A technician installed a used SATA SSD from another computer into a desktop workstation. The BIOS correctly detects the SSD, but Windows does not show any new drive in File Explorer. The technician opens Disk Management and sees no uninitialized disks listed. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?
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.
Distractor review
Check the SATA cable power connection and ensure the drive is receiving power
Since the BIOS detects the drive, power is already connected properly.
Best answer
Change the SATA controller mode in BIOS from RAID to AHCI
If the previous computer used a different controller mode (e.g., RAID), the drive may appear uninitialized or not visible under AHCI. Switching to the matching mode or to AHCI often resolves visibility issues.
Distractor review
Run the format command from a command prompt with administrative privileges
Formatting requires the drive to be visible in Disk Management first; this step is premature.
Distractor review
Update the chipset drivers from the motherboard manufacturer's website
While driver updates can resolve compatibility issues, the most direct step given the scenario is to examine the SATA controller mode. Updating drivers is a later troubleshooting step.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A user reports intermittent network connectivity on a desktop computer. The technician observes that the Ethernet link light on the NIC turns off for a few seconds and then turns back on. The cable passes a wiremap test, the switch port is verified good with another device, and the NIC driver is updated. The issue occurs more frequently when the computer's case fan runs at high speed. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Question 2
A workstation is unable to connect to the internet. The technician runs the 'ipconfig' command and sees the IPv4 address is 169.254.15.200 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. The workstation can ping other devices on the local subnet but cannot ping the default gateway or any external addresses. Which TWO actions should the technician take to resolve this issue? (Select two.)
Question 3
A workstation is connected to a managed switch. It obtains a valid IP address (192.168.10.50) from the DHCP server, but it cannot ping the default gateway (192.168.10.1). The link light on both the workstation NIC and the switch port are solid green. Other workstations on the same switch CAN ping the default gateway successfully. The technician accesses the switch management interface and finds that the workstation's port is configured as an access port on VLAN 10. The default gateway is located on VLAN 20. An inter-VLAN router is configured but not explicitly allowing VLAN 10 access to VLAN 20. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the problem?
Question 4
A company develops a web application that relies on a custom library available only for a specific Linux distribution. They want to deploy the application in the cloud with minimal administrative overhead, but they need full control over the software stack, including the ability to install the custom library and configure the web server. Which cloud service model BEST meets these requirements?
Question 5
A company has a legacy virtual machine running on a deprecated hypervisor (Hyper-V). They want to migrate this VM to a new hypervisor (VMware vSphere) hosted in a private cloud while preserving the VM's configuration, installed applications, and data. The migration must be performed with minimal downtime. Which of the following methods is MOST appropriate?
Question 6
A company hosts a critical database on a virtual machine in a public cloud. The database requires persistent storage that must be retained even if the VM is terminated. The storage must also be accessible from multiple VMs simultaneously for a future high-availability configuration. Which type of cloud storage BEST meets these requirements?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1101 question test?
Authentication checks who the user is.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change the SATA controller mode in BIOS from RAID to AHCI — When a drive is detected in BIOS but not in the OS, it often means the drive is not initialized or the partition table is missing/corrupt. However, if it doesn't appear even in Disk Management, the issue might be at the driver level or the SATA controller mode. Changing the SATA controller mode (e.g., from RAID to AHCI) can make the drive visible if the previous computer used a different mode. Option A (checking power) is unnecessary since BIOS sees it. Option B (formatting) requires the drive to be visible first. Option D (updating chipset drivers) can help but is more general; the controller mode mismatch is a common specific cause.
What should I do if I get this 220-1101 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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