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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is setting up a new RAID 0 array…
A technician is setting up a new RAID 0 array with two 500 GB SSDs for a gaming PC. After installation, the system shows only 500 GB of usable space. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
220-1201 often tests RAID levels and their capacity characteristics, and candidates may overlook the possibility of misconfigured RAID level, instead blaming hardware detection or compatibility issues.
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 RAID controller is set to RAID 1 instead of RAID 0.
RAID 0 (striping) combines multiple disks into a single logical volume, aggregating their capacity. With two 500 GB SSDs in RAID 0, the total usable space should be approximately 1 TB. If only 500 GB is shown, the most likely cause is that the RAID controller is configured for RAID 1 (mirroring), which uses both disks but only provides the capacity of one disk (500 GB) for redundancy.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
One of the SSDs is not detected by the system.
Why it's wrong here
If one of the 500 GB SSDs in a two-drive RAID 0 configuration is not detected, the RAID controller would typically report a critical error, and the array would be in a failed or inaccessible state. It would not simply present a reduced, but functional, capacity of 500 GB (half of the intended 1 TB); the entire array would be unusable.
- ✓
The RAID controller is set to RAID 1 instead of RAID 0.
Why this is correct
RAID 1, also known as mirroring, stores identical copies of data across two drives to provide redundancy. When two 500 GB SSDs are configured in RAID 1, the usable storage capacity is limited to that of a single drive, resulting in 500 GB. This outcome perfectly aligns with the technician's observation of 500 GB usable space instead of the expected 1 TB from RAID 0.
- ✗
The SSDs are different brands and incompatible.
Why it's wrong here
RAID configurations, including RAID 0, primarily require that the drives have matching capacities and compatible interface types (e.g., SATA, NVMe) to function correctly and efficiently. The specific brand of the SSDs is generally not a factor in their compatibility within a RAID array. As long as both 500 GB SSDs meet the technical specifications, they should be compatible regardless of manufacturer.
- ✗
The operating system does not support RAID 0.
Why it's wrong here
Most modern operating systems, including current versions of Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions, provide robust support for both software RAID 0 and the recognition of hardware RAID 0 arrays presented by a dedicated controller. It is highly unlikely that the operating system itself would be the limiting factor preventing a RAID 0 array from being properly configured or recognized.
Quick reference
RAID Level Comparison
| RAID Level | Min Disks | Fault Tolerance | Read | Write | Usable Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAID 0 | 2 | None | Excellent | Excellent | 100% |
| RAID 1 | 2 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 50% |
| RAID 5 | 3 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 67–94% |
| RAID 6 | 4 | 2 disks | Good | Lower | 50–88% |
| RAID 10 | 4 | 1 disk per mirror | Excellent | Good | 50% |
RAID is not a backup strategy — it protects against disk failure but not against accidental deletion, ransomware, or site-level events.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 220-1201
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. During a hardware installation, you are tasked with setting up a RAID 1 array in a server using two identical 4 TB HDDs. After configuration, the total usable capacity is only 4 TB. Is this expected behavior?
medium- A.No, the array should show 8 TB because the drives are identical.
- ✓ B.Yes, RAID 1 provides fault tolerance by mirroring data, so usable capacity is 4 TB.
- C.No, the array should be configured as RAID 0 to get 8 TB.
- D.Yes, but only if the drives are set as JBOD.
Why B: RAID 1 is a mirrored configuration where identical data is written to both drives simultaneously. Because each drive holds a complete copy of the data, the usable capacity equals the size of a single drive — 4 TB in this case — while the second drive provides redundancy. This is expected and correct behavior.
JA
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.