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220-1201 Practice Question: That when they send a print job to the MFP, the…
A user reports that when they send a print job to the MFP, the job appears in the print queue but never prints. Other users can print without issues. The MFP is connected via Ethernet. What is the most likely cause?
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 user's print spooler service is hung or corrupted.
A print job stuck in the queue but not printing for one user often indicates a driver or spooler issue specific to that user's workstation. Corrupted print spooler files or incorrect driver settings can cause this, while the MFP itself and network are fine.
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 MFP is out of paper.
Why it's wrong here
An out-of-paper condition on a Multi-Function Printer (MFP) is a physical state affecting the shared hardware resource. If the MFP lacks paper, it cannot process any print jobs from any user, as the fundamental medium for printing is absent. This would manifest as a global printing failure, preventing all users from printing, not an isolated issue for a single user, making it an unlikely cause for only one user experiencing problems.
- ✗
The network cable is unplugged from the MFP.
Why it's wrong here
A disconnected network cable at the Multi-Function Printer (MFP) severs the device's communication link to the entire network. This critical connectivity failure would render the MFP unreachable by all connected workstations, preventing any user from sending print jobs or receiving status updates. Consequently, all users would experience printing failures, not just an individual, indicating a broader network issue rather than a user-specific problem.
- ✓
The user's print spooler service is hung or corrupted.
Why this is correct
The print spooler service operates locally on a user's workstation, managing print jobs before they are sent to the printer. If this service becomes hung or corrupted, it can prevent that specific user's print jobs from being processed and forwarded, causing them to queue indefinitely on their local machine. Other users' print jobs remain unaffected because their individual print spooler services are functioning correctly, allowing them to print without issue to the shared MFP.
- ✗
The MFP's toner cartridge is empty.
Why it's wrong here
An empty toner cartridge within a Multi-Function Printer (MFP) is a shared consumable resource issue that impacts the device's ability to produce images or text. When the toner is depleted, the MFP cannot print any documents, regardless of which user initiates the print job. This condition would universally prevent all users from successfully printing, causing a system-wide failure rather than a problem isolated to a single user's printing attempts.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Configuration: IP, DNS, DHCP
Key term
Print spooler
A print spooler is a software service that manages print jobs by holding them in a queue and sending them to the printer one at a time.
Key term
Ethernet
Ethernet is a wired networking technology that connects devices like computers, printers, and servers to each other and to the internet using cables.
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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.