CompTIA 220-1201 Practice Exams
Last updated on Oct 01,2026- Exam Code: 220-1201
- Exam Name: CompTIA A+ Certification Exam: Core 1
- Certification Provider: CompTIA
- Latest update: Oct 01,2026
A user reports that their desktop PC does not turn on.
Which of the following components would most likely cause the issue?
- A . PSU
- B . GPU
- C . RAM
- D . CPU
A
Explanation:
If a desktop fails to power on entirely, the most probable cause is afaulty Power Supply Unit (PSU). If there are no lights, fans, or POST beeps, the PSU may have failed, cutting off all power to the motherboard and components.
Option B (GPU): Could prevent video output, but the system would still power on and beep.
Option C (RAM): Missing or faulty RAM would cause POST errors but not prevent startup entirely.
Option D (CPU): A bad CPU may cause POST failure, but the system would usually at least power on.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam Objective
Reference:
Objective 3.5: Given a scenario, troubleshoot problems related to motherboards, RAM, CPU, and power.
Users are complaining that the audio from a presenter is choppy and unintelligible
Which of the following is causing the issue?
- A . Webcam
- B . Digitizer
- C . inverter
- D . Microphone
D
Explanation:
Choppy or unintelligible audio is typically caused by issues with the microphone, such as poor quality, hardware defects, or misconfiguration.
Why Not A (Webcam): The webcam handles video, not audio.
Why Not B (Digitizer): A digitizer relates to touchscreens, not audio.
Why Not C (Inverter): Inverters manage power for displays, not audio.
CompTIA A+ Exam
Reference: Core 1 (220-1201), Section 3.6, audio troubleshooting.
A new directive mandates the use of a security component to securely allow users to authenticate to systems, access sensitive data, and enter the office. The component must provide an additional factor of authentication alongside user accounts and cannot be something the user o.
Which of the Mowing components best meets these requirements?
- A . Fingerprint reader
- B . Smart card
- C . Secure token
- D . NFC scanner
B
Explanation:
A smart card provides an additional factor of authentication by storing secure credentials, such as certificates, that cannot be guessed or replicated. It complements user accounts and is "something you have".
Why Not A (Fingerprint reader): This is "something you are", but the scenario specifically requires a physical token.
Why Not C (Secure token): Secure tokens are also valid but may not integrate as seamlessly into multi-factor authentication for physical and system access.
Why Not D (NFC scanner): An NFC scanner is a device and not a token itself; it reads cards or other credentials.
CompTIA A+ Exam
Reference: Core 2 (220-1102), Section 2.5, access controls.
Several storms cause mission-critical servers to go offline unexpectedly A server also goes offline suddenly due to haroNvare failure Upon assessment the company purchases new UPSs to condition power and allow the OSs to shut down gracefully in the event of a power failure However, the UPSs are delayed due to supply chain issues.
Which of the following can balance a cost-effective solution with uptime requirements?
- A . Purchasing backup generators
- B . Increasing input voltage
- C . Installing redundant PSUs
- D . Activating a hot site
C
Explanation:
C. Installing redundant PSUs (Power Supply Units):
Redundant PSUs provide fault tolerance by ensuring that if one power supply fails, another will take over seamlessly.
This is a cost-effective way to increase uptime while waiting for the UPSs to arrive.
Incorrect Options:
When turning on a workstation, a technician observes the following message:
"Bootable device not found."
The technician verifies the correct boot order in the BIOS.
Which of the following steps should the technician take next?
- A . Reformat the HDD.
- B . Run HDD diagnostics.
- C . Reseat the RAM.
- D . Replace the HDD.
B
Explanation:
If the system reports“Bootable device not found”, and the BIOS is configured correctly, the next step is torun diagnostics on the hard driveto check for physical or logical failure. It could be a sign of afailing drive or corrupt boot sector.
Option A: Reformatting the drive would erase data ― not a diagnostic step.
Option C: RAM does not affect whether a drive is bootable.
Option D: Replacing the drive should only be doneafter diagnostics confirm failure.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam Objective
Reference:
Objective 3.5: Given a scenario, troubleshoot problems related to storage devices.
A company uses vital legacy software that does not run in the current OS version.
Which of the following will best support the software while keeping the OS current?
- A . Shared resources
- B . System sandbox
- C . Test development
- D . Application visualization
D
Explanation:
Application virtualization allows legacy software to run in a virtualized environment while the operating system remains current. It isolates the application from the OS, ensuring compatibility without downgrading the OS.
Why Not A (Shared resources): This relates to resource sharing, not application compatibility.
Why Not B (System sandbox): Sandboxes isolate applications for security testing, not compatibility.
Why Not C (Test development): Test environments are used for development, not running legacy applications.
CompTIA A+ Exam
Reference: Core 1 (220-1201), Section 4.2, virtualization concepts.
A network administrator must ensure that a printer will still be assigned a specific IP address even if all addresses are depleted.
Which of the following network configuration concepts is this describing?
- A . VLAN
- B . Lease
- C . Reservation
- D . Exclusion
C
Explanation:
A DHCP reservation binds a specific MAC address to an IP address so the device always receives the same IP from the DHCP server. This ensures network devices like printers maintain consistent connectivity and availability even when the IP pool is low.
#Reference: "CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide" by Quentin Docter C Chapter 18, page 1252.
A technician needs to move a workstation to a different logical network segment.
Which of the following technologies should the technician use?
- A . DHCP
- B . VLAN
- C . DNS
- D . VPN
B
Explanation:
AVLAN (Virtual LAN)is used to logically segment a network without requiring physical separation. It enables grouping devices based on function or department regardless of their physical location.
Option A (DHCP): Assigns IP addresses dynamically but doesn’t create network segments.
Option C (DNS): Resolves domain names to IP addresses, not used for network segmentation.
Option D (VPN): Provides secure remote access but does not relate to logical segmentation within a local network.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam Objective
Reference: Objective 2.3: Explain common logical networking concepts.
A customer has contacted you about building two new desktops. The first desktop will be a gaming workstation.
The customer requirements include:
Playing the newest games at a high frame rate
Fast game load times
Enough storage to have several games installed at once High-end audio
No concern about cost
Running the current Windows OS
The second workstation will be a family workstation. The requirements include:
Capability for word processing, videoconferencing, and basic web surfing
Minimal cost, as long as it meets the requirements
Running the current Windows OS
A recently installed printer is incorrectly aligning printed documents.
Which of the following should the technician do first to fix this issue?
- A . Run the maintenance application.
- B . Clean the rollers
- C . Upgrade the firmware
- D . Reinstall the drivers
A
Explanation: