CompTIA 220-1201 Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

CompTIA 220-1201 Online Questions & Answers

• Question 531:

  A financial institution needs a secure way to protect encryption keys used for unlocking chips on its credit cards.

  Which of the following should the institution use?

  A. TLS
  B. AMD
  C. HSM
  D. ARM
  C. HSM

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  Explanation

  A Hardware Security Module (HSM) securely manages cryptographic keys, including those used to protect credit card chips.

  Why Not A (TLS): TLS secures data in transit, not encryption key storage.

  Why Not B (AMD): AMD refers to processors, not security modules.

  Why Not D (ARM): ARM is a processor architecture, not a cryptographic security solution.

  References:

  Core 2 (220-1102), Section 2.5, cryptographic hardware.

• Question 532:

  Which of the following is a legacy 15-pin cable type?

  A. DisplayPort
  B. DVI
  C. VGA
  D. HDMI
  C. VGA

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  Explanation

  VGA is a legacy 15-pin analog video cable commonly used with older monitors.

• Question 533:

  Which of the following devices is used to implement network security policies for an environment?

  A. Firewall
  B. managed switch
  C. Repeater
  D. Gateway
  A. Firewall

• Question 534:

  Which of the following technologies is most used in portable devices?

  A. ECC
  B. RAID
  C. SATA
  D. SODIMM
  D. SODIMM

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  Explanation

  Portable devices such as laptops, small-form-factor computers, and mini-PCs use SODIMM (Small Outline DIMM) memory modules. CompTIA A+ explains that SODIMMs are physically smaller and consume less power than standard DIMMs, making them ideal for mobile systems where space and energy efficiency are critical. Unlike ECC memory, which is primarily used in servers, or RAID which is a storage redundancy methodology rather than a memory type SODIMM is specifically designed for compact computing devices.

  SATA is a storage interface, not a memory form factor.

  The A+ study guide clearly lists SODIMM as the standard laptop memory type because of its compact footprint and compatibility with mobile motherboard layouts. This makes SODIMM the most widely implemented memory technology in portable devices.

• Question 535:

  A technician is troubleshooting stylus issues on identical, company-provided tablets. Users can purchase their own accessories. Some users have no issues, but others report that their styluses charge intermittently and die frequently.

  Which of the following is the most likely cause of this issue?

  A. Certain cases are causing charging issues.
  B. The tablets need to be updated.
  C. Some of the tablets have manufacturing defects.
  D. The malfunctioning styluses need firmware updates.
  A. Certain cases are causing charging issues.

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  Explanation

  The most likely cause is third-party or ill-fitting cases obstructing the contact between the stylus and the tablet charging mechanism. Some cases may not be designed with stylus charging in mind, particularly if users are purchasing their own accessories.

  Option B:A software update might fix OS-related issues, but would not typically affect physical charging.

  Option C:If some devices had defects, the issue would likely be consistent, not isolated to some users.

  Option D:Firmware issues could be a factor but are less likely than physical obstructions when users are using different accessories.

  References:

  Objective 1.4: Given a scenario, configure settings and use cases for laptops and mobile devices.

• Question 536:

  A user ' s tablet screen is unresponsive to touch. The device does not show any signs of physical damage, and a system reset does not resolve the issue.

  Which of the following should a technician replace?

  A. Battery
  B. Motherboard
  C. LCD screen
  D. Digitizer
  D. Digitizer

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  Explanation

  A tablet's display is made of two key parts that work together: the LCD (or OLED) that shows the image, and the digitizer that detects touch input. If the screen image looks normal but the device does not respond to taps, swipes, or gestures, the most likely failed component is the digitizer (or the digitizer layer/cable). The digitizer is a transparent sensor grid that converts touch into signals the system can interpret. When it fails, the tablet may still power on and show a clear picture, but touch will not register at all or will behave erratically. Because the device shows no physical damage and a system reset does not fix the issue, this points away from a software glitch and toward a hardware input failure. Replacing the LCD screen is typically indicated when you see display problems such as no image, distorted colors, flickering, dead pixels, or backlight issues-not purely touch failure. A battery problem would affect power/charging, not touch responsiveness. A motherboard replacement is far more invasive and not the most likely first hardware fix for a touch-only failure.

  Therefore, the correct component to replace is the digitizer.

• Question 537:

  A user reports that a software application functioned as expected the previous day, but this morning, the user is unable to launch the application.

  Which of the following describe what the technician should do next?

  A. Research the symptoms
  B. Identify any changes the user has made
  C. Determine which steps need to be performed.
  D. Check the vendor's website for guidance.
  B. Identify any changes the user has made

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  Explanation

  Identifying changes made to the system is the next step to troubleshoot why an application no longer launches, as recent changes often cause such issues.

  Why Not A (Research the symptoms): Research is broader and should come after identifying changes.

  Why Not C (Determine which steps need to be performed): This comes after identifying the issue.

  Why Not D (Check the vendor's website): This is a later step if further guidance is needed.

  References:

  Core 2 (220-1102), Section 3.1, troubleshooting methodology.

• Question 538:

  Which of the following cables should be installed if nearby electromagnetic interference is a possibility?

  A. STP
  B. UTP
  C. Thunderbolt
  D. USB
  A. STP

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  Explanation

  Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cabling is specifically designed to protect data transmissions from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI). According to CompTIA Core 1 (220-1201) networking cabling objectives, STP cables include an additional shielding layer-either around individual wire pairs or the entire cable-that reduces the impact of external electrical noise.

  In environments where network cables are installed near heavy machinery, fluorescent lighting, power cables, or radio transmitters, EMI can cause data corruption, retransmissions, and reduced network performance. STP helps maintain signal integrity in these high-interference environments.

  Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) relies only on wire twisting to reduce interference and is more susceptible to EMI compared to STP. Thunderbolt and USB are peripheral interface standards, not structured network cabling solutions, and they are not intended for long-distance network installations.

  CompTIA emphasizes selecting the appropriate cabling type based on environmental factors, particularly when interference is a concern. For locations with potential EMI, STP is the recommended choice.

  References:

  CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) Official Study Guide - Network Cabling, EMI, and Installation Best Practices

• Question 539:

  A user experiences a random BSOD while using a computer, but the operating system recovers as expected.

  Which of the following symptoms would indicate the issue is related to RAM?

  A. Wrong BIOS configurations
  B. Continuous reboots
  C. Distended capacitors
  D. POST code beeps
  D. POST code beeps

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  Explanation

  During the Power-On Self-Test (POST), the BIOS performs checks on system hardware, including RAM. If the RAM is faulty, POST may produce a series of beep codes indicating memory issues.

  These beep codes are often the first sign of RAM-related problems, especially if the BSOD occurs randomly.

  Incorrect Options:

  Option A: Wrong BIOS configurations: Incorrect BIOS settings may cause boot errors, but they are less likely to cause random BSODs.

  Option B: Continuous reboots: Continuous reboots could result from multiple hardware or software issues but do not specifically point to RAM.

  Option C: Distended capacitors: Faulty capacitors typically affect the motherboard, not the RAM.

  Key Takeaway: POST beep codes are a common diagnostic tool for identifying RAM-related issues.

  References:

  CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam Objectives (220-1201), Domain 5.2 - Troubleshooting RAM and motherboard issues.

• Question 540:

  Which of the following DNS record types is used to direct email to a mail server?

  A. CNAME
  B. SRV
  C. MX
  D. SOA
  C. MX

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  Explanation

  An MX (Mail Exchange) record specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email for a domain.

  Why Not A (CNAME): CNAME is used for domain aliasing, not for email delivery.

  Why Not B (SRV): SRV records are used to locate specific services, not mail servers.

  Why Not D (SOA): SOA records provide domain information but do not handle email.

  References:

  A+ Exam Reference: Core 1 (220-1201), Section 2.6, DNS record types.