Troubleshooting Intermittent Shutdowns: Checking for Bulging Motherboard Capacitors
A user reports that their desktop computer runs for about ten minutes, then suddenly shuts down without warning. After a few minutes, it can be restarted, but the same problem occurs. The technician suspects overheating. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the candidate's ability to prioritize the simplest, most likely cause (fan failure) over more complex or invasive fixes like reapplying thermal paste, which is a common distractor for those who assume the issue is poor heat transfer rather than no airflow.
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
✓
Verify that the CPU fan spins freely when the system is powered on
The symptom of a system running for a short period, then shutting down and restarting after cooling, is classic for overheating. The CPU fan is the primary active cooling component; if it fails to spin, the CPU will quickly reach its thermal threshold (typically around 100°C for modern CPUs) and trigger a thermal shutdown. Checking that the fan spins freely is the quickest, least invasive first step to confirm basic cooling operation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Verify that the CPU fan spins freely when the system is powered on
Why this is correct
The CPU’s thermal protection circuit cuts power once the die exceeds its maximum junction temperature, and a seized or electrically dead CPU fan is the most common cause of such shutdowns after a few minutes of runtime. With no forced airflow, the heatsink’s thermal mass quickly saturates, letting the CPU spike to critical temperature. Simply observing whether the fan rotor spins (or spins smoothly) at power-on immediately confirms this primary suspect before moving to invasive fixes.
- ✗
Reapply thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink
Why it's wrong here
Thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink degrades gradually—over months or years—causing steadily rising temperatures, not a hard shutdown that reproducibly occurs at the ten-minute mark. If the paste were completely missing or cracked, the CPU would overheat in seconds because the heatsink would have almost no thermal contact, not after a predictable delay. Reapplying paste is a valid follow-up only after you have confirmed that the cooling fan is actually spinning, since fresh paste cannot compensate for absent airflow.
When this WOULD be correct
A technician has already confirmed that the CPU fan spins freely and the system still overheats. In that case, reapplying thermal paste would be the next step to improve heat transfer between the CPU and heatsink.
- ✗
Replace the power supply unit (PSU)
Why it's wrong here
A failing PSU generally produces random resets or shutdowns that vary with load, plus symptoms like clicking relays, bulging capacitors, or a burning smell—it is not tied to a precise runtime before the computer loses power. The clean, reproducible ten-minute cutoff strongly indicates the CPU’s thermal protection tripping, not a supply voltage fault. Replacing the PSU without checking cooling would not fix an overheating CPU, so this is last on the diagnostic list for an expected thermal issue.
When this WOULD be correct
A technician should replace the PSU when a computer randomly shuts down or restarts under load (e.g., during gaming) and the PSU fan is not spinning or emits a burning smell, with no signs of overheating.
- ✗
Run a memory diagnostic tool like MemTest86
Why it's wrong here
MemTest86 exercises RAM to detect intermittent bit errors, which typically manifest as blue screens, application crashes, or corrupted data, not as a clean, automatic power-off at a consistent time interval. The system’s thermal management does not care about memory integrity—it simply shuts down to protect the CPU from overheating. Running a memory diagnostic now would also waste time and could even trigger the same shutdown under load, further confirming this is a thermal, not RAM, problem.
When this WOULD be correct
A user reports random crashes, blue screens, or application errors with no pattern related to temperature. The technician suspects faulty RAM. Running a memory diagnostic tool like MemTest86 would be the appropriate first step to identify memory errors.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 220-1101 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Verify that the CPU fan spins freely when the system is powered onCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
The CPU’s thermal protection circuit cuts power once the die exceeds its maximum junction temperature, and a seized or electrically dead CPU fan is the most common cause of such shutdowns after a few minutes of runtime. With no forced airflow, the heatsink’s thermal mass quickly saturates, letting the CPU spike to critical temperature. Simply observing whether the fan rotor spins (or spins smoothly) at power-on immediately confirms this primary suspect before moving to invasive fixes.
✗Reapply thermal paste between the CPU and heatsinkWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Reapplying thermal paste is a more invasive step that should be performed after verifying that the CPU fan is operational. The symptom (shutdown after 10 minutes, restartable after cooling) points first to a fan failure, not dried paste.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A technician has already confirmed that the CPU fan spins freely and the system still overheats. In that case, reapplying thermal paste would be the next step to improve heat transfer between the CPU and heatsink.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates know that thermal paste degrades over time and can cause overheating, so they may jump to this fix without first checking the simpler, more common cause of a non-spinning fan.
✗Replace the power supply unit (PSU)Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The PSU is unlikely to cause a shutdown after exactly ten minutes of operation followed by a restartable cooldown period; this pattern strongly indicates thermal throttling or overheating, not a PSU failure.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A technician should replace the PSU when a computer randomly shuts down or restarts under load (e.g., during gaming) and the PSU fan is not spinning or emits a burning smell, with no signs of overheating.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may associate sudden shutdowns with PSU failure because a failing PSU can cause intermittent power loss, but they overlook the predictable time-based pattern and restart capability that point to overheating.
✗Run a memory diagnostic tool like MemTest86Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The symptom (shutdown after 10 minutes, restartable after cooling) strongly points to overheating, not memory errors. Running MemTest86 would not diagnose thermal issues and would waste time; the technician should first check the CPU fan.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A user reports random crashes, blue screens, or application errors with no pattern related to temperature. The technician suspects faulty RAM. Running a memory diagnostic tool like MemTest86 would be the appropriate first step to identify memory errors.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse sudden shutdowns with memory-related crashes, or they might think a diagnostic tool is a safe, non-invasive first step regardless of symptoms.
Analysis generated from the official 220-1101blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1101 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 220-1101 exam.