Hardware & Network Troubleshooting A+ Core 1 Practice Questions

Correct answer: D. CMOS battery

D is correct because the CMOS battery keeps the real-time clock running while the PC has no AC power, so a dead battery causes the clock to reset. A provides power only while the PC is plugged in and does not keep the clock running when the PC is unplugged. B holds data only while the system is running and has no role in keeping time. C stores the operating system and files but does not maintain the hardware clock.

Correct answer: B. Replace the system board

B is correct because swollen or leaking capacitors have failed and cause unstable power to the components, so the system board should be replaced. A cannot repair physically failed capacitors on the board. C affects the clock and saved firmware settings but does not cause swollen capacitors or random reboots. D does nothing to correct the unstable power caused by failed capacitors.

Correct answer: C. Turn off the PC and unplug it from the outlet

C is correct because removing power immediately stops further damage and reduces the risk of fire or electric shock. A keeps power flowing to a component that may be burning. B exposes the user to a live, overheating component before power has been removed. D does not remove power and could spread heat or debris onto live components.

Correct answer: C. Blue screen of death

C is correct because Windows displays a blue stop-error screen, commonly called the BSOD (blue screen of death), when it hits a critical error it cannot recover from. A is the name for a fatal system error on Linux and macOS, not the Windows stop screen. B is the macOS busy cursor shown when an app is not responding, not a Windows crash screen. D is reported by the firmware during startup, before the operating system loads.

Correct answer: A. That the power cord is plugged in at both ends

A is correct because with no sign of power at all, the simplest cause is that the PC is not receiving AC power, so the cord and outlet are checked first. B is irrelevant, because the PC never powers on far enough to load an OS. C would cause a no-video or beep-code problem, but fans and lights would still come on. D would cause overheating once running, not a complete lack of power.

Correct answer: A. The new RAM is incompatible or is not fully seated

A is correct because beep codes with no video indicate a POST failure, and memory was the component just changed. B would show up after POST, when the system attempts to load the OS. C would not prevent video output or cause POST beep codes on most systems. D would cause a boot device error after POST completes, not a POST beep code with no video.

Correct answer: C. Thermal paste was not reapplied to the CPU

C is correct because without fresh thermal paste, heat does not transfer well from the CPU to the heat sink, so the CPU overheats and shuts down. A would prevent the drive from being detected, not cause high CPU temperatures. B would slightly reduce memory bandwidth but would not overheat the CPU. D would cause clock and settings problems, not CPU overheating under load.

Correct answer: C. Install additional RAM

C is correct because memory is nearly full and the disk activity is paging to the page file, so more RAM removes the bottleneck. A affects the clock and firmware settings, not system performance. B has no effect on memory capacity or paging. D would not help, because the CPU is only lightly loaded.

Correct answer: C. The power supply cannot meet the new peak load

C is correct because a high-end graphics card draws much more power under gaming load, and an undersized power supply shuts down when its capacity is exceeded. A affects the system clock and firmware settings, not shutdowns under load. B would typically prevent POST or cause crashes at any load, not only during games. D can cause slow performance or errors, not sudden power-off under load.

Correct answer: D. Replace the power supply unit

D is correct because power supplies are field-replaceable units, and a failing internal fan can lead to overheating and failure. A is unsafe, because power supply capacitors can hold a dangerous charge even when unplugged. B addresses the wrong fan, because the noise comes from inside the power supply. C would cause the power supply to overheat and fail.