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220-1201 Practice Question: Configuring a dual-monitor setup for a financial…
You are configuring a dual-monitor setup for a financial analyst. After connecting both monitors, one display shows a distorted, stretched image while the other works perfectly. Both monitors are identical 1920x1080 models. What is the most efficient troubleshooting step?
⚠ Common exam trap
220-1201 often tests the assumption that a distorted image means a hardware or driver failure, when the simplest and most common cause is a non-native resolution setting that can be fixed in Display Settings in seconds.
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
✓
Change the resolution of the distorted monitor to 1920x1080 in Windows Display Settings.
The distorted, stretched image on an identical 1920x1080 monitor is the classic symptom of a resolution mismatch — Windows is driving that display at a non-native resolution (commonly 1280x1024 or 1024x768), which the panel then scales to fit, producing the stretch. Setting the resolution back to the native 1920x1080 in Display Settings restores 1:1 pixel mapping and eliminates the distortion. This is the fastest fix because it addresses the actual cause without hardware swaps or driver reinstalls.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Swap the video cables between the two monitors.
Why it's wrong here
Swapping video cables between monitors is an ineffective troubleshooting step for a resolution-based distortion on a single display. If the cable were faulty, the issue would likely follow the cable to the previously working monitor, or the working monitor would also exhibit problems if connected with the suspect cable. Since only one monitor is distorted while the other functions perfectly, the problem is almost certainly not a defective cable.
- ✗
Update the graphics driver from the manufacturer's website.
Why it's wrong here
Updating the graphics driver from the manufacturer's website is generally not the initial troubleshooting step for a simple resolution mismatch on one monitor. The fact that the other monitor is functioning correctly indicates that the core graphics driver is operational and capable of driving displays. A specific resolution distortion on one screen points more directly to an incorrect display setting rather than a fundamental driver flaw requiring an update.
- ✓
Change the resolution of the distorted monitor to 1920x1080 in Windows Display Settings.
Why this is correct
A distorted or stretched image on a monitor is a classic symptom of the display being set to a non-native resolution. Most modern monitors have a specific native resolution, such as 1920x1080, at which they display the sharpest, undistorted image. Adjusting the resolution in Windows Display Settings to match the monitor's native resolution will directly correct the aspect ratio and pixel mapping, thereby eliminating the distortion.
- ✗
Replace the monitor with a different model.
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the monitor with a different model is a premature and unnecessary troubleshooting step when the issue is described as a 'distorted' image on one screen. Such distortion is almost invariably a software configuration problem, specifically an incorrect resolution setting, rather than a hardware defect requiring a full replacement. Basic display settings should always be checked and adjusted before considering hardware replacement.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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