hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: That their laptop's built-in webcam is not…
A user reports that their laptop's built-in webcam is not working in any application. The device manager shows the camera with a yellow exclamation mark. The technician has already updated the driver to the latest version, but the issue persists. What should the technician do 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
✓
Check the laptop's physical privacy shutter or function key (e.g., Fn+F10) that may disable the camera.
A yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager indicates a driver problem, but since updating the driver did not help, the issue may be a hardware conflict or a disabled device. The next step is to check if the webcam is physically disabled via a function key (e.g., Fn+F10) or a privacy shutter. Many laptops have a hardware switch or a keyboard shortcut to disable the camera for privacy.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Uninstall the webcam driver from Device Manager and restart the laptop to let Windows reinstall it automatically.
Why it's wrong here
This is a valid troubleshooting step, but it is essentially the same as updating the driver. Since the driver update did not work, this is unlikely to help and is not the next best step.
- ✓
Check the laptop's physical privacy shutter or function key (e.g., Fn+F10) that may disable the camera.
Why this is correct
Many laptops have a hardware or software toggle that disables the camera at the hardware level, causing it to appear as a problem device. This is a common oversight and should be checked before assuming hardware failure.
- ✗
Replace the webcam module.
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the webcam module is a drastic and costly hardware intervention that should only be considered after exhausting all software and configuration troubleshooting steps. A yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager typically indicates a driver issue, resource conflict, or a device disabled by software or firmware, not necessarily a physical hardware failure. Therefore, replacing the component without first ruling out these more common and simpler causes is premature and inefficient.
- ✗
Disable and re-enable the webcam in Device Manager.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling and re-enabling the webcam in Device Manager primarily refreshes the device's operational state within the operating system without removing or reinstalling its associated driver files. While this can resolve minor, temporary glitches or unresponsive states, it is less thorough than a full driver uninstallation and reinstallation. It is unlikely to fix persistent driver corruption, incorrect driver versions, or deeper resource conflicts that might be indicated by a persistent yellow exclamation mark.
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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.