easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A customer reports that their desktop PC emits a…
A customer reports that their desktop PC emits a series of long, continuous beeps and the screen remains blank. They recently installed a new graphics card. What is the most likely cause?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The RAM module is loose or faulty.
A series of long, continuous beeps typically indicates a memory (RAM) issue, not a graphics card problem. This is a common POST code that helps isolate hardware faults before the system can boot.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The graphics card is not seated properly.
Why it's wrong here
A graphics card that is not properly seated or is faulty typically results in distinct beep codes, such as one long and two short beeps (AMI BIOS) or one long and three short beeps (Award BIOS), indicating a video subsystem error. However, a completely failed or absent graphics card might prevent the system from even initiating POST sufficiently to emit any beep codes, rather than producing a memory-specific pattern.
- ✓
The RAM module is loose or faulty.
Why this is correct
A loose or faulty RAM module is a very common cause for a system to emit diagnostic beep codes during the Power-On Self-Test (POST). Many BIOS manufacturers, including AMI and Award, use continuous long beeps or a specific short sequence (e.g., three short beeps) to signal a memory initialization failure. This indicates the system cannot properly detect or access the essential RAM required for booting, making it the most probable cause for such a symptom.
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The power supply unit is failing.
Why it's wrong here
A failing Power Supply Unit (PSU) typically manifests as a lack of power, intermittent shutdowns, or the system failing to power on entirely, rather than generating specific diagnostic beep codes. While a severely underpowered system might prevent a successful POST, it usually doesn't produce a component-specific error beep like one for RAM. Instead, you might hear clicking, grinding, or simply experience no activity at all.
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The monitor is not connected to the graphics card.
Why it's wrong here
A disconnected monitor cable would result in a blank screen, but the computer itself would still complete the Power-On Self-Test (POST) successfully, assuming all internal hardware is functioning. Since the system's internal components are not experiencing a fault that prevents booting, no diagnostic beep codes would be emitted by the motherboard. The absence of video output is a display issue, not an internal hardware failure that POST is designed to detect.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.