220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Test 3 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A technician is troubleshooting a laser printer that produces pages where the toner smudges easily and can be wiped off with a finger. The technician has already replaced the toner cartridge with a new OEM cartridge, but the problem persists. Which of the following printer components is MOST likely causing this issue?

Accepted Answer

Fuser assembly. The fuser assembly is responsible for melting toner particles into the paper fibers using heat and pressure. If the fuser is not reaching the correct temperature or is malfunctioning, the toner will not be permanently bonded to the page, causing it to smudge or wipe off easily. Since replacing the toner cartridge did not resolve the issue, the fuser is the most likely culprit.

Answer

Transfer roller

Answer

Pickup rollers

Answer

Corona wire

Question 2

A laser printer produces light ghost images of previously printed text on the following page. The technician has already replaced the toner cartridge and the imaging drum with new OEM components. The fuser appears to be heating properly. Which of the following is the NEXT component the technician should inspect or replace?

Accepted Answer

Primary charge corona / charge roller. The primary charge corona or charge roller is responsible for applying a uniform electrostatic charge to the imaging drum before the laser writes the image. If this component is failing, it may not fully erase the previous charge pattern, leaving residual latent images that develop into ghost images. Replacing the toner cartridge and drum eliminates those as causes, and the fuser is heating properly, so the charge roller is the next likely culprit.

Answer

Transfer roller

Answer

Laser scanner unit

Answer

Erase lamp

Question 3

A user reports that their desktop computer loses network connection intermittently. The technician notices that the LED on the NIC is off but other computers on the same switch work fine. The cable run is long, passing through a ceiling. Which tool should the technician use FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Cable tester. The intermittent loss of connection and the NIC LED being off strongly suggest a physical layer issue with the cable. Since other computers on the same switch work fine, the problem is isolated to this specific cable run, which is long and passes through a ceiling where it could be damaged or pinched. A cable tester is the correct first tool because it can quickly verify continuity, wiring faults, and signal integrity without requiring the network to be active, allowing the technician to isolate the fault before moving to more complex diagnostics.

Answer

Loopback plug

Answer

Multimeter

Answer

Tone generator

Question 4

A laser printer produces pages where the toner smudges easily when rubbed. The technician has already replaced the toner cartridge and the imaging drum with new OEM components. The fuser is heating to the correct temperature during operation. Which of the following printer components is MOST likely causing this issue?

Accepted Answer

Fuser roller. The fuser roller is responsible for melting toner into the paper fibers using heat and pressure. If the toner smudges easily despite the fuser heating to the correct temperature, the fuser roller's pressure mechanism or its release coating is likely worn or damaged, preventing proper fusing. Replacing the toner cartridge and imaging drum would not resolve a defective fuser roller.

Answer

Transfer roller

Answer

Laser scanner

Answer

Paper pickup rollers

Question 5

A user reports that their desktop computer cannot access the internet, but it can access internal network resources and other computers on the local network. The technician runs ipconfig and sees the IP address is 169.254.15.22. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

The DHCP server is not responding. The IP address 169.254.15.22 is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address (169.254.0.0/16), which Windows assigns when a DHCP server is unreachable. Since the computer can still access local resources, the network stack is functional, but without a valid DHCP lease, it cannot obtain a routable IP, default gateway, or DNS server, thus losing internet access.

Answer

The DNS server is not responding

Answer

The default gateway is misconfigured

Answer

The network cable is unplugged

Question 6

A user reports that their desktop computer shuts down randomly after running for about 30 minutes. The technician suspects overheating. The technician checks the CPU temperature in BIOS and sees 45°C at idle. The computer has a stock CPU cooler, and the case has one intake and one exhaust fan. The technician runs a stress test, and the CPU temperature reaches 95°C within 5 minutes, then the system shuts down. The technician has already cleaned all dust from the heatsink and fans. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Reapply thermal paste between the CPU and cooler.. The CPU temperature spikes to 95°C under load and triggers a thermal shutdown, despite the cooler being clean and fans working. This indicates poor heat transfer from the CPU to the cooler, most likely due to dried-out or improperly applied thermal paste. Reapplying thermal paste restores efficient thermal conductivity, resolving the overheating.

Answer

Replace the power supply.

Answer

Install additional case fans.

Answer

Replace the CPU.

Question 7

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that powers on, but the system emits three long beeps and does not display anything on the monitor. The technician has already reseated the RAM modules in their original slots. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Test each RAM module individually, or swap with known good modules. Three long beeps during POST typically indicate a memory (RAM) failure. Since reseating the RAM in the original slots did not resolve the issue, the next logical step is to isolate the fault by testing each module individually or swapping with known good modules. This follows the standard troubleshooting methodology of component isolation before moving to more invasive steps.

Answer

Replace the power supply with a known good unit

Answer

Reseat the CPU and reapply thermal paste

Answer

Clear the CMOS by removing the battery

Question 8

A technician builds a new PC. When powering on, all fans spin and LEDs light, but the monitor shows 'No Signal'. The motherboard has a CPU diagnostic LED that remains lit. The technician has already reseated the RAM and GPU, and verified the monitor and cable are functional. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Reseat the CPU and check for bent pins.. The CPU diagnostic LED remaining lit indicates a CPU-related fault. Since the technician has already reseated RAM and GPU and verified the monitor and cable, the next logical step is to reseat the CPU and inspect the CPU socket for bent pins. Bent pins can prevent proper contact between the CPU and motherboard, causing the CPU diagnostic LED to stay on and the system to fail POST.

Answer

Replace the power supply.

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS.

Answer

Test the RAM in another system.

Question 9

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that powers on for about one second and then shuts down. The technician has already removed all expansion cards and disconnected all drives. The system still exhibits the same behavior with only the CPU, motherboard, one RAM stick, and power supply connected. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

An incorrectly installed motherboard standoff causing a short circuit.. The symptom of powering on for about one second and then shutting down, even with only the CPU, motherboard, one RAM stick, and power supply connected, strongly indicates a short circuit. An incorrectly installed motherboard standoff that contacts the motherboard's traces or solder points can create a direct short to ground, triggering the power supply's overcurrent protection (OCP) and causing an immediate shutdown. This behavior persists regardless of other components because the short is on the motherboard itself.

Answer

A faulty CMOS battery.

Answer

Incompatible RAM speed.

Answer

Overheating CPU due to improper thermal paste application.

Question 10

A user reports that printed pages from a laser printer contain vertical black streaks. The streaks appear in the same location on every page. The technician has already replaced the toner cartridge and the imaging drum with new OEM components. Which of the following printer components should the technician inspect NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Transfer roller. The transfer roller applies a positive charge to the paper to attract the negatively charged toner from the imaging drum. If the transfer roller is damaged or contaminated, it can fail to transfer toner evenly, leaving vertical streaks in the same location on every page. Since the toner cartridge and imaging drum have already been replaced, the transfer roller is the next most likely cause of this specific defect.

Answer

Fuser assembly

Answer

Pickup rollers

Answer

Primary corona wire

Question 11

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that shuts down unexpectedly after about 10 minutes of playing a graphics-intensive game. The technician checks the CPU temperature, which stays at 45°C at idle but reaches 95°C under load just before shutdown. The heatsink and fan are clean and spinning properly. The power supply is a 650W unit, and the graphics card is a high-end model that draws up to 350W. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the shutdowns?

Accepted Answer

The thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink has degraded. The CPU temperature reaching 95°C under load just before shutdown indicates a thermal throttling or thermal protection shutdown. Since the heatsink and fan are clean and spinning properly, the most likely cause is degraded thermal paste, which reduces heat transfer efficiency from the CPU to the heatsink, causing the CPU to overheat despite adequate cooling hardware.

Answer

The power supply is insufficient for the graphics card

Answer

The CPU fan is not spinning fast enough

Answer

The graphics card is overheating

Question 12

A network technician is troubleshooting inter-VLAN routing. Clients on VLAN 10 (192.168.10.0/24) cannot communicate with servers on VLAN 20 (192.168.20.0/24). The router has subinterfaces configured for both VLANs and an ACL that permits all traffic between them. The router connects to a Layer 2 switch via a single cable. The switch port connecting to the router is configured as an access port in VLAN 10. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the communication failure?

Accepted Answer

The switch port connecting to the router is configured as an access port instead of a trunk. The router connects to the switch via a single cable, and the switch port is configured as an access port in VLAN 10. For inter-VLAN routing using router-on-a-stick, the switch port must be a trunk port that carries multiple VLANs (802.1Q tagged). An access port can only carry untagged traffic for a single VLAN, so frames from VLAN 20 cannot reach the router's subinterface, breaking communication.

Answer

The ACL is blocking traffic between VLAN 10 and VLAN 20

Answer

The router's subinterface for VLAN 20 has an incorrect IP address

Answer

The switch is not configured with VLAN 20

Question 13

A technician is troubleshooting a laser printer that produces pages with a vertical black streak that repeats every 2 inches down the page. The technician has already replaced the toner cartridge and the imaging drum with brand-new OEM components. The streak appears in the same location on every page. Which of the following printer components should the technician inspect or replace NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Fuser assembly. The fuser assembly uses heat and pressure to permanently bond toner to the paper. A damaged fuser roller (e.g., a nick, scratch, or melted toner buildup) will cause a repeating defect at a distance equal to the circumference of that roller. Since the streak repeats every 2 inches, this matches the typical circumference of a fuser roller, and replacing the toner cartridge and drum did not resolve the issue, making the fuser the next logical component to inspect or replace.

Answer

Transfer roller

Answer

Pickup rollers

Answer

Laser scanner assembly

Question 14

A user reports that their desktop computer intermittently loses network connectivity for a few seconds at a time. The technician observes that the link light on the NIC turns off briefly and then back on. The technician has already replaced the Ethernet cable and the switch port. The issue persists. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check for electromagnetic interference near the cable. The link light turning off indicates a physical layer issue, and since the cable and switch port have already been replaced, the next likely cause is electromagnetic interference (EMI) from nearby sources such as power cables, fluorescent lights, or large motors. EMI can corrupt the signal on unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cabling, causing the NIC to momentarily lose link. Checking for and rerouting cables away from interference sources is the appropriate next step before replacing hardware.

Answer

Update the NIC driver

Answer

Replace the network interface card (NIC)

Answer

Configure the NIC to use a static IP address

Question 15

A technician is troubleshooting a laser printer that produces pages with a faint, blurry image on one side of the page (right edge). The problem occurs on every print job and the print quality is otherwise normal. The technician has already replaced the toner cartridge and the imaging drum, but the issue persists. Which of the following printer components is the MOST likely cause of this problem?

Accepted Answer

Transfer roller. The transfer roller applies a positive charge to the paper to attract the negatively charged toner from the imaging drum. If the transfer roller is damaged, worn, or has uneven pressure on one side, it will fail to transfer toner uniformly across the page, causing a faint, blurry image on the affected edge. Since the toner cartridge and imaging drum have already been replaced, the transfer roller is the next most likely cause of this localized print defect.

Answer

Fuser assembly

Answer

Laser scanner

Answer

Pickup rollers