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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting a desktop that…
A technician is troubleshooting a desktop that fails to boot after the user installed a new M.2 NVMe SSD. The computer powers on, but the screen remains black and no BIOS splash screen appears. What is the most likely cause of this issue?
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The motherboard's BIOS is outdated and does not support NVMe boot.
This question tests understanding of M.2 installation and BIOS/UEFI compatibility. When a new M.2 NVMe SSD is installed, an outdated motherboard BIOS may lack the necessary firmware to properly initialize or even recognize the NVMe controller during the Power-On Self-Test (POST). If the BIOS cannot properly enumerate or initialize the NVMe device, it can cause the POST process to hang, resulting in a black screen with no BIOS splash screen. A BIOS update is often required to add support for newer NVMe hardware, allowing the system to complete POST and proceed to the boot sequence.
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 M.2 drive is not fully seated in the slot.
Why it's wrong here
An improperly seated M.2 drive would prevent the system from detecting the storage device, leading to a 'No Boot Device Found' error or similar message. However, the system would still successfully complete the Power-On Self-Test (POST) and display the BIOS splash screen or setup utility. A completely black screen indicates a failure much earlier in the boot process, often before video output initialization.
- ✓
The motherboard's BIOS is outdated and does not support NVMe boot.
Why this is correct
An outdated motherboard BIOS may lack the necessary microcode or drivers to properly initialize and communicate with an NVMe drive, especially if the drive is intended as the boot device. Without this fundamental support, the system cannot progress past the initial POST stages, preventing any display output and resulting in a black screen. A BIOS update is often required to add NVMe boot compatibility to older motherboards.
- ✗
The M.2 drive is a SATA type but the slot only supports NVMe.
Why it's wrong here
If an M.2 SATA drive is installed in a slot exclusively designed for NVMe, the system will not be able to communicate with the drive due to incompatible electrical interfaces and communication protocols. While the drive would not be detected as a bootable device, the system would still successfully power on and complete the Power-On Self-Test (POST). This would typically lead to a 'No Boot Device Found' message displayed on screen, not a complete lack of video output.
- ✗
The power supply unit is insufficient to power the new drive.
Why it's wrong here
M.2 NVMe drives consume very little power, typically less than 10 watts, which is supplied directly by the motherboard slot. An insufficient Power Supply Unit (PSU) is highly unlikely to cause a black screen solely due to an M.2 drive. PSU inadequacy usually manifests as system instability, random reboots, or a complete failure to power on, particularly affecting higher-power components like the CPU or GPU, rather than preventing initial display output from a low-power storage device.
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JA
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.