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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is building a workstation for video…
A technician is building a workstation for video editing and needs to install two M.2 NVMe SSDs. The motherboard has one M.2 slot that supports both SATA and NVMe, and another that supports only SATA. When the technician installs both drives, only the NVMe drive is detected. What is the most likely reason?
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 second M.2 slot only supports SATA SSDs, not NVMe.
M.2 slots can have different interface support. If one slot only supports SATA, an NVMe SSD will not be recognized. This tests knowledge of M.2 slot compatibility.
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 NVMe drive is not properly seated.
Why it's wrong here
The problem states the technician is attempting to install a drive into the second M.2 slot, and it is not detected, while the first NVMe drive is presumably working. If the drive in question were merely unseated, it would not appear in the BIOS/UEFI at all, regardless of its type. However, the root cause identified by the correct answer is a fundamental electrical incompatibility between the NVMe drive and the SATA-only M.2 slot, not a physical connection issue. A seating problem would prevent any detection, but the core issue here is a mismatch in data transfer protocols.
- ✓
The second M.2 slot only supports SATA SSDs, not NVMe.
Why this is correct
Many motherboards feature M.2 slots that are physically identical but electrically distinct, supporting either SATA or PCIe (for NVMe) data transfer protocols. An NVMe SSD requires PCIe lanes for communication, while a SATA M.2 SSD utilizes SATA lanes. If the second M.2 slot is wired only for SATA, an NVMe drive installed there will not be detected because it lacks the necessary PCIe electrical connections and controller interface to communicate with the system. This is a common limitation, especially on older or budget motherboards, requiring careful consultation of the motherboard manual.
- ✗
The BIOS needs to be updated.
Why it's wrong here
While a BIOS/UEFI update can sometimes introduce support for newer hardware revisions or improve compatibility, it generally cannot alter the fundamental electrical wiring or data transfer protocol capabilities of an M.2 slot. If an M.2 slot is physically designed and wired to support only SATA, a firmware update cannot magically convert it to support PCIe NVMe drives. This limitation is hardware-based, not software or firmware-based, making a BIOS update an ineffective solution for this specific incompatibility.
- ✗
The SATA SSD is defective.
Why it's wrong here
The problem implies the technician is attempting to install an NVMe drive into the second slot, as the correct answer states the slot only supports SATA SSDs, not NVMe. Therefore, the issue is not with a defective SATA SSD, but rather with the NVMe drive being incompatible with the SATA-only M.2 slot. The NVMe drive itself is likely functional but cannot operate in a slot lacking PCIe lane support. The problem is one of interface mismatch, not device failure.
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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.