Question 1

A help desk technician needs to work on a high-volume printer. Users have reported occasional
paper jams and smudges appearing on printed documents. Which of the following steps should the
technician do next to address these issues?

Accepted Answer

B

Explanation: The combination of occasional paper jams and smudges points directly to issues within the paper path, specifically the rollers. Printer rollers are responsible for gripping and feeding paper; when they become dirty with paper dust, oils, or excess toner, their grip weakens, leading to misfeeds and jams. This same debris on the rollers can be transferred onto the paper during the printing process, causing smudges or streaks. Cleaning the rollers is a standard, non-invasive maintenance procedure and the most logical first step in the CompTIA troubleshooting methodology for addressing both reported symptoms simultaneously.

Question 2

A computer technician is investigating issues with a user's workstation. The user reports the
following:
•Loading the operating system takes much longer than usual
•Clicking sounds are coming from inside the workstation
Which of the following is the most likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: The combination of a significantly slower operating system load time and audible clicking sounds are classic symptoms of a failing mechanical hard disk drive (HDD). The clicking noise, often referred to as the "click of death," is produced by the drive's actuator arm and read/write head assembly as it repeatedly attempts and fails to locate data tracks on the platters. This mechanical failure results in severe read errors and delays, which directly causes the system's performance to degrade, especially during data-intensive operations like booting the OS.

Question 3

A technician receives a call from a user about a new USB 3.1 docking station. The user claims that
their laptop does not charge when connected to the dock. The user confirms that the AC adapter for
the dock is plugged in. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

A

Explanation: The most likely cause is that the specific model of the USB 3.1 docking station does not support the USB Power Delivery (PD) specification. The ability for a dock to charge a connected laptop, often called "power passthrough," is an optional feature and not inherent to all USB devices, even those with their own AC adapter. The dock's power supply may only be designed to power the dock's internal components and any peripherals connected to it, not to deliver the higher wattage required to charge the host laptop. The user should verify the dock's specifications to confirm if it supports laptop charging via USB Power Delivery.

Question 4

A user's smartphone loses its charge rapidly. The user also notices that the phone feels thicker than it was when it was new. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

A

Explanation: The combination of rapid battery discharge and a physical change in the phone's thickness are classic symptoms of a failing lithium-ion battery. As these batteries age or become damaged, their internal chemical components can break down, producing gas. This gas buildup causes the flexible battery pouch to swell or bulge, making the device feel thicker. Concurrently, the battery's ability to hold a charge diminishes significantly, leading to rapid power loss. This condition is a critical failure and poses a safety risk.

Question 5

Which of the following is most likely used to control door access?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. In physical security, RFID is commonly embedded in key cards or fobs. When an individual presents the card to a reader installed near a door, the reader wirelessly interrogates the tag, verifies the credentials against an access control list, and unlocks the door if authorized. This makes it a primary technology for modern door access control systems.

Question 6

A remote user reports connectivity issues with the local internet provider. Even after a technician
reboots the modem supplied by the ISP, the issue persists. Which of the following would best
establish the
connection in minimal time?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: A mobile hotspot allows a user to share their smartphone's cellular data connection with other devices, such as a laptop, via Wi-Fi. This is the fastest method to restore internet connectivity when a primary ISP connection fails. Enabling a hotspot feature on a modern smartphone typically takes only a few seconds, directly addressing the user's need to re-establish a connection in "minimal time." This method bypasses the local ISP's infrastructure entirely, providing an immediate, temporary alternative for the remote user to continue working.

Question 7

When a user tries to print a document on a laser printer, vertical lines appear on the printout. Which of the following should the technician replace?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: In a laser printer, the imaging drum is a photosensitive cylinder that holds an electrostatic charge to attract toner and form the image. A scratch or a defect on the surface of the drum will consistently fail to hold the charge properly during each rotation. This results in a continuous streak where toner is either incorrectly applied or repelled, creating a distinct vertical line down the entire length of the printed page. Therefore, replacing the drum is the correct solution for this specific print quality issue.

Question 8

A user returns to work after a two-week vacation and cannot connect to an internal server. The
remote drives were working the last time the user accessed them. Which of the following steps
should the technician take next?

Accepted Answer

D

Explanation: According to the CompTIA troubleshooting methodology, after identifying the problem, the next step is to establish a theory of probable cause. Given that the user's connection was functional before a two-week absence, the most logical and efficient action is to investigate if any changes occurred during that period. IT environments are dynamic; server updates, network reconfigurations, security policy changes (such as disabling inactive accounts), or hardware replacements are common. Determining if such a change has been made is the most direct way to form a probable theory for the sudden connectivity failure.

Question 9

A user reports that a laser printer's toner does not stick to the paper. The user has tried multiple
brands of paper and is unable to print legible documents. Which of the following should be replaced
to ensure proper printouts?

Accepted Answer

A

Explanation: In the electrophotographic (laser printing) process, the fuser unit is the final stage. It consists of heated rollers that apply both heat and pressure to the paper after the toner has been transferred onto it. This process melts the toner, which is a type of plastic powder, and permanently bonds (fuses) it to the paper fibers. If the fuser assembly is faulty—either not reaching the required temperature or not applying sufficient pressure—the toner will sit loosely on the paper's surface and can be easily smudged or wiped off. This directly matches the symptoms described in the scenario.

Question 10

A technician is troubleshooting a wireless network issue that is intermittently affecting two users. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

D

Explanation: A duplicate IP address conflict is the most likely cause for an intermittent network issue affecting exactly two users. When two devices on the same network have the same IP address, the network switch and router become confused about which device should receive incoming data packets. This results in packets being sent to the wrong device, causing both users to experience sporadic connection drops and unreliable network access. This symptomology directly matches the "intermittent" and "two users" criteria described in the scenario.

Question 11

A technician is upgrading the Wi-Fi card on a laptop. Which of the following should the technician do first?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: The most critical first step before performing any internal hardware upgrade on a laptop is to ensure the device is completely de-energized. This is a fundamental safety procedure to prevent electrical shock to the technician and electrostatic discharge (ESD) or short-circuit damage to the components. The process begins by disconnecting all external power sources, with the primary one being the AC power cable. Only after all power sources, including the internal battery, are disconnected is it safe to open the chassis and begin working on internal components like the Wi-Fi card.

Question 12

A technician just finished building a new PC and needs to install a firmware update for the system
board UEFI . The technician is experiencing issues while
accessing the USB key. Which of the following features should the technician most likely disable in
order to complete this task?

Accepted Answer

D

Explanation: Secure Boot is a UEFI security standard that ensures a device boots using only software trusted by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). It prevents unauthorized operating systems and software, such as rootkits, from loading during the boot process by verifying digital signatures. A firmware update utility on a USB key may not have a recognized digital signature, causing Secure Boot to block it from running. Disabling Secure Boot temporarily is a common and necessary step to allow the system to access and execute the unsigned utility from the USB drive to perform the firmware update.

Question 13

DRAG DROP -

An office manager reports that a printer is experiencing performance issues. Printouts are smudging when they are handled, and, recently, whenever the manager tries to print oversized documents, the paper jams before anything is printed on it.

INSTRUCTIONS -

Using the available printer parts, replace only the faulty components on the office printer to resolve the stated issues.

If at any time you would like to bring back the initial state of the simulation, please click the Reset All button.

Select and Place: 220-1101 Core 1 practice exam questions

Accepted Answer

Explanation: The Fuser must be replaced because "smudging" indicates the toner is not being properly heated and bonded to the paper, a specific symptom of fuser failure. The Rollers in Tray 3 must be replaced because the jams are isolated to "oversized" (Legal) documents, which are fed exclusively from Tray 3. The failure occurring "before anything is printed" confirms it is a pickup/feed issue caused by worn rollers in that specific tray. The Toner, Duplexer, and Ink Cartridge are not the cause of these specific symptoms.

Question 14

DRAG DROP A natural disaster occurred, and the storage system for the development team is unrecoverable. The technician is preparing replacement storage arrays that include a hypervisor with the capacity to support several virtual machines. Two separate bays are available, and both should be utilized. Requirements for the primary array include the following: • No need to be scalable • Very fast on reads • Fault tolerance of one drive • Ability to function with only one drive • Easily recoverable data • High redundancy • Minimum number of drives Requirements for the secondary array include the following: • Fault tolerance of one drive • Total space of 600G3 • Best write performance • Minimum number of drives Instructions: Drag and Drop the appropriate Hard Drives. Then Open each array to complete the configuration. https://kxbjsyuhceggsyvxdkof.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/file-images/CompTIA_220-1101/page_148_img_1.jpg

Accepted Answer

Explanation: Primary Array: The requirements "Fault tolerance of one drive" and "High redundancy" necessitate RAID 1 or RAID 5. However, the specific requirement "Ability to function with only one drive" confirms RAID 1 , as a mirrored drive contains a complete file system that can be read independently, unlike striped volumes (RAID 5). "Minimum number of drives" restricts the selection to 2 drives (RAID 1) rather than 3+ (RAID 5). 120 GB SSDs are selected as they are the smallest sufficient capacity for a hypervisor OS where scalability is not required. Secondary Array: "Total space of 600 GB" with "Fault tolerance of one drive" could be achieved by RAID 5 (3x 300 GB) or RAID 1 (2x 600 GB). The requirement for " Best write performance " eliminates RAID 5 due to its parity calculation overhead (write penalty). Furthermore, RAID 1 utilizes fewer drives (2 vs. 3), satisfying the " Minimum number of drives " requirement.

Question 15

SIMULATION A small ISP has hired a new technician Joe, the new technician, is being trained to configure customers* home networks The trailing instructor gives me technician a starter kit with cables, cable ends, and other network equipment and asks mm to build a working network. The computer should be connected to have internet connectivity and the phone should be connected to have a dial tone. INSTRUCTIONS Use the appropriate cables. cable ends, tools and equipment to configure the network ana connect an components accordingly There are 3 steps and the simulation starts on step 1. https://kxbjsyuhceggsyvxdkof.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/file-images/CompTIA_220-1101/page_48_img_1.jpg https://kxbjsyuhceggsyvxdkof.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/file-images/CompTIA_220-1101/page_49_img_1.jpg

Accepted Answer

STEP 1: IDENTIFY CABLES, CONNECTORS, AND TOOLS

CORRECT ANSWER:
TOP CABLE (ETHERNET): MATCH WITH RJ45 CONNECTOR AND CRIMPER TOOL.
MIDDLE CABLE (COAXIAL): MATCH WITH F CONNECTOR AND CABLE STRIPPER TOOL.
BOTTOM CABLE (TELEPHONE): MATCH WITH RJ11 CONNECTOR AND CRIMPER TOOL.

STEP 2: CONNECT NETWORK COMPONENTS

CORRECT ANSWER:

WALL OUTLET TO MODEM: USE THE COAXIAL CABLE (WITH F CONNECTORS) TO CONNECT THE WALL ISP SERVICE OUTLET TO THE COAXIAL INPUT ON THE CABLE MODEM.
MODEM TO ROUTER: USE AN ETHERNET CABLE (WITH RJ45 CONNECTORS) TO CONNECT THE ETHERNET PORT ON THE CABLE MODEM TO THE WAN PORT ON THE SOHO ROUTER.
ROUTER TO PC: USE AN ETHERNET CABLE (WITH RJ45 CONNECTORS) TO CONNECT ANY OF THE LAN (1-4) PORTS ON THE SOHO ROUTER TO THE ETHERNET PORT ON THE HOME PC.
ROUTER TO PHONE: USE THE TELEPHONE CABLE (WITH RJ11 CONNECTORS) TO CONNECT ONE OF THE PHONE SERVICE PORTS ON THE SOHO ROUTER TO THE POTS PHONE.

Explanation: This step tests the identification of physical network media. Twisted-pair copper cabling used for Ethernet is terminated with an 8-position, 8-contact (8P8C) modular connector, known as RJ45 . Coaxial cable, used for broadband internet from a cable ISP, is terminated with an F Connector . Traditional telephone lines use a 6-position, 4-contact connector, known as RJ11 . A crimper is the standard tool for attaching RJ45 and RJ11 connectors. A cable stripper is used to prepare the cable jacket for termination. The punch-down tool is not used for creating patch cables with these connectors. This configuration establishes a standard SOHO network data path. The ISP's signal enters the premises via coaxial cable and is demodulated by the modem. The modem passes the internet connection to the router's dedicated WAN ("Wide Area Network") port. The router then creates a Local Area Network (LAN), distributing the connection to devices like the PC via its LAN ports. The router's integrated telephone adapter provides a dial tone to the POTS phone through its RJ11 "Phone Service" ports, a common feature for VoIP services bundled with internet plans.

Free CompTIA A+ 220-1101 Actual Exam Questions