220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Test 9 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A technician installed a used SATA SSD from another computer into a desktop workstation. The BIOS correctly detects the SSD, but Windows does not show any new drive in File Explorer. The technician opens Disk Management and sees no uninitialized disks listed. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

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

Accepted Answer

Change the SATA controller mode in BIOS from RAID to AHCI. When a SATA SSD is detected in BIOS but not in Windows Disk Management, and no uninitialized disks appear, the most likely cause is that the SATA controller mode is set to RAID or Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology) in BIOS, which prevents Windows from recognizing the drive as a standard AHCI device. Changing the mode to AHCI allows the OS to properly enumerate and initialize the SSD, as AHCI is the native driver interface for SATA devices in Windows.

Answer

Check the SATA cable power connection and ensure the drive is receiving power

Answer

Run the format command from a command prompt with administrative privileges

Answer

Update the chipset drivers from the motherboard manufacturer's website

Question 2

A user reports that their desktop computer shuts down unexpectedly while running video editing software, usually after about 15 minutes of heavy rendering. The technician has observed that the CPU fan and case fans spin at high speed just before the shutdown. The technician cleaned all dust from the heatsink and case intakes, but the problem persists. The BIOS reports CPU idle temperature at 35°C (95°F). Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Replace the thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink. The CPU idle temperature of 35°C is normal, but the shutdown after 15 minutes of heavy rendering with high fan speeds indicates the CPU is overheating under load. Since cleaning the dust did not resolve the issue, the most likely cause is degraded thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink, which loses its ability to transfer heat efficiently over time. Replacing the thermal paste restores proper thermal conductivity, allowing the heatsink to dissipate heat effectively and prevent thermal throttling or shutdown.

Answer

Replace the CPU cooler with a larger model

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version

Answer

Test the power supply voltage rails under load with a multimeter

Question 3

A user reports that their desktop computer intermittently loses network connectivity when the overhead fluorescent lights in the office are turned on. The link light on the network interface card (NIC) turns off during these events. The technician replaced the existing unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Cat5e cable with a shielded Cat6 cable, but the problem continues. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT to resolve the issue?

Accepted Answer

Move the Ethernet cable away from the fluorescent light fixtures. The problem is electromagnetic interference (EMI) from the fluorescent lights, which generates a strong magnetic field that induces noise in the Ethernet cable. Even with shielded Cat6 cable, the interference can still couple into the signal if the cable is routed too close to the light fixtures, especially if the shielding is not properly grounded. Moving the cable away from the fixtures physically separates the cable from the EMI source, which is the most direct and effective next step.

Answer

Replace the network switch

Answer

Replace the network interface card (NIC)

Answer

Check the grounding of the electrical system in the building

Question 4

A technician is troubleshooting a workstation in a small office that loses network connectivity sporadically. The technician notices that the problem occurs every time a nearby heavy-duty laser printer starts a print job. The workstation is connected to the same network switch as the printer but is on a different electrical circuit. The technician has already replaced the Ethernet patch cable and verified the workstation’s network settings are correct. The link light on the workstation’s NIC turns off during the outages. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the power supply unit (PSU) output voltage during a printer startup. The sporadic network outage coinciding with the heavy-duty laser printer starting a print job, combined with the link light turning off, strongly indicates a power quality issue. The printer and workstation are on different electrical circuits, but a large inductive load like a laser printer's fuser can cause electrical noise or a voltage sag on the shared mains supply, which can disrupt the workstation's power supply unit (PSU) output. If the PSU cannot maintain stable voltages (e.g., +3.3V, +5V, +12V) during the sag, the NIC may lose power or become unstable, causing the link light to drop. Checking the PSU output voltage during printer startup is the logical next step to confirm or rule out this power-related cause.

Answer

Replace the network interface card (NIC)

Answer

Increase the DHCP lease time on the router

Answer

Disable power management on the network adapter

Question 5

A user reports that their desktop computer shuts down unexpectedly when running resource-intensive applications like video editing. The technician has cleaned the dust from the heatsink and fans, verified that all fans are spinning, and monitored temperatures. The BIOS reports CPU temperature as 35°C idle and 70°C under load, which are within normal specifications. The system has a dedicated graphics card that requires a 6-pin PCIe power connector, and the power supply is a 450W unit that came with the computer case. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The power supply is inadequate for the system's peak power draw. The system shuts down under load despite normal CPU temperatures and clean cooling. A 450W power supply that came with a case is typically a low-quality unit with limited capacity. The dedicated graphics card, especially during video editing, can draw significant power, and the total system peak draw likely exceeds the PSU's capacity, causing it to trip overcurrent protection or shut down.

Answer

The CPU thermal paste has degraded and needs to be reapplied

Answer

The motherboard has a faulty capacitor

Answer

The RAM is incompatible with the motherboard

Question 6

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer in a manufacturing facility. The computer loses network connectivity whenever a nearby floor buffer (motor) is turned on. The link light on the NIC turns off during these events. The technician has already replaced the Ethernet cable with a shielded Cat6 cable and moved the computer to a different electrical circuit. The problem persists. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Install a ferrite choke on the network cable.. The floor buffer's motor generates strong electromagnetic interference (EMI) that couples onto the unshielded network cable, corrupting the signal and causing the NIC's link light to turn off. Installing a ferrite choke on the cable suppresses common-mode EMI by acting as a low-pass filter, blocking high-frequency noise while allowing the data signal to pass. Since the technician already replaced the cable with shielded Cat6 and isolated the electrical circuit, the next logical step is to add a ferrite choke to attenuate the remaining conducted interference.

Answer

Replace the network interface card (NIC).

Answer

Change the switch port configuration from auto-negotiation to 100 Mbps full duplex.

Answer

Disable the NIC's power management settings in the operating system.

Question 7

A user reports that they cannot print to a network printer. Other users on the same network can print to this printer successfully. The technician verifies that the workstation can ping the printer by IP address. The technician checks the print queue on the workstation and sees the job stuck with a 'Spooling' status. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Restart the Print Spooler service on the workstation. The Print Spooler service on the workstation manages the queue of print jobs sent to the printer. A stuck job with a 'Spooling' status indicates that the spooler has stalled or is hung, preventing new jobs from processing. Since the workstation can ping the printer (network connectivity is fine) and other users can print (printer and print server are functional), the issue is isolated to the local spooler. Restarting the Print Spooler service (via `net stop spooler` then `net start spooler` or through Services.msc) clears the stuck job and resets the spooler, which is the quickest and least disruptive first step.

Answer

Delete and re-add the printer on the workstation

Answer

Reboot the network printer

Answer

Check the user's permissions on the print server

Question 8

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer in a machine shop. The computer experiences intermittent network connectivity loss, specifically when a large electric motor on a nearby lathe is started. The link light on the network interface card (NIC) turns off during these events. The technician has already replaced the Ethernet cable with a shielded Cat6a cable and moved the computer to a different electrical circuit on a different breaker panel. The problem persists. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Use a fiber optic Ethernet cable and media converters. The large electric motor generates strong electromagnetic interference (EMI) when started. Shielded Cat6a cable reduces but does not eliminate EMI, and moving to a different circuit does not address radiated interference. Fiber optic cable is completely immune to EMI because it uses light pulses instead of electrical signals, making it the definitive solution for this environment.

Answer

Replace the network interface card with one that supports a higher level of error correction

Answer

Install a ferrite core on the Ethernet cable near the computer

Answer

Replace the power supply unit (PSU) of the computer with a model that has better electrical noise filtering

Question 9

A user reports that their desktop computer's monitor displays a 'No Signal' message. The computer's power LED is lit, and all fans are spinning. The technician has verified that the monitor power is on and that the HDMI cable is securely connected to both the monitor and the computer. The technician also tried a different monitor, which also shows 'No Signal'. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Reseat the RAM. The 'No Signal' message with both monitors failing indicates the issue is likely with the computer's POST (Power-On Self-Test) process. Since the power LED is on and fans spin, the PSU is delivering power, but the system may be failing to initialize memory, preventing video output. Reseating the RAM is a quick, non-invasive step to ensure proper contact with the motherboard slot, as loose or misaligned RAM is a common cause of POST failure that results in no video signal.

Answer

Replace the graphics card

Answer

Check if the monitor input source is set correctly

Answer

Boot into Safe Mode

Question 10

A technician updated the BIOS on a desktop computer to resolve a compatibility issue with a new GPU. After the update, the computer will not boot. The CPU fan spins, the power LED is lit, but there are no POST beeps and no display output. The technician has already removed the CMOS battery for five minutes and reinstalled it, but the problem persists. The motherboard has a USB BIOS Flashback port and a dedicated Flashback button on the rear I/O panel. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Use the USB BIOS Flashback feature to reinstall the previous BIOS version. The correct next step is to use the USB BIOS Flashback feature to reinstall the previous BIOS version. Since the system has power (CPU fan spins, power LED lit) but no POST or display, and removing the CMOS battery did not resolve the issue, the BIOS update itself is likely corrupted or incompatible with the hardware. USB BIOS Flashback allows recovery of the BIOS without a working CPU or RAM by reading a firmware file from a USB drive, making it the appropriate tool to revert to a known-good BIOS version.

Answer

Replace the motherboard

Answer

Remove and reseat the CPU

Answer

Use a multimeter to test the power supply voltages

Question 11

A user reports that their desktop computer shuts down unexpectedly when running video editing software. The technician has already verified that CPU and GPU temperatures are within normal limits under load, the power supply unit is 650W and should be adequate, and all fans are spinning. The system has been stable for two years prior to this issue. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT as the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Inspect the motherboard for bulging or leaking capacitors. Bulging or leaking capacitors on the motherboard can cause intermittent power delivery issues, leading to unexpected shutdowns under load even when CPU/GPU temperatures and PSU wattage appear adequate. Capacitor degradation is a common failure mode in systems that have been stable for years, as electrolytic capacitors dry out or fail over time, especially under sustained thermal stress from video editing workloads.

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version

Answer

Run a memory diagnostic (e.g., MemTest86) to check for RAM errors

Answer

Replace the CPU with a known-good processor

Question 12

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that fails to boot after a power surge during a thunderstorm. The computer's power LED illuminates briefly when the power button is pressed, but then nothing happens. The technician has tested the power supply with a multimeter and it outputs correct voltages. Which of the following components is MOST likely damaged?

Accepted Answer

Motherboard. (Motherboard). Even though the power supply outputs correct voltages under multimeter testing, a power surge can damage the motherboard's voltage regulation modules (VRMs) or power management IC, preventing the system from completing the POST sequence. The brief power LED illumination indicates the PSU is functional, but the motherboard fails to sustain the boot process, which is a classic symptom of motherboard damage from a surge.

Answer

CPU

Answer

RAM

Answer

Hard drive

Question 13

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that will not power on. The motherboard's standby power LED is lit, indicating that the power supply is receiving AC power. When the technician presses the front panel power button, nothing happens. The technician has already tested the power supply by jumping the green wire to a black wire on the 24-pin connector, and the power supply fan spins. Which of the following is the MOST likely faulty component?

Accepted Answer

Power button on the front panel. The standby power LED on the motherboard indicates that the power supply is receiving AC power and is providing +5VSB (standby voltage) to the motherboard. Since jumping the green wire (PS_ON#) to ground (black wire) causes the power supply fan to spin, the power supply itself is functional. The most likely fault is the front panel power button, as it completes the circuit between the motherboard's power switch header pins when pressed; if the button is defective (e.g., stuck open or broken), it will not send the low-voltage signal to the PWR_SW header, preventing the system from powering on.

Answer

Front panel header cable

Answer

Motherboard

Answer

CPU

Question 14

A user reports that their wired desktop computer loses network connectivity intermittently. The technician notices that the link light on the network interface card (NIC) turns off when the computer's CPU is under heavy load, such as during video rendering. The technician has already updated the network driver and replaced the Ethernet cable with a known-good cable. The switch port is active and works with other devices. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

Power supply unit (PSU) is failing to provide adequate power to the NIC under load. When the CPU is under heavy load, the system draws more power from the PSU. If the PSU is failing or underrated, it may not deliver stable voltage to the NIC, causing the NIC to reset or lose link. This explains why the link light turns off specifically during video rendering, not during idle or light use.

Answer

Faulty switch port

Answer

Network congestion

Answer

Incorrect duplex settings

Question 15

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that shuts down unexpectedly when the user runs a 3D rendering application. The technician has already replaced the power supply unit (PSU) with a known-good unit of the same wattage, verified that all cooling fans are working, and checked that CPU and GPU temperatures remain within normal limits during the rendering process. The RAM passes a memory test. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the voltage output from the wall outlet. The technician has already replaced the PSU with a known-good unit of the same wattage, but the issue persists. This suggests that the problem may not be the PSU itself, but rather insufficient or unstable input power from the wall outlet. A voltage drop or brownout condition under load can cause the system to shut down unexpectedly, even if all components are functioning correctly. Checking the voltage output from the wall outlet with a multimeter is the logical next step to rule out an external power quality issue.

Answer

Replace the motherboard

Answer

Update the BIOS firmware

Answer

Replace the graphics card