220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A technician is troubleshooting a laptop that will not power on. The power adapter's LED is lit when plugged into the wall, but pressing the laptop's power button yields no response—no fans, no LEDs, and no beeps. The technician has already removed the battery and held the power button for 30 seconds to drain residual charge. Which of the following should the technician try NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates assume a lit LED on the power adapter guarantees the adapter is working correctly, but the LED only indicates that the adapter is receiving AC power, not that it is outputting the correct DC voltage to the laptop.
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 a multimeter to measure the voltage at the tip of the power adapter.
The power adapter's LED is lit, indicating the wall outlet is supplying power, but the laptop shows no signs of life. The next logical step is to verify that the adapter is actually delivering the correct voltage to the laptop's power jack. Using a multimeter to measure the voltage at the tip of the adapter confirms whether the adapter itself is faulty, which is a common failure point before moving to internal 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.
- ✗
Remove the RAM modules and reseat them one at a time.
Why it's wrong here
Reseating RAM is a common step for no-POST or beep code issues, but it is not the first step for a completely dead laptop that shows no signs of power (no fan spin, no LEDs). The laptop is not even attempting to turn on, so the problem is likely earlier in the power delivery path.
- ✓
Use a multimeter to measure the voltage at the tip of the power adapter.
Why this is correct
This directly tests whether the adapter is providing the correct voltage to the laptop. A lit LED can still indicate a faulty adapter that delivers insufficient voltage or current. Measuring with the adapter under no load can reveal such issues. If the voltage is correct, the technician can then focus on the DC jack or motherboard.
- ✗
Replace the laptop's internal battery with a known-good battery.
Why it's wrong here
The technician has already removed the battery as part of the power drain. The laptop should be able to power on from the AC adapter alone even without a battery. Replacing the battery is unnecessary at this stage and does not address the most likely cause—a faulty adapter or DC jack.
- ✗
Inspect the DC power jack on the laptop for physical damage.
Why it's wrong here
Inspecting the DC power jack for physical damage is not the next step because the power adapter’s LED is lit, confirming that the adapter is delivering voltage; a damaged jack would typically prevent the adapter from establishing a circuit, causing the LED to remain off. This option is tempting because a loose or broken DC jack is a common cause of intermittent power loss, and it would be the correct choice if the adapter’s LED were unlit or flickering when plugged into the laptop.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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