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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is configuring a new workstation for…
A technician is configuring a new workstation for video editing. After installing a high-end GPU and additional RAM, the system powers on but the screen is blank. The motherboard has diagnostic LEDs; the VGA LED is lit. What is the most likely issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
220-1201 often tests the interpretation of motherboard diagnostic LEDs — candidates see 'blank screen' and jump to monitor/cable issues (Option D) instead of recognizing that a lit VGA LED points to GPU power or seating problems.
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
✓
Loose GPU power cables
A lit VGA diagnostic LED on the motherboard indicates that the system is failing the video initialization phase of POST. The most common cause after installing a high-end GPU is that the GPU's auxiliary power cables (6-pin or 8-pin PCIe power connectors) are not connected or not fully seated. Without adequate power, the GPU cannot initialize, and the motherboard halts at the VGA check.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Incompatible RAM
Why it's wrong here
Incompatible or improperly seated RAM would typically trigger the motherboard's diagnostic DRAM LED during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) sequence. This indicates a memory subsystem failure, preventing the system from initializing further. A VGA LED specifically points to an issue with the graphics adapter, not the system's primary memory, as the POST process has distinct checks for each critical component.
- ✓
Loose GPU power cables
Why this is correct
High-performance graphics processing units (GPUs), especially those used in video editing workstations, often require supplementary power beyond what the PCIe slot can provide. These GPUs utilize dedicated 6-pin or 8-pin PCIe power connectors directly from the power supply. If these cables are loose or not connected, the GPU will not receive sufficient power to initialize, causing the motherboard's diagnostic VGA LED to illuminate, indicating a graphics subsystem failure.
- ✗
Faulty CPU
Why it's wrong here
A faulty Central Processing Unit (CPU) would prevent the system from completing its initial boot sequence and would typically be indicated by the motherboard's CPU diagnostic LED. The CPU is fundamental to all system operations, and a failure at this level would halt the entire Power-On Self-Test (POST) process before it even reaches the stage of checking the graphics adapter. The VGA LED specifically isolates the problem to the video output subsystem.
- ✗
Monitor set to wrong input
Why it's wrong here
The motherboard's VGA diagnostic LED signifies a hardware issue with the graphics card itself, indicating that the system cannot detect or initialize the GPU. This is a system-level hardware diagnostic, independent of the monitor's input selection. If the monitor were simply set to the wrong input, the system would still boot, and the VGA LED would not be illuminated, as the GPU would be functioning correctly within the PC. The issue would be external to the computer, not internal.
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Key term
RAM
RAM (Random Access Memory) is your computer's short-term memory, temporarily holding data the CPU needs right now or very soon.
Key term
Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
PCI Express (PCIe) is a high-speed expansion bus standard that connects internal hardware components like graphics cards, SSDs, and network adapters to a computer's motherboard.
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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.