220-1201 Exam Dumps - CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam (2026)

Unexpected system shutdowns that occur after a few minutes of activity—especially during resource-intensive tasks such as virtual meetings—are a strong indicator of overheating. According to CompTIA Core 1 (220-1201) laptop and hardware troubleshooting objectives, thermal issues commonly cause systems to power off automatically to prevent hardware damage.

Virtual meeting applications place sustained load on the CPU and GPU, increasing heat output. If the cooling system is malfunctioning (dust buildup, failed fan, dried thermal paste), the CPU temperature can rise rapidly and trigger a thermal shutdown. Checking the CPU temperature in the BIOS or UEFI is an appropriate first step to confirm whether overheating is occurring.

Running the application in safe mode or switching applications does not address the root hardware issue. Verifying the battery charge is unlikely to resolve repeated shutdowns that occur only after several minutes of operation.

CompTIA emphasizes identifying environmental and thermal causes early in the troubleshooting process, especially when symptoms are repeatable and load-dependent.

When installing copper network cable in spaces that serve as air-handling plenums, safety regulations require the use of plenum-rated cable. Suspended ceilings used for ventilation fall into this category. CompTIA A+ emphasizes that plenum spaces require cable with low-smoke, fire-resistant insulation made from specialized materials that limit toxic emissions during combustion.

Plenum-rated cabling (CMP) is designed to meet strict fire codes such as NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code). It prevents smoke-filled ventilation pathways, which could rapidly spread fire or toxic fumes throughout a building. Standard PVC-jacketed twisted pair cables are not permitted in plenum spaces because they produce thick, toxic smoke when burned.

Multimode cable refers to fiber optics, not copper cabling. Coaxial cable is used for broadband and certain RF applications but does not inherently meet plenum safety requirements unless specifically plenum-rated. Twisted pair describes the cable’s internal structure (Cat5e, Cat6, etc.), but it does not indicate the type of jacket. Only plenum-rated twisted pair is acceptable.

Therefore, the correct answer is Plenum, as it ensures compliance with safety standards and building codes, prevents hazardous conditions, and aligns with CompTIA best practices for structured cabling installations.

Plenum cabling is designed for use in commercial spaces where cables run through air ducts or plenum spaces, as it has fire-resistant properties and emits less toxic smoke.

Why Not A (USB 3.1 Gen 2): USB is for peripheral connections, not large-scale commercial installations.

Why Not B (Straight tip fiber connector): Fiber connectors are for high-speed connections but are not specifically for commercial spaces.

Why Not D (Cat 8): While Cat 8 is high-speed, it is not uniquely suited for commercial spaces like plenum cabling.

CompTIA A+ Exam Reference: Core 1 (220-1201), Section 3.1, cabling standards​.

Since only one user experiences the issue in a shared environment where everyone else has stable connectivity, CompTIA A+ suggests that the problem is most likely with the client device, not the network. The wireless card may be failing, overheating, or experiencing intermittent hardware faults.

If other Wi-Fi signals or EMI (electromagnetic interference) were the cause, multiple users would be affected. Frequency congestion (Option B) also impacts groups, not a single device.

CompTIA stresses that isolating whether the issue affects one user or many helps determine whether the fault lies with the network or device. Because the problem is isolated, the most probable cause is a malfunctioning wireless NIC in the user’s laptop.

A common reason for aPOST failureafter a motherboard installation isimproperly seated RAM. The system requires working memory to successfully complete POST. Reseating (removing and reinserting) the RAM ensures it ' s making proper contact with the motherboard.

Option A:Flashing the BIOS is not possible if the system won’t POST.

Option B:A dead CMOS battery can cause BIOS settings to reset, but it usually won’t prevent POST entirely.

Option D:Reinstalling the old motherboard is premature basic troubleshooting steps should be completed first.

CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam Objective Reference:

Objective 3.5: Given a scenario, troubleshoot problems related to motherboards, RAM, CPU, and power.

A spam gateway is specifically designed to inspect incoming email and prevent unwanted or malicious messages from reaching users’ inboxes. It can analyse sender reputation, message content, attachments, URLs, headers, and known spam patterns. Messages identified as spam, phishing, or malware can be rejected, quarantined, or marked before reaching the mail server or user. A proxy server primarily intermediates web or network requests and may provide URL filtering, but it is not primarily responsible for email filtering. An intrusion detection system monitors network or system activity for suspicious behaviour and generates alerts rather than directly filtering ordinary unwanted email. A firewall controls network traffic according to addresses, protocols, and ports, but it generally cannot perform the detailed email-content inspection provided by a dedicated spam gateway. Therefore, the spam gateway is the purpose-built solution.

Laptop display assemblies typically include not only the LCD panel but also the webcam, microphone, display cable, and critically, the Wi-Fi antennas. In most laptops, Wi-Fi antennas are built into the display bezel, because the elevated position allows for stronger wireless signal reception. When replacing the entire display assembly, the antennas must be carefully disconnected and reconnected during reinstallation.

CompTIA A+ emphasizes proper cable routing and antenna reattachment as essential steps in laptop hardware disassembly and reassembly. Failing to reconnect these antennas results in weak or nonfunctional wireless connectivity, even though the display replacement itself may be successful.

Heat sinks and CPU fans are located on the motherboard and are unrelated to display assembly replacement. Resetting BIOS settings is unnecessary unless troubleshooting firmware-related issues, not replacing hardware components like a display. Therefore, the only action that aligns with standard laptop design and CompTIA A+ procedures is ensuring that the wireless antennas are reconnected.

Thus, the correct answer is B.

The technician should reinstall the printer driver software. Continuous pages of random characters usually indicate that the printer is receiving data in an unsupported or incorrectly interpreted printer language. This commonly occurs when the wrong driver is installed, the driver has become corrupted, or a driver configured for a different printer model sends incompatible PCL, PostScript, or proprietary commands. Reinstalling the correct manufacturer-supported driver restores proper translation between the operating system and printer. DPI settings control print resolution and image detail but do not cause raw characters or command data to print continuously. A toner problem would produce faded, blank, uneven, or smudged output rather than correctly formed random symbols. Updating firmware might help with compatibility in some cases, but the established first corrective action for garbled character output is to remove and reinstall the appropriate printer driver.