CompTIA 220-1201 Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

CompTIA 220-1201 Online Questions & Answers

• Question 181:

  A technician is troubleshooting a recently installed printer that is leaving multiple lines and streaks on print jobs.

  Which of the following should the technician replace first?

  A. Rollers
  B. Drum
  C. Toner
  D. Fuser
  C. Toner

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  Explanation

  Streaks and multiple lines on print jobs are commonly caused by an issue with the toner cartridge, such as a damaged or improperly installed cartridge. The technician should replace the toner first as it is the most likely and simplest component to check.

  Why Not A (Rollers): Rollers primarily handle paper feeding and are less likely to cause streaking.

  Why Not B (Drum): While the drum can cause similar issues, the toner cartridge is easier to replace and should be checked first.

  Why Not D (Fuser): The fuser bonds toner to the paper, but it typically causes smudging rather than streaking.

  References:

  Core 2 (220-1102), Section 4.6, printer troubleshooting.

• Question 182:

  A user ' s laptop shuts down unexpectedly while connected to a virtual meeting. The user turns on the device several times, but it shuts down again after connecting to the meeting for a few minutes.

  Which of the following should a technician do first to troubleshoot this issue?

  A. Run the application in safe mode.
  B. Check the BIOS for the CPU temperature.
  C. Connect to the meeting with a different application.
  D. Verify that the battery is completely charged.
  B. Check the BIOS for the CPU temperature.

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  Explanation

  Unexpected system shutdowns that occur after a few minutes of activity-especially during resource-intensive tasks such as virtual meetings-are a strong indicator of overheating. According to CompTIA Core 1 (220-1201) laptop and hardware troubleshooting objectives, thermal issues commonly cause systems to power off automatically to prevent hardware damage.

  Virtual meeting applications place sustained load on the CPU and GPU, increasing heat output. If the cooling system is malfunctioning (dust buildup, failed fan, dried thermal paste), the CPU temperature can rise rapidly and trigger a thermal shutdown. Checking the CPU temperature in the BIOS or UEFI is an appropriate first step to confirm whether overheating is occurring.

  Running the application in safe mode or switching applications does not address the root hardware issue. Verifying the battery charge is unlikely to resolve repeated shutdowns that occur only after several minutes of operation.

  CompTIA emphasizes identifying environmental and thermal causes early in the troubleshooting process, especially when symptoms are repeatable and load-dependent.

  References:

  CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) Official Study Guide - Laptop Cooling, Thermal Management, and Troubleshooting

• Question 183:

  A technician is putting RJ45 connectors on Cat 6 cables.

  Which of the following tools should the technician use to secure the connectors?

  A. Loopback plug
  B. Wire cutters
  C. Punchdown
  D. Crimping
  D. Crimping

• Question 184:

  A human resources manager printed a sensitive termination document and forgot to retrieve it from the printer.

  Which of the following prevents this situation?

  A. Badging
  B. Duplex
  C. Printer share
  D. Wireless encryption
  A. Badging

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  Explanation

  Secure badging--often used with "pull printing" or "secure print release"--requires users to authenticate at the printer before documents are printed. CompTIA A+ highlights this feature as critical for protecting sensitive data in corporate environments. With badge-based printing, jobs stay in a secure print queue until the authorized user physically scans their badge.

  This prevents confidential documents, like HR termination notices, from sitting unattended in the output tray. It also reduces print waste and ensures accountability for printed materials.

  Duplex printing (B) simply prints double-sided pages. Printer sharing (C) allows multiple users to use a printer but does not provide security. Wireless encryption (D) protects network traffic but does not address abandoned print jobs.

  Therefore, badging / secure print release is the correct protective measure.

• Question 185:

  A technician receives a notification after a network outage that indicates the printer is not reachable.

  Which of the following printer settings should the technician implement to prevent this issue in the future?

  A. Gateway
  B. Static IP
  C. APIPA
  D. DHCP
  B. Static IP

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  Explanation

  Assigning a static IP to network printers ensures the printer's address does not change after outages or DHCP lease expirations, preventing connectivity issues.

  From CompTIA A+ 220-1101 Official Study Guide, Objective 3.4 -Printer network configuration:

  "Printers should use static IPs to ensure they remain reachable and do not change addresses after network events."

  Verified Source:

  CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) Official Study Guide, Chapter 3: Printer Networking CompTIA Exam Objectives 220-1101, Domain 3.4

• Question 186:

  A technician is setting up a locally hosted environment for internal developers who need concurrent access to a wide array of test OSs.

  Which of the following would best fulfill this requirement?

  A. Hypervisor
  B. SaaS platform
  C. Multiboot server computer
  D. Sandbox
  A. Hypervisor

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  Explanation

  A hypervisor allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously on a single physical host, making it the ideal solution for providing concurrent access to different test environments. Developers can use virtual machines (VMs) for testing and development.

  From CompTIA A+ 220-1101 Official Study Guide, Objective 3.7 -Compare and contrast cloud computing concepts:

  "A hypervisor is software that enables multiple operating systems to run on a single host as virtual machines. This is commonly used in development and testing environments for flexibility and isolation."

  Verified Source:

  CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) Official Study Guide, Chapter 3: Virtualization CompTIA Exam Objectives 220-1101, Domain 3.7

• Question 187:

  A technician is diagnosing several device issues reported by employees.

  INSTRUCTIONS

  Click on each device to review the issue. Then select the appropriate issue and solution from the drop-down menu. Each option may be used more than once.

  

  

• Question 188:

  An end user is printing, but the image is being cut off because the paper is too small. The user did put the correct type of paper in the printer.

  Which of the following should the user change first?

  A. The image size
  B. The quality of the image
  C. The tray settings
  D. The file type
  C. The tray settings

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  Explanation

  When a printout is being cut off, CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) troubleshooting emphasizes checking the simplest, most likely configuration mismatch first-the printer's paper size/source settings. Even if the user physically loaded the correct paper, the print job can still be formatted incorrectly if the printer driver, application, or printer itself is set to use a different paper size or a different tray. If the printer thinks it is using a smaller paper size (or a tray configured for smaller paper), it may clip the printable area and truncate the image at the edges.

  Changing tray settings (paper size and paper source) aligns the printer's configuration with the actual media installed, which is a standard first-step for issues related to formatting, clipping, and page boundaries. Image quality (DPI) affects sharpness, not cropping. File type rarely causes consistent edge cutoff compared with page setup mismatches. Adjusting image size could work as a workaround, but CompTIA best practice is to correct the paper/tray and page setup settings first so all prints format properly without editing the document each time.

• Question 189:

  A technician needs to confirm that desktop PCs can be deployed to a global, remote workforce.

  Which of the following specifications should the technician validate?

  A. Input voltage
  B. BIOS language support
  C. Supply chain security
  D. Power efficiency
  A. Input voltage

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  Explanation

  Input voltage must be validated to ensure desktop PCs can operate in different regions with varying power standards (e.g., 110V in North America vs. 220V in Europe). Failure to verify input voltage compatibility can lead to hardware damage or operational issues.

  Option B (BIOS language support): Incorrect. While language support may be helpful, it is not critical for hardware deployment across regions.

  Option C (Supply chain security): Incorrect. This refers to ensuring secure sourcing of components but does not directly impact deployment.

  Option D (Power efficiency): Incorrect. Power efficiency may be important for energy savings but is not relevant to regional compatibility.

  References:

  CompTIA A+ Core 1 Objectives: 3.5 (Power supply requirements)

• Question 190:

  Which of the following devices can handle large volumes of data and uses flash memory?

  A. SSD
  B. DVD-RW
  C. HDD
  D. Tape
  A. SSD

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  Explanation

  An SSD (Solid-State Drive) is the correct choice because it stores data using flash memory (NAND) and is commonly available in large capacities suitable for operating systems, applications, and mass storage. In CompTIA A+ Core 1 terms, SSDs contain no moving parts, which makes them faster and more reliable than mechanical drives for many workloads. They provide significantly improved read/write performance, lower latency, reduced heat output, and better shock resistance-important for both desktops and especially laptops. SSDs are also widely used in modern systems via SATA or NVMe (PCIe) interfaces, with NVMe offering the highest performance for large data transfers.

  The other options do not match "flash memory": DVD-RW is optical media with limited capacity and slower speeds, intended for removable storage rather than large-volume primary storage. An HDD can store large volumes of data but uses magnetic platters and moving heads, not flash memory. Tape is also magnetic media, typically used for backups and archival storage, and while it can store large amounts, it does not use flash and is designed for sequential access rather than fast random access. Therefore, SSD is the best answer.