220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Test 6 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A desktop computer shuts down unexpectedly after running for about 20 minutes. The technician has already verified that the CPU temperature is normal (35°C idle), replaced the thermal paste, confirmed all fans are spinning, and tested the power supply with a multimeter (all voltages within specification). The system still shuts down. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check for bulging capacitors on the motherboard.. The technician has already verified CPU temperature, thermal paste, fan operation, and power supply voltages. The fact that the system shuts down after a consistent 20-minute runtime points to a hardware failure that manifests under thermal load, not at idle. Bulging or leaking capacitors on the motherboard are a classic cause of intermittent shutdowns because they lose capacitance as they heat up, leading to voltage ripple and instability. This is the most logical next check before replacing the motherboard or other components.

Answer

Replace the motherboard.

Answer

Update the BIOS firmware.

Answer

Replace the RAM modules.

Question 2

A network technician changes the company's subnet mask from 255.255.255.0 to 255.255.0.0 to accommodate network growth. All workstations use DHCP except one file server that has a static IP address of 192.168.1.50 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and default gateway 192.168.1.1. After the change, a user reports that they cannot access the file server. The user's workstation obtains its IP via DHCP and can access the internet. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

C. The file server still has the old subnet mask 255.255.255.0, which means it considers its local subnet to be 192.168.1.0/24. When the user's workstation receives a new IP from DHCP (likely in a different subnet, e.g., 192.168.2.x), the file server sees that the destination is not in its local subnet and sends traffic to its default gateway (192.168.1.1). However, the file server's own subnet mask prevents it from recognizing the user's IP as local, so it cannot respond directly to ARP requests from the user, breaking communication. The user can access the internet because the DHCP scope and gateway are correctly configured for the new /16 mask, but the static file server is isolated.

Answer

A

Answer

B

Answer

D

Question 3

A technician installs a new graphics card in a desktop computer. The computer powers on, all fans spin, and the motherboard's POST LED sequence completes, but there is no image on the monitor. The monitor is connected to the new graphics card via DisplayPort and has been verified to work with another computer. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Check that the auxiliary PCIe power cables are connected to the graphics card. The most common reason for a new graphics card to power on (fans spin) but produce no display is that the auxiliary PCIe power cables are not connected. Modern high-performance GPUs require dedicated 6- or 8-pin power connectors from the PSU; without them, the card may appear to operate (fans spin due to motherboard slot power) but cannot output video. Since the monitor and cable are verified working, and POST completes, the next logical step is to check these power connections before assuming a hardware fault.

Answer

Replace the graphics card

Answer

Reseat the graphics card in the PCIe slot

Answer

Update the graphics card driver from safe mode

Question 4

A user reports that their desktop computer's built-in Ethernet port is not working. The link light on the computer's NIC is off, and the user cannot connect to the network. The technician has verified that the Ethernet cable and switch port work with another computer. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the network adapter settings in Device Manager. Since the Ethernet cable and switch port are verified working with another computer, the issue is isolated to the desktop itself. The link light being off indicates the NIC is not establishing a physical or data-link layer connection. Checking the network adapter in Device Manager is the next logical step to see if the adapter is disabled, has a driver error, or is not detected by the OS, which would prevent the NIC from initializing and lighting the link LED.

Answer

Replace the motherboard

Answer

Update the network adapter driver

Answer

Reinstall the operating system

Question 5

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that experiences intermittent freezing, especially when running graphics-intensive applications or games. The technician has updated all drivers, run full antivirus scans, and replaced the RAM. The CPU and GPU temperatures stay below 70°C under load. The event logs show no critical errors. However, the freezing always occurs under high load, and sometimes the system restarts without a blue screen. Which component is MOST likely failing?

Accepted Answer

Power supply unit (PSU). The power supply unit (PSU) is the most likely failing component because intermittent freezing and restarts under high load, without blue screens or critical errors, are classic symptoms of an unstable or insufficient power supply. When the GPU and CPU draw maximum current during graphics-intensive tasks, a failing PSU may drop below required voltage rails (e.g., +12V), causing the system to lock up or reboot. The fact that temperatures are normal and RAM has been replaced eliminates thermal and memory issues, pointing directly to power delivery.

Answer

CPU

Answer

GPU

Answer

Motherboard

Question 6

A technician is troubleshooting a laptop that will not power on. The power adapter's LED is lit when plugged into the wall, but pressing the laptop's power button yields no response—no fans, no LEDs, and no beeps. The technician has already removed the battery and held the power button for 30 seconds to drain residual charge. Which of the following should the technician try NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Use a multimeter to measure the voltage at the tip of the power adapter.. The power adapter's LED is lit, indicating the wall outlet is supplying power, but the laptop shows no signs of life. The next logical step is to verify that the adapter is actually delivering the correct voltage to the laptop's power jack. Using a multimeter to measure the voltage at the tip of the adapter confirms whether the adapter itself is faulty, which is a common failure point before moving to internal components.

Answer

Remove the RAM modules and reseat them one at a time.

Answer

Replace the laptop's internal battery with a known-good battery.

Answer

Inspect the DC power jack on the laptop for physical damage.

Question 7

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that powers on (fans spin, LEDs light) but the monitor displays 'No Signal'. The technician has already verified the monitor works with another computer, the video cable is connected to the dedicated graphics card, and the dedicated graphics card is properly seated. The motherboard has both onboard and dedicated graphics. The technician attempts to boot using the onboard graphics by removing the dedicated card, but the monitor still shows 'No Signal'. The motherboard's diagnostic LED display shows code 'd6', which the manual indicates means 'No Console Output Devices are found'. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Reseat the CPU and check for bent pins. The diagnostic LED code 'd6' indicates that the system cannot detect any console output devices, which means the motherboard is not initializing the graphics output. Since the technician has already verified the monitor, cable, and dedicated GPU, and the onboard graphics also fail, the issue likely lies with the CPU or its connection to the motherboard. Reseating the CPU and checking for bent pins addresses potential poor contact or physical damage that can prevent the integrated memory controller or PCIe lanes from functioning, which are essential for both onboard and dedicated graphics to work.

Answer

Replace the power supply with a higher wattage unit

Answer

Flash the BIOS to the latest version

Answer

Replace the CMOS battery

Question 8

A user reports that their desktop workstation loses network connectivity intermittently, often occurring when the user bumps the desk or moves the Ethernet cable. The link light on the NIC sometimes flickers and occasionally turns off for a few seconds during these events. The technician has already replaced the Ethernet cable with a known-good one and tested a different port on the same switch; the problem persists. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

The NIC port on the workstation has damaged or loose pins causing intermittent connection. The symptom of losing connectivity when the desk is bumped or the cable is moved, combined with the link light flickering or turning off, points to a physical layer issue at the NIC port. Since the cable and switch port have already been replaced and the problem persists, the most likely cause is a damaged or loose pin inside the RJ45 jack on the workstation's NIC. This creates an intermittent electrical contact that breaks under vibration or movement.

Answer

The switch port is failing intermittently

Answer

The workstation has a duplicate IP address on the network

Answer

The DNS server settings are incorrect

Question 9

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that failed to boot after a lightning storm. The computer powers on (fans spin, LEDs light) but there is no POST and no beep codes. The technician has already tried a different monitor, reseated all RAM and expansion cards, and tested the power supply with a multimeter (all voltages within spec). Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the motherboard for bulging or leaking capacitors. The correct answer is A because after a lightning storm, a power surge can damage the motherboard's voltage regulator modules (VRMs) or other components, often indicated by bulging or leaking capacitors. The symptoms—power on but no POST and no beep codes—suggest the motherboard is not initializing the CPU or memory, which is consistent with capacitor failure. The technician has already verified the PSU output and reseated components, making motherboard damage the most likely next step to check.

Answer

Replace the CMOS battery

Answer

Test the surge protector

Answer

Reseat the CPU

Question 10

A desktop computer powers on for about two seconds (fans spin, LEDs flash) then immediately shuts down. It repeats this cycle if the power button is pressed again. The technician has already replaced the power supply with a known-good unit, removed and reseated all expansion cards and memory modules, and tested the system outside the case on a non-conductive surface. The problem persists. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The motherboard is faulty. The symptom of powering on for about two seconds and then immediately shutting down, followed by a repeating cycle, is classic for a short circuit or a critical motherboard failure. Since the technician has already replaced the power supply with a known-good unit, reseated all components, and tested the system outside the case (eliminating case shorts), the only remaining component that can cause this exact behavior is the motherboard itself. A faulty motherboard can fail to initialize the CPU or power regulation (VRM) correctly, triggering the system's overcurrent or thermal protection within seconds.

Answer

The CPU is faulty

Answer

The RAM is incompatible

Answer

The graphics card is drawing too much power

Question 11

A user reports that their desktop computer can ping other workstations on the local network and can connect to the internet by IP address (e.g., pinging 8.8.8.8 works), but cannot browse any websites using domain names. The network settings show the workstation obtains an IP address automatically via DHCP. The technician checks the DHCP server and confirms it is providing a valid DNS server address. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The DNS server address is not being applied correctly. The user can ping by IP address (e.g., 8.8.8.8) and reach local hosts, confirming Layer 3 connectivity and a correct default gateway. The inability to resolve domain names while the DHCP server is configured to provide a valid DNS server address points to the client not receiving or applying that DNS server address correctly. This is a classic symptom of a DNS resolution failure where the workstation's DNS client configuration is missing or incorrect, often due to a stale DHCP lease, a misconfigured DHCP scope option, or a local DNS cache issue.

Answer

The default gateway address is incorrect

Answer

The network cable is faulty

Answer

The web browser is corrupted

Question 12

A technician is troubleshooting a workstation that experiences slow file transfers and occasional timeouts on the local network. The workstation is connected to a managed switch via a Cat5e cable. The technician checks the switch port configuration and finds it is set to 'auto-negotiate'. The workstation's network adapter properties show it is manually configured to '100 Mbps Full Duplex'. Other workstations on the same switch do not experience these issues. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the problem?

Accepted Answer

The switch port is negotiating to half-duplex because the workstation is manually set to full duplex.. The workstation's NIC is manually set to 100 Mbps Full Duplex, while the switch port is set to auto-negotiate. During auto-negotiation, if one side is manually configured, the other side will detect the speed via link pulses but cannot determine the duplex setting, defaulting to half-duplex. This duplex mismatch causes collisions, leading to slow file transfers and timeouts, while other workstations using auto-negotiation on both sides operate correctly.

Answer

The Cat5e cable is damaged or too long.

Answer

The switch port is faulty and needs to be replaced.

Answer

The workstation's NIC driver is outdated or corrupt.

Question 13

A technician installs a new CPU on a compatible motherboard. After applying thermal paste and installing the cooler, the system powers on but immediately shuts down after about 3 seconds. The technician verifies that the CPU fan is spinning and that the power supply is adequate. The motherboard's diagnostic LEDs show no errors before shutdown. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The CPU is not supported by the BIOS version. The system powers on but shuts down after a few seconds, which is a classic symptom of a CPU that is not supported by the installed BIOS version. Even though the motherboard's diagnostic LEDs show no errors before shutdown, the CPU may lack the required microcode, causing the motherboard to fail to initialize the CPU properly and triggering a safety shutdown. The fact that the CPU fan spins and the power supply is adequate rules out basic power or cooling issues, pointing directly to a BIOS compatibility problem.

Answer

The thermal paste was applied too liberally

Answer

The CPU fan connector is plugged into the wrong header

Answer

The power supply's ATX12V connector is loose

Question 14

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop workstation that can successfully ping other local devices and the default gateway by IP address, but cannot access any websites when browsing with a web browser. The workstation obtains its IP configuration automatically via DHCP. The technician confirms that the DHCP server is providing a valid DNS server address and that other workstations on the same network can browse the internet normally. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

The workstation is configured to use a proxy server that is not available. The workstation can ping local devices and the default gateway by IP address, confirming that Layer 2/3 connectivity (ARP, IP routing) is functional. However, it cannot browse websites, which requires DNS resolution (UDP/TCP port 53) and HTTP/HTTPS traffic (TCP ports 80/443). Since other workstations on the same network browse normally, the issue is isolated to this workstation. A misconfigured proxy server (e.g., set in browser or system proxy settings) can intercept or block web traffic, preventing access to websites even when DNS and IP connectivity are working.

Answer

Duplicate IP address on the network

Answer

Incorrect subnet mask configured by DHCP

Answer

The workstation's DNS client cache is corrupted

Question 15

A workstation is unable to connect to the internet. The technician runs the 'ipconfig' command and sees the IPv4 address is 169.254.15.200 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. The workstation can ping other devices on the local subnet but cannot ping the default gateway or any external addresses. Which TWO actions should the technician take to resolve this issue? (Select two.)

Accepted Answer

Run 'ipconfig /release' followed by 'ipconfig /renew'. The IP address 169.254.15.200 with a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address, which Windows assigns when a DHCP server is unreachable. Since the workstation can communicate with local subnet devices but not the default gateway, the DHCP server is either down or not responding. Running 'ipconfig /release' followed by 'ipconfig /renew' forces the workstation to release the APIPA address and attempt to obtain a valid DHCP lease, which will resolve the issue if the DHCP server becomes available.

Answer

Disable the Windows Firewall

Answer

Replace the network interface card (NIC)