220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A technician is troubleshooting a server that unexpectedly shut down. The server has redundant power supplies, and the building power is stable. The technician checks the BIOS event log and finds a thermal warning before shutdown. The server is in a rack with other servers, all within temperature range. Which of the following is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume a thermal warning must mean the entire rack is overheating, but the question specifies other servers are within range, so the cause is localized to the individual server's cooling system, specifically the CPU heatsink mounting.
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
✓
Loose CPU heatsink
A loose CPU heatsink causes poor thermal transfer between the CPU and the heatsink, leading to localized overheating even when ambient temperatures are normal. The BIOS thermal warning followed by shutdown indicates the CPU exceeded its critical temperature threshold, triggering an automatic protection mechanism. Redundant power supplies and stable building power rule out power issues, and the other servers in the rack are within range, isolating the problem to the specific server's cooling hardware.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A failed power supply unit
Why it's wrong here
The server has redundant power supplies and stable building power, so a PSU failure is unlikely to cause a thermal warning. PSU failure would typically result in a power loss event, not a temperature-related shutdown.
When this WOULD be correct
A server with a single power supply shuts down unexpectedly, and the BIOS event log shows no thermal warnings but a power loss event. Building power is stable, and other servers on the same circuit are unaffected.
- ✓
Loose CPU heatsink
Why this is correct
A loose heatsink prevents proper heat transfer from the CPU to the cooling fins, causing the CPU to overheat quickly even in a cool environment. The BIOS detects the temperature rise and issues a thermal warning before shutting down to prevent damage.
- ✗
Incompatible RAM
Why it's wrong here
Incompatible RAM leads to memory initialization failures or intermittent errors, often manifesting as POST failures, random crashes, or bluescreens, but it does not produce sustained CPU heating that would trip a thermal sensor. Thermal shutdown events are tied to the CPU or system temperature, not memory compatibility; a DIMM mismatch may prevent the server from booting or cause unstable operation long before the OS loads, yet it would not elevate CPU temperature to a critical threshold. Therefore, while a RAM issue is a plausible cause of server instability, it is inconsistent with the reported thermal warning shutdown.
When this WOULD be correct
A technician installs new RAM modules, and the server fails to boot with beep codes or displays a memory error on the POST screen. The server has no thermal warnings, and other components are functioning normally. In this scenario, incompatible RAM is the likely cause.
- ✗
Hard drive failure
Why it's wrong here
Hard drive failure usually results in data errors, boot failures, or unusual noises, not a thermal shutdown. Hard drives have their own temperature sensors, but a single drive failure would not cause a server-wide thermal warning.
When this WOULD be correct
A server fails to boot or experiences frequent crashes, and the BIOS reports disk read errors or SMART warnings. In that scenario, a failing hard drive is the most likely cause.
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.
✓Loose CPU heatsinkCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
A loose heatsink prevents proper heat transfer from the CPU to the cooling fins, causing the CPU to overheat quickly even in a cool environment. The BIOS detects the temperature rise and issues a thermal warning before shutting down to prevent damage.
✗A failed power supply unitWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The server has redundant power supplies and building power is stable, so a failed PSU would not cause a thermal warning and shutdown; it would likely cause a power loss or beep codes, not a thermal event.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A server with a single power supply shuts down unexpectedly, and the BIOS event log shows no thermal warnings but a power loss event. Building power is stable, and other servers on the same circuit are unaffected.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may assume any unexpected shutdown is power-related, especially with redundant PSUs, overlooking that thermal issues can still occur from hardware faults like a loose heatsink.
✗Incompatible RAMWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Incompatible RAM would typically cause boot failures, system instability, or POST errors, not a thermal warning followed by shutdown. The BIOS event log specifically indicates a thermal event, pointing to a cooling issue rather than a memory compatibility problem.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A technician installs new RAM modules, and the server fails to boot with beep codes or displays a memory error on the POST screen. The server has no thermal warnings, and other components are functioning normally. In this scenario, incompatible RAM is the likely cause.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may associate any hardware issue with shutdowns and incorrectly assume that incompatible RAM can cause overheating or sudden power loss, overlooking the specific thermal warning in the BIOS log.
✗Hard drive failureWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Hard drive failure typically causes data loss or boot issues, not unexpected shutdowns with thermal warnings. The BIOS event log specifically indicates a thermal event, pointing to overheating, not storage failure.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A server fails to boot or experiences frequent crashes, and the BIOS reports disk read errors or SMART warnings. In that scenario, a failing hard drive is the most likely cause.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may associate unexpected shutdowns with hardware failures broadly, and hard drives are a common failure point, leading them to overlook the specific thermal warning in the logs.
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.