hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting a laptop that…
A technician is troubleshooting a laptop that powers on but displays a black screen with no boot activity. The technician hears the fan spinning and sees the power LED is on. Which of the following steps should the technician perform next 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
✓
Connect an external monitor
A black screen with power but no boot suggests a hardware issue, often with the display or memory. Connecting an external monitor can quickly determine if the problem is with the laptop's LCD panel or the video output. If the external monitor works, the internal display or its cable is likely faulty.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Reseat the RAM modules
Why it's wrong here
Reseating RAM modules is a common troubleshooting step for a laptop that powers on but displays nothing, as loose or faulty RAM can prevent the Power-On Self-Test (POST) from completing and thus inhibit video output. However, this procedure involves opening the laptop chassis, making it a more invasive diagnostic. Before resorting to internal hardware manipulation, a technician should first rule out external display issues or a faulty internal display panel by testing with an external monitor.
- ✗
Replace the LCD panel
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the LCD panel is a significant hardware repair that should only be performed after thorough diagnostic steps confirm the internal display itself is the sole point of failure. Without first verifying if the laptop is generating any video signal at all, perhaps through an external display, this action is premature. The issue could stem from the video cable, the integrated graphics processing unit (GPU), or even the motherboard, making a panel replacement an unnecessary and costly endeavor.
- ✓
Connect an external monitor
Why this is correct
Connecting an external monitor is the most logical and least invasive initial troubleshooting step when a laptop powers on but shows no display. This action quickly determines if the laptop's graphics processing unit (GPU) is functioning and successfully outputting a video signal. If the external monitor displays an image, it definitively isolates the problem to the laptop's internal LCD panel, its connecting cable, or the inverter, rather than the core video output circuitry or motherboard.
- ✗
Reinstall the operating system
Why it's wrong here
Reinstalling the operating system is entirely inappropriate and impossible when a laptop powers on but exhibits no display output. Without any visual feedback, a technician cannot interact with the system to initiate an OS reinstallation or even observe boot activity. Furthermore, a lack of display indicates a fundamental hardware issue, likely with the video subsystem or display panel, which an operating system reinstallation cannot resolve as the OS loads much later in the boot process.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Laptop Hardware and Components
Key term
Laptop
A portable personal computer that integrates a display, keyboard, touchpad, battery, and internal components into a single clamshell device for mobile computing.
Key term
CAN
A CAN (Controller Area Network) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other without a host computer.
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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.