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220-1201 Practice Question: A customer brings in a tablet that will not turn…

A customer brings in a tablet that will not turn on. The technician presses the power button and sees no response. The tablet was working earlier in the day. What is the first step the technician should take to troubleshoot this issue?

⚠ Common exam trap

220-1201 often tests the order of troubleshooting steps, and candidates may jump to invasive solutions like battery replacement or hard reset before checking basic power.

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

✓

Connect the tablet to a charger and wait a few minutes

The first step in troubleshooting a tablet that won't power on is to ensure it has power by connecting it to a charger and waiting a few minutes, as the battery may be completely depleted. This is a non-invasive, logical first step before attempting resets or hardware repairs.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • ✗

    Replace the battery immediately

    Why it's wrong here

    Replacing the battery immediately is premature and an inefficient diagnostic step. Without first confirming that the existing battery is the root cause of the power issue, this action risks wasting a new battery and valuable technician time. Initial troubleshooting should always involve simpler, non-invasive steps like attempting to charge the device, which can often resolve a no-power situation if the battery is merely depleted.

  • ✗

    Perform a hard reset by holding the power and volume buttons

    Why it's wrong here

    Performing a hard reset, typically involving holding power and volume buttons, is primarily effective for resolving software-related freezes or unresponsiveness on a device that still has power. However, if the tablet is completely unresponsive and exhibits no signs of power, a hard reset will not initiate because the device's internal components lack the necessary electrical energy to execute the command. The first step should be to ensure the device has a power source.

  • ✓

    Connect the tablet to a charger and wait a few minutes

    Why this is correct

    Connecting the tablet to a charger and allowing a few minutes for it to charge is the most logical and primary troubleshooting step for a device that will not power on. A deeply discharged battery may require a brief period of charging before it accumulates enough voltage to power the device's internal components and display any charging indicators or boot up. This simple action effectively rules out the most common cause of a "dead" device before escalating to more complex diagnostics.

  • ✗

    Open the tablet and inspect the motherboard for damage

    Why it's wrong here

    Opening the tablet to inspect the motherboard for damage is premature because the device was working earlier in the day, making a sudden hardware failure less likely than a drained battery or a software lock. This step should only follow basic power-cycle checks, such as forcing a restart or connecting to a charger. It is tempting because physical inspection is a valid first step when a device shows signs of impact, liquid ingress, or a burning smell, where visible board damage is the probable root cause.

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One of 871 original 220-1201 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

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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.