hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is replacing the display assembly on…
A technician is replacing the display assembly on a laptop. After installing the new display, the laptop powers on but the screen remains black. The technician has verified the display cable is fully seated at both ends. What should the technician check next to diagnose the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1201 exam often tests the misconception that a black screen always means a dead LCD panel, leading candidates to immediately replace the panel instead of checking the backlight power supply or inverter board.
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
✓
Check the backlight voltage or inverter board (if applicable).
A black screen with power but no display often indicates a backlight failure, not a complete display failure. The technician should check the backlight voltage or inverter board (if the display uses CCFL backlighting) to ensure the backlight is receiving power. Since the display cable is verified as seated, the next logical step is to isolate whether the issue is with the backlight circuit or the LCD panel itself.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Replace the LCD panel again, assuming the new one is defective.
Why it's wrong here
Jumping to replace the LCD panel again assumes the new component is defective, but the technician has already verified the display cable is fully seated. The issue could instead lie with the backlight circuit, inverter (on older CCFL displays), or the system board’s video output. This option is tempting because a dead-on-arrival LCD panel is a common hardware fault, and replacing it would be the correct next step if the cable were known good and the backlight were confirmed working.
- ✓
Check the backlight voltage or inverter board (if applicable).
Why this is correct
The scenario describes a laptop that powers on but has a black screen after a display assembly replacement. This strongly indicates a backlight issue, as the LCD panel itself might be receiving video signals but lacks illumination. For older CCFL-backlit displays, the inverter board supplies high voltage to the CCFL tube; for modern LED-backlit displays, the backlight voltage is supplied directly from the system board or a dedicated backlight driver circuit. Verifying the voltage or inspecting the inverter/driver board is the logical next step to diagnose the lack of illumination.
- ✗
Update the graphics driver from the Windows Recovery Environment.
Why it's wrong here
A black screen immediately upon power-on, before the operating system even begins to load, signifies a hardware problem, not a software or driver issue. Graphics drivers are loaded by the operating system to interface with the GPU; they have no bearing on the display's backlight functionality during the POST (Power-On Self-Test) phase or before the OS fully initializes. Attempting a driver update in the Windows Recovery Environment would be ineffective and misdiagnoses the root cause, which is likely a physical component failure related to the display's illumination.
- ✗
Reseat the RAM modules to ensure proper boot.
Why it's wrong here
While RAM is crucial for system operation, issues with RAM modules typically manifest as specific beep codes during POST, a complete failure to power on, or a system crash during boot, rather than a black screen where the laptop otherwise appears to power on normally. Since the laptop is powering on, indicated by fans or indicator lights, the initial POST process, which includes basic RAM checks, is likely succeeding. Therefore, reseating RAM is an unlikely solution for a black screen where the system is otherwise active.
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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.