD panel has image retention or burn-in.. Ghosting or image retention on an IPS panel is often due to burn-in or temporary image persistence. This occurs when static images are displayed for long periods, causing the liquid crystals to not fully relax. It is a hardware defect that may be irreversible.

Answer

The monitor's response time setting is too low.

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The video cable is causing signal interference.

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The monitor's refresh rate is set incorrectly.

Question 10

A customer complains that their LCD monitor shows a persistent dark shadow in the upper-left corner that does not change with different input sources. The monitor is three years old. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The monitor's backlight has failed partially.. A dark shadow that stays in the same spot regardless of input indicates a hardware defect, typically backlight failure or a damaged LCD panel. Backlight LEDs can fail over time, creating uneven illumination. Replacing the monitor is the standard fix because panel repair is often cost-prohibitive.

Answer

The monitor's resolution is set incorrectly.

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The video cable is loose or damaged.

Answer

The graphics card is overheating and throttling.

Question 11

You are configuring a dual-monitor setup for a financial analyst. After connecting both monitors, one display shows a distorted, stretched image while the other works perfectly. Both monitors are identical 1920x1080 models. What is the most efficient troubleshooting step?

Accepted Answer

Change the resolution of the distorted monitor to 1920x1080 in Windows Display Settings.. A distorted, stretched image on one monitor suggests the display resolution is set incorrectly for that specific monitor. In a dual setup, Windows may assign different resolutions per monitor. Adjusting the resolution in Display Settings for the affected monitor will correct the aspect ratio.

Answer

Swap the video cables between the two monitors.

Answer

Update the graphics driver from the manufacturer's website.

Answer

Replace the monitor with a different model.

Question 12

A user reports that their external monitor connected via USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode) works intermittently. When it does work, the resolution is limited to 1920x1080 even though the monitor supports 4K. The laptop supports USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The USB-C cable is not rated for video or high-speed data.. USB-C cables vary widely in capability; many only support USB 2.0 data speeds and lack the high-speed lanes needed for 4K video. For 4K over USB-C, the cable must be rated for DisplayPort Alt Mode and high bandwidth (e.g., USB 3.1 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt 3). A cable that only supports USB 2.0 will limit resolution and cause intermittent connectivity.

Answer

The laptop's USB-C port is damaged.

Answer

The monitor's USB-C input is set to a lower resolution in its OSD.

Answer

The graphics driver needs to be updated to support 4K over USB-C.

Question 13

A user reports that their Android smartphone's touchscreen is unresponsive after they dropped it. The screen is not cracked, and the device powers on normally. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the touchscreen issue?

Accepted Answer

The digitizer is damaged. A drop can easily damage the digitizer layer, which is responsible for detecting touch input, even if the glass display remains intact. The LCD/OLED panel may still function for display, but without a working digitizer, touch input will not register.

Answer

The LCD panel is damaged

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The battery is swollen

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The operating system is corrupted

Question 14

A customer brings in a tablet that will not turn on. The technician presses the power button and sees no response. The tablet was working earlier in the day. What is the first step the technician should take to troubleshoot this issue?

Accepted Answer

Connect the tablet to a charger and wait a few minutes. The most logical first step is to ensure the device has power; a drained battery is a common cause of a device not turning on. Checking the charge level and attempting to charge it is a simple, non-invasive test that can quickly identify the problem.

Answer

Replace the battery immediately

Answer

Perform a hard reset by holding the power and volume buttons

Answer

Open the tablet and inspect the motherboard for damage

Question 15

A user complains that their laptop's Wi-Fi connection is extremely slow and keeps dropping, but other devices on the same network work fine. The laptop is an older model running Windows 10. Which of the following should the technician try first?

Accepted Answer

Update the Wi-Fi driver. An outdated or corrupted Wi-Fi driver is a common cause of connectivity issues on older laptops. Updating the driver is a software-level fix that is quick and non-invasive, and it often resolves intermittent connectivity problems.

Answer

Replace the laptop's Wi-Fi card

Answer

Disable the firewall

Answer

Reset the router

Question 16

A user reports that their smartphone's battery drains very quickly, even when the phone is idle. The phone is less than a year old. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

An app is running in the background and consuming power. A common cause of rapid battery drain on smartphones is apps running in the background, especially after an OS update that may change permissions or app behavior. Checking battery usage statistics can help identify the culprit.

Answer

The battery is defective and needs replacement

Answer

The screen brightness is set too high

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The phone is infected with a virus

Question 17

A technician is configuring a new Android tablet for a warehouse employee. The employee will use the tablet to scan barcodes and access a web-based inventory system. The tablet needs to stay connected to the Wi-Fi network even when the screen is off to receive updates. Which setting should the technician configure?

Accepted Answer

Enable 'Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep' and set it to 'Always'. Android devices have a power-saving feature that disconnects Wi-Fi when the screen is off to save battery. To ensure the tablet stays connected, the technician must change the 'Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep' setting to 'Always'.

Answer

Set the screen timeout to 30 minutes

Answer

Disable Bluetooth

Answer

Install a third-party app to keep the screen on

Question 18

A user reports that their iPhone 13 will not charge when plugged into the charging port. The user has tried different cables and power adapters, but the phone still does not charge. The phone's screen and buttons work normally. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The Lightning port is clogged with debris. Since the user has already ruled out the cable and adapter, the issue is likely with the phone itself. A common problem is debris or lint compacted in the Lightning port, preventing a proper connection. Cleaning the port carefully can often resolve this.

Answer

The battery is completely dead and needs replacement

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The operating system is corrupted

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The phone's wireless charging coil is damaged

Question 19

A technician is troubleshooting a laptop that powers on but displays a black screen with no boot activity. The technician hears the fan spinning and sees the power LED is on. Which of the following steps should the technician perform next to isolate the issue?

Accepted Answer

Connect an external monitor. A black screen with power but no boot suggests a hardware issue, often with the display or memory. Connecting an external monitor can quickly determine if the problem is with the laptop's LCD panel or the video output. If the external monitor works, the internal display or its cable is likely faulty.

Answer

Reseat the RAM modules

Answer

Replace the LCD panel

Answer

Reinstall the operating system

Question 20

A user reports that their smartphone's screen is flickering and has vertical lines. The phone has not been dropped or exposed to water. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

The display cable is loose or damaged. Screen flickering and vertical lines are classic symptoms of a failing display or a loose internal display cable. Since there was no physical trauma, a loose connection or a manufacturing defect in the display assembly is the most probable cause.

Answer

A software glitch caused by a recent app update

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The battery is swelling and pressing against the display

Answer

The phone's processor is overheating