CompTIA 220-1201 Practice Test 98
Question 970
On a service ticket for Riverlight Retail, the team observes: A desktop upgrade adds a high-power GPU and the PC abruptly powers off during intensive graphics workloads. The supporting record states that the PSU wattage may be insufficient and the board uses a standard 24-pin ATX main connector. The desired outcome is to select an adequately rated power supply with correct board and GPU connectors. The customer requires a verified fix rather than a guess based on one symptom. Which controlled service test best evaluates the planned approach?
- Fit approved cables on a disconnected spare PSU and compare the stated pinout
- Bench-test with a known-good compatible PSU before sustained load testing
- Test the card with all required supported power connections and a controlled workload
- Remove one module during a controlled failover test with adequate remaining capacity
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:
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 the PSU wattage may be insufficient and the board uses a standard 24-pin ATX main connector. 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. That 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.
C:
Test the card with all required supported power connections and a controlled workload. This action is appropriate for pcie slot and gpu power constraints, normally when a designer's PC has an available physical PCIe x16 slot but an upgraded graphics card fails under load. 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. That 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.
Question 971
On a service ticket for Horizon College, the team observes: A storage drive goes offline when its case is moved and diagnostics show many SATA CRC counts. The desired outcome is to distinguish data cabling problems from disk surface failure. A safe non-destructive test must be used before replacing additional parts. Which configuration or repair action best addresses the stated requirement?
- Choose less congested supported channels or move compatible clients to a cleaner 5 GHz band
- Replace the confirmed failed member and rebuild using the controller's documented procedure
- Back up recoverable data promptly and replace the failing drive
- Replace the suspect SATA data cable with an appropriate supported one
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:
Replace the suspect SATA data cable with an appropriate supported one. It corrects the documented cause using the compatible technology and support constraints. The relevant observation is that a storage drive goes offline when its case is moved and diagnostics show many SATA CRC counts. The support goal is to distinguish data cabling problems from disk surface failure; this design action specifically addresses intermittent sata cable data fault without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Choose less congested supported channels or move compatible clients to a cleaner 5 GHz band. This action is appropriate for intermittent wi-fi due to channel interference, normally when users near a lunchroom suffer slow 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi at peak periods while wired links stay normal. Here the observed facts require intermittent sata cable data fault instead.
B:
Replace the confirmed failed member and rebuild using the controller's documented procedure. That action is appropriate for degraded raid after a failed member, normally when a mirrored NAS reports one disk failed while files remain available. Here the observed facts require intermittent sata cable data fault instead.
C:
Back up recoverable data promptly and replace the failing drive. That action is appropriate for s.m.a.r.t. warning and imminent drive failure, normally when a desktop disk reports increasing reallocated sectors and read retries. Here the observed facts require intermittent sata cable data fault instead.
Question 972
A support request at Granite Capital presents this problem: A company wants centrally managed user desktops accessed from inexpensive endpoints. The supporting record states that user sessions must run inside a hosted datacenter platform and persist per supported policy. The desired outcome is to choose Virtual Desktop Infrastructure rather than local OS installations. User data and business service continuity must be preserved. Which post-repair signal best detects regression or repeat exposure?
- Monitor VDI broker availability, logon time and display latency
- Monitor old snapshots and backup restore-test failures
- Monitor BIOS updates that reset virtualization support
- Monitor container image vulnerabilities and excessive runtime privileges
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:
Monitor VDI broker availability, logon time and display latency. It tracks recurrence of the specific failure mechanism over time. The relevant observation is that user sessions must run inside a hosted datacenter platform and persist per supported policy. The support goal is to choose Virtual Desktop Infrastructure rather than local OS installations; this monitor action specifically addresses vdi versus local desktop processing without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
B:
Monitor old snapshots and backup restore-test failures. This action is appropriate for vm snapshot versus independent backup, normally when a developer calls a local VM snapshot a complete disaster recovery backup. Here the observed facts require vdi versus local desktop processing instead.
C:
Monitor BIOS updates that reset virtualization support. That action is appropriate for virtualization cpu extensions, normally when a new virtual machine cannot start a 64-bit guest even though the host processor supports virtualization. Here the observed facts require vdi versus local desktop processing instead.
D:
Monitor container image vulnerabilities and excessive runtime privileges. That action is appropriate for container isolation versus full virtual machine, normally when a team needs to package one web service and its dependencies but not another complete guest kernel. Here the observed facts require vdi versus local desktop processing instead.
Question 973
During Maplebank Ltd's workplace mobile support, the technician encounters this condition: A consultant requests company email on a personal tablet with no whole-device management rights. The desired outcome is to apply supported corporate application controls with appropriate privacy scope. Any configuration change must be reversible and validated on a controlled test device. Which inspection most directly confirms the likely cause before changing components?
- Compare signed-in identity, calendar data source, sync permissions and last successful sync
- Inspect supported app management features, existing policy assignment and ownership model
- Compare laptop USB-C video modes, dock Power Delivery wattage, and supported display count and resolution
- Inspect eSIM profiles, carrier activation state, service plan and cellular data toggle
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:
Inspect supported app management features, existing policy assignment and ownership model. It checks the likely failure boundary before altering working parts or settings. The relevant observation is that a consultant requests company email on a personal tablet with no whole-device management rights. The support goal is to apply supported corporate application controls with appropriate privacy scope; this diagnose action specifically addresses byod mobile application management without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Compare signed-in identity, calendar data source, sync permissions and last successful sync. This action is appropriate for mobile calendar and contact synchronization, normally when a user's phone receives mail but calendar edits never appear on the company laptop. Here the observed facts require byod mobile application management instead.
C:
Compare laptop USB-C video modes, dock Power Delivery wattage, and supported display count and resolution. 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 byod mobile application management instead.
D:
Inspect eSIM profiles, carrier activation state, service plan and cellular data toggle. This action is appropriate for mobile esim carrier activation, normally when a company phone has cellular signal bars but cannot attach to its assigned business data plan. Here the observed facts require byod mobile application management instead.
Question 974
At Clearwater Telecom, a technician working in small-office network service desk identifies this issue: Two PCs on separate IPv4 subnets can communicate within their own LANs but not across subnets. The supporting record states that their access switches forward local Ethernet frames but no route connects the subnets. The desired outcome is to identify routing versus local Ethernet switching responsibilities. The technician must document observations separately from assumptions. Which post-repair signal best detects regression or repeat exposure?
- Monitor ONT optical alarms and WAN gateway status separately
- Monitor new links for incorrect network diagrams and address planning
- Monitor default-gateway reachability and route changes
- Monitor PoE overload events and added device power requirements
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:
Monitor default-gateway reachability and route changes. It tracks recurrence of the specific failure mechanism over time. The relevant observation is that their access switches forward local Ethernet frames but no route connects the subnets. The support goal is to identify routing versus local Ethernet switching responsibilities; this monitor action specifically addresses router versus layer 2 switch forwarding without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Monitor ONT optical alarms and WAN gateway status separately. That 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 router versus layer 2 switch forwarding instead.
B:
Monitor new links for incorrect network diagrams and address planning. 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 router versus layer 2 switch forwarding instead.
D:
Monitor PoE overload events and added device power requirements. That 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 router versus layer 2 switch forwarding instead.
Question 975
At Summit Media, a technician working in hardware and network incident triage identifies this issue: A workstation opens a service directly by numeric IP but says its hostname cannot be resolved. The supporting record states that it has a valid address and gateway but was configured with an unreachable DNS resolver. The desired outcome is to troubleshoot name resolution separately from basic routed network access. The technician must document observations separately from assumptions. What should be tracked after the fix to maintain service reliability?
- Monitor busy-channel duration and newly deployed neighboring radios
- Monitor DHCP request timeouts and APIPA occurrences
- Monitor port configuration drift and unexpected subnet allocations
- Monitor resolver errors and DHCP option drift
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:
Monitor resolver errors and DHCP option drift. It tracks recurrence of the specific failure mechanism over time. The relevant observation is that it has a valid address and gateway but was configured with an unreachable DNS resolver. The support goal is to troubleshoot name resolution separately from basic routed network access; this monitor action specifically addresses dns failure with working ip connectivity without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Monitor busy-channel duration and newly deployed neighboring radios. This action is appropriate for intermittent wi-fi due to channel interference, normally when users near a lunchroom suffer slow 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi at peak periods while wired links stay normal. Here the observed facts require dns failure with working ip connectivity instead.
B:
Monitor DHCP request timeouts and APIPA occurrences. That action is appropriate for dhcp failure and 169.254 apipa symptom, normally when an office PC obtains a 169.254 address and cannot reach internet destinations. Here the observed facts require dns failure with working ip connectivity instead.
C:
Monitor port configuration drift and unexpected subnet allocations. That action is appropriate for vlan mismatch causing one desk to lose access, normally when a desk phone and PC stop reaching their correct services after a switch port change. Here the observed facts require dns failure with working ip connectivity instead.
Question 976
On a service ticket for Aster Systems, the team observes: A laptop can start a trusted OS but prompts when an unsigned bootloader is inserted. The supporting record states that the organization requires UEFI Secure Boot validation rather than just setting the boot device first. The desired outcome is to distinguish boot selection priority from cryptographic boot validation. The goal is to restore required function without creating a new security or safety problem. Which diagnostic check best distinguishes the relevant fault?
- Check motherboard socket, chipset BIOS support and CPU thermal rating
- Inspect horizontal and vertical pixel dimensions separately from rated Hz and link support
- Check heatsink contact, fan operation, thermal compound and measured CPU temperature
- Inspect UEFI Secure Boot state, key database and boot entries separately
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:
Inspect UEFI Secure Boot state, key database and boot entries separately. It checks the likely failure boundary before altering working parts or settings. The relevant observation is that the organization requires UEFI Secure Boot validation rather than just setting the boot device first. The support goal is to distinguish boot selection priority from cryptographic boot validation; this diagnose action specifically addresses uefi secure boot versus boot order without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
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 uefi secure boot versus boot order instead.
B:
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 uefi secure boot versus boot order instead.
C:
Check heatsink contact, fan operation, thermal compound and measured CPU temperature. That action is appropriate for cpu heatsink thermal interface, normally when a workstation reaches a thermal limit seconds after a cooler was replaced. Here the observed facts require uefi secure boot versus boot order instead.
Question 977
On a service ticket for Horizon College, the team observes: A technician proposes RAID 10 on two disks and claims any two drive failures would be harmless. The desired outcome is to select combined striping and mirroring with the correct minimum disk count. User data and business service continuity must be preserved. Which verification result supports the intended technical outcome?
- Verify toner density improves consistently across the page
- Verify the volume remains accessible in degraded mode and rebuilds after replacement
- Verify one-drive failure tolerance and note that certain paired failures can still cause loss
- Verify data remains readable in degraded mode and rebuild procedures are documented
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:
Verify one-drive failure tolerance and note that certain paired failures can still cause loss. It proves the required function with an observable result instead of assuming the change worked. The relevant observation is that a technician proposes RAID 10 on two disks and claims any two drive failures would be harmless. The support goal is to select combined striping and mirroring with the correct minimum disk count; this validate action specifically addresses raid 10 mirrored striped array without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Verify toner density improves consistently across the page. This action is appropriate for laser printer faded output and toner, normally when a monochrome laser printer produces uniformly faint pages after many high-volume print jobs. Here the observed facts require raid 10 mirrored striped array instead.
B:
Verify the volume remains accessible in degraded mode and rebuilds after replacement. 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 raid 10 mirrored striped array instead.
D:
Verify data remains readable in degraded mode and rebuild procedures are documented. 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 raid 10 mirrored striped array instead.
Question 978
At Seabright Supplies, a technician working in IT virtualization planning identifies this issue: A help desk engineer needs an isolated test operating system on an existing laptop. The supporting record states that the laptop must continue running its normal desktop OS and does not need dedicated bare-metal hosting. The desired outcome is to choose a hosted virtualization approach suitable for local test development. The customer requires a verified fix rather than a guess based on one symptom. Which post-repair signal best detects regression or repeat exposure?
- Monitor VDI broker availability, logon time and display latency
- Monitor host hardware support and hypervisor security updates
- Monitor BIOS updates that reset virtualization support
- Monitor excessive host memory consumption and stale test VMs
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:
Monitor excessive host memory consumption and stale test VMs. It tracks recurrence of the specific failure mechanism over time. The relevant observation is that the laptop must continue running its normal desktop OS and does not need dedicated bare-metal hosting. The support goal is to choose a hosted virtualization approach suitable for local test development; this monitor action specifically addresses hosted type 2 virtualization for testing without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Monitor VDI broker availability, logon time and display latency. This action is appropriate for vdi versus local desktop processing, normally when a company wants centrally managed user desktops accessed from inexpensive endpoints. Here the observed facts require hosted type 2 virtualization for testing instead.
B:
Monitor host hardware support and hypervisor security updates. That action is appropriate for type 1 versus type 2 hypervisors, normally when an organization needs multiple production VMs on a dedicated virtualization host without a general-purpose desktop OS layer. Here the observed facts require hosted type 2 virtualization for testing instead.
C:
Monitor BIOS updates that reset virtualization support. That action is appropriate for virtualization cpu extensions, normally when a new virtual machine cannot start a 64-bit guest even though the host processor supports virtualization. Here the observed facts require hosted type 2 virtualization for testing instead.
Question 979
A support request at Amberline Finance presents this problem: A technician plans to exchange a failing M.2 drive before confirming an encrypted user's data is recoverable. The desired outcome is to replace storage without losing required user data or encryption recovery access. Service work must follow power isolation, ESD, and manufacturer instructions when applicable. Which post-repair signal best detects regression or repeat exposure?
- Monitor repeat weak-signal reports associated with lid movement
- Track replacement-battery health and repeat swelling reports after the repair
- Monitor reconnection failures and the headset's remembered-device limit
- Track backup failures, replacement SSD health and encryption key escrow
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:
Track backup failures, replacement SSD health and encryption key escrow. It tracks recurrence of the specific failure mechanism over time. The relevant observation is that a technician plans to exchange a failing M.2 drive before confirming an encrypted user's data is recoverable. The support goal is to replace storage without losing required user data or encryption recovery access; this monitor action specifically addresses laptop ssd replacement and encryption without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Monitor repeat weak-signal reports associated with lid movement. That 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 laptop ssd replacement and encryption instead.
B:
Track replacement-battery health and repeat swelling reports after the repair. That action is appropriate for swollen laptop battery replacement, normally when a business laptop has a lifted trackpad and a visibly swollen internal lithium-ion battery. Here the observed facts require laptop ssd replacement and encryption instead.
C:
Monitor reconnection failures and the headset's remembered-device limit. 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 laptop ssd replacement and encryption instead.
Question 980
During Orchard Services's branch networking support, the technician encounters this condition: A workstation moved to a different VLAN broadcasts for DHCP but cannot reach its assigned scope. The desired outcome is to identify DHCP IPv4 client and server UDP ports and scope reachability. A safe non-destructive test must be used before replacing additional parts. What should the technician verify first to establish the problem?
- Inspect application health checks, backend pool membership and where client requests enter
- Compare effective TCP 445 connectivity, SMB service state and share authorization
- Inspect UDP 68 client requests, UDP 67 server responses and relay configuration across the VLAN
- Review the blocked query sizes, truncated-response flag and firewall rules for UDP and TCP 53
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:
Inspect UDP 68 client requests, UDP 67 server responses and relay configuration across the VLAN. It checks the likely failure boundary before altering working parts or settings. The relevant observation is that a workstation moved to a different VLAN broadcasts for DHCP but cannot reach its assigned scope. The support goal is to identify DHCP IPv4 client and server UDP ports and scope reachability; this diagnose action specifically addresses dhcp client and server port roles without confusing a different subsystem.
Incorrect Answers
A:
Inspect application health checks, backend pool membership and where client requests enter. 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 dhcp client and server port roles instead.
B:
Compare effective TCP 445 connectivity, SMB service state and share authorization. That action is appropriate for smb file sharing port versus rdp, normally when a user can ping a shared Windows file server but cannot map a network share. Here the observed facts require dhcp client and server port roles instead.
D:
Review the blocked query sizes, truncated-response flag and firewall rules for UDP and TCP 53. That action is appropriate for dns service transport and port 53, normally when a branch resolver answers ordinary UDP name queries but large signed responses fail. Here the observed facts require dhcp client and server port roles instead.
