220-1101 Hardware Practice Question
A technician is upgrading a desktop computer's memory from 16GB (2x8GB) to 32GB (2x16GB). The technician purchases two 16GB DDR4-3200 modules from the same manufacturer and installs them in the recommended dual-channel slots (A2, B2). The system boots normally and reports 32GB. However, after running a memory-intensive application, the system crashes with a "MEMORY_MANAGEMENT" error. A memory diagnostic tool reports multiple errors at address ranges. The technician checks the BIOS and sees the memory is running at 3200MHz. The CPU is an Intel Core i7-10700K, which officially supports DDR4-2933. What is the most likely cause of the errors?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that if the system boots and reports the correct capacity, the memory is fully stable; the trap here is ignoring the CPU's official memory speed support and assuming XMP profiles are guaranteed to work without manual tuning.
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 CPU's memory controller is not rated for DDR4-3200, causing instability when XMP is enabled.
The Intel Core i7-10700K officially supports DDR4-2933. Running the memory at 3200MHz via XMP overclocks the CPU's integrated memory controller (IMC) beyond its rated specification. This can cause instability under load, leading to MEMORY_MANAGEMENT errors and diagnostic failures, even though the modules are from the same manufacturer and installed correctly.
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 RAM modules are not compatible with the motherboard.
Why it's wrong here
The system boots and reports the full 32GB, so the modules are electrically and logically compatible with the motherboard. If the RAM were truly incompatible (wrong DDR generation, unsupported module density, or faulty SP D), the POST routine would typically fail, emit beep codes, or the BIOS would report a reduced capacity or fail to recognize one DIMM. Since it recognizes both modules at 32GB, compatibility is not the issue.
- ✓
The CPU's memory controller is not rated for DDR4-3200, causing instability when XMP is enabled.
Why this is correct
The Intel Core i7-10700K's memory controller is officially validated for DDR4-2933, not DDR4-3200. Enabling XMP forces the integrated memory controller (IMC) to run at an overclocked 3200 MT/s, which exceeds Intel's guaranteed specification and can cause timing or signaling instability. Under sustained load, this manifests as random memory errors, application crashes, or system reboots despite the system posting correctly and reporting 32GB.
- ✗
The RAM is installed in the wrong slots for dual-channel operation.
Why it's wrong here
Dual-channel operation on most consumer motherboards is achieved when the two DIMMs are installed in the A2 and B2 slots (the second and fourth slots from the CPU). If the user correctly placed them there, as is common, the system will run in dual-channel mode, which does not cause memory errors. Even if they were placed in the wrong slots, the system would likely boot in single-channel mode and show reduced bandwidth, not produce errors under load—so slot misconfiguration is not the cause.
- ✗
The power supply unit is providing insufficient voltage to the RAM.
Why it's wrong here
RAM voltage is regulated by the motherboard, not the PSU directly. Insufficient PSU power would more likely cause system crashes under load, but the specific symptom of memory errors points to memory controller or module issues.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 220-1101 question from scratch — 896 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 220-1101 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.