220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that powers on (fans spin, LEDs light up) but does not display anything and produces no POST beeps. The motherboard has four diagnostic LEDs labeled CPU, DRAM, VGA, and BOOT. When the system is powered on, the DRAM LED remains solid red. The technician has verified that the RAM module (single 16GB DDR4 stick) is fully seated in slot A2, as recommended by the motherboard manual. The technician has also reseated the GPU and checked all power connections. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates assume the RAM is fine because it is seated in the recommended slot, but they overlook that the slot itself could be defective or that the single stick might need to be in a different slot (e.g., A1 instead of A2) depending on the motherboard's specific population rules.
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
✓
Try a different RAM slot
The DRAM LED remaining solid red indicates a memory initialization failure. Since the single RAM stick is already fully seated in the recommended slot A2, the next logical step is to try a different RAM slot (e.g., A1 or B2) to rule out a faulty slot or a subtle contact issue. This is a standard first step in memory troubleshooting before replacing components.
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 an invasive, expensive step that assumes the memory subsystem on the board is irreparably damaged. The DRAM LED indicates a failure during memory detection or initialization, but this can result from a faulty RAM module, a dirty/oxidized slot, an unseated stick, or even poor CPU-socket contact. Since simply moving the single known-good RAM stick to another slot is quick, reversible, and isolates the fault to either the stick or the slot, motherboard replacement should only be considered after all memory-related components have been individually verified.
- ✗
Reinstall the CPU, checking for bent pins
Why it's wrong here
While a damaged CPU integrated memory controller (IMC) or bent socket pins can indeed prevent memory from being recognized, the DRAM LED is a direct POST-phase indicator that memory initialization failed. Reseating the CPU is a disruptive, physically involved step that should follow, not precede, basic memory isolation because a bent pin is far less common than a bad RAM slot or a loose memory module. Trying the RAM in a different slot first gives you an immediate answer about the memory channel without dismantling the CPU cooler, cleaning thermal paste, and risking pin damage during reinstallation.
- ✓
Try a different RAM slot
Why this is correct
This is the best next step. Moving the single RAM stick to another slot (e.g., B2) will help determine if slot A2 is faulty. If the system boots with the stick in another slot, then the original slot is defective.
- ✗
Update the motherboard BIOS
Why it's wrong here
A solid DRAM LED is set by the motherboard's POST hardware logic during early memory training, before the BIOS firmware is fully executed, so a firmware update cannot alter a physical memory detection failure. Without a working display, updating the BIOS normally requires a USB Flashback function or a backup BIOS switch, which still would not correct a faulty RAM slot or bad module. Even if the BIOS were updated, the DRAM LED would persist because the root cause is electrical/hardware-level, not a microcode bug. The correct next step is to test the memory stick in a different slot to determine whether the fault follows the stick or the slot.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Troubleshoot: Display and Video Issues
Key term
Double Data Rate
Double Data Rate (DDR) is a technology that doubles the data transfer rate of a memory or bus by sending data on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal, effectively doing twice as much work per clock cycle.
Key term
Power-on Self-test
The Power-on Self-test (POST) is a diagnostic process a computer runs immediately when you turn it on to check that essential hardware components are working correctly before loading the operating system.
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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.