220-1101 Question 250
Single answerMini-serial Advanced Technology Attachment (mSATA)A technician is upgrading a three-year-old ultrabook that has a slow 5400 RPM hard drive. The manufacturer service manual states the system board includes an mSATA slot for SSD caching or storage expansion. After opening the laptop, the technician sees a small internal connector that looks similar in size to a Mini PCIe wireless card slot. To avoid ordering the wrong part, which of the following is the BEST action to confirm compatibility before purchasing the SSD?
- A
Verify in the service manual or motherboard documentation that the slot supports mSATA storage rather than only Mini PCIe devices
- B
Purchase any M.2 SATA SSD because mSATA and M.2 use the same connector and are interchangeable
- C
Install a 2.5-inch SATA SSD into the mSATA slot by using a passive adapter cable
- D
Assume the slot is for mSATA because all Mini PCIe-sized internal slots support SSDs
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The key issue is that mSATA SSDs are a specific small-form-factor SATA storage device that often shares a similar physical appearance with Mini PCIe cards, but visual similarity alone is not enough to guarantee compatibility. On A+ Core 1, candidates should know that form factor, connector type, and vendor support must all be verified before installation. In real-world practice, the safest confirmation method is to check the laptop manufacturer's service manual, motherboard specifications, or BIOS/storage support notes. This aligns with standard hardware support best practices: verify supported interfaces and form factors before purchasing or installing components.
- A. Correct.
Correct. mSATA drives use a connector and card size that can resemble Mini PCIe, but the interfaces are not automatically interchangeable. Some internal slots that look similar are intended only for wireless cards or other Mini PCIe devices. The best practice is to confirm in the vendor's service manual, motherboard specifications, or BIOS/storage documentation that the slot specifically supports mSATA storage.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. M.2 and mSATA are different form factors with different connectors. Although both can carry SATA in some implementations, an M.2 SATA SSD will not physically fit in an mSATA slot. This option reflects the common misconception that all small SSD modules are interchangeable.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A 2.5-inch SATA SSD uses standard SATA data and power connections and does not install directly into an mSATA slot. A passive cable would not make the drive compatible with the internal board connector in a typical laptop. This distractor targets confusion between SATA as a protocol and the physical form factor used by the drive.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Not every Mini PCIe-sized slot supports mSATA. Some systems have slots that are physically similar but electrically wired only for Mini PCIe functions such as Wi-Fi, WWAN, or other expansion cards. Assuming compatibility without checking documentation can lead to ordering the wrong component.