Practice for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) exam with 19 exam-style practice questions, instant answer reveals, and concise explanations of every correct answer. Topics include: A client has a workstation with a RAID 5 configuration and reports that slower than normal performance occurs when readi. Follow @CertPunch and visit certpunch.com for more certification practice exams and study content.
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What you will practice
- A client has a workstation with a RAID 5 configuration and reports that slower than normal performance occurs…
- An IT professional is running multiple virtual machines using a Type II hypervisor on a Windows workstation…
- You travel frequently to areas with unreliable cellular coverage and need work documents available offline. W…
- What is the primary benefit of using virtual network segmentation in a virtualization environment?
- Which tool would allow you to easily identify a network cable that was not labeled in a wiring closet during…
- What is the name of a computer system that is designed to perform a specific and dedicated function?
Answers and explanations
Tap a question to expand the answer and the exam reasoning. Try to commit to your own pick first.
Q1. A client has a workstation with a RAID 5 configuration and reports that slower than normal performance occurs when reading and writing files to the RAID. You run a diagnostic program against the RAID, and the system passes all of the diagn…
Answer: C. Hard drive
Clicking noises strongly indicate a mechanical failure within a traditional magnetic hard drive. While a RAID array can pass diagnostics by operating in a degraded state, a failing drive introduces significant latency, causing the slow performance described in the scenario.
Q2. An IT professional is running multiple virtual machines using a Type II hypervisor on a Windows workstation. After adding a new VM, they notice that the host operating system and all virtual machines are performing poorly. CPU and memory u…
Answer: D. Reduce the number of virtual machines running simultaneously to free up system resources
Reducing the active virtual machine count provides immediate relief by freeing up shared hardware resources. Type II hypervisors run on top of a host operating system, making them highly susceptible to CPU and memory bottlenecks. Hardware upgrades or service tweaks are secondary troubleshooting steps.
Q3. You travel frequently to areas with unreliable cellular coverage and need work documents available offline. What is the primary advantage of manual synchronization over automatic synchronization?
Answer: D. Manual synchronization allows you to control exactly when data is downloaded so you can ensure files are updated before entering areas without connectivity
Manual synchronization provides precise control over exactly when files download to the device. This ensures critical documents are fully updated while connected to a stable network before traveling to areas with poor cellular coverage. Automatic sync might trigger during periods of weak connectivity.
Q4. What is the primary benefit of using virtual network segmentation in a virtualization environment?
Answer: B. It isolates virtual machines to enhance security and traffic management
Virtual network segmentation isolates virtual machines into distinct zones to enhance security and optimize traffic management. By isolating workloads, administrators prevent lateral threat movement and reduce network congestion. It does not directly increase hardware processing speeds.
Q5. Which tool would allow you to easily identify a network cable that was not labeled in a wiring closet during its installation?
Answer: B. Tone generator and probe
A tone generator and probe easily identifies unlabeled cables by sending an audible signal down the wire. A technician touches the probe to the unmarked cables in the patch panel until the matching tone is detected. A cable tester cannot easily track single cables.
Q6. What is the name of a computer system that is designed to perform a specific and dedicated function?
Answer: C. Embedded system
An embedded system is a specialized computer designed to perform a single, dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electrical system. Legacy systems are outdated computers still in use, while unified threat management devices handle comprehensive network security.
Q7. Your cellular carrier allows you to turn on a feature on your smartphone so that you can share its internet connection with other devices close to your smartphone. If you wanted to share the internet connection with multiple devices simult…
Answer: D. Mobile hotspot
A mobile hotspot uses Wi-Fi to share a smartphone's cellular internet connection with multiple nearby devices simultaneously. Tethering typically refers to sharing an internet connection with a single device via USB or Bluetooth. NFC and Bluetooth alone lack multiple device support.
Q8. Jason booted up a Windows laptop and noticed that the icons appeared very large and the images were blurry. What is the most likely cause of these issues?
Answer: D. Incorrect resolution
Large icons and blurry images indicate the laptop is using an incorrect screen resolution. When displays operate outside their native resolution, Windows stretches the image, causing visual distortion. Color depth affects color accuracy, while digitizer issues impact touch functionality.
Q9. A client reports that their workstation is continually crashing when using certain applications on their Windows system. The system will stop working and display a BSOD error on the screen. Which of the following is the most likely cause o…
Answer: C. Failure or corruption of the memory
A Windows Blue Screen of Death occurring specifically while running certain applications frequently points to failing or corrupted memory modules. A failing processor or graphics card usually causes issues during intensive tasks or booting rather than isolated application crashes.
Q10. You are trying to select the best device to install to detect an outside attacker trying to reach into your internal network. The device should log the event, but it should not take any action to stop it. Which of the following devices wou…
Answer: C. IDS
An intrusion detection system monitors and logs malicious activity without blocking it. The trap is IPS, which actively prevents or stops the attack.
Q11. A network technician was tasked with installing a network printer and sharing it with a group of five instructors at Dion Training. The technician plugged the device into a switch port and noticed the link light turned green. Unfortunately…
Answer: D. DHCP scope is exhausted
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol automatically assigns IP addresses from a defined pool. If the printer has a physical connection but cannot obtain an address, the DHCP scope might be exhausted. DNS records and ACLs affect name resolution and security permissions rather than address leasing.
Q12. A user is complaining that the touchscreen on their smartphone is not responding to their touch. What is the FIRST step you recommend to solve this issue?
Answer: B. Have the user restart the device
When troubleshooting mobile devices, the first step for an unresponsive screen is performing a simple restart. This forces the operating system and drivers to reload, which often clears temporary software glitches before assuming a costly hardware failure.
Q13. Which of the following best describes a Type 1 hypervisor?
Answer: A. It is installed directly on the hardware, offering better performance and security
A Type 1 hypervisor is installed directly onto the bare metal server hardware, providing enhanced performance and security without needing a host operating system. The other options describe a Type 2 hypervisor, which runs as an application on top of a preexisting operating system.
Q14. Your office is located in a small office park, and you are installing a new wireless network access point for your employees. The companies in the adjacent offices are using Wireless B/G/N routers in the 2.4 GHz spectrum. Your security sys…
Answer: D. 1, 6, 11
In the 2.4 GHz band, channels 1, 6, and 11 are the only non overlapping channels. Configuring access points to use these specific channels maximizes spectral distance and prevents interference. The other channel sets will overlap significantly, degrading wireless performance.
Q15. A client claims that their computer keeps rebooting itself without warning. Which of the following is the BEST action you should take to investigate and troubleshoot this issue?
Answer: D. Test the power supply
Random reboots often indicate failing hardware, specifically a faulty power supply or overheating components. Best practice dictates testing the existing power supply with a multimeter or tester before replacing parts or reinstalling the operating system.
Q16. You are working as a laptop repair technician. You just received a laptop that was reported to have a glass of water spilled on it. You want to examine the components in the laptop to begin troubleshooting it. What is the first step you sh…
Answer: A. Remove the external casing of the laptop and document the screw locations
When disassembling a laptop, technicians must carefully document screw locations because screws vary in length and thread type. Creating a physical diagram or grid prevents installation errors during reassembly, which could damage the chassis or motherboard.
Q17. You are troubleshooting a laser printer and noticed the paper's image has a white streak running across the face of the paper. Which of the following should be performed to fix this issue?
Answer: D. Clean the printer's corona wires
A dirty primary corona wire prevents the proper transfer of toner from the drum to the paper, which results in blank white streaks across printed pages. Cleaning the corona wire is the recommended maintenance step for this specific issue.
Q18. The printer in the offices routinely has issues anytime there is a power outage. The printer is a multi-function, network-enabled printer that connects directly to the network switch using a CAT 5e cable. Which of the following should you…
Answer: D. Configure a static IP for the printer
Network printers should be assigned a static Internet Protocol address to prevent connection losses after power outages or device restarts. When power is restored, a printer might boot faster than the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server and fail to obtain a valid address.
Q19. Which type of wireless network utilizes the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequency bands and reaches speeds of 108 Mbps to 600 Mbps?
Answer: E. 802.11n
The 802.11n wireless standard operates on both the 2.4 gigahertz and 5 gigahertz frequency bands and supports speeds up to 600 megabits per second. Older standards like 802.11g and 802.11b do not support these higher data rates.
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