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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is building a new PC for a graphic…
A technician is building a new PC for a graphic designer who needs to run Windows 11. The technician installs a 2 TB NVMe SSD and 32 GB of RAM. During Windows installation, the installer reports that the drive cannot be used because it uses the MBR partition table. What UEFI setting or action should the technician change?
⚠ Common exam trap
220-1201 often tests the confusion between UEFI/GPT and Legacy/MBR; candidates may think disabling Secure Boot or enabling Legacy mode solves the issue, but the core requirement is GPT for UEFI.
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
✓
Convert the drive to GPT using the diskpart utility during installation.
Windows 11 requires UEFI firmware with GPT partition table for the system drive. The error indicates the drive is initialized with MBR, which is incompatible with UEFI boot mode. The technician should convert the drive to GPT using diskpart during installation (or before), which allows Windows 11 to install and boot in UEFI mode. This is the correct action to resolve the partition table issue.
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 Legacy BIOS mode in the UEFI to support MBR.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling Legacy BIOS (Compatibility Support Module or CSM) allows the system to boot from an MBR-partitioned drive. However, Windows 11 explicitly requires a UEFI boot environment, which necessitates a GPT partition scheme. While this mode might allow the system to start, it would prevent Windows 11 from installing or functioning correctly due to the unmet UEFI requirement, leading to compatibility issues.
- ✗
Disable Secure Boot in the UEFI settings.
Why it's wrong here
Secure Boot is a UEFI feature designed to enhance security by ensuring that only trusted software can load during the boot process. Disabling Secure Boot does not alter the hard drive's partition table format. The drive would remain MBR, which is incompatible with the UEFI boot mode required by Windows 11, regardless of Secure Boot's status. The core issue of the partition scheme remains unaddressed.
- ✓
Convert the drive to GPT using the diskpart utility during installation.
Why this is correct
Windows 11 mandates a UEFI boot environment, which in turn requires the system drive to be partitioned using the GUID Partition Table (GPT) scheme. The `diskpart` utility, accessible from the Windows installation media's command prompt, allows a technician to clean the existing MBR partition structure and convert the drive to GPT. This crucial step ensures the drive meets the necessary requirements for a successful Windows 11 installation.
- ✗
Update the UEFI firmware to the latest version.
Why it's wrong here
Updating the UEFI firmware (BIOS) typically provides bug fixes, improved hardware compatibility, or new features for the motherboard itself. However, a firmware update does not modify the partition table format of a connected storage drive. The drive's existing MBR partition scheme would persist, still failing to meet the GPT requirement for Windows 11's UEFI boot, making this action ineffective for the stated problem.
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Device Driver Installation and Updates
Key term
UEFI
UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is a modern firmware interface that initializes hardware and boots the operating system, replacing the older BIOS.
Key term
Dual In-line Memory Module
A Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) is a small circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a computer's motherboard to provide Random Access Memory (RAM).
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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.