A technician installs a new M.2 NVMe SSD into a desktop computer. The motherboard has two M.2 slots: M.2_1 supports PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA modes, and M.2_2 supports PCIe 3.0 x2 and SATA modes. The technician inserts the NVMe SSD into the M.2_2 slot. The computer boots from the existing SATA SSD, but the new NVMe drive is not visible in Disk Management. The BIOS shows that M.2_2 is enabled and set to 'Auto' mode. The technician consults the motherboard manual and discovers that when M.2_2 is used in PCIe mode, SATA port 5 (SATA5) is disabled. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST to resolve the issue?
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.
Best answer
Move the existing SATA SSD from SATA5 to an available SATA port, such as SATA6.
Since M.2_2 disables SATA5, moving the SATA SSD to a different port (e.g., SATA6) removes any conflict. This is a quick and simple step that often resolves recognition issues.
Distractor review
Change the M.2_2 mode from 'Auto' to 'PCIe' in the BIOS.
The 'Auto' mode should automatically detect the NVMe drive and set the appropriate mode. Forcing PCIe mode is rarely necessary and does not address the potential SATA port conflict.
Distractor review
Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version.
BIOS updates can add compatibility for newer SSDs, but in this case, the motherboard supports NVMe drives natively. The issue is more likely a resource conflict than a compatibility problem.
Distractor review
Insert the NVMe SSD into the M.2_1 slot instead.
While M.2_1 does not share bandwidth with SATA ports, moving the drive to a different slot may not be necessary if the SATA SSD can be moved. Also, M.2_1 may have its own limitations (e.g., may disable a different SATA port). Moving the SATA SSD is a lower-impact first step.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
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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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Move the existing SATA SSD from SATA5 to an available SATA port, such as SATA6. — When M.2_2 is used in PCIe mode (as with an NVMe SSD), it shares bandwidth with SATA5, disabling that SATA port. If the existing SATA SSD is connected to SATA5, the system may not recognize the M.2 drive properly because of resource conflict. Moving the SATA SSD from SATA5 to an available SATA port (e.g., SATA6) is the simplest first step. Changing the M.2 mode from Auto to PCIe is unlikely to help because Auto should detect the NVMe drive correctly. Updating the BIOS is not necessary because the motherboard supports the drive. Inserting the NVMe drive into M.2_1 could work, but moving the SATA SSD is a less disruptive and faster test.
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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