220-1101 Hardware Practice Test 9 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A technician is assembling a new desktop computer with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU on a B550 motherboard. After installing the CPU, heatsink, RAM, and graphics card, and connecting all power cables, the technician powers on the system. The case fans spin, the motherboard LEDs light up, but there is no display output and no beep codes. The motherboard has a set of diagnostic LEDs; the LED labeled 'CPU' remains lit. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST?

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

Accepted Answer

Verify that the 8-pin CPU power cable is connected to the motherboard. The CPU diagnostic LED remaining lit indicates a problem with the CPU or its power delivery. The most common cause is the 8-pin EPS12V CPU power cable not being connected, which supplies dedicated 12V power to the processor. Without this cable, the CPU cannot initialize, even though case fans and motherboard LEDs receive power from the 24-pin ATX connector.

Answer

Reseat the RAM modules and try different slots

Answer

Reinstall the dedicated graphics card

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to support the CPU

Question 2

A technician is building a new gaming PC. After installing the CPU, cooler, RAM, and graphics card, the system powers on but immediately powers off after about 5 seconds. The technician has verified that the CPU cooler fan is spinning, the power supply is sufficient, and all cables are connected. The motherboard has diagnostic LEDs; none light up before the system shuts down. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

A loose motherboard standoff is causing a short circuit. A loose motherboard standoff can create an unintended electrical connection between the motherboard's solder points and the metal case, causing a short circuit. This short typically triggers the power supply's overcurrent protection (OCP) or short-circuit protection (SCP), which immediately shuts down the system after a brief power-on to prevent damage. The fact that the system powers on for about 5 seconds and then shuts off, with no diagnostic LEDs lighting up, strongly indicates a hardware short rather than a component failure.

Answer

The CPU is overheating

Answer

The power button is stuck

Answer

Insufficient RAM

Question 3

A technician is upgrading the CPU in a desktop computer. The new CPU is listed as compatible with the motherboard on the manufacturer's website. After installing the CPU, heatsink, and connecting the CPU power cable, the system powers on (fans spin, LEDs light) but there is no display and no POST beeps. The motherboard has a set of diagnostic LEDs; the CPU LED is stuck on. The technician has verified that the CPU is installed correctly in the socket with no bent pins. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Update the motherboard's BIOS/UEFI firmware. The CPU is listed as compatible, but the motherboard may require a BIOS/UEFI firmware update to support the new CPU's microcode. The stuck CPU diagnostic LED indicates the motherboard cannot initialize the CPU, which is a classic symptom of a firmware compatibility issue rather than a hardware defect.

Answer

Replace the CPU with a known-good one

Answer

Reseat the RAM modules

Answer

Test the power supply under load

Question 4

A desktop computer will not boot after a thunderstorm. When powered on, the fans spin and LEDs light, but there is no POST, no beep codes, and no display. The technician has already tested the power supply with a multimeter (all voltages within specification), reseated all RAM and expansion cards, and tried a different monitor. On close inspection of the motherboard, the technician notices several electrolytic capacitors near the CPU voltage regulator module are bulging at the top with a brownish substance around their bases. Which of the following should the technician replace to resolve the issue?

Accepted Answer

Replace the motherboard.. The bulging electrolytic capacitors with brownish residue near the CPU voltage regulator module indicate physical failure, likely due to a power surge from the thunderstorm. Damaged capacitors prevent the motherboard from delivering stable voltage to the CPU, causing no POST, no beep codes, and no display even though fans and LEDs receive power. Since the power supply tested within specification and other components have been reseated, the motherboard itself is the faulty component and must be replaced.

Answer

Replace the power supply with a higher-wattage unit.

Answer

Replace the CPU with an identical or compatible model.

Answer

Replace the RAM modules with known-good units.

Question 5

A technician replaced the thermal paste on a desktop computer's CPU. After reassembling the system and powering it on, the computer runs for about 10 seconds and then shuts off. The technician touches the CPU heatsink and finds it is cool to the touch. The CPU fan is spinning. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the shutdown?

Accepted Answer

The heatsink is not making proper contact with the CPU.. The CPU thermal protection mechanism triggers a shutdown when the CPU temperature exceeds its safe operating threshold. Since the heatsink is cool to the touch, it indicates that heat is not being transferred from the CPU to the heatsink, which is a classic symptom of poor contact between the CPU and heatsink. Even though the CPU fan is spinning, without proper thermal transfer, the CPU rapidly overheats and shuts down to prevent damage.

Answer

The CPU fan is not spinning fast enough.

Answer

The power supply unit is failing.

Answer

The motherboard is shorted against the case.

Question 6

A technician is installing a new CPU on a compatible motherboard. After placing the CPU in the socket, the technician installs the heatsink and fan, connects the fan header to the motherboard, and powers on the system. The system powers on (fans spin, LEDs light) but immediately shuts down after about 3 seconds. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Check if the CPU power connector (4/8-pin) is connected to the motherboard. The immediate shutdown after power-on indicates a power delivery issue, most commonly the CPU power connector (4/8-pin EPS12V) not being connected. Without this connector, the CPU receives no power, causing the system to start and then shut down as the motherboard detects the fault. This is the first thing to check because it is a simple, common oversight during CPU installation.

Answer

Check the PSU voltage output with a multimeter

Answer

Check if thermal paste was applied to the CPU

Answer

Check if the RAM is properly seated

Question 7

A technician installs a new SATA SSD into a desktop computer. After connecting the data and power cables, the computer powers on and boots into the operating system from the existing hard drive. However, the new SSD is not detected in File Explorer or Disk Management. The technician has verified that the SATA cable is securely connected and that the power supply is providing power (the SSD does not spin, but it is an SSD). Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Enable the SATA port in the BIOS/UEFI settings. The new SSD is not detected in Disk Management or File Explorer, which indicates the system is not recognizing the drive at the hardware level. Since the technician has already verified cable connections and power, the next logical step is to check whether the SATA port is enabled in the BIOS/UEFI settings. If the port is disabled, the operating system cannot enumerate the drive, and it will not appear in Disk Management or File Explorer.

Answer

Initialize the drive using Disk Management

Answer

Update the SSD firmware using a USB bootable tool

Answer

Replace the SATA cable with a known-good cable

Question 8

A technician is assembling a new custom workstation. After installing the motherboard, CPU, cooler, RAM, and a dedicated graphics card, the system powers on when the power button is pressed. The case fans spin, the CPU cooler fan spins, and LEDs on the motherboard light up. However, there is no display, and the motherboard's DRAM_LED remains lit. The technician has already tried reseating the RAM in different slots and using a single stick, but the issue persists. The CPU and motherboard are both new and listed as compatible. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

The CPU power connector (EPS12V) is not connected. The DRAM_LED remaining lit indicates the motherboard is not detecting or initializing the RAM. Since reseating and single-stick testing did not resolve the issue, the next most likely cause is insufficient power to the CPU memory controller. The EPS12V (4+4 pin) CPU power connector supplies dedicated 12V power to the CPU and its integrated memory controller; without it, the CPU cannot communicate with the RAM, causing the DRAM LED to stay on even though the system appears to power on.

Answer

The GPU power cables are not connected

Answer

The RAM is not supported by the motherboard

Answer

The CMOS battery is dead

Question 9

A technician is installing additional RAM into a desktop computer. The motherboard supports DDR4-3200 up to 64GB. The technician installs two 16GB DDR4-3200 sticks into the correct slots (A2 and B2) as per the motherboard manual. Upon powering on, the computer powers on with fans spinning but there is no display and no POST beeps. The technician removes the new RAM and reinstalls the original RAM (two 8GB sticks), and the computer boots normally. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The RAM was not fully seated into the slots.. The most likely cause is that the new RAM was not fully seated into the slots. The symptoms—fans spinning, no display, no POST beeps—indicate a hardware initialization failure, often due to poor contact between the RAM module and the slot. Since the original RAM works fine in the same slots, the issue is not with the motherboard or BIOS, but with the installation of the new modules. Proper seating requires applying even pressure until the retention clips click into place.

Answer

The new RAM is incompatible with the motherboard.

Answer

The motherboard needs a BIOS update to support the new RAM capacity.

Answer

The RAM was inserted backwards.

Question 10

A technician is building a new computer. After installing the CPU, RAM, and a dedicated graphics card, the system powers on (fans spin, power LED on) but there is no display on the monitor. The monitor is connected to the motherboard's integrated video port using an HDMI cable. The motherboard's diagnostic LEDs show a solid white light on the VGA LED. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Move the monitor cable to the dedicated graphics card's video port.. The system powers on with fans spinning and a VGA LED lit, indicating the motherboard is not detecting a display output. Since a dedicated graphics card is installed, many motherboards automatically disable the integrated video ports. Moving the monitor cable to the dedicated graphics card's video port is the correct first step to establish a display connection.

Answer

Replace the graphics card.

Answer

Reseat the CPU.

Answer

Update the motherboard's BIOS to the latest version.

Question 11

A technician is assembling a new gaming PC with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and a B550 motherboard. After installing the CPU, two DDR4-3600 RAM sticks in slots A2 and B2 (as per manual), and a dedicated GPU, the system powers on but there is no display. The motherboard's CPU debug LED remains lit. The technician has reseated the CPU and checked for bent pins (none found). The PSU is a known-good 650W unit and all fans spin. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

B. The motherboard's BIOS needs to be updated to support the Ryzen 5 5600X.. The Ryzen 5 5600X is based on the Zen 3 architecture, which requires a BIOS version that supports AGESA ComboV2 1.1.0.0 or later. B550 motherboards were originally released with BIOS versions that only supported Zen 2 (Ryzen 3000 series) CPUs. Without a BIOS update, the motherboard cannot initialize the CPU, causing the CPU debug LED to stay lit and preventing any display output, even though all other components appear powered.

Answer

A. The RAM is not on the motherboard's Qualified Vendor List (QVL).

Answer

C. The CPU cooler is mounted too tightly, causing pressure on the socket.

Answer

D. The PCIe power cable for the graphics card is not connected.

Question 12

A technician is building a new gaming PC with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and a B550 motherboard. The technician installs two 16GB DDR4-3200 RAM modules into the two blue slots (A1 and A2) as labeled on the motherboard. The system powers on, case fans spin, and the CPU fan spins, but there is no display and the motherboard's DRAM_LED remains lit. The technician has previously verified that the RAM modules are compatible with the motherboard. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST to resolve the issue?

Accepted Answer

Reseat the RAM modules into slots A2 and B2 as recommended by the motherboard manual.. The B550 motherboard manual typically specifies that for dual-channel memory configuration with two modules, the modules should be installed in slots A2 and B2 (the second and fourth slots from the CPU). Installing both modules in the same channel (A1 and A2) forces single-channel mode and can cause the system to fail to POST, as the memory controller may not recognize the configuration. Reseating the RAM into the correct slots (A2 and B2) is the first logical step before attempting more invasive troubleshooting like BIOS updates or component replacement.

Answer

Replace the RAM modules with a known-good set of DDR4-3600 modules.

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version.

Answer

Test each RAM module individually in slot A1 only.

Question 13

A technician is building a custom workstation for 3D rendering. The components include an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU, a B550 motherboard (box states 'AMD Ryzen 3000 desktop ready'), two 16GB DDR4-3600 modules (on the QVL), and a dedicated GPU. The system powers on, case fans spin, and the CPU fan spins, but the motherboard’s CPU debug LED remains lit and there is no display. The technician has reseated the CPU and found no bent pins. The RAM and GPU have been verified working in another system. The PSU is a known-good 750W unit. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Upgrade the motherboard BIOS using the BIOS flashback feature. The B550 motherboard is labeled 'AMD Ryzen 3000 desktop ready,' meaning its factory BIOS supports Ryzen 3000 CPUs but not Ryzen 5000 (Vermeer) CPUs like the Ryzen 7 5800X. The CPU debug LED staying lit indicates the motherboard cannot initialize the CPU, which is a classic symptom of an incompatible BIOS version. Using the BIOS flashback feature allows the technician to update the BIOS without a compatible CPU installed, enabling support for the Ryzen 5000 series.

Answer

Replace the power supply with a higher-wattage unit

Answer

Test the system with a known-working Ryzen 3000 CPU

Answer

Replace the motherboard with a newer model that officially supports Ryzen 5000

Question 14

A technician installs a new M.2 NVMe SSD in a desktop computer that previously only had a SATA HDD and boots from it. After installation, the BIOS does not list the M.2 drive in the storage devices or boot menu. The technician has already reseated the M.2 drive. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

The M.2 slot is disabled in the BIOS settings. The BIOS not listing the M.2 drive after reseating indicates the slot may be disabled in the BIOS settings. Many motherboards have a dedicated M.2 slot enable/disable option, often found under 'Peripherals' or 'Onboard Devices Configuration'. Disabling the slot prevents the BIOS from detecting the drive entirely, even if the drive is properly seated and powered.

Answer

The M.2 drive is not compatible with the motherboard

Answer

The system needs a BIOS update

Answer

The M.2 drive is not partitioned or formatted

Question 15

A technician is building a new desktop computer. After installing the motherboard, CPU, heatsink, RAM, and power supply, the computer powers on for a few seconds and then shuts down immediately. The technician has checked all power connections and they are secure. What is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The CPU cooler is not installed correctly or the thermal paste is absent.. The system powers on briefly and then shuts down, which is a classic symptom of thermal overload protection. If the CPU cooler is not installed correctly or thermal paste is missing, the CPU temperature skyrockets within seconds, triggering the motherboard's thermal protection circuit to shut down the system to prevent damage. This is the most likely cause given that all power connections are secure.

Answer

The CPU is not compatible with the motherboard.

Answer

The RAM is not seated properly.

Answer

The power supply is defective.