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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is replacing a failed hard drive in…
A technician is replacing a failed hard drive in a server. The new drive has a SATA III connector, but the server's backplane only supports SATA II. What will be the result of using this drive?
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
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The drive will operate at SATA II speeds
SATA III is backward compatible with SATA II, so the drive will work but at SATA II speeds (3 Gbps). This tests knowledge of SATA generation compatibility and performance limitations. The drive will not be damaged but will not achieve its maximum speed.
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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The drive will not be recognized
Why it's wrong here
Serial ATA (SATA) standards are specifically designed for robust backward compatibility across generations. A SATA III drive, capable of 6 Gbps, will seamlessly negotiate its speed with a SATA II backplane, which operates at 3 Gbps. Therefore, the drive will be recognized and function correctly within the system, rather than failing to appear or being unusable.
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The drive will operate at SATA III speeds
Why it's wrong here
While the installed hard drive is rated for SATA III speeds (6 Gbps), the system's backplane or controller only supports the SATA II standard (3 Gbps). The maximum data transfer rate is always dictated by the slowest component in the connection chain. Consequently, the drive cannot operate at its full SATA III potential because the interface it connects to is physically incapable of supporting that higher bandwidth.
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The drive will operate at SATA II speeds
Why this is correct
When a SATA III drive is connected to a SATA II backplane, the devices engage in an automatic speed negotiation process during initialization. The drive detects the slower interface and intelligently downshifts its operational speed to match the 3 Gbps (SATA II) capability of the backplane. This ensures stable communication and functionality, albeit at a reduced data transfer rate compared to its maximum potential.
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The drive will be damaged
Why it's wrong here
SATA interfaces are engineered with robust backward and forward compatibility features to prevent hardware damage. Connecting a newer generation SATA drive to an older generation port, or vice-versa, will only result in a speed negotiation to the lowest common denominator, not physical harm or electrical damage. The voltage and pin configurations remain consistent across SATA revisions, ensuring safe interoperability.
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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.