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220-1201 Practice Question: That their PC emits a continuous series of short…
A user reports that their PC emits a continuous series of short beeps and will not display anything on the screen. The system was working fine after a recent RAM upgrade. What is the most likely cause of this 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
✓
The new RAM is incompatible or faulty
Continuous short beeps typically indicate a power supply failure or a motherboard power issue. However, given the recent RAM upgrade, it is more likely that the new RAM is incompatible or not seated correctly. The technician should first reseat the RAM and try the original modules to isolate the problem.
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 new RAM is incompatible or faulty
Why this is correct
Continuous short beeps during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) are a classic indicator of a memory subsystem issue. Given that the problem began immediately after a RAM upgrade, it strongly suggests that the newly installed memory module is either incompatible with the motherboard, incorrectly seated, or inherently faulty. The BIOS is unable to properly initialize or detect the RAM, triggering this specific error code.
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The CPU is overheating
Why it's wrong here
CPU overheating typically manifests as the system shutting down abruptly to prevent damage, or in some BIOS implementations, a series of long beeps indicating a critical thermal event. Continuous short beeps, however, are not a standard POST code for an overheating processor. The system would likely not even reach the point of emitting continuous short beeps if the CPU were critically overheating during initial boot.
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The graphics card is not seated properly
Why it's wrong here
A graphics card that is not properly seated or is faulty usually triggers a different set of POST beep codes, such as one long beep followed by two or three short beeps, or simply no video output with a specific error pattern. Continuous short beeps are not a common diagnostic code for a video card issue. The system's BIOS typically has distinct codes for display-related problems.
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The motherboard is shorting against the case
Why it's wrong here
A short circuit between the motherboard and the case would most likely prevent the system from powering on at all, or cause an immediate, unrecoverable shutdown due to electrical protection mechanisms. Such a severe electrical fault would typically not allow the Power-On Self-Test (POST) to progress far enough to generate a specific, continuous beep code. Instead, it would result in a complete power failure or component damage.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Motherboard Components and Form Factors
Key term
RAM
RAM (Random Access Memory) is your computer's short-term memory, temporarily holding data the CPU needs right now or very soon.
Key term
Dual In-line Memory Module
A Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) is a small circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a computer's motherboard to provide Random Access Memory (RAM).
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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.