hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A server administrator needs to upgrade a…
A server administrator needs to upgrade a critical database server from 64 GB to 128 GB of RAM. The server uses registered ECC DDR4 memory. They have purchased 8 x 16 GB registered ECC modules. When they install them, the server fails to POST with a memory error. The original 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) modules work fine. What is the most likely reason?
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 new modules have a different number of ranks (e.g., dual-rank vs. single-rank) than the original modules, causing a rank mismatch that the memory controller cannot handle.
Registered (buffered) ECC memory is designed for servers and has specific compatibility requirements, especially regarding the number of ranks per channel and the memory controller's capabilities. The most likely issue is that the new modules are of a different rank (e.g., dual-rank vs. single-rank) or the server's memory controller cannot handle the total number of ranks when all slots are populated. Mixing ranks or exceeding the rank limit per channel can cause POST failures.
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 new RAM modules are not compatible because they are not ECC, while the server requires ECC.
Why it's wrong here
This option is incorrect because the scenario explicitly states the new RAM modules are registered ECC (Error-Correcting Code). Servers, especially for critical databases, typically require ECC memory to detect and correct data corruption, ensuring data integrity and system stability. If the new modules were indeed non-ECC, they would be incompatible with a server requiring ECC, leading to boot failures or instability; however, the problem description confirms the new modules meet this ECC requirement.
- ✗
The server's BIOS needs to be updated to support 128 GB.
Why it's wrong here
This option is incorrect because the scenario implies the server originally supported 128 GB of RAM. BIOS updates are typically required when installing memory capacities greater than what the motherboard's original firmware was designed to recognize, or to add support for newer memory technologies. Since the total capacity remains within the server's established limits, a BIOS update specifically for 128 GB support is highly improbable as the primary cause of the memory upgrade failure.
- ✓
The new modules have a different number of ranks (e.g., dual-rank vs. single-rank) than the original modules, causing a rank mismatch that the memory controller cannot handle.
Why this is correct
This is the correct answer. Server memory controllers are highly sensitive to the physical organization of memory chips on a module, known as ranks. A rank is a block of data that can be accessed independently of other blocks on the same module. Mixing modules with different rank configurations (e.g., single-rank with dual-rank) or installing modules with a rank configuration not supported or expected by the memory controller can lead to a rank mismatch, preventing the system from completing POST (Power-On Self-Test) and booting.
- ✗
The new modules are not seated properly in the slots.
Why it's wrong here
While improper seating of RAM modules is a common cause of boot failures, it is less likely to be the systematic issue here. If all the new modules fail to work, and the original modules function correctly in the same slots, it suggests a fundamental incompatibility rather than multiple simultaneous seating errors. A single module might be improperly seated, but it is highly improbable that every new module would be incorrectly seated in every slot, especially if the installer is experienced.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
RAM Types and Memory Slots
Key term
Double Data Rate
Double Data Rate (DDR) is a technology that doubles the data transfer rate of a memory or bus by sending data on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal, effectively doing twice as much work per clock cycle.
Key term
CAN
A CAN (Controller Area Network) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other without a host computer.
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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.