hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is servicing a tablet that will not…
A technician is servicing a tablet that will not power on. The technician has confirmed the battery is charged by testing it with a multimeter (voltage within spec). The power button feels normal when pressed. What is the most likely hardware component that has failed, and how should it be addressed?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume a 'normal-feeling' power button means the entire button circuit is working, when in fact the flex cable can fail internally or at the connector while the button dome remains physically intact.
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
✓
Reseat or replace the power button flex cable.
The power button flex cable is the most likely failed component because the battery is confirmed good (voltage within spec) and the power button itself feels normal, indicating the button mechanism is intact but the electrical connection to the motherboard is broken. Reseating or replacing the flex cable restores the circuit that signals the power management IC to initiate boot, which is a common failure point in tablets due to flex cable wear or loose connection.
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 LCD screen assembly.
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the LCD screen assembly is incorrect because a faulty display typically manifests as a black screen on a device that otherwise powers on, exhibiting vibrations, sounds, or connectivity. Since the tablet shows no signs of life whatsoever (no vibration, no sound), the issue lies in the fundamental power delivery or initiation circuit, not merely the output display component. This step would be appropriate only after confirming the device powers on but has no visual output.
- ✗
Replace the motherboard.
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the motherboard is unnecessary because the power button feels normal and the battery voltage is within spec, indicating the issue likely lies in the power delivery path—such as a failed charge port or a broken power management IC on the existing board—rather than a complete board failure. This option is tempting because a dead motherboard is a common cause of no-power faults when the battery and button are ruled out, and it would be correct if the technician had already verified that the charge port, power IC, and all voltage rails on the board were non-functional.
- ✓
Reseat or replace the power button flex cable.
Why this is correct
This is the correct troubleshooting step because even if the physical power button feels normal, the underlying flex cable connecting it to the motherboard can be damaged, loose, or corroded. Such an issue would prevent the electrical signal from reaching the power management IC or the main board, effectively rendering the device unable to power on despite a charged battery. Reseating or replacing this inexpensive component is a logical and often successful first hardware repair for a no-power symptom.
- ✗
Perform a hard reset by holding the power and volume buttons for 30 seconds.
Why it's wrong here
Performing a hard reset is a software-level troubleshooting technique designed to resolve operating system freezes or glitches by forcing a reboot. However, since the tablet exhibits no power-on symptoms at all, such as vibration, sound, or screen flicker, the problem is clearly a hardware failure in the power delivery path, not a software issue. Attempting a hard reset would be ineffective and premature when the device isn't even reaching the stage where software can execute.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Laptop Hardware and Components
Key term
Motherboard
The main circuit board inside a computer that connects all components so they can communicate with each other and receive power.
Key term
Tablet
A tablet is a portable computing device with a touchscreen interface, typically larger than a smartphone but smaller than a laptop, used for browsing, media consumption, and light productivity tasks.
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JA
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.