220-1101 Hardware Practice Test 8 — 15 Questions

Question 1

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 2

A technician is assembling a new desktop computer. After installing the motherboard, CPU, heatsink, RAM, and power supply, the technician presses the power button but nothing happens. No lights turn on, no fans spin. The power supply is brand new and known to be compatible. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST?

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 3

A technician is building a high-performance workstation for video editing. The system uses an Intel Core i9-13900K CPU, a Z790 motherboard, and 64GB DDR5 RAM. After assembly, the system powers on, all fans spin, but there is no POST and no display output. The motherboard's CPU debug LED is lit. The technician has reseated the CPU and verified no bent pins, and tested the power supply with a multimeter (voltages within spec). The RAM is listed on the motherboard's QVL. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The CPU is not supported by the BIOS version. The Intel Core i9-13900K (Raptor Lake) requires a BIOS version that supports 13th-gen CPUs. Many Z790 motherboards shipped with an initial BIOS that only supported 12th-gen (Alder Lake) processors. The CPU debug LED lit with no POST, despite correct seating and known-good PSU voltages, strongly indicates a BIOS incompatibility — the motherboard cannot initialize the CPU without the proper microcode update.

Answer

The RAM is not seated properly

Answer

The power supply is insufficient

Answer

The GPU is faulty

Question 4

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 5

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 6

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 7

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 8

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. Option B is correct because 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 9

A technician installs a new M.2 NVMe SSD into an appropriate M.2 slot on a desktop motherboard. After booting the system, the BIOS does not detect the SSD. The SSD is known to work in another computer. The technician has verified the SSD is fully inserted and secured with the mounting screw. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

A SATA port that shares bandwidth with the M.2 slot has a drive connected, causing the M.2 slot to be disabled.. The most likely cause is that a SATA port sharing bandwidth with the M.2 slot has a drive connected, which disables the M.2 slot. Many desktop motherboards share PCIe lanes between specific SATA ports and the M.2 slot; when a SATA device is connected to the shared port, the motherboard firmware automatically disables the M.2 slot to prevent resource conflicts. Since the SSD works in another computer and is properly seated, the issue is a configuration conflict rather than a hardware failure.

Answer

The M.2 slot is disabled in the BIOS settings.

Answer

The power supply does not provide enough wattage for the NVMe SSD.

Answer

The CPU does not support NVMe drives.

Question 10

A technician is assembling a new desktop computer. After connecting all components, the system powers on and the CPU fan spins, but none of the case fans spin. The technician has verified that the case fans are connected to the motherboard's 4-pin fan headers. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the case fans not spinning?

Accepted Answer

The motherboard's fan headers are set to a PWM mode that is incompatible with the fans.. The case fans are connected to 4-pin headers, but if the motherboard's fan headers are configured for PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) mode and the fans are DC (voltage-controlled) fans, the PWM signal will not control the fan speed. Many 4-pin headers default to PWM mode, and if the fans lack a PWM control IC, they will not receive the necessary voltage modulation to start spinning. This is the most likely cause because the CPU fan spins (indicating power is present) but the case fans do not, pointing to a control signal mismatch rather than a power or hardware failure.

Answer

The power supply unit is not providing enough voltage for the fans.

Answer

The case fans are defective and need to be replaced.

Answer

The motherboard BIOS needs to be updated to support the fans.

Question 11

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 12

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 13

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 14

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

Question 15

A technician is building a new PC using an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and an Asus TUF GAMING B550-PLUS motherboard. When powering on, the motherboard's Q-LED indicator shows a solid red light for the CPU. The CPU fan spins, and all other fans and LEDs appear normal. The technician has carefully reseated the CPU and verified there are no bent pins. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the CPU error light?

Accepted Answer

The BIOS version is too old to support the CPU. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is based on the Zen 3 architecture, which requires a BIOS version that supports Vermeer CPUs. The Asus TUF GAMING B550-PLUS motherboard may ship with an older BIOS that only supports Zen 2 (Matisse) processors. A solid red CPU Q-LED indicates the motherboard cannot initialize the CPU, typically due to an incompatible BIOS version. Updating the BIOS to a version that includes support for Ryzen 5000 series CPUs resolves this issue.

Answer

The CPU is not on the motherboard's Qualified Vendor List (QVL)

Answer

The power supply unit is insufficient for the CPU

Answer

The CPU cooler is not making proper contact with the CPU