220-1101 Hardware Practice Question
A technician builds a new desktop computer and installs a high-end dedicated graphics card. The system boots into Windows, but the display resolution is locked at 800x600 and the option to change it is grayed out. In Device Manager, the graphics card is listed under 'Other devices' with a yellow exclamation mark. Which of the following steps should the technician perform FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse a driver issue with a hardware or BIOS configuration problem, leading them to reseat the card or disable integrated graphics first, when the yellow exclamation mark specifically points to a missing or corrupted driver.
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
✓
Install the latest graphics driver from the manufacturer's website.
The yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager under 'Other devices' indicates that Windows has not loaded a proper driver for the graphics card, which is why the display is stuck at the generic VGA resolution of 800x600. Installing the latest driver from the manufacturer's website is the correct first step because the operating system cannot utilize the dedicated GPU's capabilities without the correct driver, and this is the most common cause of the described symptoms.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable the device in the system BIOS.
Why it's wrong here
The yellow exclamation point in Device Manager indicates that Windows has detected the device but cannot load a working driver, not that the device is disabled in BIOS. If the card were disabled in firmware, it would be absent from the PCI bus enumeration entirely and Device Manager would not list it. Therefore, enabling a device that is already enumerated and visible would have no effect on the driver error.
- ✓
Install the latest graphics driver from the manufacturer's website.
Why this is correct
A yellow exclamation mark on the graphics card signals a missing, corrupted, or incompatible driver; the generic Microsoft display adapter is incapable of using the card's hardware features. Downloading the latest driver package directly from the GPU manufacturer's website and installing it replaces the generic driver with the proper one, allowing the operating system to communicate with the card and clear the error.
- ✗
Reseat the graphics card in the PCIe slot.
Why it's wrong here
Reseating the card in the PCIe slot addresses electrical or mechanical problems like a partially engaged connector, which would typically prevent the card from being detected at all. Because Device Manager already lists the device and reports a driver-related error, the PCIe link is functional; reseating would not change the driver state and could introduce ESD damage unless properly grounded.
- ✗
Disable the integrated graphics in the BIOS.
Why it's wrong here
The discrete GPU is already the primary display adapter, and the integrated graphics are not responsible for the exclamation mark on the dedicated card. Disabling the iGPU in the BIOS is intended to force the system to use the discrete card, but the card is already recognized; the unresolved issue is the absence of a valid driver, not a conflict between graphics processors.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Display Resolutions and Refresh Rates
Key term
Video Graphics Array
Video Graphics Array (VGA) is a standard analog display interface used to connect computers to monitors, projectors, and other display devices.
Key term
Operating system
An operating system (OS) is the core software that manages a computer's hardware and software resources, providing common services for computer programs.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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