220-1101 Hardware Practice Test 3 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A technician is replacing a failed power supply in a desktop computer. The new power supply is the same form factor and wattage as the original. After installing it, the computer powers on for a few seconds then shuts down. The technician has already verified that all power connectors are securely attached and that the power supply passes the paperclip test when disconnected from the motherboard. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

The CPU fan is connected to the correct header.. The symptom of powering on for a few seconds then shutting down is classic for a CPU thermal or fan failure protection mechanism. Even though the power supply passes the paperclip test, the motherboard's CPU fan header must detect a tachometer signal from the fan; if the fan is connected to a different header (e.g., chassis fan), the motherboard may assume the CPU fan has failed and trigger an immediate shutdown to prevent overheating.

Answer

The power supply voltage selector switch.

Answer

The motherboard's capacitors for bulging.

Answer

The RAM modules are seated properly.

Question 2

A technician installs two identical 8 GB DDR4 RAM modules into a desktop motherboard that has four slots. The system powers on, but the BIOS reports only 8 GB of total memory. The technician has verified that both modules are firmly seated. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

One of the RAM modules is not properly seated in its slot. Option B is correct because if one of the two 8 GB modules is not properly seated, the system will only detect the module that is making full contact. The BIOS reports total memory based on successfully initialized modules; a loose module can cause the memory controller to fail to recognize it, resulting in only 8 GB being reported even though both modules are physically present.

Answer

The modules are not installed in the correct slots for dual-channel operation

Answer

The motherboard does not support 16 GB of RAM

Answer

The XMP profile needs to be enabled to use the full capacity

Question 3

A technician is installing a new CPU on a motherboard. The CPU is properly oriented and seated, but the retention arm will not close. What is the MOST likely issue?

Accepted Answer

Bent pins on the motherboard. If the CPU is properly oriented and seated but the retention arm will not close, the most likely cause is bent pins on the motherboard (LGA socket) or on the CPU (PGA socket). Bent pins prevent the CPU from sitting flush, creating mechanical interference that stops the arm from latching. This is a common issue when handling the CPU or socket carelessly.

Answer

Wrong CPU socket type

Answer

Too much thermal paste

Answer

CPU not aligned with the socket key

Question 4

A technician is building a new gaming PC. After installing all components, the system powers on but there is no display output. The motherboard has no onboard video, and the dedicated GPU fans spin. The monitor is connected to the GPU and is known to work. What should the technician check FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Verify the GPU power cables are connected. The GPU fans spinning indicates the card is receiving power through the PCIe slot, but the dedicated 6- or 8-pin PCIe power cables from the PSU may be missing or loose. Without these supplementary cables, the GPU cannot deliver enough power to initialize the display output, even though the fans spin due to minimal power from the slot. This is the most common oversight when building a gaming PC, so verifying the GPU power cables is the logical first step.

Answer

Replace the GPU

Answer

Reseat the CPU

Answer

Update the BIOS

Question 5

A technician builds a new desktop computer. The system powers on, all fans spin, and case LEDs light up, but the monitor displays 'No Signal'. The motherboard has no integrated graphics. The dedicated GPU is installed and its fans spin. The monitor is connected to the GPU and is known to work. The technician has already reseated the RAM, GPU, and all power cables. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

The GPU's PCIe power connector. The correct answer is A because the GPU's PCIe power connector may not be fully seated or the PSU cable may be faulty. Even though the GPU fans spin, the card can draw enough power from the PCIe slot for fan operation but insufficient power for the GPU core to initialize and output video. This is a common issue when the auxiliary 6- or 8-pin PCIe power cables are loose or not connected at all.

Answer

The power supply unit's wattage rating

Answer

The motherboard's BIOS version

Answer

The CPU's compatibility

Question 6

A technician installs a new M.2 NVMe SSD into a desktop computer. The system boots into Windows, and the SSD is detected in the BIOS/UEFI. However, the drive does not appear in File Explorer. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST to resolve this issue?

Accepted Answer

Initialize the disk in Disk Management. The SSD is detected in the BIOS/UEFI, which confirms the hardware is recognized and the M.2 slot is enabled. The drive does not appear in File Explorer because Windows requires the disk to be initialized (with a partition table like GPT or MBR) and have a volume created before it can be assigned a drive letter and appear in File Explorer. The first step is to open Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) and initialize the disk, which writes a protective partition table and makes the disk available for partitioning and formatting.

Answer

Enable the M.2 slot in the BIOS settings

Answer

Update the chipset drivers

Answer

Format the drive using the command prompt

Question 7

A technician is building a new workstation with a high-end graphics card. The power supply is 650W 80+ Gold. The system boots and runs normally for basic tasks, but when the user launches a 3D rendering application, the computer shuts down immediately. The technician checks the GPU temperature and it stays below 70°C. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The power supply is insufficient for the GPU under load.. The 650W 80+ Gold power supply is likely insufficient to handle the peak power draw of a high-end graphics card under full 3D rendering load. When the GPU transitions from idle to maximum load, it can draw significantly more current, causing the PSU to trip its overcurrent protection or drop voltage below the ATX specification, resulting in an immediate shutdown. The fact that the system works for basic tasks but fails under load points directly to a power delivery issue, not a thermal or driver problem.

Answer

The GPU drivers are outdated.

Answer

The motherboard BIOS needs an update for the GPU.

Answer

The CPU is overheating.

Question 8

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that will not boot. The motherboard has a 7-segment debug LED that displays code '55'. According to the motherboard manual, this code indicates a memory initialization error. The technician has already reseated the RAM, tested each stick individually in different slots, and replaced the RAM modules with known good ones. The computer still displays the same code. Which of the following components is the MOST likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

The CPU is faulty or has bent pins. The motherboard debug LED code '55' specifically indicates a memory initialization error. Since the technician has already reseated, swapped slots, and replaced the RAM with known good modules, the issue is not with the RAM itself. The memory controller is integrated into the CPU (since Intel Nehalem and AMD K8), so a faulty CPU or bent pins on the CPU/socket can prevent the memory controller from initializing RAM, causing this persistent code.

Answer

The motherboard is defective

Answer

The power supply is not delivering adequate voltage to the RAM slots

Answer

The CMOS battery needs to be replaced

Question 9

A technician is troubleshooting a workstation that emits one long beep followed by two short beeps during POST. The monitor shows no display. The technician has tested the dedicated GPU in another system where it worked, and has reseated all power cables and RAM. Which of the following should the technician try NEXT?

Accepted Answer

C. Clear the CMOS. The one long beep followed by two short beeps during POST is a standard AMI BIOS code indicating a video adapter failure. Since the dedicated GPU was tested and works in another system, and RAM has been reseated, the issue is likely a corrupted or misconfigured BIOS/UEFI setting (e.g., incorrect video initialization order or a stuck memory hole). Clearing the CMOS resets these settings to factory defaults, which can resolve the POST error without replacing hardware.

Answer

A. Replace the motherboard

Answer

B. Replace the power supply

Answer

D. Test the RAM in another system

Question 10

A technician is building a new desktop computer. After installing a SATA SSD, the system powers on but the drive does not appear in the BIOS. The SATA data cable is securely connected to both the drive and the motherboard. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Verify the SATA power cable is connected. The SATA SSD requires both a data cable and a power cable to function. Since the data cable is confirmed secure, the most likely cause is that the SATA power cable from the power supply is not connected to the drive, which would prevent the drive from powering on and being detected in the BIOS. This is the simplest and most common oversight when building a new system.

Answer

Replace the SATA data cable

Answer

Change the SATA port in the BIOS from AHCI to IDE

Answer

Format the drive using another computer

Question 11

A technician is upgrading a desktop computer with a new graphics card that requires a 6-pin PCIe power connector. The existing power supply has sufficient wattage but does not have any PCIe power cables. Which of the following should the technician do to BEST resolve this issue?

Accepted Answer

Replace the power supply with one that has PCIe power cables. The correct answer is B because the existing power supply lacks PCIe power cables, and using adapters (Molex or SATA) can overload the power supply's 12V rail or cause instability due to inadequate current delivery. Replacing the power supply with one that has native PCIe connectors ensures proper power delivery and safety, as PCIe connectors are rated for up to 75W per 6-pin cable, while adapters may not handle sustained loads reliably.

Answer

Use a Molex-to-PCIe power adapter

Answer

Use a SATA-to-PCIe power adapter

Answer

Leave the PCIe power connector unplugged and install the card

Question 12

A technician is building a new desktop computer. After installing an M.2 NVMe SSD, the system powers on, but the drive does not appear in the BIOS/UEFI boot device list. The technician has verified that the SSD is properly seated in the M.2 slot. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Verify that the M.2 slot supports NVMe protocol. The M.2 slot on a motherboard can support either SATA or NVMe (PCIe) protocol, but not all slots support both. Since the technician has verified the SSD is properly seated, the next logical step is to confirm that the specific M.2 slot being used is compatible with NVMe protocol. If the slot only supports SATA, an NVMe drive will not be detected regardless of proper installation.

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version

Answer

Enable the M.2 slot in the BIOS settings

Answer

Reseat the SSD in a different M.2 slot if available

Question 13

A technician builds a new desktop computer. When starting the system for the first time, the screen displays a 'CPU Fan Error' message and the system prompts to press F1 to continue. The technician checks the CPU cooler fan and observes that it is spinning. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

The CPU fan is connected to a case fan header instead of the CPU fan header. The 'CPU Fan Error' message is triggered when the motherboard does not detect a fan connected to the dedicated CPU fan header (usually labeled CPU_FAN). Even if the fan is spinning, connecting it to a case fan header (SYS_FAN or CHA_FAN) will not satisfy the CPU fan monitoring circuit, as the BIOS specifically polls the CPU_FAN header for a tachometer signal. This is the most likely cause given the fan is physically operational.

Answer

The CPU thermal paste was applied insufficiently

Answer

The power supply is not providing enough power to the fan

Answer

The CPU heatsink is not properly seated on the CPU

Question 14

A technician replaces a failed power supply in a desktop computer. After connecting all components, the computer does not power on. The technician verifies the power supply's AC cord is plugged in and the wall outlet is working. The motherboard has a standby LED that is lit. When the technician presses the power button, no fans spin and no other LEDs light up. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Inspect the front panel header connections on the motherboard. The standby LED on the motherboard indicates that the power supply is receiving AC power and is providing standby voltage to the motherboard. Since pressing the power button yields no response (no fans, no LEDs), the most likely cause is a faulty connection between the power button and the motherboard. The front panel header, which includes the power switch pins, is often miswired or loose, preventing the signal from reaching the motherboard to initiate the power-on sequence.

Answer

Replace the power supply with a known-good unit

Answer

Reset the CMOS by removing the battery

Answer

Replace the motherboard

Question 15

A technician is building a new desktop computer. After installing the CPU, RAM, and power supply, the system powers on and fans spin, but the monitor displays 'No Signal'. The technician has verified the monitor and cable work with another computer. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Ensure the CPU power connector is plugged in. The CPU power connector (typically a 4+4 pin 12V EPS connector) provides dedicated power to the CPU. Without it, the CPU cannot initialize, so the system may power on and spin fans but fail to POST, resulting in a 'No Signal' display. Since the monitor and cable are verified working, the most logical first check is this power connection.

Answer

Replace the RAM with known good modules

Answer

Reseat the GPU in its slot

Answer

Check the BIOS settings for video output