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220-1201 Practice Question: That their external monitor connected to a laptop…
A user reports that their external monitor connected to a laptop via HDMI flickers intermittently. The laptop's built-in display works fine. You have tried a different HDMI cable and a different monitor, but the flickering persists. What should you check next?
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
✓
Inspect the HDMI port on the laptop for physical damage or debris.
The issue is isolated to the external monitor connection, and swapping cable and monitor didn't help. This points to a defective or loose HDMI port on the laptop, which can cause intermittent signal loss. Testing with a known-good display on a different port or device confirms the port as the root cause.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Update the graphics driver to the latest version.
Why it's wrong here
If the internal display functions correctly and the problem persists after trying different external monitors and cables, the issue is unlikely to be a software driver problem. Graphics drivers typically manage the entire GPU's output, so a fault would usually impact all connected displays or present more consistent symptoms, not just a specific external port. Therefore, updating the driver would not address a localized hardware issue.
- ✗
Replace the video cable with a DisplayPort cable.
Why it's wrong here
The user's external monitor is connected via HDMI, and the problem is likely with the laptop's HDMI port itself, given that other components have been swapped. Replacing the cable with a DisplayPort cable is not a viable solution unless the laptop also has a DisplayPort output and the monitor has a DisplayPort input. Even if possible, this action would bypass, rather than fix, the suspected hardware fault in the original HDMI port.
- ✓
Inspect the HDMI port on the laptop for physical damage or debris.
Why this is correct
Since the external monitor and cable have been ruled out as the source of the problem, the laptop's HDMI port becomes the primary suspect. Physical damage, such as bent pins, or accumulated debris like dust or lint, can disrupt the electrical connection, leading to flickering or a complete loss of signal. Inspecting and carefully cleaning the port is a critical first step in diagnosing and resolving such hardware-related display issues.
- ✗
Disable the laptop's built-in display to force the external monitor as primary.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the laptop's built-in display only alters the display output configuration within the operating system; it does not resolve a physical hardware defect or obstruction within the laptop's HDMI port. If the port itself is faulty, forcing the external monitor as the primary display will not magically fix the connection problem. The flickering or lack of signal will likely persist because the underlying hardware issue remains unaddressed.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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