220-1202 Safety Procedures and Compliance Practice Question
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of safety procedures and compliance. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A technician is replacing a power supply in a desktop computer. After unplugging the unit, what additional step should be taken to ensure personal safety before touching internal components?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.
After unplugging the power supply, pressing and holding the power button for 10 seconds discharges residual electrical charge stored in the system's capacitors (especially in the power supply and motherboard). This step, often called a 'parasitic drain,' ensures that no stored voltage remains that could cause an electric shock or damage components when touched. It is a standard safety practice before working inside a desktop computer.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Wear an anti-static wrist strap.
Why it's wrong here
An anti-static wrist strap protects components from ESD, but it does not protect the technician from a charged power supply.
✓
Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.
Why this is correct
This discharges residual power stored in the capacitors, making it safe to work inside the case.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Remove the CMOS battery.
Why it's wrong here
Removing the CMOS battery resets BIOS settings but does not discharge the power supply capacitors.
✗
Unplug all peripheral cables.
Why it's wrong here
While good practice, unplugging peripherals does not address the stored charge in the power supply.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between ESD protection (anti-static wrist strap) and electrical safety (discharging capacitors), causing candidates to mistakenly choose the wrist strap as the primary safety step after unplugging.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The power supply's primary-side capacitors can hold a charge of 300-400 volts (in a typical 240V input system) even after being unplugged, due to the lack of a bleeder resistor in some older or low-cost units. Pressing the power button completes a circuit that allows these capacitors to discharge through the motherboard's load, dropping the voltage to a safe level (below 30V) within seconds. In real-world scenarios, technicians who skip this step risk a painful shock or component damage when touching exposed solder joints or connectors.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 220-1202 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 220-1202 question in full detail.
Safety Procedures and Compliance — This question tests Safety Procedures and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds. — After unplugging the power supply, pressing and holding the power button for 10 seconds discharges residual electrical charge stored in the system's capacitors (especially in the power supply and motherboard). This step, often called a 'parasitic drain,' ensures that no stored voltage remains that could cause an electric shock or damage components when touched. It is a standard safety practice before working inside a desktop computer.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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