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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that…
A technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that powers on but shows no display on the monitor. The monitor's power LED is amber (standby). The PC has an integrated GPU and a discrete GPU. Which step should be taken FIRST to isolate the issue?
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
✓
Check that the monitor cable is plugged into the discrete GPU, not the motherboard
An amber LED indicates the monitor is not receiving a signal. The most common oversight is connecting the cable to the wrong video port (motherboard vs. GPU). The correct first step is to verify the cable is connected to the discrete GPU's ports, as integrated graphics are often disabled when a dedicated card is installed.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Reseat the RAM modules
Why it's wrong here
Reseating RAM modules is unlikely to resolve a "no signal" issue on a PC that powers on but displays nothing. Critical RAM errors usually prevent the system from completing the Power-On Self-Test (POST), often resulting in specific beep codes from the motherboard speaker or a continuous boot loop. A system powering on without a display typically points to a video output problem rather than fundamental memory initialization failure.
- ✓
Check that the monitor cable is plugged into the discrete GPU, not the motherboard
Why this is correct
This is the most common cause of a "no signal" message when a desktop PC powers on but shows no display. When a dedicated (discrete) graphics card is installed in a PCIe slot, the system's BIOS/UEFI typically disables the integrated graphics ports on the motherboard to prioritize the discrete GPU. Connecting the monitor cable to the motherboard's video output instead of the discrete card's ports will result in no video signal being sent to the monitor, even though the PC is otherwise functioning.
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Replace the CMOS battery
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the CMOS battery is generally not the solution for a "no signal" issue. The CMOS battery powers the real-time clock (RTC) and retains BIOS/UEFI settings when the PC is unplugged. A dead CMOS battery primarily causes the system date and time to reset upon boot and may revert BIOS settings to defaults, but it does not typically prevent the system from outputting a video signal or completing POST.
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Test the monitor on another computer
Why it's wrong here
While testing the monitor on another computer is a valid troubleshooting step to rule out a faulty monitor, it is not the most immediate or efficient first action in this scenario. Before swapping hardware or moving components, it is crucial to verify all connections on the problematic PC itself. A simple misconnection, such as the monitor cable being in the wrong port, is a much more frequent and easily rectifiable cause of a "no signal" error.
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Key term
GPU
A GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a specialized processor that handles the rendering of images, video, and animations for display output and can also be used for general-purpose parallel computing tasks.
Key term
Light-emitting Diode
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current passes through it, commonly used as an indicator or illumination source in electronic devices.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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