CompTIA 220-1201 Practice Test 49
Question 480
At Keystone Health, a technician working in computer equipment refresh identifies this issue: A desktop shuts off during rendering after a heatsink replacement without thermal paste. The desired outcome is to restore reliable heat transfer from the processor to its cooling assembly. The customer requires a verified fix rather than a guess based on one symptom. What should the technician verify first to establish the problem?
- Inspect UEFI Secure Boot state, key database and boot entries separately
- Inspect platform memory specifications, module notch positions and current timing
- Check heatsink contact, fan operation, thermal compound and measured CPU temperature
- Check motherboard socket, chipset BIOS support and CPU thermal rating
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:
Check heatsink contact, fan operation, thermal compound and measured CPU temperature. It checks the likely failure boundary before altering working parts or settings. The relevant observation is that a desktop shuts off during rendering after a heatsink replacement without thermal paste. The support goal is to restore reliable heat transfer from the processor to its cooling assembly; this diagnose action specifically addresses cpu heatsink thermal interface without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Inspect UEFI Secure Boot state, key database and boot entries separately. That action is appropriate for uefi secure boot versus boot order, normally when a laptop can start a trusted OS but prompts when an unsigned bootloader is inserted. Here the observed facts require cpu heatsink thermal interface instead.
B:
Inspect platform memory specifications, module notch positions and current timing. This action is appropriate for ddr generation electrical compatibility, normally when a replacement RAM order has the correct capacity but the wrong DDR generation. Here the observed facts require cpu heatsink thermal interface instead.
D:
Check motherboard socket, chipset BIOS support and CPU thermal rating. That action is appropriate for cpu socket matching motherboard, normally when a gaming PC has a motherboard with an AMD processor socket but an Intel CPU was ordered. Here the observed facts require cpu heatsink thermal interface instead.
Question 481
At Cedar Education, a technician working in workplace mobile support identifies this issue: A phone's USB-C charging port cannot drive a desktop display despite matching the cable plug. The desired outcome is to differentiate connector shape from electrical and protocol capabilities. A safe non-destructive test must be used before replacing additional parts. Which verification result supports the intended technical outcome?
- Verify both displays run at specified resolutions and the battery gains charge under expected load
- Compare Wi-Fi received signal strength and roaming stability before and after reconnection
- Verify microphone and speaker profiles work on the chosen computer
- Confirm the display works only through a documented compatible video path
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:
Confirm the display works only through a documented compatible video path. It proves the required function with an observable result instead of assuming the change worked. The relevant observation is that a phone's USB-C charging port cannot drive a desktop display despite matching the cable plug. The support goal is to differentiate connector shape from electrical and protocol capabilities; this validate action specifically addresses usb-c connector versus supported protocol without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Verify both displays run at specified resolutions and the battery gains charge under expected load. This action is appropriate for docking station display and power capability, normally when a small-business employee connects two monitors and power to a laptop through a new USB-C dock. Here the observed facts require usb-c connector versus supported protocol instead.
B:
Compare Wi-Fi received signal strength and roaming stability before and after reconnection. This action is appropriate for laptop wi-fi antenna reconnection, normally when after a laptop display assembly replacement, Bluetooth works but Wi-Fi signal is very weak. Here the observed facts require usb-c connector versus supported protocol instead.
C:
Verify microphone and speaker profiles work on the chosen computer. This action is appropriate for bluetooth headset pairing, normally when a wireless headset pairs with a tablet but does not appear on a new laptop's device discovery list. Here the observed facts require usb-c connector versus supported protocol instead.
Question 482
During Seabright Supplies's small-office network service desk, the technician encounters this condition: A remote design office regularly transfers multi-gigabyte files and can order either fiber or DSL. The supporting record states that the existing copper DSL has far lower upload performance than the offered symmetric fiber plan. The desired outcome is to select an ISP connection type according to real throughput and availability. Only approved service procedures and compatible replacement components may be used. Which acceptance result best demonstrates the issue is resolved?
- Confirm each segment is classified by scope rather than the brand of equipment
- Verify upload and download meet agreed service performance targets
- Verify improved wireless contention and connection reliability without assuming the wired tap measured radio noise
- Verify internet access and signal status follow the approved provider equipment path
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:
Verify upload and download meet agreed service performance targets. It proves the required function with an observable result instead of assuming the change worked. The relevant observation is that the existing copper DSL has far lower upload performance than the offered symmetric fiber plan. The support goal is to select an ISP connection type according to real throughput and availability; this validate action specifically addresses fiber wan versus dsl last-mile capacity without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Confirm each segment is classified by scope rather than the brand of equipment. This action is appropriate for pan versus lan versus wan scope, normally when a technician must classify a Bluetooth watch connection, office Ethernet and multi-site leased link. Here the observed facts require fiber wan versus dsl last-mile capacity instead.
C:
Verify improved wireless contention and connection reliability without assuming the wired tap measured radio noise. This action is appropriate for wi-fi analyzer versus network tap, normally when staff complain about busy wireless channels in a meeting room. Here the observed facts require fiber wan versus dsl last-mile capacity instead.
D:
Verify internet access and signal status follow the approved provider equipment path. This action is appropriate for ont versus cable modem access equipment, normally when a customer receives a fiber-to-the-premises service but attempts to connect the optical fiber directly to a DOCSIS cable modem. Here the observed facts require fiber wan versus dsl last-mile capacity instead.
Question 483
During Maplebank Ltd's computer equipment refresh, the technician encounters this condition: A university plans a 6 km building interconnect using a short-reach multimode transceiver. The desired outcome is to choose optical media and transceivers matched to distance and wavelength. User data and business service continuity must be preserved. Which safe pilot action gives the most relevant evidence?
- Run a non-destructive throughput test using known files on a certified host/cable pair
- Verify a test single-mode pair with appropriate optics and light-level measurements
- Test one authorized signed boot medium and one deliberately unsigned training medium
- Install a supported spare drive into a test board and check firmware discovery
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:
Verify a test single-mode pair with appropriate optics and light-level measurements. It tests the proposed solution safely on an approved representative system. The relevant observation is that a university plans a 6 km building interconnect using a short-reach multimode transceiver. The support goal is to choose optical media and transceivers matched to distance and wavelength; this pilot action specifically addresses single-mode versus multimode fiber without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Run a non-destructive throughput test using known files on a certified host/cable pair. This action is appropriate for usb-c versus thunderbolt port capability, normally when an external high-bandwidth storage enclosure only negotiates low speed on a laptop USB-C connector. Here the observed facts require single-mode versus multimode fiber instead.
C:
Test one authorized signed boot medium and one deliberately unsigned training medium. This action is appropriate for uefi secure boot versus boot order, normally when a laptop can start a trusted OS but prompts when an unsigned bootloader is inserted. Here the observed facts require single-mode versus multimode fiber instead.
D:
Install a supported spare drive into a test board and check firmware discovery. This action is appropriate for nvme pcie versus sata storage interface, normally when a technician orders an M.2 SSD for a motherboard slot that supports only SATA signaling. Here the observed facts require single-mode versus multimode fiber instead.
Question 484
A support request at Westbrook Energy presents this problem: An office PC can reach a website by IP but not by its DNS hostname after a resolver migration. The desired outcome is to separate name resolution failures from IP address provisioning. Service work must follow power isolation, ESD, and manufacturer instructions when applicable. What should the technician verify first to establish the problem?
- Confirm provider handoff, optical or coaxial medium and customer Ethernet demarcation
- Compare device time zones, NTP peers, drift, and syslog timestamps
- Inspect application health checks, backend pool membership and where client requests enter
- Compare DHCP lease options, configured DNS server, and forward lookup results
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:
Compare DHCP lease options, configured DNS server, and forward lookup results. It checks the likely failure boundary before altering working parts or settings. The relevant observation is that an office PC can reach a website by IP but not by its DNS hostname after a resolver migration. The support goal is to separate name resolution failures from IP address provisioning; this diagnose action specifically addresses dns resolution versus dhcp address assignment without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Confirm provider handoff, optical or coaxial medium and customer Ethernet demarcation. This action is appropriate for ont versus cable modem access equipment, normally when a customer receives a fiber-to-the-premises service but attempts to connect the optical fiber directly to a DOCSIS cable modem. Here the observed facts require dns resolution versus dhcp address assignment instead.
B:
Compare device time zones, NTP peers, drift, and syslog timestamps. That action is appropriate for ntp time service versus centralized syslog, normally when authentication logs from two branch routers show conflicting timestamps during the same event. Here the observed facts require dns resolution versus dhcp address assignment instead.
C:
Inspect application health checks, backend pool membership and where client requests enter. That action is appropriate for load balancer versus proxy server functions, normally when a web service needs requests distributed across three application servers with failed nodes removed automatically. Here the observed facts require dns resolution versus dhcp address assignment instead.
Question 485
At Bluefin Logistics, a technician working in hardware and network incident triage identifies this issue: A mirrored NAS reports one disk failed while files remain available. The supporting record states that the array state is degraded and the replacement disk must match controller support and capacity. The desired outcome is to restore RAID redundancy without wiping the surviving volume. Only approved service procedures and compatible replacement components may be used. Which safe pilot action gives the most relevant evidence?
- Rehearse a RAID 1 rebuild with a disposable lab array and a spare disk
- Select the existing OS boot manager temporarily on a test PC
- Test several sheets from tray 1 after a supported roller service
- Test the SSD in an approved NVMe-capable lab M.2 socket
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:
Rehearse a RAID 1 rebuild with a disposable lab array and a spare disk. It tests the proposed solution safely on an approved representative system. The relevant observation is that the array state is degraded and the replacement disk must match controller support and capacity. The support goal is to restore RAID redundancy without wiping the surviving volume; this pilot action specifically addresses degraded raid after a failed member without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
B:
Select the existing OS boot manager temporarily on a test PC. This action is appropriate for uefi boot order after a second drive, normally when a computer reports no bootable operating system after a new secondary drive was added. Here the observed facts require degraded raid after a failed member instead.
C:
Test several sheets from tray 1 after a supported roller service. This action is appropriate for laser printer repeated paper jams at pickup, normally when a laser printer jams on the first page when it tries to feed paper from tray 1. Here the observed facts require degraded raid after a failed member instead.
D:
Test the SSD in an approved NVMe-capable lab M.2 socket. This action is appropriate for nvme ssd not detected after installation, normally when a new NVMe SSD is absent from firmware and the storage installer. Here the observed facts require degraded raid after a failed member instead.
Question 486
On a service ticket for Seabright Supplies, the team observes: A design lab orders ECC RAM for a desktop that cannot activate memory error correction. The desired outcome is to select ECC hardware only where CPU and board support its error reporting. The goal is to restore required function without creating a new security or safety problem. Which inspection most directly confirms the likely cause before changing components?
- Inspect CPU, motherboard and firmware ECC capabilities, not RAM label alone
- Inspect motherboard slot shape and part type against service requirements
- Inspect horizontal and vertical pixel dimensions separately from rated Hz and link support
- Inspect platform memory specifications, module notch positions and current timing
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:
Inspect CPU, motherboard and firmware ECC capabilities, not RAM label alone. It checks the likely failure boundary before altering working parts or settings. The relevant observation is that a design lab orders ECC RAM for a desktop that cannot activate memory error correction. The support goal is to select ECC hardware only where CPU and board support its error reporting; this diagnose action specifically addresses ecc memory error correction compatibility without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
B:
Inspect motherboard slot shape and part type against service requirements. This action is appropriate for sodimm versus dimm form factor, normally when a desktop repair requires replacement memory but the spare part comes from a notebook. Here the observed facts require ecc memory error correction compatibility instead.
C:
Inspect horizontal and vertical pixel dimensions separately from rated Hz and link support. This action is appropriate for refresh rate versus screen resolution, normally when a support buyer mistakes 144 Hz for a count of display pixels when comparing two monitors. Here the observed facts require ecc memory error correction compatibility instead.
D:
Inspect platform memory specifications, module notch positions and current timing. This action is appropriate for ddr generation electrical compatibility, normally when a replacement RAM order has the correct capacity but the wrong DDR generation. Here the observed facts require ecc memory error correction compatibility instead.
Question 487
During Westbrook Energy's branch networking support, the technician encounters this condition: An office PC can reach a website by IP but not by its DNS hostname after a resolver migration. The desired outcome is to separate name resolution failures from IP address provisioning. Service work must follow power isolation, ESD, and manufacturer instructions when applicable. Which controlled service test best evaluates the planned approach?
- Test a lab Ethernet connection after a provisioned ONT, without altering optical connectors
- Fail one lab application node while sending a controlled stream of valid requests
- Query a known internal name on a test client with corrected DNS settings
- Pilot NTP sync on one lab router and send a harmless test syslog entry
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:
Query a known internal name on a test client with corrected DNS settings. It tests the proposed solution safely on an approved representative system. The relevant observation is that an office PC can reach a website by IP but not by its DNS hostname after a resolver migration. The support goal is to separate name resolution failures from IP address provisioning; this pilot action specifically addresses dns resolution versus dhcp address assignment without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Test a lab Ethernet connection after a provisioned ONT, without altering optical connectors. This action is appropriate for ont versus cable modem access equipment, normally when a customer receives a fiber-to-the-premises service but attempts to connect the optical fiber directly to a DOCSIS cable modem. Here the observed facts require dns resolution versus dhcp address assignment instead.
B:
Fail one lab application node while sending a controlled stream of valid requests. This action is appropriate for load balancer versus proxy server functions, normally when a web service needs requests distributed across three application servers with failed nodes removed automatically. Here the observed facts require dns resolution versus dhcp address assignment instead.
D:
Pilot NTP sync on one lab router and send a harmless test syslog entry. This action is appropriate for ntp time service versus centralized syslog, normally when authentication logs from two branch routers show conflicting timestamps during the same event. Here the observed facts require dns resolution versus dhcp address assignment instead.
Question 488
At Falcon Transit, a technician working in computer equipment refresh identifies this issue: A traveling employee's laptop suffers slow random reads and vibration-related drive failures. The desired outcome is to choose a solid-state storage device for random-access latency and portability. The technician must document observations separately from assumptions. Which post-repair signal best detects regression or repeat exposure?
- Monitor remaining SSD health and firmware updates
- Monitor inventory bins for mixed laptop and desktop memory modules
- Monitor mirror health and successful independent backups
- Monitor patrol reads, failed drives and rebuild exposure
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:
Monitor remaining SSD health and firmware updates. It tracks recurrence of the specific failure mechanism over time. The relevant observation is that a traveling employee's laptop suffers slow random reads and vibration-related drive failures. The support goal is to choose a solid-state storage device for random-access latency and portability; this monitor action specifically addresses ssd versus hdd latency and interface without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
B:
Monitor inventory bins for mixed laptop and desktop memory modules. This action is appropriate for sodimm versus dimm form factor, normally when a desktop repair requires replacement memory but the spare part comes from a notebook. Here the observed facts require ssd versus hdd latency and interface instead.
C:
Monitor mirror health and successful independent backups. That action is appropriate for raid 1 mirror capacity and resilience, normally when a file server has two equal 2 TB disks and needs redundancy against one disk failure. Here the observed facts require ssd versus hdd latency and interface instead.
D:
Monitor patrol reads, failed drives and rebuild exposure. That action is appropriate for raid 5 versus raid 6 dual parity, normally when a four-disk production array must remain available during any two simultaneous drive failures. Here the observed facts require ssd versus hdd latency and interface instead.
Question 489
A support request at Brookside Agency presents this problem: A new residential fiber line is installed but the user keeps trying to reuse a coaxial modem. The desired outcome is to choose access equipment that terminates the actual carrier medium. Service work must follow power isolation, ESD, and manufacturer instructions when applicable. Which inspection most directly confirms the likely cause before changing components?
- Sum device PoE classes and actual draw against port limits and switch total budget
- Check subnet masks, default gateways and configured inter-subnet routes
- Confirm provider handoff, optical or coaxial medium and customer Ethernet demarcation
- Inspect measured upload and download speeds, latency and local service eligibility
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:
Confirm provider handoff, optical or coaxial medium and customer Ethernet demarcation. It checks the likely failure boundary before altering working parts or settings. The relevant observation is that a new residential fiber line is installed but the user keeps trying to reuse a coaxial modem. The support goal is to choose access equipment that terminates the actual carrier medium; this diagnose action specifically addresses ont versus cable modem access equipment without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Sum device PoE classes and actual draw against port limits and switch total budget. This action is appropriate for poe switch power budget, normally when new IP cameras power off when all connected access points and phones start at once. Here the observed facts require ont versus cable modem access equipment instead.
B:
Check subnet masks, default gateways and configured inter-subnet routes. This action is appropriate for router versus layer 2 switch forwarding, normally when two PCs on separate IPv4 subnets can communicate within their own LANs but not across subnets. Here the observed facts require ont versus cable modem access equipment instead.
D:
Inspect measured upload and download speeds, latency and local service eligibility. This action is appropriate for fiber wan versus dsl last-mile capacity, normally when a remote design office regularly transfers multi-gigabyte files and can order either fiber or DSL. Here the observed facts require ont versus cable modem access equipment instead.
Question 490
A support request at Silverline Travel presents this problem: A builder swaps in a low-wattage supply that lacks the required eight-pin GPU feed. The desired outcome is to select an adequately rated power supply with correct board and GPU connectors. A safe non-destructive test must be used before replacing additional parts. How should the solution first be tested on an approved spare or pilot system?
- Fit approved cables on a disconnected spare PSU and compare the stated pinout
- Benchmark random reads on approved test HDD and SATA SSD devices
- Bench-test with a known-good compatible PSU before sustained load testing
- Remove one module during a controlled failover test with adequate remaining capacity
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:
Bench-test with a known-good compatible PSU before sustained load testing. It tests the proposed solution safely on an approved representative system. The relevant observation is that a builder swaps in a low-wattage supply that lacks the required eight-pin GPU feed. The support goal is to select an adequately rated power supply with correct board and GPU connectors; this pilot action specifically addresses psu wattage and 20+4 atx connector without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Fit approved cables on a disconnected spare PSU and compare the stated pinout. This action is appropriate for modular psu cable safety, normally when a builder replaces a modular PSU but wants to reuse its old detachable power leads. Here the observed facts require psu wattage and 20+4 atx connector instead.
B:
Benchmark random reads on approved test HDD and SATA SSD devices. This action is appropriate for ssd versus hdd latency and interface, normally when a mobile user needs low-latency storage and shock resistance but a procurement request specifies a 5400 RPM hard disk. Here the observed facts require psu wattage and 20+4 atx connector instead.
D:
Remove one module during a controlled failover test with adequate remaining capacity. This action is appropriate for redundant psu failover, normally when an office server needs to stay online when one power supply module fails. Here the observed facts require psu wattage and 20+4 atx connector instead.
