220-1201 Practice Test 9 — 10 Questions

Question 1

A user reports that their PC, which has 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, suddenly shows only 8 GB in Windows. The system boots normally. The technician checks the BIOS and sees 16 GB detected. What is the most likely cause of this discrepancy?

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

Accepted Answer

Integrated graphics is reserving 8 GB of system RAM for video memory.. When the BIOS detects full RAM but Windows shows less, it often indicates that a portion of RAM is reserved for hardware or is being used by the integrated GPU. This is common if the system uses integrated graphics and the BIOS allocates a fixed amount of system RAM for video memory. Another possibility is a 32-bit OS limitation, but that is rare with modern systems.

Answer

One of the RAM modules is faulty and not being recognized by Windows.

Answer

The system is using a 32-bit version of Windows, which has a 4 GB limit.

Answer

Windows has a memory leak that is using 8 GB of RAM.

Question 2

A technician is configuring a high-performance workstation with 128 GB of RAM using eight 16 GB DDR5 modules. The system boots but only shows 64 GB in the BIOS. The technician has reseated all modules and verified they are in the correct slots. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The CPU does not support 128 GB of RAM.. With high-capacity RAM configurations, the CPU's memory controller may have limitations. Some CPUs, especially mainstream models, may not support 128 GB (e.g., 64 GB max per channel). The technician should check the CPU specifications for maximum supported RAM. Another possibility is a BIOS limitation or incorrect slot population, but the CPU limit is a common oversight.

Answer

The RAM modules are not all the same speed.

Answer

The motherboard only supports up to 64 GB of RAM.

Answer

The RAM is not properly seated in the slots.

Question 3

A technician is tasked with upgrading a workstation that uses DDR3 RAM. The technician purchases DDR3L modules (low voltage) and installs them. The system fails to boot. What is the most likely reason?

Accepted Answer

The motherboard does not support the lower voltage of DDR3L.. DDR3L modules operate at 1.35V, while standard DDR3 operates at 1.5V. Many older motherboards do not support DDR3L, or they require specific BIOS settings to handle the lower voltage. The technician should verify motherboard compatibility before installation.

Answer

The DDR3L modules are physically incompatible with DDR3 slots.

Answer

The technician installed the modules in the wrong slots.

Answer

The DDR3L modules are defective.

Question 4

A customer reports their desktop PC is running extremely slow, especially when multiple applications are open. They mention they recently upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11. The system has 4 GB of RAM. What should you recommend as the most effective first step to improve performance?

Accepted Answer

Upgrade the RAM to at least 8 GB.. Windows 11 has a minimum requirement of 4 GB of RAM, but 8 GB is recommended for typical multitasking. Upgrading the RAM directly addresses the bottleneck caused by insufficient memory, which is the most likely cause of the slowdown with multiple applications.

Answer

Disable visual effects in Windows to reduce memory usage.

Answer

Increase the size of the page file on the hard drive.

Answer

Reinstall Windows 10 to reduce system resource requirements.

Question 5

A technician is building a new workstation for a video editor who needs to run memory-intensive applications. The motherboard supports DDR4 RAM and has four DIMM slots. The editor wants 32 GB of RAM. Which configuration should the technician choose for optimal performance?

Accepted Answer

Two 16 GB sticks of RAM.. Using dual-channel memory (two matched sticks) provides a performance boost over a single stick because it allows the memory controller to access both modules simultaneously. For 32 GB, two 16 GB sticks are the best balance of performance and capacity.

Answer

One 32 GB stick of RAM.

Answer

Four 8 GB sticks of RAM.

Answer

One 16 GB stick and two 8 GB sticks.

Question 6

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop that fails to boot and emits three long beeps from the motherboard speaker. The power supply fan spins, and the CPU fan spins, but there is no display output. What is the most likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

The RAM is not detected or is faulty.. Three long beeps from a motherboard typically indicate a memory error, often that no RAM is detected or the RAM is faulty. The fact that other components power on suggests the issue is isolated to the memory subsystem.

Answer

The CPU has failed.

Answer

The video card is not seated correctly.

Answer

The power supply is not providing enough power.

Question 7

A technician is configuring a new server and needs to install ECC (Error-Correcting Code) RAM. The motherboard supports both ECC and non-ECC DDR4 memory. The technician installs ECC RAM, but the system boots and reports that ECC functionality is disabled. What is the most likely reason for this?

Accepted Answer

The CPU does not support ECC memory.. ECC RAM requires a compatible CPU and motherboard chipset to function. If the CPU does not support ECC, the system may still boot with the RAM installed but will run it in non-ECC mode, disabling the error correction feature.

Answer

The ECC RAM is not seated properly.

Answer

The BIOS needs to be updated to enable ECC support.

Answer

ECC RAM requires a registered (buffered) type to function.

Question 8

A technician is troubleshooting a workstation that randomly reboots under heavy load, such as when running a benchmark or rendering video. The system passes a memory test with no errors, and the CPU temperatures are normal. The power supply is a 500W unit that is three years old. What is the most likely cause of the reboots?

Accepted Answer

The power supply is unable to deliver consistent power under peak load.. Under heavy load, the system draws more power. An aging or insufficient power supply may not be able to deliver stable voltage, causing the system to reboot. This is a common issue that can mimic RAM problems but is actually power-related.

Answer

The RAM is overheating under load.

Answer

The motherboard capacitors are failing.

Answer

The CPU is throttling due to a failing fan.

Question 9

A technician is tasked with upgrading the RAM in a laptop that uses SO-DIMM modules. The laptop currently has 4 GB of RAM soldered on the motherboard and one empty SO-DIMM slot. The technician installs an 8 GB SO-DIMM, but the system only reports 8 GB total. What is the most likely reason?

Accepted Answer

The laptop's BIOS is configured to use only the SO-DIMM slot when populated.. Some laptops with soldered RAM have a limitation where the SO-DIMM slot cannot be used simultaneously with the onboard memory, or the system may disable the onboard RAM when a module is installed. This is a design constraint, not a hardware failure.

Answer

The SO-DIMM module is incompatible with the laptop's chipset.

Answer

The soldered RAM is faulty and has been disabled.

Answer

The SO-DIMM is not seated properly in the slot.

Question 10

A customer reports that their desktop PC with a 1 TB HDD is running very slowly, especially when opening large files. They mention that the drive light is constantly active even when the system is idle. What is the most likely cause of this performance issue?

Accepted Answer

The hard disk drive is failing and has developed bad sectors.. A failing HDD often causes constant drive activity and slow file access due to bad sectors or mechanical wear. This is a common symptom that technicians should recognize before data loss occurs. SSDs or other components do not typically exhibit this behavior.

Answer

The CPU is overheating and throttling performance.

Answer

The system has a virus that is encrypting files in the background.

Answer

The RAM is insufficient and the system is using the hard drive as virtual memory.