hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting a monitor that…
A technician is troubleshooting a monitor that displays a 'fuzzy' image with ghosting. The monitor is connected via VGA. The technician has already tried a different VGA cable and the issue persists. What should the technician check next?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the candidate's understanding that analog signals (VGA) are susceptible to electromagnetic interference, whereas digital signals (HDMI, DisplayPort) are not, leading candidates to incorrectly focus on driver updates or resolution changes instead of physical cable management.
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
✓
Route the VGA cable away from power cables and other electronics.
The symptoms described (fuzzy image with ghosting) are classic signs of electromagnetic interference (EMI) affecting an analog VGA signal. Since the technician has already ruled out a faulty VGA cable, the next logical step is to ensure the cable is not running parallel to power cables or near other electronics that can induce interference. Re-routing the VGA cable away from such sources can eliminate the ghosting without replacing hardware or changing settings.
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 monitor.
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the monitor is a premature and potentially costly troubleshooting step when dealing with display issues like ghosting. Such visual artifacts are frequently caused by external factors, such as electromagnetic interference affecting the video cable, rather than an inherent defect in the display hardware itself. Proper troubleshooting dictates investigating environmental factors and cable integrity before assuming hardware failure.
- ✗
Change the resolution to a lower setting.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the display resolution to a lower setting might subtly alter how ghosting appears, but it does not resolve the underlying cause of the visual artifact. Ghosting, when caused by electromagnetic interference (EMI) on an analog VGA signal, is a physical signal corruption issue. Adjusting software-based display settings will not eliminate the external interference affecting the cable's integrity.
- ✓
Route the VGA cable away from power cables and other electronics.
Why this is correct
VGA cables transmit analog video signals, making them highly susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) from nearby power cables, fluorescent lights, or other electronic devices. This interference can corrupt the delicate analog signal, resulting in visual artifacts such as ghosting, flickering, or color shifts on the display. Rerouting the VGA cable away from these potential sources of interference significantly reduces signal degradation, allowing for a cleaner and more stable video output.
- ✗
Update the graphics driver.
Why it's wrong here
Updating the graphics driver is generally irrelevant for resolving display issues stemming from physical signal interference on an analog VGA cable. Graphics drivers primarily manage the software interaction between the operating system and the graphics processing unit, dictating how digital images are rendered and prepared for output. They have no control over or ability to mitigate external electromagnetic interference that physically corrupts an analog video signal during transmission.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Laptop Hardware and Components
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.
Key term
Ghosting
Ghosting is a printing defect where faint, unintended images or text appear on printed pages, often due to residual toner or ink left on a component from a previous print cycle.
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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.