SK0-005 troubleshooting Practice Question
A server configured with a RAID 5 array and a hot spare experiences intermittent crashes under heavy disk I/O. A technician suspects a failing drive. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST?
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
✓
Run the array manufacturer's diagnostic utility.
Running the manufacturer's diagnostic utility (Option B) is correct because it provides a non-invasive method to verify the health of the drives without disrupting the array. Replacing the hot spare (Option A) is premature without confirmation. Removing a suspected drive (Option C) risks data loss if the array is already degraded. Initiating a manual failover (Option D) is unnecessary if the drive has not actually failed.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Initiate a manual failover to the hot spare.
Why it's wrong here
Manual failover is not necessary if the drive is not confirmed failed; it may cause unnecessary rebuild and performance impact.
- ✗
Remove the suspected drive and rebuild the array.
Why it's wrong here
Removing a drive without verification could cause data loss if the array is degraded or the wrong drive is removed.
- ✗
Replace the hot spare with a new drive.
Why it's wrong here
The hot spare has not been confirmed as failed; replacing it without testing does not address the root cause.
- ✓
Run the array manufacturer's diagnostic utility.
Why this is correct
This is the first step to confirm a drive failure and identify which drive is problematic.
Quick reference
RAID Level Comparison
| RAID Level | Min Disks | Fault Tolerance | Read | Write | Usable Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAID 0 | 2 | None | Excellent | Excellent | 100% |
| RAID 1 | 2 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 50% |
| RAID 5 | 3 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 67–94% |
| RAID 6 | 4 | 2 disks | Good | Lower | 50–88% |
| RAID 10 | 4 | 1 disk per mirror | Excellent | Good | 50% |
RAID is not a backup strategy — it protects against disk failure but not against accidental deletion, ransomware, or site-level events.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Troubleshooting Security Issues and Using Diagnostic Tools
Key term
RAID 5
RAID 5 is a disk array configuration that uses block-level striping with distributed parity to provide fault tolerance and good read performance while using storage space efficiently.
Key term
RAID Levels
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) levels are different configurations that combine multiple hard drives or SSDs to improve performance, reliability, or both.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed July 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.