Question 181 of 144
SK0-005 security-disaster-recovery Practice Question
After an unexpected power outage, a server fails to boot and displays an error indicating a degraded RAID array. The server has a RAID 5 configuration with four disks. One disk has failed, but the hot spare did not automatically rebuild. The administrator needs to restore data availability as quickly as possible. Which action should the technician take 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
✓
Replace the failed disk and initiate a manual rebuild.
Option A is correct because replacing the failed disk and initiating a manual rebuild directly restores redundancy and availability using the existing parity data. Option B is wrong because the hot spare is not faulty; the rebuild did not trigger automatically, likely due to a configuration issue, and swapping it does not address the failed disk. Option C is wrong because while a bad battery or cache can cause rebuild failures, checking this is a later step; the immediate need is to replace the failed disk to restore redundancy. Option D is wrong because a backup restore is a last resort and may result in data loss; the array is degraded but still functional, so rebuilding is faster and less disruptive.
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 failed disk and initiate a manual rebuild.
Why this is correct
The failed disk is the root cause of degradation. Replacing it provides a healthy member for the array, and a manual rebuild can be forced to restore redundancy quickly.
- ✗
Restore the server from the latest backup.
Why it's wrong here
Restoring from backup should only be done if the array is unrecoverable. The array is degraded but still online; a rebuild is faster and preserves recent data.
- ✗
Check the RAID controller battery and cache.
Why it's wrong here
A faulty battery or cache can prevent automatic rebuilds, but it is a secondary consideration. The primary goal is to eliminate the failed disk to avoid data loss.
- ✗
Replace the hot spare with a new disk.
Why it's wrong here
The hot spare is functioning hardware; the problem is that the array did not automatically use it. Swapping the spare does not solve the underlying rebuild trigger issue.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 26, 2026
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.
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