220-1101 Hardware Practice Test 10 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A technician is assembling a new desktop computer. After installing the CPU, RAM, motherboard, and power supply, the system powers on for approximately 3 seconds and then shuts off completely. The CPU fan begins to spin and then stops along with the system. The technician rechecks all connections and they appear secure. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

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

Accepted Answer

The CPU power connector (EPS12V) is not fully inserted. The EPS12V connector supplies dedicated power to the CPU. If it is not fully inserted, the CPU will not receive power, causing the system to start briefly (as other components power up) and then shut down when the CPU fails to initialize. This matches the symptom of the CPU fan spinning and then stopping with the system.

Answer

The CPU is not compatible with the motherboard BIOS version

Answer

The motherboard is not properly grounded to the case

Answer

The power supply unit (PSU) has insufficient wattage

Question 2

A technician is upgrading a desktop computer by installing a new high-end graphics card that requires two 8-pin PCIe power connectors. The existing power supply unit (PSU) is a 500W unit with only one 8-pin connector. The technician uses a Y-splitter adapter to power both connectors on the GPU from the single 8-pin rail. After powering on, the computer boots but the display remains blank, and the GPU's fans do not spin. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The power supply does not provide enough wattage for the GPU. The most likely cause is that the 500W power supply does not provide enough wattage for the new high-end graphics card. Even though the Y-splitter adapter allows two physical connections, it draws power from a single 8-pin rail, which is limited to 150W (plus 75W from the PCIe slot). A high-end GPU typically requires 250W or more, and the total system load may exceed the PSU's capacity, causing the GPU to fail to initialize and its fans not to spin.

Answer

The GPU is not properly seated in the PCIe slot

Answer

The Y-splitter adapter is defective

Answer

The monitor cable is not correctly connected

Question 3

A technician is replacing a failed power supply in a desktop computer. After installing the new power supply unit (PSU), the computer powers on for a few seconds and then shuts down completely. The technician has verified all cable connections are secure. The motherboard requires an 8-pin CPU power connector and a 24-pin main connector. The new PSU provides a 4+4 pin CPU cable and a 20+4 pin main cable. The technician connected the 4+4 pin cable by combining the two halves and inserting them into the motherboard's 8-pin CPU power socket. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Verify the 4+4 pin CPU cable is fully seated and the latch clicks. The 4+4 pin CPU cable must be fully seated and latched to ensure proper electrical contact. If the connector is not fully inserted, the system may start briefly due to initial power but then shut down when the CPU draws more current, triggering overcurrent protection or a voltage drop. The fact that the system powers on for a few seconds and then shuts down is a classic symptom of a loose or improperly seated CPU power connector.

Answer

Replace the PSU with a higher wattage unit

Answer

Check if the CPU fan is connected to the correct header

Answer

Reset the BIOS by removing the CMOS battery

Question 4

A technician is building a new desktop computer with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and a B450 chipset motherboard. The system powers on, case fans spin, and the CPU fan spins, but there is no display output and no POST beeps. The motherboard's CPU debug LED remains lit. The technician has already reseated the CPU (no bent pins), verified the RAM is compatible and seated correctly, and tested the power supply with a multimeter (voltages within spec). Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The B450 motherboard requires a BIOS update to be compatible with the Ryzen 5 5600X.. The Ryzen 5 5600X is based on the Zen 3 architecture, while B450 motherboards were originally designed for Zen+ and Zen 2 CPUs. Without a BIOS update that includes AGESA firmware supporting Vermeer (Zen 3), the motherboard cannot initialize the CPU, causing the CPU debug LED to stay lit and preventing POST. The technician has already verified power, RAM, and CPU seating, making an incompatible BIOS the most likely cause.

Answer

The CPU is not receiving sufficient voltage from the power supply.

Answer

The CPU is defective and needs to be replaced.

Answer

The RAM is not installed in the correct slots for dual-channel memory.

Question 5

A technician is building a new desktop computer using an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and a B450 chipset motherboard. After assembling all components, the system powers on. The case fans and CPU fan spin, but there is no display output. The motherboard's CPU debug LED remains lit. The technician has already reseated the CPU (no bent pins), verified the RAM is seated correctly, and tested the power supply with a multimeter (voltages within specification). The GPU works in another system. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to a version that supports Ryzen 5000 series processors. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a Vermeer (Zen 3) processor, while B450 motherboards originally launched with support for Ryzen 2000 (Pinnacle Ridge) and Ryzen 3000 (Matisse) CPUs. A BIOS update is required to add the AGESA microcode that enables Zen 3 support. The CPU debug LED staying lit indicates the motherboard cannot initialize the CPU, which is the classic symptom of an incompatible BIOS version.

Answer

Replace the power supply unit with a higher wattage model

Answer

Reseat the GPU in a different PCIe slot

Answer

Replace the CMOS battery and clear the CMOS

Question 6

A technician is assembling a new desktop computer. After installing the CPU, RAM, motherboard, and power supply, the system powers on for approximately 3 seconds and then shuts off completely. The CPU fan begins to spin and then stops along with the system. The technician rechecks all connections and they appear secure. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

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

Accepted Answer

Verify that the power switch cable from the front panel is connected to the correct motherboard header pins. When a brand-new desktop shows no signs of power (no lights, no fans), the most logical first step is to verify the front panel power switch connection. The power button on the case is connected to the motherboard via a small two-wire cable that must be attached to the correct header pins (typically labeled PWR_SW or PWR_BTN). If this cable is not connected or is on the wrong pins, pressing the button will not complete the circuit to signal the power supply to turn on, even though all other components are properly installed.

Answer

Remove and reseat the CPU to ensure it is properly installed

Answer

Remove and reseat the RAM modules in the correct slots

Answer

Test the power supply by using a paperclip to short the green and black wires on the 24-pin connector

Question 7

A technician is upgrading a desktop computer with a new dedicated graphics card. After installation, the computer powers on, the GPU fans spin, but the monitor displays a 'No Signal' message. The monitor is known to be working, and the technician has confirmed the card is properly seated in the PCIe x16 slot and the PCIe power connectors are securely attached. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Verify the display cable is connected to the GPU and not the motherboard. The most common reason for a 'No Signal' message after installing a dedicated GPU is that the display cable is still connected to the motherboard's integrated graphics port instead of the new GPU's output ports. The motherboard's video outputs are typically disabled when a discrete GPU is detected, so the monitor receives no signal from that source. Since the GPU fans spin and power connections are secure, the next logical step is to verify the physical display connection.

Answer

Replace the GPU in a different PCIe slot

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version

Answer

Replace the power supply with a higher wattage unit

Question 8

A technician installs a new high-end graphics card into a desktop computer. The card requires two 8-pin PCIe power connectors. The existing power supply unit (PSU) has two 6+2-pin PCIe cables, both of which are connected properly. After installation, the computer powers on, all fans spin (including the GPU fans), but the monitor shows a 'No Signal' message. The technician has verified that the card is seated fully in the PCIe x16 slot, the monitor is connected to the GPU's display output, and the monitor works with another computer. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The power supply unit (PSU) does not have enough total wattage to power the GPU. The GPU requires two 8-pin PCIe power connectors, each capable of delivering up to 150W. The 6+2-pin cables are physically compatible and properly connected, but the PSU may lack sufficient total wattage or adequate amperage on the +12V rail to meet the GPU's peak power demands. When the GPU attempts to draw more power than the PSU can supply, it may fail to initialize properly, resulting in a 'No Signal' output even though fans spin (low-power components still receive enough power).

Answer

The motherboard's PCIe slot is disabled in BIOS

Answer

The graphics card is defective

Answer

The display driver is not installed

Question 9

A technician is installing a new SATA SSD into a desktop computer. After connecting the SATA data cable and SATA power cable, the technician powers on the system. The system boots normally from the existing OS drive, but the new SSD is not listed in the BIOS boot menu or in the operating system's Disk Management utility. The technician has verified that the SATA data and power cables are securely connected and that the SSD is known to work from another system. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The SATA controller is disabled in the BIOS.. The new SSD is not detected in the BIOS boot menu or Disk Management, even though it is known to work and cables are secure. This indicates the system cannot communicate with the drive at the hardware level. The most likely cause is that the SATA controller is disabled in the BIOS, which prevents the motherboard from enumerating any SATA devices, including the SSD.

Answer

The SSD is not formatted with a file system.

Answer

The motherboard's chipset drivers are missing.

Answer

The power supply unit (PSU) is underpowered.

Question 10

A technician upgrades the RAM in a desktop computer from 4 GB to 8 GB by installing a new 8 GB stick. After installation, the system boots normally, but the operating system reports only 4 GB of RAM. The technician has reseated the RAM stick multiple times and verified it is fully inserted. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

The operating system is 32-bit. A 32-bit operating system has a 4 GB memory address space limit due to the 32-bit address bus, which can only address 2^32 bytes (approximately 4 GB). Even if 8 GB of physical RAM is installed, the OS cannot map or use more than 4 GB, so it reports only 4 GB. This is a known limitation of 32-bit Windows editions, such as Windows 10 32-bit.

Answer

The new RAM stick is faulty

Answer

The motherboard BIOS has a setting limiting memory to 4 GB

Answer

The new RAM stick is not compatible with the motherboard

Question 11

A technician is upgrading a desktop computer's power supply to support a new graphics card. The new PSU has a 24-pin main connector and two 8-pin PCIe power cables. However, the motherboard requires an 8-pin CPU power connector, and the PSU does not have any 4+4 pin or 8-pin CPU cable. Which of the following is the BEST solution?

Accepted Answer

B) Purchase a power supply that includes the required 8-pin CPU power cable. The motherboard’s 8-pin CPU power connector (EPS12V) and the PCIe power connector deliver different voltages and pinouts. PCIe cables supply +12V on three pins and ground on five, while an 8-pin CPU cable supplies +12V on four pins and ground on four. Forcing a PCIe cable into the CPU header can cause a short circuit or damage the motherboard. The only safe solution is to purchase a power supply that includes the dedicated 8-pin CPU cable.

Answer

A) Use one of the PCIe power cables to power the CPU connector

Answer

C) Use a molex to 8-pin CPU adapter

Answer

D) The CPU will function correctly without the 8-pin power connector

Question 12

A technician is installing additional RAM into a desktop computer. After installation, the computer powers on but emits a series of long beeps and does not display any video. The technician verifies that the new RAM module is the correct type (DDR4) for the motherboard and that it is listed on the motherboard's QVL. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the beep code?

Accepted Answer

The RAM module is not fully seated in the DIMM slot. The series of long beeps is a standard BIOS POST (Power-On Self-Test) code indicating a memory error. The most common cause after installing RAM is that the module is not fully seated in the DIMM slot, causing poor electrical contact. Even if the RAM is the correct type and on the QVL, an incomplete insertion will prevent the system from initializing memory and displaying video.

Answer

The RAM frequency is too high for the CPU's memory controller

Answer

The RAM module is installed in the wrong memory channel

Answer

The RAM voltage is set too low in the BIOS

Question 13

A technician builds a high-performance workstation for video editing. The motherboard supports DDR4 RAM up to 3200 MHz, and the CPU's official memory controller supports DDR4 up to 2933 MHz. The technician installs two 16 GB sticks rated at 3600 MHz. The system boots, but the memory speed is only 2133 MHz. The technician has enabled XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) in the BIOS. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason the RAM is not running at its rated speed?

Accepted Answer

The CPU's memory controller does not support 3600 MHz natively and may not be stable at that overclocked speed. The CPU's official memory controller supports DDR4 up to 2933 MHz natively. The installed RAM is rated at 3600 MHz, which exceeds this specification. Enabling XMP attempts to overclock the memory beyond the CPU's native support, but the system may fall back to a safe default speed (2133 MHz) if the CPU's integrated memory controller (IMC) cannot reliably handle the overclocked frequency. This is the most likely reason the RAM is running at 2133 MHz instead of its rated speed.

Answer

The motherboard only supports a maximum memory speed of 2133 MHz

Answer

The RAM modules are not fully seated in the slots

Answer

The power supply unit (PSU) does not provide enough wattage for the high-speed RAM

Question 14

A technician installs a new CPU and cooler in a desktop computer. After powering on, the system starts but shuts down abruptly after about 10 seconds. The technician has verified that the CPU cooler fan is spinning and the CPU is correctly seated in the socket. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the application of thermal paste between the CPU and cooler. The system shutting down after 10 seconds, despite the CPU cooler fan spinning and the CPU being seated correctly, strongly indicates thermal overload protection (TjMax) is being triggered. The most likely cause is insufficient or improperly applied thermal paste, which prevents effective heat transfer from the CPU die to the cooler's cold plate, causing the CPU to rapidly reach critical temperature and initiate an emergency shutdown.

Answer

Verify that the power supply voltage switch is set correctly for the local mains voltage

Answer

Replace the CMOS battery on the motherboard

Answer

Test the RAM modules in different slots

Question 15

A technician is building a new desktop PC from components. After installing the motherboard, CPU, RAM, and power supply, the technician needs to connect the front panel power switch to the motherboard. Which of the following motherboard headers should the technician connect the power switch cable to?

Accepted Answer

PWR_BTN (Power Button) or POWER_SW header. The front panel power switch cable must be connected to the motherboard header labeled PWR_BTN or POWER_SW. This header completes a momentary contact circuit that signals the power supply to turn on when the switch is pressed, initiating the system boot sequence.

Answer

PWR_LED (Power LED) header

Answer

RESET (Reset Button) header

Answer

SPEAKER header