220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A technician is troubleshooting a workstation that randomly reboots when the user performs disk-intensive operations, such as copying large files. The technician has replaced the power supply and tested the RAM (no errors). The hard drive passes S.M.A.R.T. tests. The motherboard capacitors appear normal. The technician suspects a thermal issue but CPU and GPU temps are normal. Which component should the technician check next?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates focus on the most obvious thermal suspects (CPU/GPU) or replace the PSU prematurely, overlooking the VRMs as a hidden heat source that can cause intermittent reboots without triggering CPU or GPU thermal throttling.
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 voltage regulator modules (VRMs) on the motherboard, which may be overheating under load.
The VRMs regulate voltage to the CPU and can overheat under sustained load, especially during disk-intensive operations that also stress the CPU. Overheating VRMs can cause voltage instability or thermal shutdown, leading to random reboots even when CPU/GPU temperatures appear normal. This matches the symptom pattern after ruling out PSU, RAM, and storage issues.
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 voltage regulator modules (VRMs) on the motherboard, which may be overheating under load.
Why this is correct
VRMs are power-regulation components on the motherboard that convert the main 12V supply into the lower core voltages required by the CPU, memory, and other sensitive logic. During disk-intensive workloads, the CPU and memory controller draw more current, causing VRMs to dissipate significantly more heat; if their heatsinks or thermal pads are inadequate or if airflow over them is blocked, the VRMs can exceed their thermal threshold. Many motherboards implement thermal shutdown protection for VRMs, so an overheating VRM will trigger an immediate system reboot to prevent permanent damage to the board or processor.
- ✗
The SATA data cable, which may be faulty causing intermittent disconnects.
Why it's wrong here
A faulty SATA data cable typically manifests as intermittent drive disconnects, data corruption, or the drive dropping out of the operating system entirely, often logging I/O errors in the system event log. While a failing SATA cable can cause the system to hang briefly while the storage stack retries the command, it does not produce the kind of uncontrolled thermal event or power fault that triggers a random reboot. The reboot in the scenario is tied directly to heavy disk load, which points to a power-delivery or thermal issue rather than a signal-integrity problem on the data path.
- ✗
The case fans, which may not be providing adequate airflow to the chipset.
Why it's wrong here
Inadequate case airflow could theoretically cause the chipset to overheat, but a chipset temperature issue is unlikely to manifest specifically under disk I/O since the chipset's power draw is relatively constant regardless of storage activity. The scenario states that CPU and GPU temperatures are normal, which strongly implies that the chassis has adequate airflow and that the failure is localized to a component whose thermal load scales with workload. A chipset that overheats would typically produce system instability or lockups during any sustained activity, not exclusively during disk-intensive tasks, and it would show a different thermal signature than a problem with the on-board voltage regulators.
- ✗
The operating system power plan settings, which may be set to balanced.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the Windows power plan from High Performance to Balanced only alters the processor's minimum and maximum performance state, allowing the CPU to idle at lower frequencies and voltages. This can cause performance throttling or slightly higher latency during bursty workloads, but it does not produce the kind of hardware-level thermal or power fault that forces a reboot. In fact, a balanced plan would reduce CPU voltage and power draw, making VRM thermal issues less likely, not more. Random reboots during disk-intensive tasks are far more consistent with a hardware protection mechanism than with OS-level power management.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Troubleshoot: Hard Drive Failure Signs
Key term
Dual In-line Memory Module
A Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) is a small circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a computer's motherboard to provide Random Access Memory (RAM).
Key term
RAM
RAM (Random-Access Memory) is volatile computer memory that temporarily stores data for quick access by the CPU.
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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.