220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that shuts down unexpectedly after about 10 minutes of playing a graphics-intensive game. The technician checks the CPU temperature, which stays at 45°C at idle but reaches 95°C under load just before shutdown. The heatsink and fan are clean and spinning properly. The power supply is a 650W unit, and the graphics card is a high-end model that draws up to 350W. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the shutdowns?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between symptoms of CPU overheating versus GPU overheating, and candidates may mistakenly attribute the shutdown to the graphics card or power supply when the CPU temperature data directly points to a thermal interface issue.
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
✓
The thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink has degraded
The CPU temperature reaching 95°C under load just before shutdown indicates a thermal throttling or thermal protection shutdown. Since the heatsink and fan are clean and spinning properly, the most likely cause is degraded thermal paste, which reduces heat transfer efficiency from the CPU to the heatsink, causing the CPU to overheat despite adequate cooling hardware.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink has degraded
Why this is correct
Dried or improperly applied thermal paste significantly reduces heat transfer between the CPU die and the heatsink base plate. As the standard TIM (thermal interface material) ages, it cracks or 'pumps out' under thermal expansion, leaving microscopic air gaps that are poor conductors of heat. Under load, heat builds up faster than the cooler can remove it, causing the CPU junction temperature to spike past the thermal limit and triggering an automatic shutdown—even though the fan itself is spinning normally.
- ✗
The power supply is insufficient for the graphics card
Why it's wrong here
While a 650W PSU might be marginal for a high-end GPU, the temperature reading of 95°C on the CPU indicates a thermal issue, not a power issue. If it were a PSU issue, the system would likely shut down without a temperature spike.
When this WOULD be correct
A desktop shuts down under load, and the power supply is rated at 300W with a high-end GPU drawing 250W and a CPU drawing 125W. The total exceeds the PSU capacity, causing shutdowns.
- ✗
The CPU fan is not spinning fast enough
Why it's wrong here
The technician already verified the fan is spinning properly. If the fan speed were too low, it would still be a contributing factor, but the primary problem is likely poor heat conduction from the CPU to the heatsink.
When this WOULD be correct
This would be correct if the question stated that the CPU fan is not spinning or is spinning slowly, and the CPU temperature rises rapidly under load, leading to shutdown. For example: 'A technician finds the CPU fan is not spinning, and the CPU temperature reaches 95°C under load before shutdown.'
- ✗
The graphics card is overheating
Why it's wrong here
Although a GPU overheating can cause shutdowns, the evidence here directly implicates the CPU: the shutdown was preceded by the CPU temperature reaching 95°C while the GPU reading stayed well within its operating range. A faulty graphics card would typically show driver crashes, visual artifacts, or its own thermal-throttling behavior, not a rapidly rising CPU temperature. Since the PSU is delivering power and the system shuts down precisely when the CPU heat output increases, the problem is localized to the CPU cooling path, not the graphics card.
When this WOULD be correct
A technician reports that a computer shuts down during gaming, and the graphics card temperature reaches 95°C while the CPU stays normal. The heatsink and fan on the GPU are clean and spinning. In that case, the graphics card overheating would be the most likely cause.
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.
✓The thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink has degradedCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Dried or improperly applied thermal paste significantly reduces heat transfer between the CPU die and the heatsink base plate. As the standard TIM (thermal interface material) ages, it cracks or 'pumps out' under thermal expansion, leaving microscopic air gaps that are poor conductors of heat. Under load, heat builds up faster than the cooler can remove it, causing the CPU junction temperature to spike past the thermal limit and triggering an automatic shutdown—even though the fan itself is spinning normally.
✗The power supply is insufficient for the graphics cardWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The power supply is 650W, which is sufficient for a high-end graphics card drawing up to 350W plus other components; the shutdown occurs due to CPU overheating (95°C), not power insufficiency.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A desktop shuts down under load, and the power supply is rated at 300W with a high-end GPU drawing 250W and a CPU drawing 125W. The total exceeds the PSU capacity, causing shutdowns.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may assume high power draw from the GPU overwhelms the PSU, overlooking that the CPU temperature is the direct cause and the PSU wattage is adequate.
✗The CPU fan is not spinning fast enoughWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The technician already verified that the CPU fan is spinning properly, so insufficient fan speed is not the issue. The shutdown is caused by CPU overheating (95°C) due to degraded thermal paste, not fan speed.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This would be correct if the question stated that the CPU fan is not spinning or is spinning slowly, and the CPU temperature rises rapidly under load, leading to shutdown. For example: 'A technician finds the CPU fan is not spinning, and the CPU temperature reaches 95°C under load before shutdown.'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may assume that any overheating issue is due to fan failure, overlooking that the fan can be working properly but thermal paste degradation still causes poor heat transfer.
✗The graphics card is overheatingWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The question states the CPU temperature reaches 95°C under load just before shutdown, and the graphics card is a high-end model drawing up to 350W. The shutdown is triggered by CPU overheating, not GPU overheating, as the GPU temperature is not mentioned as an issue.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A technician reports that a computer shuts down during gaming, and the graphics card temperature reaches 95°C while the CPU stays normal. The heatsink and fan on the GPU are clean and spinning. In that case, the graphics card overheating would be the most likely cause.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may assume that because the system shuts down during a graphics-intensive game, the graphics card must be the culprit, overlooking the specific CPU temperature data provided in the question.
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?”
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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.