220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Test 12 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A technician is troubleshooting a server with a RAID 5 array consisting of three hard drives. The server logs show a failed drive, and the array status is 'Degraded'. The technician replaces the failed drive with a new drive of the same model and capacity. After the rebuild process completes, the array status remains 'Degraded'. The server's OS does not show any new disk errors. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

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

Accepted Answer

Check the RAID controller's cache battery status. After a RAID 5 rebuild completes but the array remains 'Degraded', the most likely cause is that the RAID controller's write-back cache could not be flushed to the new drive. A failed or missing cache battery forces the controller to operate in write-through mode, which can prevent the array from returning to a healthy state even after a successful rebuild. Checking the cache battery status is the correct next step because it directly affects the controller's ability to commit cached writes and finalize the array status.

Answer

Check the S.M.A.R.T. status of the remaining original drives

Answer

Check the firmware version of the new hard drive

Answer

Check the SAS cable connecting the drives

Question 2

A technician is troubleshooting a workstation that cannot connect to the network. The link light on the network interface card (NIC) is solid, and the technician can successfully ping the loopback address (127.0.0.1). Running ipconfig shows an IP address of 169.254.15.200 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the connectivity issue?

Accepted Answer

The DHCP server is unavailable or not responding. The IP address 169.254.15.200 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address, which Windows assigns when a DHCP discovery broadcast fails to receive a response. Since the link light is solid and loopback ping succeeds, the NIC and TCP/IP stack are functional, pointing to a DHCP server that is unavailable or not responding as the root cause.

Answer

The default gateway is misconfigured

Answer

The DNS server is not resolving domain names

Answer

The NIC driver is faulty

Question 3

A technician is troubleshooting a workstation that cannot connect to the network. The link light on the NIC is off. The technician tests the Ethernet cable with a cable tester and it passes all four pairs. The workstation is connected to a wall jack that leads to a patch panel in the server room. The technician verifies that the patch cable from the patch panel to the switch is good. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the port status on the switch. The link light being off indicates no physical layer (Layer 1) connectivity. Since the cable tester passed all four pairs and the patch cable is verified good, the issue likely lies with the switch port itself. Checking the port status on the switch (e.g., using 'show interfaces status' or verifying PoE/administrative shutdown) is the logical next step to confirm if the port is enabled, not error-disabled, or configured correctly.

Answer

Replace the NIC

Answer

Re-terminate the wall jack

Answer

Change the workstation's IP address to static

Question 4

A user reports that their desktop monitor displays 'No Signal' after the user moved the desk. The technician observes that the monitor's power LED is on, the computer's fans are spinning, and the power light on the PC case is lit. The video cable (HDMI) is securely connected at both ends. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the monitor's input source setting. The monitor's power LED is on and the HDMI cable is securely connected, but the screen shows 'No Signal'. This indicates the monitor is receiving power but not detecting a video input. The most likely cause after moving the desk is that the monitor's input source setting changed (e.g., from HDMI to DisplayPort or VGA) due to accidental button presses during the move. Checking and correcting the input source is the quickest, non-invasive step before replacing hardware.

Answer

Replace the video card

Answer

Reseat the RAM modules

Answer

Test the HDMI cable with a known-good device

Question 5

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that was functioning normally before the user cleaned the inside with compressed air. After reassembly, the PC powers on (fans spin, LEDs light) but there is no video output and no POST beeps. The technician has already reseated the RAM, GPU, and all power cables. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Clear the CMOS by removing the battery or using the jumper. Clearing the CMOS is the correct next step because the compressed air may have dislodged dust or created a static discharge that corrupted the BIOS/UEFI configuration, causing the system to fail POST without beeps. Reseating components already addressed loose connections, so the issue likely lies in the stored firmware settings, which a CMOS reset will restore to defaults.

Answer

Check the power supply voltages with a multimeter

Answer

Replace the motherboard

Answer

Replace the CPU 4+4 pin power cable

Question 6

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that randomly shuts down after about 30 minutes of use. The technician has already swapped the power supply unit (PSU) with a known-good 550W unit, but the issue persists. The system is running a standard productivity workload with no overtaxing of components. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

CPU cooler thermal paste application and cooler seating. Since the PSU has already been replaced with a known-good unit and the system is not under heavy load, the most likely cause of a consistent 30-minute shutdown is thermal throttling or overheating due to poor CPU cooler contact. Dried-out or improperly applied thermal paste, or a cooler that is not seated evenly, can cause the CPU to reach critical temperature thresholds (typically around 100°C for modern Intel/AMD processors) after a period of sustained operation, triggering an automatic shutdown to prevent damage.

Answer

RAM module seating and memory diagnostics

Answer

Motherboard capacitors for bulging or leaking

Answer

Hard drive health using S.M.A.R.T. diagnostics

Question 7

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that powers on for about two seconds and then immediately shuts down. The case fans spin briefly, the CPU fan starts, then everything stops. The technician has tested the power supply with a multimeter and all voltages are within specification. The technician has also removed all add-on cards, disconnected all drives, and reseated the RAM and CPU power cables. The problem persists. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Short circuit in the case or motherboard. The symptom of powering on for about two seconds and then immediately shutting down is classic for a short circuit protection mechanism. When the power supply detects a short (e.g., from a standoff in the wrong hole, a loose screw, or a damaged motherboard trace), it triggers overcurrent protection (OCP) or short-circuit protection (SCP) and cuts power to prevent damage. Since the technician verified the power supply voltages are good and reseated all connections, the most likely remaining cause is a short circuit in the case or motherboard.

Answer

Faulty power button

Answer

Failing CPU

Answer

Incompatible RAM

Question 8

A user reports that their network printer is not responding to print jobs sent from their Windows workstation. The technician can successfully ping the printer's IP address (192.168.1.50) from the user's computer. The printer's web interface shows it is online and ready. The technician checks the print queue on the workstation and sees documents stuck with an 'Access Denied' error. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Verify printer permissions and ensure the correct driver is installed.. The 'Access Denied' error in the print queue indicates a permissions or driver mismatch issue, not a connectivity problem. Since the printer is reachable via ping and its web interface shows it is online, the network and printer hardware are functional. The next logical step is to verify that the user has the necessary permissions to print and that the correct printer driver is installed, as an incompatible or corrupted driver can cause access errors.

Answer

Replace the Ethernet cable connecting the printer.

Answer

Restart the Windows Print Spooler service.

Answer

Assign a static IP address to the printer.

Question 9

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that intermittently loses network connectivity. The technician has replaced the network cable with a known-good cable and verified that the switch port link light is solid. The issue still occurs. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Update or reinstall the network adapter driver. Since the cable and switch port link light are verified good, the issue is likely software or driver-related. Updating or reinstalling the network adapter driver can resolve intermittent connectivity caused by driver corruption, power management conflicts, or incompatibility with the network stack. This is the next logical step after ruling out physical layer problems.

Answer

Check for an IP address conflict on the network

Answer

Change the DNS server settings on the PC

Answer

Adjust the firewall settings on the PC

Question 10

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that powers on but the monitor displays 'No Signal.' The PC fans spin and the power LED is on. The technician has already reseated the graphics card and tried a different monitor and cable. The motherboard has integrated graphics, but the CPU does not support integrated graphics. The technician checks and finds that the graphics card's power connectors are not all plugged in. The card requires both a 6-pin and an 8-pin PCIe power connector, but only the 6-pin is connected. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Connect the 8-pin PCIe power connector from the PSU to the graphics card. The correct next step is to connect the 8-pin PCIe power connector because the graphics card requires both a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector to deliver sufficient power for operation. Without the 8-pin connector, the card may not initialize properly, causing the 'No Signal' issue despite the system appearing to power on. Since the technician has already verified the monitor and cable, and reseated the card, the missing power connection is the most likely root cause.

Answer

Replace the graphics card with a known-good unit

Answer

Remove the graphics card and use the motherboard's integrated graphics

Answer

Update the graphics card driver from the motherboard manufacturer's website

Question 11

A technician runs a new Cat6 Ethernet cable between a switch in the server room and a workstation in an office. The cable run is approximately 120 meters long. The workstation shows a 'Network cable unplugged' error and the switch port LED does not light. The technician confirms the cable is properly terminated with T568B on both ends and the switch port is enabled. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

The cable length exceeds the maximum allowable segment length. The maximum segment length for a Cat6 Ethernet cable is 100 meters (328 feet) for reliable 1000BASE-T operation. At 120 meters, the signal attenuation exceeds the IEEE 802.3ab specification, causing the link to fail. The 'Network cable unplugged' error and unlit switch port LED indicate a physical layer issue, which is most likely due to the excessive cable length.

Answer

Electromagnetic interference from nearby power cables

Answer

The switch does not support auto-MDIX

Answer

A poor crimp on one of the RJ45 connectors

Question 12

A technician upgrades a workstation's RAM from 8GB to 16GB by installing two matching 8GB DDR4-3200 modules in the correct dual-channel slots (A2 and B2) on the motherboard. The system boots, but the POST beep code indicates a memory error. The technician tests each module individually in slot A2 and both modules work fine. When both modules are installed in A2 and B2, the error returns. The technician has confirmed the motherboard supports 32GB total and the modules are on the manufacturer's Qualified Vendor List (QVL). Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

One of the DIMM slots is defective. The technician tested each module individually in slot A2 and both worked, but the error occurs only when both slots A2 and B2 are populated. This isolates the problem to slot B2, indicating it is defective. A faulty DIMM slot prevents the dual-channel memory configuration from initializing correctly, triggering the POST memory error.

Answer

The memory controller is faulty

Answer

The BIOS needs an update to support the new RAM

Answer

The power supply is insufficient for the additional RAM

Question 13

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that shuts down unexpectedly after about 15 minutes of running a graphics-intensive application. The computer operates normally during light use, such as web browsing and word processing. The technician has verified that all cooling fans are spinning and that the CPU and GPU temperatures are within normal ranges. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

Insufficient power supply capacity. The symptom of a computer shutting down under heavy GPU/CPU load after a consistent time interval, despite normal temperatures and fan operation, strongly points to the power supply unit (PSU) being unable to deliver sustained peak current. Graphics-intensive applications draw high transient power spikes; if the PSU's rated capacity is insufficient or its 12V rail is degraded, the overcurrent protection (OCP) or undervoltage protection (UVP) will trip, causing an abrupt shutdown. The fact that light workloads run fine confirms the issue is load-dependent, not a thermal or component failure.

Answer

Failing memory module

Answer

Corrupt operating system files

Answer

Faulty motherboard

Question 14

A technician relocates a workstation to a different office. The workstation's link light on the NIC is solid green, and the switch port link light is also solid. The workstation shows a valid IP address but cannot ping any other devices on the network, including the default gateway. The technician verifies that the IP configuration is correct and that other devices on the same switch can communicate. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The switch port is configured for a different VLAN. The link lights are solid on both the NIC and switch port, indicating Layer 1 (physical) connectivity is intact. A valid IP address but inability to ping any devices, including the gateway, while other devices on the same switch communicate normally, points to a Layer 2 segmentation issue. The most likely cause is that the switch port is configured for a different VLAN, which isolates the workstation's broadcast domain and prevents it from reaching devices outside that VLAN, including the default gateway.

Answer

The Ethernet cable is faulty

Answer

The workstation has a duplicate IP address

Answer

The subnet mask is incorrect

Question 15

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that randomly reboots under heavy CPU load. The technician has verified the CPU cooler is properly seated with thermal paste, run memory diagnostics (no errors), replaced the power supply, and updated all drivers. Running a CPU stress test causes the system to reboot after approximately 10 minutes. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the CPU voltage settings in BIOS. The technician has already ruled out overheating (cooler seated with paste), memory errors, power supply issues, and driver conflicts. Under heavy CPU load, the system reboots after a consistent 10 minutes, which strongly suggests the CPU is not receiving stable voltage under load. Checking and adjusting the CPU voltage settings in BIOS is the next logical step because incorrect or insufficient vCore can cause the CPU to crash or trigger a thermal/voltage protection reboot when the CPU draws high current during a stress test.

Answer

Replace the CPU

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS

Answer

Replace the motherboard