220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A technician updated the BIOS on a desktop computer to resolve a compatibility issue with a new GPU. After the update, the computer will not boot. The CPU fan spins, the power LED is lit, but there are no POST beeps and no display output. The technician has already removed the CMOS battery for five minutes and reinstalled it, but the problem persists. The motherboard has a USB BIOS Flashback port and a dedicated Flashback button on the rear I/O panel. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse CMOS battery removal (which clears user settings but does not reflash the firmware) with a full BIOS recovery, leading them to incorrectly assume the motherboard is dead and must be replaced.
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
✓
Use the USB BIOS Flashback feature to reinstall the previous BIOS version
The correct next step is to use the USB BIOS Flashback feature to reinstall the previous BIOS version. Since the system has power (CPU fan spins, power LED lit) but no POST or display, and removing the CMOS battery did not resolve the issue, the BIOS update itself is likely corrupted or incompatible with the hardware. USB BIOS Flashback allows recovery of the BIOS without a working CPU or RAM by reading a firmware file from a USB drive, making it the appropriate tool to revert to a known-good BIOS version.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Replace the motherboard
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the motherboard is a last-resort, invasive step that assumes the underlying hardware is damaged. Here, the CPU, RAM, and power delivery still initialize enough to spin fans; the only failure is the corrupted firmware image on the SPI flash chip. Using USB BIOS Flashback restores the original BIOS without disturbing hardware, avoiding the cost, labor, and potential OS reactivation issues of a board swap.
- ✓
Use the USB BIOS Flashback feature to reinstall the previous BIOS version
Why this is correct
USB BIOS Flashback is a manufacturer-specific recovery feature that reflashes the BIOS directly from a USB drive without the need for a functional CPU, RAM, or a successful POST. Place a renamed ROM file on a FAT32 flash drive, insert it into the designated port, and press the Flashback button to write the firmware to the SPI chip. This can also reinstall a previous BIOS version, and because it operates from the embedded controller, it is the recommended cure for a bad update.
- ✗
Remove and reseat the CPU
Why it's wrong here
Reseating the CPU troubleshoots poor socket contact or bent-pin issues that can prevent POST. Since the system powers on and the fans spin, the CPU is receiving power and the board has not detected a critical short; a reseat will not regenerate the contents of a corrupted BIOS. Firmware corruption is a software-level fault in the flash chip, not a mechanical connection problem.
- ✗
Use a multimeter to test the power supply voltages
Why it's wrong here
The system powers on and its fans spin, which indicates the PSU is delivering at least standby and main power. A multimeter can confirm rail voltages, but a corrupted BIOS causes the POST process to fail even when all voltages are nominal. Voltage testing would not rewrite the firmware image, so it cannot recover a PC that fails after a BIOS update.
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Key term
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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.