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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is deploying a new SSD in a desktop…
A technician is deploying a new SSD in a desktop PC. After installing the drive and connecting the SATA data and power cables, the system does not recognize the drive in the BIOS. All other drives are detected. What should the technician check first?
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
✓
Reseat the SATA data and power cables
When a new drive is not detected, the most common cause is a loose or improper connection. The technician should reseat both the SATA data cable at the drive and motherboard, and the power cable from the PSU. If that fails, testing the drive in another port or with another cable is the next step.
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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Update the motherboard BIOS
Why it's wrong here
Updating the motherboard BIOS is generally not the initial troubleshooting step for a new SSD not being detected. Basic SATA drive detection is a fundamental function typically supported by even older BIOS versions. BIOS updates are usually reserved for addressing specific compatibility issues with newer hardware, resolving known bugs, or enabling advanced features, rather than fixing a simple connection problem.
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Check if the drive needs to be initialized in Disk Management
Why it's wrong here
Checking Disk Management for initialization is a subsequent step in the drive installation process, occurring only after the operating system successfully detects the physical drive. If the SSD is not detected by the system's BIOS/UEFI, it will not appear in Disk Management for initialization or partitioning. Therefore, this action is premature when the primary issue is a lack of hardware detection.
- ✓
Reseat the SATA data and power cables
Why this is correct
Reseating the SATA data and power cables is the most effective and common first troubleshooting step for a new drive not being detected. Loose or improperly connected cables are a frequent cause of detection failures, as a secure physical connection is essential for both the drive to receive power and for the motherboard to establish communication. Ensuring these cables are firmly seated can often resolve the issue without further intervention.
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Replace the SATA controller
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the SATA controller, which is typically integrated into the motherboard's chipset, is a drastic and premature troubleshooting step. Controller failures are relatively rare compared to issues with cabling or the drive itself. This action would only be considered after exhausting all other simpler possibilities, such as verifying cable connections, testing the drive in another system, or confirming the motherboard's SATA ports are indeed non-functional.
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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.