easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A user complains that their laser printer is…
A user complains that their laser printer is printing blank pages. The printer has toner, and the paper feeds correctly. Which component should the technician inspect first?
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
✓
The toner cartridge.
Blank pages from a laser printer with toner usually indicate the toner cartridge's shutter is closed or the drum is not making contact. The toner cartridge is the most common cause and should be inspected first.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The fuser assembly.
Why it's wrong here
The fuser assembly is responsible for permanently bonding the toner to the paper using heat and pressure as the final step in the printing process. If the fuser were faulty, toner would likely be present on the page but would easily smudge, smear, or rub off, indicating improper adhesion. It would not typically result in completely blank pages, as the toner transfer process itself would have already occurred prior to fusing. Therefore, a fuser issue would not explain a completely blank output.
- ✓
The toner cartridge.
Why this is correct
The toner cartridge contains the photosensitive drum and the toner supply, both critical for image formation. If the drum is faulty, such as being unable to hold an electrostatic charge, or if the toner shutter is closed, preventing toner from reaching the drum, no image will be transferred. This directly results in completely blank pages, as the fundamental components for applying toner to the paper are compromised or obstructed. This is the most direct cause of blank output when the printer otherwise functions.
- ✗
The pickup rollers.
Why it's wrong here
Pickup rollers are mechanical components designed to grab individual sheets of paper from the paper tray and feed them into the printer's paper path. A malfunction with the pickup rollers would typically lead to paper jams, misfeeds, or the printer reporting an "out of paper" error, even if paper is present. They do not play any role in the actual imaging or toner transfer process, so they would not cause a successfully fed page to emerge completely blank.
- ✗
The network cable.
Why it's wrong here
The network cable provides the physical connection for the printer to receive print jobs from networked computers. If the network cable were faulty or disconnected, the printer would simply not receive any print data, and therefore would not print anything at all. It would not process a print job and then output a blank page; rather, the print job would remain in the queue or fail to send. This issue pertains to connectivity, not the internal imaging process.
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Key term
Toner cartridge
An electrophotographic printer component that holds a fine, dry plastic powder (toner) and supplies it to the imaging drum to produce text and images on paper.
Key term
Blank pages
Blank pages are printed sheets that come out of a printer with no text, graphics, or markings, indicating a failure in the printing process.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 220-1201
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 small office has an inkjet printer that intermittently prints blank pages. The printer has been recently refilled with ink, and the printhead alignment test prints correctly. What is the most likely cause of the blank pages?
easy- A.Low ink levels in the cartridge
- ✓ B.Clogged printhead nozzles
- C.Faulty fuser assembly
- D.Incorrect paper type setting
Why B: Inkjet printers that print blank pages often have clogged printhead nozzles, especially after refilling. Even if the alignment test prints fine, the nozzles may be partially blocked, causing some pages to print blank. Running a printhead cleaning cycle usually resolves this.
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.