hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: That their LCD monitor intermittently goes black…
A user reports that their LCD monitor intermittently goes black for 2-3 seconds, then returns to normal. This happens randomly, not during any specific activity. The monitor's power LED stays green during the blackouts. Which component is most likely failing?
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 monitor's backlight or inverter is failing
A green power LED during blackouts indicates the monitor is receiving power and signal, but the backlight is failing. Intermittent backlight failure is a common issue in aging CCFL or LED-backlit LCDs, often due to failing capacitors or inverter. The correct answer identifies the backlight or inverter as the culprit, as the display logic is still working.
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 video cable is loose
Why it's wrong here
A loose video cable typically results in a complete loss of signal, causing the monitor to display a 'No Signal' message or a blank screen, often accompanied by the power LED changing to an amber or orange state. It indicates the monitor is not receiving valid input from the source. The monitor's power LED remaining steadily green suggests the monitor is still receiving a signal and is powered on, making a loose cable an unlikely cause for intermittent blackouts.
- ✗
The graphics card is overheating
Why it's wrong here
An overheating graphics card usually manifests as system instability, freezing, graphical artifacts such as distorted images, lines, or colored blocks, or even a complete system shutdown. It would not typically cause the monitor screen to intermittently go black while the monitor's power LED remains green and the system otherwise appears stable. The issue would be with the signal content or system operation, not just the display's illumination.
- ✓
The monitor's backlight or inverter is failing
Why this is correct
Intermittent failure of the monitor's backlight (either CCFL tubes or LED arrays) or its associated inverter circuit (for CCFLs) is a classic symptom for this issue. When the backlight fails, the screen goes dark because there is no illumination, but the LCD panel itself continues to receive video data and the monitor's internal power supply remains active. This scenario perfectly matches the description of the screen going dark while the monitor's power LED stays green, indicating the monitor is still powered on and receiving a signal.
- ✗
The monitor's power supply is failing
Why it's wrong here
A failing monitor power supply would typically cause the entire monitor to lose power, resulting in the power LED flickering erratically, turning off completely, or the monitor failing to power on at all. If the power supply were intermittently failing, the monitor would likely shut down entirely or exhibit power cycling, rather than just the screen going dark while the power LED remains steadily green. This indicates a localized issue with the display's illumination rather than its overall power delivery.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
TCP/IP and Common Ports for A+
Key term
Inverter
An inverter is a circuit in a mobile device's display assembly that converts DC power into AC power to light the backlight, typically in older LCD screens.
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.
About these practice questions
This 220-1201 question is part of Courseiva's 972-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.