CompTIA 220-1201: CompTIA A+ Core 1

Last checked October 22, 2026 against the official CompTIA exam page.

1. Question 1Networking

   A laptop is assigned a 169.254.x.x address. Which condition does this usually indicate?

   1. AThe address is the loopback test address
   2. BDHCP was not reached, so the system assigned an APIPA address
   3. CThe address is a public address from the ISP
   4. DThe laptop uses a manually configured static address
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   Correct answer: B

   An address in 169.254.0.0/16 is assigned automatically when no DHCP server responds. Static addresses are configured by hand, public addresses come from an ISP, and loopback is 127.0.0.1.

2. Question 2Hardware

   A desktop does not power on, and no fans spin when the power button is pressed. Which component should be checked first?

   1. AThe power supply unit and its connections
   2. BThe RAM slot latches
   3. CThe monitor refresh rate
   4. DThe CPU thermal paste
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   Correct answer: A

   No fan activity at all points to a power delivery problem, so the PSU, its switch and cabling should be checked first. Thermal paste, RAM latches and monitor settings do not prevent the system from starting.

3. Question 3Mobile Devices

   A technician connects an Android phone to a Windows PC with a USB cable and needs to browse the phone's files in File Explorer. Which USB mode should be selected on the phone?

   1. ATethering hotspot mode
   2. BCharge only mode
   3. CAirplane mode
   4. DFile transfer (MTP) mode
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   Correct answer: D

   MTP lets Windows browse the phone's storage over USB. Charge only mode provides power without data access, airplane mode disables radios, and tethering shares the phone's connection rather than its files.

4. Question 4Hardware and Network Troubleshooting

   A user reports that a website loads when entered by IP address but not by name. Which service should be checked first?

   1. ANTP
   2. BSNMP
   3. CDNS
   4. DDHCP
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   Correct answer: C

   Name resolution is handled by DNS, so a name failure with a working IP points to DNS. DHCP assigns addresses, NTP synchronises time, and SNMP monitors devices.

5. Question 5Virtualization and Cloud Computing

   An administrator must move a running virtual machine to another physical host with minimal interruption. Which feature provides this?

   1. ALive migration
   2. BSnapshot deletion
   3. CThin provisioning
   4. DCold cloning
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   Correct answer: A

   Live migration moves a running VM between hosts with little or no downtime. Snapshots capture point-in-time state, thin provisioning allocates disk space on demand, and cold cloning requires the VM to be powered off.