SK0-005 Timed Practice Test 4 — 10 Questions

Question 1

A server administrator is troubleshooting a physical server that randomly crashes once or twice a week. The administrator has already verified that the power supply is functioning correctly and has checked the event logs for critical errors. According to standard troubleshooting methodology, what should the administrator do next?

Accepted Answer

Run memory diagnostics (e.g., MemTest86) to test RAM.. Option B is correct because random crashes often indicate a memory issue, and running memory diagnostics is a logical next step after verifying power and logs. Option A is premature because replacing the CPU is more invasive and less likely to resolve random crashes. Option C is a last resort after hardware issues are ruled out. Option D is irrelevant to random crashes.

Answer

Check network cables and switch connections.

Answer

Reinstall the operating system.

Answer

Replace the CPU with a known good one.

Question 2

A technician is troubleshooting a server that fails to boot after a power outage. The server displays a "Non-system disk or disk error" message. Which action should the technician take first?

Accepted Answer

Check the boot order in the BIOS configuration.. The error indicates that the server cannot find a bootable device. The most common cause after a power outage is a change in the BIOS boot order. Checking the boot order is a quick, non-invasive first step. Replacing the drive or reseating cables may be necessary if boot order is correct, but starting with boot order is best.

Answer

Run a filesystem check utility from a recovery disk.

Answer

Replace the hard drive with a known good one.

Answer

Reseat the hard drive data and power cables.

Question 3

A server administrator notices that a database server is responding slowly to queries. The CPU utilization is at 30%, memory at 40%, and disk latency is normal. Which of the following should the administrator check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Network bandwidth utilization. Network bandwidth utilization should be checked next because high network usage can cause slow responses even when CPU, memory, and disk are fine.

Answer

Power supply status

Answer

Database index fragmentation

Answer

Operating system patch level

Question 4

A server in a virtualized environment is experiencing VM performance degradation. The host server has adequate resources. The hypervisor logs show excessive 'ready' time for the CPU. Which of the following is the BEST action to resolve this issue?

Accepted Answer

Reduce the number of VMs on the host. Reducing the number of VMs on the host reduces contention for CPU resources, decreasing ready time.

Answer

Disable hyper-threading on the host

Answer

Increase the number of vCPUs for the VM

Answer

Migrate the VM to a different host

Question 5

Refer to the exhibit. A technician is troubleshooting a server that is experiencing data corruption. What is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Faulty RAID controller. Event ID 11 with a controller error typically indicates a faulty RAID controller or HBA, not a disk failure or cable issue.

Answer

Corrupted file system

Answer

Loose data cable

Answer

Failed hard disk drive

Question 6

Refer to the exhibit. What is the most likely cause of this error?

Accepted Answer

The boot order is set incorrectly. The error 'Boot device not found' with 'Hard Disk: (3F0)' indicates the BIOS cannot find a bootable device. The most common cause is an incorrect boot order, where the system is trying to boot from a non-bootable device before the hard drive. A corrupt boot sector would give a different error (e.g., 'Missing operating system'). A loose cable could cause the drive not to be detected at all, but often the system would show no hard drive in BIOS. A failed drive would typically be detected but unbootable.

Answer

The hard drive data cable is loose

Answer

The boot sector is corrupted

Answer

The hard drive has failed

Question 7

A technician is troubleshooting a server that fails to boot. The server powers on, fans spin, but no video output and no beep codes. The technician reseats the RAM and GPU, but the issue persists. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Test or replace the CPU. Option C is correct because if the system powers on but no POST, a faulty CPU is a common cause when other components are reseated. Option A is wrong because power supply issues would typically cause no power or cycling. Option B is wrong because the CMOS battery is for clock/BIOS settings, not boot failure. Option D is wrong because BIOS corruption is less likely after reseating.

Answer

Replace the CMOS battery

Answer

Flash the BIOS firmware

Answer

Replace the power supply

Question 8

A server administrator is troubleshooting a network connectivity issue on a server that has recently been moved to a different rack. The server can ping its own IP address but cannot ping the default gateway. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Faulty Ethernet cable or incorrect patch panel port. Option A is correct because being able to ping self but not gateway suggests a layer 1 or 2 issue like a faulty patch cable. Option B is wrong because DNS would affect name resolution, not ping. Option C is wrong because incorrect subnet mask would affect self-ping or gateway detection. Option D is wrong because duplicate IP would cause intermittent issues or conflict messages.

Answer

Incorrect DNS server configuration

Answer

Incorrect subnet mask

Answer

Duplicate IP address on the network

Question 9

A data center technician is troubleshooting a server that is overheating and shutting down intermittently. The server is a 2U rackmount with six fans at the front and a power supply with an integrated fan at the rear. The technician checks the ambient temperature (72°F) and verifies that the server intake temperature is normal. The server's system logs show 'CPU temperature threshold exceeded' before each shutdown. The technician has replaced the thermal paste on the CPU and reseated the heat sink, but the issue persists. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Replace the chassis fans with high-static-pressure models. Option B is correct: the fans may be running but not at full speed due to a faulty fan controller or sensors. Option A is wrong because ambient temp is fine. Option C is wrong because CPU is already reseated. Option D is wrong because power supply is not indicated.

Answer

Move the server to a cooler location in the data center

Answer

Reinstall the CPU heat sink with more thermal paste

Answer

Replace the power supply unit

Question 10

A server has been randomly rebooting several times a day with no pattern. The administrator reviews the IPMI System Event Log and finds multiple 'Correctable ECC error' entries for DIMM slot B2. The server memory is configured with 16 DIMMs of the same type and manufacturer, all recently installed. What should the administrator do FIRST to resolve this issue?

Accepted Answer

Replace the DIMM in slot B2 with an identical spare.. Correctable ECC errors indicate a failing or marginal memory module. The first step is to replace the DIMM showing errors. Option A is wrong because reseating does not guarantee the errors will stop, and the DIMM is likely faulty. Option C is wrong because while increasing voltage might help with stability, it is not recommended as a first fix and could void warranty. Option D is wrong because disabling ECC removes error correction but does not fix the underlying hardware fault.

Answer

Disable ECC in the firmware to prevent the module from reporting errors.

Answer

Reseat the DIMM in slot B2 and run a memory diagnostic test.

Answer

Increase the DRAM voltage slightly in the BIOS/UEFI to improve stability.