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220-1102 Practice Question: A technician replaced a failed SATA hard drive in…
This 220-1102 practice question tests your understanding of a technician replaced a failed sata hard drive in…. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: aHCI provides advanced features like NCQ and hot-swapping for SATA drives.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A technician replaced a failed SATA hard drive in a Windows 10 desktop with a new SSD. After cloning the old drive to the new SSD, the computer fails to boot with the error 'Boot Device Not Found'. The technician checks BIOS settings and notices that the SATA controller mode is set to IDE. The old drive was configured as AHCI. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the boot failure, and what is the correct fix?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
The cloned drive does not have the correct partition style; use MBR2GPT to convert.
While partition style can cause boot issues, the error 'Boot Device Not Found' combined with a SATA mode change points to a driver problem, not partition style. MBR2GPT is used when migrating from BIOS/legacy to UEFI.
B
Best answer
The SATA driver is not loaded because the BIOS mode is set to IDE instead of AHCI; change the SATA mode to AHCI.
Windows loads the AHCI driver at boot if that was the mode during installation. Changing to IDE prevents the driver from loading, causing the boot failure. Reverting to AHCI resolves the issue.
C
Distractor review
The cloned drive is not properly connected; reseat the SATA cable and power connector.
While a loose connection could cause a 'Boot Device Not Found' error, the technician already replaced the drive and it is recognized in BIOS. The key clue is the SATA mode change.
D
Distractor review
The UEFI boot order is incorrect; change the boot order to prioritize the new SSD.
The boot order could be incorrect, but the technician likely set it correctly during cloning. The SATA mode change is a more specific cause.
Answer analysis
Why the other options are wrong
Understanding why incorrect options are tempting is as important as knowing the correct answer.
- ✗
The cloned drive does not have the correct partition style; use MBR2GPT to convert.
While partition style can cause boot issues, the error 'Boot Device Not Found' combined with a SATA mode change points to a driver problem, not partition style. MBR2GPT is used when migrating from BIOS/legacy to UEFI.
- ✗
The cloned drive is not properly connected; reseat the SATA cable and power connector.
While a loose connection could cause a 'Boot Device Not Found' error, the technician already replaced the drive and it is recognized in BIOS. The key clue is the SATA mode change.
- ✗
The UEFI boot order is incorrect; change the boot order to prioritize the new SSD.
The boot order could be incorrect, but the technician likely set it correctly during cloning. The SATA mode change is a more specific cause.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates might be tempted by option D (incorrect UEFI boot order) because 'Boot Device Not Found' often relates to boot order issues.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
The core concept being tested here is the critical role of the SATA controller mode (AHCI vs. IDE) in how Windows interacts with storage devices, particularly after a drive migration. When Windows is installed, it detects the current SATA controller mode in the BIOS/UEFI and loads the corresponding storage driver during the installation process. If the system was originally configured for AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface), Windows will configure itself to use the AHCI driver for optimal performance and features like Native Command Queuing (NCQ) and hot-swapping. When the BIOS setting is subsequently changed to IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) mode, Windows attempts to load the AHCI driver, but since the hardware is now presenting itself as an IDE controller, the driver fails to initialize correctly. This mismatch prevents the operating system from accessing the storage device, leading to the 'Boot Device Not Found' error, even if the drive itself is physically connected and recognized by the BIOS. In this specific scenario, the technician cloned an old drive configured as AHCI to a new SSD. The cloning process replicates the data and partition structure, including the Windows installation, which expects an AHCI environment. However, the technician then inadvertently changed the BIOS SATA controller mode to IDE. This change is the direct cause of the boot failure because Windows, expecting AHCI, cannot find a compatible driver for the IDE mode it now detects. The fix is to revert the BIOS setting back to AHCI, allowing Windows to load the correct driver and access the SSD. This differs from options like incorrect partition style or boot order because the error specifically arises from a driver-level incompatibility caused by the BIOS mode change, not a fundamental issue with the drive's structure or its position in the boot sequence. While a loose connection could also cause a 'Boot Device Not Found' error, the technician's observation of the SATA controller mode being set to IDE provides a more specific and likely explanation given the context of a recent drive replacement and BIOS interaction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- AHCI provides advanced features like NCQ and hot-swapping for SATA drives.
- IDE mode is an older, slower compatibility mode for SATA controllers.
- Windows loads specific storage drivers based on the BIOS SATA mode detected during installation.
- Changing SATA mode in BIOS after Windows installation can cause boot failures due to driver mismatch.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
AHCI provides advanced features like NCQ and hot-swapping for SATA drives.
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Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 6
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1102 question test?
AHCI provides advanced features like NCQ and hot-swapping for SATA drives.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The SATA driver is not loaded because the BIOS mode is set to IDE instead of AHCI; change the SATA mode to AHCI. — Windows 10 must have the correct SATA controller driver loaded at boot. If the OS was installed with AHCI mode enabled, changing the BIOS to IDE (or RAID) will cause a boot failure because the driver is incompatible. The simplest fix is to change the SATA mode back to AHCI in BIOS. A clean install or registry edit would be more complex and is not needed if the hardware is the same. The boot failure is due to the driver mismatch, not a corrupt installation.
What should I do if I get this 220-1102 question wrong?
Review aHCI provides advanced features like NCQ and hot-swapping for SATA drives., then practise related 220-1102 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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