CompTIA Updated 220-1201 Exam Questions and Answers by laith

If flipping the cable helps but the problem is isolated to this device (not others of the same type), the most likely cause is a dirty or damaged charging port on the device itself. Dirt or debris inside the port can prevent a good electrical connection, causing the cable to work intermittently.

An IP address in the 169.254.x.x range indicates the device has assigned itself an APIPA address (Automatic Private IP Addressing). This happens when the device is configured to obtain an IP address automatically but cannot reach a DHCP server to receive a valid IP configuration for the local network. With an APIPA address, the device can sometimes communicate only with other devices in the same 169.254.x.x range on the local link, but it typically will not have a correct default gateway or DNS server settings. Without a valid gateway, the device cannot route traffic to the internet, which explains why it cannot access internet websites.

Option C is therefore the most likely cause: the DHCP assignment cannot be obtained due to issues such as a disconnected network cable, disabled Wi-Fi, DHCP server outage, VLAN misconfiguration, or a blocked DHCP request/response on the network.

Option B (DNS failure) could prevent name resolution, but it would not by itself cause an APIPA address. Option A suggests a static configuration problem, yet APIPA usually appears when the device is set to DHCP, not static. Option D could also break internet access, but it would not specifically result in a 169.254 address on the client.

A power-redundant server typically has two power supplies so the system can continue operating if one power supply or one power feed fails. To gain the full benefit of redundancy, each PSU should be connected to independent power sources—commonly separate PDUs that are backed by different UPS units (and ideally separate circuits). This design removes a single point of failure: if one UPS

Comprehensive and Detailed 150 to 250 words of Explanation From CompTIA Core 1 Knowledge trips, fails, or is taken offline for maintenance, the other UPS still provides power and the server stays online.

Option C is best because it explicitly describes distributing the connections across different UPSs, which is the correct redundancy practice in a rack environment. Option A defeats redundancy because a single outlet/UPS failure would still bring the server down. Option B also wastes redundancy and can cause immediate downtime if the connected PSU fails, since the second PSU isn’t actively providing standby power. Option D still leaves a single UPS as the single point of failure. Therefore, splitting the two PSU power cords across separate UPS-backed outlets is the best approach.

Because the smudges are not in the original document, the problem is almost certainly occurring inside the printer’s imaging process, not in software, drivers, or the file being printed. With laser printers, smudges commonly result from issues in the imaging components such as the drum/photoconductor, the toner delivery, or the fuser stage that bonds toner to the page. The best first diagnostic step from the options given is to inspect the printer drum, because damage, contamination, or wear on the drum can cause repeating marks, streaks, or smudges as the drum rotates and transfers toner to paper. Visual inspection can quickly reveal toner buildup, scratches, or a failing drum surface, and it helps confirm whether the issue matches a drum-related symptom before replacing consumables.

Updating firmware is unlikely to fix a physical smudging problem. Switching paper can help if paper is damp or incompatible, but it is less likely when the symptom is consistent and the smudge pattern points to the imaging path. Replacing toner may resolve it, but that is a fix rather than the most targeted first diagnostic action compared to inspecting the drum.