mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: After replacing a motherboard, a technician…
After replacing a motherboard, a technician installs Windows but the system will not boot from the SSD. The drive is detected in UEFI. The technician recalls the previous motherboard used Legacy BIOS. What is the most likely 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 UEFI is set to UEFI mode but the drive uses MBR
If the new motherboard defaults to UEFI mode but the SSD was formatted with an MBR partition table (for Legacy), the system cannot boot. Changing to Legacy/CSM mode or reinstalling with GPT is needed. This tests understanding of partition table and boot mode compatibility.
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 SSD is not getting power
Why it's wrong here
If the SSD is detected during the Windows installation process or within the UEFI/BIOS settings, it confirms that the drive is receiving adequate power and that the data connection is functional. A complete lack of power would result in the drive not being recognized at all by the system, making any attempt to install an operating system or boot from it impossible. Therefore, power delivery is not the underlying issue if Windows was successfully installed onto the drive.
- ✓
The UEFI is set to UEFI mode but the drive uses MBR
Why this is correct
Modern UEFI firmware, when operating in native UEFI mode, specifically requires the boot drive to utilize a GPT (GUID Partition Table) partitioning scheme and contain an EFI System Partition (ESP) to locate and execute the operating system's bootloader. If Windows was installed onto a drive that uses the older MBR (Master Boot Record) partitioning scheme, the UEFI system will be unable to find the necessary boot files. To boot from an MBR drive, the UEFI firmware must be configured to use Legacy BIOS mode or enable its Compatibility Support Module (CSM).
- ✗
Secure Boot is blocking the Windows bootloader
Why it's wrong here
Secure Boot is a critical security feature integrated into UEFI firmware designed to prevent unauthorized operating systems or malicious software from loading during the boot process by only allowing digitally signed bootloaders. The official Windows bootloader provided by Microsoft is digitally signed and fully compatible with Secure Boot. Consequently, Secure Boot would not block a legitimate Windows installation from booting; it would only interfere if an unsigned, modified, or non-Windows bootloader were attempting to load.
- ✗
The CMOS battery is dead
Why it's wrong here
A dead CMOS battery primarily affects the system's ability to retain its BIOS/UEFI configuration settings, such as the date, time, and boot order, when the computer loses power. While this might cause the boot mode (e.g., UEFI vs. Legacy) to revert to default settings, it does not inherently prevent a properly installed operating system from booting if the drive is detected and the correct boot mode is subsequently re-selected. The described issue points to a fundamental incompatibility with the boot process rather than merely lost configuration settings.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Motherboard Components and Form Factors
Key term
GUID Partition Table
A GUID Partition Table (GPT) is a modern standard for organizing and managing partitions on a storage drive, replacing the older Master Boot Record (MBR) system.
Key term
SSD
A Solid State Drive (SSD) is a storage device that uses flash memory to save data, making computers start up and load files much faster than older hard drives.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 220-1201 question from scratch — 972 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or 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.