220-1201 Practice Question: After installing a new graphics card, a user's…

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 monitor is incompatible with the new card

  Why it's wrong here

  Monitor incompatibility with a new graphics card is exceptionally rare because modern display interfaces like HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI are highly standardized. If a monitor has the correct physical port and the graphics card outputs to it, fundamental incompatibility causing persistent visual artifacts is highly unlikely. Artifacts typically indicate a problem with the signal generation by the GPU or its power, not a basic inability of the monitor to interpret a standard signal.

• ✗

  The graphics card driver is outdated

  Why it's wrong here

  Graphics card drivers are software components that load after the operating system has started, well past the initial boot sequence and Power-On Self-Test (POST). If visual artifacts or display issues are present immediately upon powering on the system, even before the OS loads or the driver initializes, it strongly indicates a hardware problem with the GPU itself, its power delivery, or the connection, rather than an outdated or corrupt software driver.

• ✓

  The power supply unit is insufficient for the new card

  Why this is correct

  Modern graphics cards are often the most power-hungry component in a computer system, requiring substantial wattage, particularly from the power supply unit's (PSU) 12V rail. If the PSU cannot consistently deliver the required power, especially under the load of the new GPU, the card will operate unstably. This instability manifests as visual artifacts, color distortion, freezing, or system crashes, as the GPU's processing units and memory receive insufficient or fluctuating power, leading to rendering errors.

• ✗

  The display cable is loose

  Why it's wrong here

  A loose or improperly seated display cable (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI) typically results in a complete loss of signal, a flickering screen, intermittent blackouts, or a "no signal" message on the monitor. While a severely damaged cable could introduce noise, a simple loose connection is more likely to disrupt the entire digital or analog signal flow, leading to a lack of display or sporadic disconnections, rather than consistent, distorted visual artifacts across the screen.

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