CompTIA 220-1201 - 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.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides the foundational computing components: virtualized hardware, storage, networking, and hypervisor resources. CompTIA A+ explains that customers using IaaS are responsible for installing and maintaining:

The operating system

Applications

Patches, updates, and configurations

This model gives organizations maximum flexibility because they can build custom server environments without purchasing physical hardware.

In contrast:

SaaS (A) provides fully managed applications—users do not manage OS or software.

PaaS (B) provides a development platform and tools but does not allow OS management.

XaaS (D) is a broad term meaning “anything as a service,” not a specific model.

Thus, IaaS is the only model where OS-level control remains with the customer.

DNS contains different record types that serve specific purposes. To determine where incoming email should be delivered for a particular domain, DNS uses an MX (Mail Exchange) record. CompTIA A+ identifies MX records as essential for routing mail from external senders to the appropriate mail server assigned to a domain.

The MX record specifies:

The mail server hostname responsible for receiving messages

Priority values, which determine which server to try first

The server destination for SMTP traffic

When someone sends an email, the sending mail server queries DNS to find the MX record for the recipient’s domain. The SMTP server then relays the email to the server listed in that record.

CNAME is used for aliasing hostnames, TXT is used for verification/security (SPF, DKIM), and AAAA maps a hostname to an IPv6 address. None of these direct email delivery. Only MX records are designed to instruct mail servers where to deliver incoming email.

Thus, the correct answer is MX.

Adocking stationconnects to a laptop’sproprietary port or USB-C/Thunderbolt, providing access tomultiple additional ports(USB, Ethernet, video, audio, etc.). It allows users to transform a laptop into a full desktop workstation.

Option A (NFC adapter):Used for short-range communication, not port expansion.

Option C (Port replicator):Similar to a dock but usually less powerful and often lacks charging or video output.

Option D (USB dongle):Adds a single function (like Wi-Fi or storage), not full port expansion.

CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam Objective Reference:

Objective 1.4: Given a scenario, configure settings and use cases for laptops and mobile devices.

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An older HDMI cable version may not support 4K resolution. For 4K output, both the device and the cable must support HDMI 2.0 or higher.

From CompTIA A+ 220-1101 Official Study Guide, Objective 3.1 – Display troubleshooting:

“Ensure the correct version of HDMI cable is used for high-resolution outputs like 4K. Older cables may be limited to 1080p.”

Verified Source:

CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) Official Study Guide, Chapter 3: Display and Video

CompTIA Exam Objectives 220-1101, Domain 3.1

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In CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) networking and troubleshooting, a common cause of “can’t reach internal resources” while docked is that the laptop is still using the wireless interface (or has a higher interface priority for Wi-Fi) instead of the docking station’s wired Ethernet connection. If the Wi-Fi network is a guest/isolated VLAN, uses different routing, or has stricter access controls, the user may be blocked from reaching department file servers even though an Ethernet cable is physically connected to the dock. Disabling Wi-Fi is a fast, low-risk step that forces the system to use the wired NIC path through the docking station, which typically provides the correct corporate network access, DHCP scope, and routing to internal servers.

Restarting the computer might help in some cases, but it’s less targeted and not the “best next step” when the likely issue is interface selection. Replacing the Ethernet cable is appropriate if link lights are off or the wired connection is clearly down, but the scenario highlights that the dock has a hardwired connection—suggesting the physical layer may be fine. Dock firmware updates are not a first-line fix for basic connectivity/access symptoms.

The correct answer is D. Restart the device .

According to CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 objectives under Mobile Devices and Security:

Warning messages like this can be caused by malicious pop-ups or temporary software glitches . Restarting the device is the safest and quickest first step to clear temporary processes, refresh the system, and remove transient malware or pop-up overlays.

This approach addresses the issue without risking data loss or unnecessary downtime.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Force close all running applications: May help if a specific app is causing the pop-up, but restarting achieves this more reliably and fully resets background processes.

B. Replace the tablet with a newer device: Unnecessary and costly for a potentially temporary software issue.

C. Reset the device to default settings: This is a last-resort action, as it erases personal data and settings; it is not the first step.

CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) display technology objectives emphasize that contrast ratio is strongly influenced by how well a screen can produce true black. OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) panels are known for the highest contrast ratios because each pixel is self-emissive—meaning it generates its own light. When an image requires black, OLED can turn individual pixels completely off, producing near-perfect black levels and extremely high (often “infinite”) contrast in practical terms.

By comparison, LCD panels require a backlight, so black areas still allow some light leakage through the liquid crystal layer, reducing contrast. LED in this context is typically an LED-backlit LCD, not a fundamentally different pixel technology; it improves brightness and efficiency but still relies on backlighting, so contrast is limited by backlight bleed and panel design. QLED is also a type of LCD technology that uses a quantum dot layer to enhance color and brightness, but it still uses a backlight, so it cannot match OLED’s per-pixel shutoff for black levels. Therefore, OLED is the best choice for the highest contrast ratios.

The correct answer is C. Firewall .

According to the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 objectives under Networking and Security:

ACL (Access Control List) capabilities allow a device to control the flow of network traffic based on defined rules, such as permitting or denying traffic from specific IP addresses, ports, or protocols.

Firewalls —whether hardware or software—use ACLs to enforce security policies, filtering inbound and outbound traffic to protect networks and devices.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. PoE injector: Provides power over Ethernet but has no traffic filtering or ACL functionality.

B. DSL: Refers to a type of broadband connection; it does not provide ACLs.

D. Unmanaged switch: Passively forwards traffic without configuration capabilities, so it cannot implement ACLs.