SK0-005 Practice Question: A server administrator is installing a new PCIe network adapter into a rack server
A server administrator is installing a new PCIe network adapter into a rack server. The card is a full-height, full-length adapter, but the server chassis only accepts low-profile cards in its riser. Which of the following is the BEST course of action?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is trying to make a physically incompatible card fit, when the correct resolution is matching form factor through the proper riser or a different adapter.
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 different riser that supports full-height cards, if the chassis offers one, or return the card for a low-profile equivalent.
Form factor compatibility is a prerequisite for card installation. A full-height, full-length adapter cannot be made to fit a low-profile riser through improvisation; the administrator must either use a chassis riser option that supports the larger form factor or obtain a low-profile equivalent adapter. This keeps mechanical retention, airflow, and support intact.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Install the card in the server's x16 slot without the riser to gain the needed height clearance.
Why it's wrong here
In a 2U server with risers, the PCIe slots are usually on the riser itself, so removing it leaves no slot for the card and no mechanical support, and a full-height card has no space to stand vertically under the lid anyway. Improvised mounting risks damaging the card or slot. The supported options are a riser that accepts full-height cards, or a low-profile version of the card.
- ✗
Bend the card's mounting bracket so the adapter fits under the chassis lid.
Why it's wrong here
Bending the bracket leaves the card poorly secured, so it can work loose, short against the chassis or damage the slot, and it voids warranties. It also does nothing about the card's length, which may collide with other components. Many network cards ship with both full-height and low-profile brackets, so check the box before trying anything improvised.
- ✓
Use a different riser that supports full-height cards, if the chassis offers one, or return the card for a low-profile equivalent.
Why this is correct
Match the card to the chassis: check whether the server offers an alternative riser that supports full-height or full-length cards, often an orderable option, or obtain a low-profile version of the same adapter, which many vendors offer. Also confirm the slot's PCIe generation and lane width, power requirements, and the server vendor's compatibility list, so the card is supported and cooled correctly.
- ✗
Attach the card externally with a PCIe extension cable and leave the chassis lid open.
Why it's wrong here
Running a card outside the chassis on an extension cable, with the lid open, breaks the server's designed airflow, which can overheat many components, removes physical protection and electromagnetic shielding, and leaves a fragile setup in a production rack. It is never a supported configuration. Use a compatible riser or a low-profile card instead.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Operating System Installation and Configuration
Key term
NIC
A NIC is a hardware component that connects a computer to a network, enabling communication over wired or wireless media.
Key term
Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
PCI Express (PCIe) is a high-speed expansion bus standard that connects internal hardware components like graphics cards, SSDs, and network adapters to a computer's motherboard.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Security Systems Architect · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This SK0-005 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 SK0-005 exam.