220-1101 Hardware Practice Question
A technician replaces a failed power supply in a desktop computer. After connecting all components, the computer does not power on. The technician verifies the power supply's AC cord is plugged in and the wall outlet is working. The motherboard has a standby LED that is lit. When the technician presses the power button, no fans spin and no other LEDs light up. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates see a lit standby LED and assume the power supply is fully functional, then jump to replacing the motherboard or CMOS battery, overlooking the simple front panel header connection that is a common cause of no power-on response.
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
✓
Inspect the front panel header connections on the motherboard
The standby LED on the motherboard indicates that the power supply is receiving AC power and is providing standby voltage to the motherboard. Since pressing the power button yields no response (no fans, no LEDs), the most likely cause is a faulty connection between the power button and the motherboard. The front panel header, which includes the power switch pins, is often miswired or loose, preventing the signal from reaching the motherboard to initiate the power-on sequence.
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 power supply with a known-good unit
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the power supply with a known-good unit is premature because the standby LED on the motherboard is lit, confirming the PSU is delivering +5VSB standby power. The failure occurs only when the power button is pressed, which points to a fault in the front-panel header wiring, a shorted power button, or a motherboard-level issue with the power-on signal circuit. This option is tempting because a failed PSU is a common cause of a completely dead system, and swapping it would be correct if no standby LED were lit, indicating no AC-to-DC conversion at all.
When this WOULD be correct
This would be correct if the standby LED was off and the power supply fan did not spin when the PSU was tested with a paperclip or multimeter, confirming a failed PSU.
- ✓
Inspect the front panel header connections on the motherboard
Why this is correct
The power button connects to the front panel header. If the wires are on the wrong pins or loose, the button will not trigger the power-on signal. This is a common oversight and should be verified next.
- ✗
Reset the CMOS by removing the battery
Why it's wrong here
A CMOS reset clears BIOS settings, but a standby LED indicates the BIOS is powered and should still respond to the power button. This is not the first step when the system does not respond at all.
When this WOULD be correct
A technician replaces a CPU and the computer fails to boot with continuous beeps. After verifying power connections, the technician should reset CMOS by removing the battery to clear any incompatible BIOS settings.
- ✗
Replace the motherboard
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the motherboard is a drastic, irreversible step that should only be taken after simpler causes are eliminated. The illuminated standby LED indicates that the motherboard's standby rail (+5VSB) is active and the board is receiving power, so the failure is in the power-on signal path, not the main power delivery. Before condemning the board, you must verify that the front panel power button header (PWRBTN pins) is correctly seated and not shorted, because a loose or reversed connector prevents the PWRBTN signal from reaching the chipset's power management logic. Swapping the motherboard now risks discarding a functional board and introduces an entirely new set of configuration issues without confirming the actual fault.
When this WOULD be correct
This would be correct if the technician had already verified all power connections, tested the power supply with a known-good unit, and the system still showed no signs of life (no standby LED, no fan spin). In that case, a faulty motherboard would be the likely cause.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 220-1101 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Inspect the front panel header connections on the motherboardCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
The power button connects to the front panel header. If the wires are on the wrong pins or loose, the button will not trigger the power-on signal. This is a common oversight and should be verified next.
✗Replace the power supply with a known-good unitWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The standby LED is lit, indicating the power supply is receiving AC power and providing standby voltage. Replacing the power supply would be premature because the issue likely lies in the power switch circuit, not the PSU itself.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This would be correct if the standby LED was off and the power supply fan did not spin when the PSU was tested with a paperclip or multimeter, confirming a failed PSU.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often assume a no-power condition is always due to a failed power supply, especially after replacing one, and may skip basic troubleshooting steps like checking front panel connections.
✗Reset the CMOS by removing the batteryWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The standby LED is lit, indicating the motherboard is receiving power from the power supply. Resetting CMOS clears BIOS settings but does not address a power-on failure when the power button has no effect, as the issue is likely with the front panel connections.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A technician replaces a CPU and the computer fails to boot with continuous beeps. After verifying power connections, the technician should reset CMOS by removing the battery to clear any incompatible BIOS settings.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think CMOS corruption can prevent power-on, but the lit standby LED shows power is present, making CMOS reset an unnecessary step that delays troubleshooting the actual front panel header issue.
✗Replace the motherboardWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The motherboard's standby LED is lit, indicating the power supply is delivering standby power. Replacing the motherboard is premature without first checking simpler connections like the front panel header, which is the most likely cause given no response to the power button.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This would be correct if the technician had already verified all power connections, tested the power supply with a known-good unit, and the system still showed no signs of life (no standby LED, no fan spin). In that case, a faulty motherboard would be the likely cause.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may jump to replacing the motherboard because they assume a dead system with a working PSU must be a motherboard failure, overlooking the simpler and more common issue of incorrect front panel header wiring.
Analysis generated from the official 220-1101blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 220-1101
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A technician replaced the power supply unit (PSU) in a desktop PC. After installation, the system does not power on at all—no fans spin and no LEDs light up. The technician confirms that the PSU is plugged into a known-good wall outlet and the PSU's power switch is in the 'ON' position. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?
easy- ✓ A.Verify that the front panel power button connector is properly attached to the motherboard header
- B.Test the PSU with a multimeter to ensure the voltages are correct
- C.Swap the PSU for a different unit to rule out a defective power supply
- D.Check the motherboard CPU power connector (EPS12V) for proper seating
Why A: The most likely cause of a completely dead system after a PSU replacement is a loose or incorrectly connected front panel power button header. The power button connector bridges two pins on the motherboard header to signal the power-on event; if it is not seated properly, the system will not respond to the button press, even with a functional PSU. Since the PSU is plugged into a known-good outlet and its switch is on, the next logical step is to verify this low-voltage signal path before testing the PSU itself.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1101 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 220-1101 exam.