easyMultiple Choice
220-1201 Practice Question: A customer reports that their laser printer is…
A customer reports that their laser printer is producing pages with faint, streaky text and occasional blank spots. The toner cartridge is new, and the printer's maintenance kit was replaced last month. Which component should be inspected next?
⚠ Common exam trap
220-1201 often tests the confusion between print-quality symptoms and their causes — candidates must distinguish drum-related streaking/blank spots from fuser-related smearing/ghosting and transfer-roller-related light prints.
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
✓
Imaging drum
The imaging drum is the correct component to inspect because faint, streaky text with blank spots on a laser printer typically indicates a worn or damaged drum surface that cannot hold a uniform electrostatic charge to attract toner. Since the toner cartridge is new and the maintenance kit was recently replaced, the drum (often a separate consumable) is the next likely culprit.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Fuser assembly
Why it's wrong here
The fuser assembly is responsible for permanently bonding the toner to the paper using heat and pressure. A malfunctioning fuser typically results in toner that smudges easily or rubs off the page because it hasn't been properly melted and fused. It does not usually cause faint or blank spots, which are indicative of issues earlier in the printing process, such as toner application or image formation.
- ✓
Imaging drum
Why this is correct
The imaging drum, or photoconductive drum, is crucial for forming the electrostatic latent image that attracts toner particles. As the drum rotates, a laser writes the image onto its surface, which then picks up toner. Wear, scratches, or damage to the drum's sensitive surface can prevent proper charge retention or toner attraction, resulting in consistent faint areas, streaks, or distinct blank spots on the printed page, even if the toner cartridge is new.
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Transfer roller
Why it's wrong here
The transfer roller applies an electrostatic charge to the back of the paper, pulling the toner from the imaging drum onto the paper. If the transfer roller is failing, it may not apply a consistent charge, leading to light, faded, or unevenly distributed toner across the page. While this affects print quality, it typically results in a general lightness or inconsistent coverage rather than specific, well-defined blank spots, which suggest an issue with the image formation itself.
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Pickup rollers
Why it's wrong here
Pickup rollers are mechanical components responsible for grabbing individual sheets of paper from the paper tray and feeding them into the printer's paper path. Problems with these rollers, such as wear or contamination, primarily manifest as paper jams, misfeeds, or the printer failing to pick up paper at all. They do not directly influence the quality of the toner application or image formation on the page, and therefore would not cause faint text or blank spots in the printed output.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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.