220-1101 Hardware Practice Question
A technician is building a new desktop computer. After installing the CPU, RAM, and a high-end graphics card, the system powers on but shuts down after about 10 seconds. The CPU fan spins erratically during this time. The technician has verified the CPU is supported and properly seated. The heatsink came with pre-applied thermal paste. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates see the fan spinning and assume it is properly connected, overlooking that the specific CPU_FAN header must be used for the motherboard to detect fan operation and prevent a safety shutdown.
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
✓
Ensure the CPU fan cable is connected to the CPU_FAN header
The CPU fan cable must be connected to the motherboard's CPU_FAN header, not a chassis fan header, because the system monitors the CPU_FAN header for a tachometer signal. If the fan is connected elsewhere, the motherboard detects no fan RPM on the CPU_FAN header and may shut down after a few seconds to prevent CPU overheating, even if the fan is spinning. The erratic fan behavior suggests the fan is receiving power but not being properly controlled or monitored by the CPU_FAN header.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Ensure the CPU fan cable is connected to the CPU_FAN header
Why this is correct
The CPU_FAN header delivers not only power but also a tachometer signal that the motherboard uses to verify fan operation. If the fan is plugged into a chassis header or left unconnected, the board may read zero RPM and trigger a fail-safe shutdown after a few seconds of 'thermal' protective action. Since the CPU is newly installed, the most likely oversight is simply forgetting to attach the fan cable to this dedicated header, so reconnecting it is the correct first step.
- ✗
Replace the CPU with a known-good unit
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the CPU is premature because the erratic fan behaviour and rapid shutdown point to a thermal or power-delivery fault, not a defective processor. The heatsink’s pre-applied paste and verified seating suggest the CPU itself is unlikely to be the cause. This option is tempting because a faulty CPU can produce similar symptoms—random shutdowns and fan instability—making it a logical swap when all other components are known-good, but here the power supply or motherboard voltage regulation should be checked first.
- ✗
Remove and reseat the graphics card
Why it's wrong here
A loose or improperly seated graphics card typically prevents video output entirely, producing a blank screen or a series of POST beep codes before any OS loads. The symptom described—a timed shutdown with erratic fan behaviour—is a power or thermal protection event managed by the motherboard, not a GPU function. Reseating the GPU would not affect the CPU_FAN tachometer reading or cause the system to power down after a delay, so this action would not resolve the underlying issue.
- ✗
Check the RAM modules are in the correct slots
Why it's wrong here
Incorrectly seated or mismatched RAM modules commonly halt the POST process immediately, often with a beep code or a system that powers on but never displays anything. A delayed shutdown after operation, combined with a fan that speeds up and slows down erratically, points to a problem with the CPU's cooling and monitoring circuit rather than the memory subsystem. RAM slot misplacement does not cause the motherboard to 'watchdog' the CPU fan, so checking memory would be an unrelated troubleshooting detour.
When this WOULD be correct
A technician builds a PC that powers on but displays no video output and emits a series of long beeps. The CPU and graphics card are known good. In this case, checking RAM modules are in the correct slots would be the next step, as incorrect RAM installation can prevent POST.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 220-1101 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Ensure the CPU fan cable is connected to the CPU_FAN headerCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
The CPU_FAN header delivers not only power but also a tachometer signal that the motherboard uses to verify fan operation. If the fan is plugged into a chassis header or left unconnected, the board may read zero RPM and trigger a fail-safe shutdown after a few seconds of 'thermal' protective action. Since the CPU is newly installed, the most likely oversight is simply forgetting to attach the fan cable to this dedicated header, so reconnecting it is the correct first step.
✗Check the RAM modules are in the correct slotsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The system shuts down after 10 seconds with erratic CPU fan behavior, indicating a CPU cooling or power issue, not a RAM slot configuration problem. RAM slot issues typically cause beep codes or failure to POST, not a delayed shutdown with fan issues.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A technician builds a PC that powers on but displays no video output and emits a series of long beeps. The CPU and graphics card are known good. In this case, checking RAM modules are in the correct slots would be the next step, as incorrect RAM installation can prevent POST.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think RAM slot misconfiguration is a common cause of boot failures, but the specific symptom of erratic fan and shutdown points to a CPU fan header issue, not RAM.
Analysis generated from the official 220-1101blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Thermal Paste Application
Key term
RAM
RAM (Random-Access Memory) is volatile computer memory that temporarily stores data for quick access by the CPU.
Key term
Dual In-line Memory Module
A Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) is a small circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a computer's motherboard to provide Random Access Memory (RAM).
About these practice questions
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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.