220-1101 Question 294
Single answerVideo cardA technician installs a new high-performance video card into a desktop workstation used for 3D modeling. After installation, the system powers on, the fans spin, and the video card's LEDs light up, but the monitor remains blank. The monitor and cable are known-good, and the display works when connected to the motherboard's video output. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST to resolve the issue?
- A
Whether the video card's supplemental PCIe power connectors are attached
- B
Whether the monitor refresh rate is set too high in the operating system
- C
Whether the CPU supports integrated graphics fallback
- D
Whether the motherboard CMOS battery needs to be replaced
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
When a newly installed video card produces no display but the system otherwise powers on, CompTIA A+ troubleshooting best practices point to checking the simplest and most likely installation issues first: seating, cabling, and power. Modern discrete GPUs often need 6-pin, 8-pin, or multiple PCIe power leads from the PSU. Without these, the card may receive partial power from the PCIe slot, causing fans or LEDs to operate, yet still fail to output video. This aligns with common motherboard and GPU vendor installation guidance, which typically instructs technicians to verify slot seating and auxiliary power connections before moving on to BIOS configuration, driver installation, or monitor settings. In a real-world support scenario, confirming required PCIe power is attached is the most appropriate first step.
- A. Correct.
This is correct. Many discrete GPUs, especially performance-oriented models, require one or more supplemental PCIe power connectors from the power supply in addition to the power provided by the PCIe slot. If these connectors are not attached, the card may light up or spin fans but still fail to initialize properly and produce no video output. Verifying power connections is a standard first troubleshooting step after a new GPU installation.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. An unsupported refresh rate can cause display problems after the operating system loads, but it would not usually explain a complete lack of video output immediately at power-on or during POST. Since the issue occurs before normal display initialization, hardware installation should be checked first.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. CPU integrated graphics capability is not the primary issue here because the display works from the motherboard output, confirming the system can produce video through onboard graphics. The problem is specifically with the newly installed discrete card. Checking the GPU's required power is more directly relevant.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. A failing CMOS battery can lead to lost BIOS settings or date/time resets, but it is not the most likely cause of a newly installed graphics card failing to display video while the rest of the system powers on. This option reflects a common but misplaced troubleshooting step.