A+

Final check — CompTIA A+ (Core 1 220-1201 & Core 2 220-1202) - Exam-Prep

Answer the 100 questions. You need 80% or more to pass. You can retry as many times as you like.

Question 1A user reports that their laptop's Wi-Fi is completely unavailable and no wireless networks appear. Other devices connect to the same network fine. Which action should a technician try FIRST?Replace the laptop's wireless NIC cardCheck whether the physical/function-key Wi-Fi toggle or airplane mode is enabledReinstall the operating systemUpdate the router firmware

Question 2A smartphone's touchscreen responds erratically and registers touches the user did not make. After a reboot the problem persists. What is the MOST likely cause?A faulty or third-party screen protector, or a failing digitizerThe SIM card is not seated correctlyThe battery capacity has degradedThe device has too many apps installed

Question 3A technician needs to configure a corporate email account on an employee's iPhone so that mail, calendar, and contacts all sync bidirectionally with the Exchange server in real time. Which protocol should be used?POP3SMTPExchange ActiveSync (EAS)IMAP with a separate CalDAV account

Question 4An organization wants to enforce security policies, remotely wipe lost devices, and deploy apps across hundreds of company-owned smartphones and tablets. Which solution BEST meets this need?A Mobile Device Management (MDM) platformA group of shared Apple IDsIndividual antivirus apps on each deviceA VPN client installed manually

Question 5A laptop battery swells and pushes up on the trackpad, making it hard to click. What is the correct technician response?Puncture the battery to release the gas, then continue using itStop use immediately, power down, and safely replace/dispose of the swollen batteryPlace the laptop in a freezer to shrink the batteryIgnore it since swelling is normal after two years

Question 6In Windows, which utility would a technician use to view startup impact and disable programs that automatically launch at boot?Disk ManagementDevice ManagerTask Manager (Startup tab)Event Viewer

Question 7A user needs to run a legacy 32-bit application, but the technician must first confirm the Windows edition and whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit. Which of the following is the quickest built-in way to check?Settings > System > About (or the System control panel)The BIOS/UEFI setup screenThe Recovery EnvironmentThe Registry Editor root key

Question 8A Windows 10 machine must join an on-premises Active Directory domain. Which Windows edition supports this feature?Windows 10 HomeWindows 10 ProWindows 10 Home in S modeAny edition, since domain join is a hardware feature

Question 9A technician wants to perform a clean installation that erases the disk and formats it with a fresh file system, rather than upgrading over the existing OS. This is BEST described as which type of installation?In-place upgradeRepair installationClean installRefresh keeping files

Question 10Which Windows file system should a technician format a 128 GB USB flash drive with so it can be read and written by both modern Windows and macOS without extra software, while supporting files larger than 4 GB?NTFSFAT32exFAText4

Question 11A user's Android phone drains its battery unusually fast after installing several free apps. Which is the BEST first step to identify the cause?Perform a factory reset immediatelyReview the battery usage statistics in Settings to find high-consumption appsReplace the batteryDisable the cellular radio permanently

Question 12A technician wants to configure a static IP address on a Windows workstation using the graphical interface. Which path is correct?Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings > adapter Properties > IPv4Device Manager > Network adapters > Update driverTask Scheduler > Create Basic TaskDisk Management > Change Drive Letter

Question 13During an exam, you encounter a performance-based question (PBQ) that appears complex and time-consuming. What is the recommended strategy?Spend all remaining time on it until it is perfectFlag/mark it for review and return to it after answering the faster multiple-choice questionsSkip it permanently and never returnGuess randomly and move on without marking it

Question 14A field technician must access files on both a MicroSD card and a full-size SD card from the same reader on-site. Which characteristic makes MicroSD cards usable in standard SD slots?MicroSD cards use a physically compatible adapter/trayMicroSD cards use Bluetooth to pair with the readerMicroSD cards require a USB-C cableMicroSD cards are read only over Wi-Fi

Question 15A macOS user needs to install and manage software packages, and back up the entire system automatically to an external drive. Which two built-in tools would the technician recommend?App Store and Time MachineTask Manager and File HistoryDisk Cleanup and System RestoreRegistry Editor and Backup and Restore

Question 16A user complains their laptop screen is very dim and hard to read even at maximum brightness setting, while an external monitor displays normally. What component is the MOST likely cause?The failing backlight/inverter or LED backlight of the laptop displayThe external monitor's cableThe keyboard controllerThe Wi-Fi antenna

Question 17A technician wants to synchronize a mobile device's photos and contacts so they are recoverable if the phone is lost. Which method provides automatic off-device recovery?Sync to a cloud account (e.g., iCloud or Google account)Store everything only in the device's local storageKeep data only on the SIM cardRely on the mobile carrier's billing records

Question 18In the CompTIA six-step troubleshooting methodology, after you have established and tested a theory of probable cause, which step comes NEXT?Document findings, actions, and outcomesEstablish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solutionIdentify the problemVerify full system functionality

Question 19A user reports Bluetooth pairing fails between a laptop and a new headset. The headset pairs fine with a phone. Which step should the technician try FIRST on the laptop?Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on the laptop and put the headset into discoverable/pairing modeReinstall the laptop operating systemReplace the headset batteryFlash the laptop BIOS

Question 20A technician is taking the exam and reads a scenario question with two answers that both seem technically valid. What is the BEST approach to select the correct one?Always pick the longest answerChoose the answer that BEST fits the specific scenario constraints and keywords (e.g., 'FIRST', 'MOST secure', 'least cost')Pick the first plausible answer to save timeSelect the answer with the most technical jargon

Question 21A technician needs to allow secure remote command-line administration of a Linux server over the network. Which port must be open on the firewall by default?Port 23Port 22Port 3389Port 80

Question 22A user reports that a newly connected device receives an IP address of 169.254.10.5. What is the most likely cause?A static IP was manually configuredThe device cannot reach a DHCP server (APIPA)The DNS server is offlineThe default gateway is misconfigured

Question 23Which type of record must be configured in DNS so that email sent to a domain is delivered to the correct mail server?A recordCNAME recordMX recordTXT record

Question 24A small office needs to connect 24 computers with the highest available copper Ethernet speed over 40 meters. Which cable category should the technician install?Cat 3Cat 5Cat 6aRG-6 coaxial

Question 25A technician wants to segment guest Wi-Fi traffic from the internal corporate network using a single managed switch. Which technology accomplishes this?VLANVPNNATDMZ

Question 26Which wireless security protocol uses AES-based GCMP and SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals) to protect against offline dictionary attacks?WEPWPA2-PSKWPA3TKIP

Question 27A remote worker must access internal file shares as if physically on the corporate LAN, with all traffic encrypted. Which solution should be used?RDP over the public internetVPNTelnetPort forwarding to the file server

Question 28A user's home router assigns private addresses to internal devices while sharing one public IP for internet access. Which technology performs this translation?DHCPDNSNATQoS

Question 29Which port and protocol does HTTPS use to secure web traffic?TCP 80TCP 443UDP 53TCP 143

Question 30A technician configures a network so that voice-over-IP phones receive higher transmission priority than file downloads. Which router feature is being used?QoS (Quality of Service)UPnPPort forwardingMAC filtering

Question 31An organization wants to require users to present a password AND a code from an authenticator app before logging in. This is an example of what?Single sign-onMultifactor authenticationLeast privilegeAccess control list

Question 32A user receives an email appearing to be from their bank, urgently asking them to click a link and verify their password. What type of attack is this?PhishingDenial of serviceOn-path attackZero-day exploit

Question 33To ensure that a decommissioned hard drive holding sensitive data can never be recovered, which method provides the most secure destruction?Quick formatDeleting the partitionPhysical shredding/degaussingMoving files to the recycle bin

Question 34A technician wants to encrypt an entire Windows system drive using TPM-backed full-disk encryption. Which feature should be enabled?EFSBitLockerWindows Defender FirewallUAC

Question 35Following the principle of least privilege, how should a technician configure a standard user's account for daily office work?Grant local administrator rightsGrant only the permissions needed to perform the jobShare one admin account among all usersDisable all password requirements

Question 36A workstation is infected with malware. According to the CompTIA malware removal best-practice order, what should be done immediately after identifying the symptoms?Enable System Restore and create a restore pointQuarantine the infected systemEducate the end userSchedule scans and run updates

Question 37Which type of malware disguises itself as a legitimate program to trick a user into installing it, then grants an attacker access?TrojanWormRootkitRansomware

Question 38An attacker positions themselves between a client and a server to intercept and relay traffic without either party's knowledge. What is this attack called?Brute forceOn-path (man-in-the-middle) attackSQL injectionZero-day

Question 39A company wants to ensure only pre-approved applications can run on employee workstations, blocking everything else. Which security approach is this?Blocklisting (deny list)Allowlisting (allow list)Port forwardingMAC filtering

Question 40A technician needs to physically secure a laptop in a public workspace to deter theft. Which is the most appropriate control?Enabling BitLocker encryptionInstalling antivirus softwareUsing a cable lockSetting a BIOS password

Question 41A technician is building a workstation for video editing and installs two identical DDR5 modules into a motherboard with four DIMM slots (labeled A1, A2, B1, B2). To enable dual-channel operation, which slots should the modules be installed in?A1 and A2A1 and B1A2 and B2 only after A1 and B1 are filledAny two adjacent slots

Question 42A user reports that their desktop randomly shuts off under heavy gaming load but runs fine when idle. The CPU and case temperatures are normal. Which component is the MOST likely cause?An undersized or failing power supply unitA faulty RAM moduleAn outdated network driverA corrupted boot sector

Question 43A technician needs to install an NVMe solid-state drive in a laptop. Which physical interface does an NVMe drive typically use in a modern laptop?SATA 22-pin connectorIDE 40-pin ribbonM.2 slot using PCIe laneseSATA external port

Question 44After installing a new dedicated GPU, a technician powers on the system but sees no video output, though the fans spin. The onboard video worked before. What should the technician check FIRST?That the monitor is connected to the GPU's port, not the motherboard'sThat the operating system is activatedThat the antivirus is up to dateThat the network cable is connected

Question 45A technician wants to configure two SSDs in a RAID array that provides improved read/write performance but offers NO fault tolerance. Which RAID level should be used?RAID 1RAID 0RAID 5RAID 10

Question 46A printer produces pages with a repeating faded vertical line and light print on one side. Which component of a laser printer is MOST likely at fault?The fuser assemblyThe network interface cardThe toner cartridge running low or a scratched drumThe paper tray sensor

Question 47A motherboard emits a series of beep codes at startup and fails to POST. What is the FIRST resource a technician should consult to interpret the codes?The operating system's event logThe motherboard/BIOS manufacturer's documentationThe GPU driver release notesThe Windows Registry

Question 48A technician is replacing a CPU and needs to apply thermal paste. What is the correct practice?Apply a thick layer covering the entire heatsink base and the CPUApply a small pea-sized amount on the CPU before seating the heatsinkApply paste to the RAM contactsNo thermal paste is needed with a stock cooler

Question 49A workstation with an older motherboard loses its date and time settings and prompts for BIOS configuration on every boot. Which component should be replaced?The CMOS batteryThe power supplyThe hard driveThe RAM

Question 50A technician is asked to select a display connector that carries both high-resolution digital video and audio over a single cable to a modern TV. Which connector is BEST suited?VGADVI-DHDMIPS/2

Question 51A Windows application crashes immediately on launch with no error message. The technician wants to view detailed information about why it failed. Which built-in tool should be used FIRST?Disk CleanupEvent ViewerDisk DefragmenterCharacter Map

Question 52A user reports that their Windows PC is extremely slow to boot and applications hang. Task Manager shows disk usage constantly at 100% with low CPU and RAM usage. Which action is the BEST next step?Increase the monitor resolutionDisable unnecessary startup programs and check drive healthReinstall the GPU driverChange the default web browser

Question 53A user's smartphone battery drains rapidly and the device is warm even when idle. After ruling out hardware, which software troubleshooting step should the technician take FIRST?Factory reset the device immediatelyCheck for a rogue or misbehaving app consuming background resourcesReplace the screenDisable the cellular radio permanently

Question 54After a Windows update, a user's PC displays a blue screen (BSOD) with a STOP error during boot. The technician wants to boot with minimal drivers to troubleshoot. Which option should be used?Safe ModeSleep ModeHibernateFast Startup

Question 55A user's browser constantly redirects searches to unfamiliar sites and displays excessive pop-up ads. Which type of issue is this MOST likely, and what is the appropriate response?A failing hard drive; replace itA browser/adware infection; run anti-malware and remove suspicious extensionsA dead CMOS battery; replace itA loose RAM module; reseat it

Question 56A technician suspects that Windows system files are corrupted, causing intermittent errors. Which command-line tool scans and repairs protected system files?sfc /scannowipconfig /allping localhostformat C:

Question 57A user reports that a specific program worked yesterday but fails to open today after they installed a new utility. No system errors are logged. What is the MOST efficient troubleshooting step?Reinstall the entire operating systemUse System Restore or uninstall the recently added utilityReplace the motherboardUpgrade the RAM

Question 58An Android user cannot install a legitimate app from the official store; it reports insufficient storage even though the phone shows several GB free. Which is the BEST first troubleshooting action?Clear the app store cache and data, then retry the installReplace the phone's batteryReflash the bootloaderDisable the touchscreen

Question 59A Windows PC frequently freezes and generates random application crashes across different programs. Memory Diagnostic reports errors. What is the MOST appropriate corrective action?Reinstall the printer driverTest and replace the faulty RAM moduleChange the desktop wallpaperClear the browser history

Question 60A mobile device running slowly and displaying frequent app crashes was recently rooted/jailbroken by the user. Which best practice should the technician recommend to restore stable, secure operation?Install more third-party app storesRestore the device to official firmware and reset to factory defaultsDisable all security updatesRemove the SIM card permanently

Question 61A company wants to run several isolated server operating systems on a single physical host, installing the hypervisor directly onto the bare-metal hardware with no underlying host OS. Which hypervisor type meets this requirement?Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisorType 2 (hosted) hypervisorContainer runtime engineApplication virtualization layer

Question 62A cloud customer is billed only for the exact compute seconds their function runs, with no servers to provision or manage, and capacity scales automatically. Which cloud model is described?Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)Platform as a Service (PaaS)Serverless computingCommunity cloud

Question 63A technician sets up a lab VM to test malware safely. The VM must have absolutely no ability to reach the physical host, other VMs, or the internet. Which virtual network configuration is most appropriate?Bridged networking to the physical LANNAT networking through the hostAn isolated/host-only internal network with no external routeA public cloud VPC with a default gateway

Question 64An organization keeps sensitive workloads on infrastructure dedicated solely to them, while bursting less-sensitive processing to a public provider during peak load. Which cloud deployment model is this?Private cloudPublic cloudHybrid cloudCommunity cloud

Question 65A developer needs to run a single Linux virtual machine on top of their existing Windows 11 workstation for testing, without wiping the machine. Which requirement must the workstation meet to run the VM efficiently?A dedicated hardware RAID controllerHardware-assisted virtualization enabled in UEFI/BIOSA static public IP addressA TPM 2.0 chip disabled

Question 66During a hardware upgrade, a technician removes an old motherboard. Following operational safety procedures, what should be done with the extracted lithium-based CMOS battery?Throw it in the regular office trash binDispose of it according to local regulations and the manufacturer's SDSIncinerate it to prevent data recoveryStore it indefinitely in an anti-static bag

Question 67A change to a production server is being planned. According to standard change-management procedures, which document defines who must review and formally approve the request before implementation?The end-user license agreement (EULA)The change request / approval by the change boardThe acceptable use policy (AUP)The network topology diagram

Question 68A technician is about to open a desktop PC to replace RAM. To follow proper ESD safety, which action is the single most important first step?Spray the components with compressed airPut on an anti-static wrist strap connected to a proper groundIncrease the room humidity to 90%Leave the PC plugged into live AC power

Question 69A user reports intermittent smoke and a burning smell from a workstation's power supply. Which type of fire extinguisher is appropriate for this energized electrical equipment fire?Class A (water)Class C (CO2/non-conductive)Class D (metal)Class K (kitchen/grease)

Question 70A help desk technician receives a ticket. Which practice best demonstrates professionalism when communicating with a frustrated customer?Use technical jargon to establish authorityActively listen, avoid interrupting, and clarify the problemPut the customer on hold repeatedly to check other ticketsAssume the customer caused the problem and say so

Question 71A company migrates its email and productivity suite so users access fully managed applications through a web browser without installing or maintaining any software. Which cloud service model is this?Software as a Service (SaaS)Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)Platform as a Service (PaaS)Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

Question 72A technician is documenting the incident response after discovering a compromised laptop. To preserve evidence for potential legal action, which step must be followed?Immediately reimage the drive to remove the malwareMaintain a documented chain of custody for the deviceEmail the hard drive contents to managementDelete the logs to protect the user's privacy

Question 73A cloud provider offers virtual machines, storage, and networking that the customer configures and manages, while the provider maintains the underlying physical hardware. Which model is this?Software as a Service (SaaS)Platform as a Service (PaaS)Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)Function as a Service (FaaS)

Question 74An IT department wants users to access their full Windows desktop environment hosted centrally in the cloud from any thin client or tablet. Which technology best meets this need?Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)A local dual-boot configurationA peer-to-peer file shareA hardware KVM switch

Question 75While repairing a customer's PC, a technician finds files that appear to show illegal activity. Following prohibited-content/activity procedures, what should the technician do first?Delete the files to avoid liabilityStop work, preserve the data, and report through the proper chain of custodyCopy the files to investigate them personallyConfront the customer directly and refuse service

Question 76An organization's disaster recovery plan specifies the maximum acceptable amount of data loss measured in time. Which metric defines this?Recovery Time Objective (RTO)Recovery Point Objective (RPO)Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)Service Level Agreement (SLA)

Question 77A technician must safely lift a heavy 25 kg UPS unit onto a rack. Which practice follows proper physical safety procedures?Bend at the waist and lift with the backBend at the knees and lift with the legs, keeping the load closeLift it quickly in one motion to reduce strain timeTwist the torso while lifting to reach the rack

Question 78A technician is asked to change a firewall rule set on all branch routers. According to change management, what should be prepared in case the change causes an outage?A marketing announcementA documented rollback (back-out) planA new asset purchase orderAn updated org chart

Question 79Several developers each need identical, isolated application environments that share the host OS kernel, start in seconds, and use minimal overhead. Which technology best fits?Full virtual machines with separate guest OSesContainersPhysical dual-boot workstationsA mainframe time-sharing terminal

Question 80A technician completes a repair and is closing the ticket. Which documentation practice best supports future troubleshooting and asset management?Record only the customer's nameDocument the problem, steps taken, resolution, and update the knowledge base/asset recordsLeave the ticket blank to save timeVerbally tell a coworker and skip written notes

Question 81A technician replaces a laptop battery, but the laptop now fails to power on at all, even on AC power. Before the battery swap it worked on AC. What is the MOST likely cause?The new battery is defectiveA power connector or ribbon cable was left unseated during reassemblyThe AC adapter wattage is too lowThe BIOS needs to be reset

Question 82Users report the network is 'slow'. Using ping you see high latency and packet loss only to hosts on a remote subnet, while local hosts respond normally. Which command BEST helps locate where the delay is introduced?ipconfig /allnslookuptracertnetstat -a

Question 83A desktop powers on, fans spin, but there is no video and no beep codes. You have already reseated RAM and the GPU. What is the next BEST troubleshooting step?Reinstall the operating systemTest with the minimum hardware configuration (CPU, one RAM stick, onboard/known-good GPU)Update the video driverReplace the hard drive

Question 84A remote user cannot reach an internal file server by name but CAN reach it by IP address. Which command output would MOST directly confirm a name-resolution problem?nslookup returning 'server can't find' or the wrong IPping to the IP succeedingnetstat showing established connectionsipconfig showing a valid gateway

Question 85On a Windows workstation you need to force an immediate Group Policy refresh from a script without waiting for the background interval. Which command should you use?gpresult /rgpupdate /forcesfc /scannowchkdsk /f

Question 86A user reports intermittent 'no internet' on a wired desktop. ipconfig shows an address of 169.254.42.7 with a 255.255.0.0 mask. What does this indicate?A static IP was configured incorrectlyThe DNS server is unreachableThe client failed to obtain a DHCP lease and self-assigned an APIPA addressThe firewall is blocking outbound traffic

Question 87A technician wants to remotely administer a Linux server's shell securely over the network. Which tool is MOST appropriate?TelnetSSHRDPFTP

Question 88A hard drive makes a repetitive clicking noise and the OS intermittently freezes on read. What is the MOST appropriate immediate action?Run a disk defragmentationImmediately back up critical data, as the drive is likely failingReinstall the operating systemUpdate the storage controller driver

Question 89You need a quick script that pings a list of hosts and logs which are unreachable. On Windows, which scripting environment is natively available and best suited for this task?Bash (.sh)PowerShell (.ps1)Python (.py) installed by defaultAppleScript

Question 90A workstation displays 'Inaccessible Boot Device' after a storage driver change. The disk is detected in BIOS/UEFI. Which is the MOST likely cause?The SATA/NVMe mode (AHCI/RAID) was changed and no longer matches the OS driverThe monitor cable is looseThe CMOS battery is deadThe RAM is faulty

Question 91A phone's touchscreen responds erratically and 'ghost touches' occur after a screen replacement. Which is the MOST likely cause?The battery is overchargedA defective or improperly seated digitizer/screen assemblyThe SIM card is inserted incorrectlyWi-Fi interference

Question 92On macOS/Linux, a technician needs to view current directory contents including hidden files from a terminal. Which command does this?ls -adirpwdcd ~

Question 93Multiple PCs on one switch lose connectivity while others on a different switch are fine. Link lights on the affected switch flicker rapidly and network is unusably slow. What should you suspect FIRST?A DNS misconfigurationA switching loop / broadcast stormAn expired DHCP scopeInsufficient RAM on the PCs

Question 94A technician must copy a folder and all its subdirectories, including empty ones, between Windows shares while preserving the structure. Which command is BEST suited?copyrobocopy /Emoveformat

Question 95A laptop overheats and shuts down under load. Cleaning dust did not help. Temperatures spike instantly to shutdown even at idle after the fix. What was MOST likely done incorrectly?Applied too much or improperly seated thermal paste on the CPU/GPUUpdated the BIOSReinstalled the OSChanged the power plan

Question 96A user in a different building needs help. Company policy requires an interactive graphical remote session to their Windows desktop. Which built-in tool is MOST appropriate?SSHRemote Desktop Protocol (RDP)TelnetFTP

Question 97After moving a workstation, the display shows faint, distorted colors and flickering only in certain areas. Reseating did not help. Which is the MOST likely cause?A damaged or partially disconnected video cable / bent connector pinsAn outdated antivirusA full hard driveIncorrect DNS settings

Question 98A technician needs to verify which TCP ports a suspicious workstation currently has open and connected. Which command provides this information?pingtracertnetstatchkdsk

Question 99A RAID 5 array reports one failed drive but data is still accessible. What is the correct immediate action?Do nothing; RAID 5 tolerates any number of failuresReplace the failed drive promptly and allow the array to rebuildDelete the array and recreate itConvert the array to RAID 0

Question 100From a script you need to list running processes on a Linux host and terminate one by its process ID. Which command pair accomplishes this?ps and killls and rmcat and grepdf and du

Final check — CompTIA A+ (Core 1 220-1201 & Core 2 220-1202) - Exam-Prep

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