220-1101 Question 343
Single answerThermalA technician is troubleshooting a desktop PC that shuts down after 10 to 15 minutes of gaming or video rendering. The system powers back on normally after it cools for a few minutes. In the BIOS hardware monitor, the CPU temperature rises rapidly under load. The case fans are spinning, and the technician recently replaced the CPU during an upgrade. Which action should the technician take FIRST to address the most likely cause?
- A
Reapply thermal paste and reseat the CPU heatsink
- B
Replace the power supply with a higher-wattage unit
- C
Increase the monitor refresh rate to reduce GPU load
- D
Disable automatic shutdown protection in the BIOS
- E
Install additional RAM to reduce CPU usage
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This scenario reflects a common real-world thermal issue after CPU service: poor heatsink seating or improperly applied thermal interface material. In A+ Core 1 troubleshooting, the candidate should recognize the symptom pattern: shutdown under load, recovery after cooling, and BIOS temperature readings that climb quickly. Those signs point to inadequate CPU cooling rather than PSU, RAM, or display settings. Best practice is to verify that the heatsink is properly mounted, the fan is connected to the correct CPU fan header, any protective film was removed from the cooler base, and an appropriate amount of thermal paste was applied according to manufacturer guidance. Thermal shutdown protections in BIOS/UEFI should remain enabled because they help prevent processor damage. This aligns with standard PC hardware maintenance guidance from CPU and cooler manufacturers such as Intel, AMD, and major heatsink vendors.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A rapid CPU temperature increase after a recent CPU replacement strongly suggests improper heatsink installation, insufficient contact pressure, missing/incorrectly applied thermal paste, or both. Reapplying thermal compound and reseating the heatsink is the most appropriate first step because it directly addresses heat transfer from the CPU to the cooling solution.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A failing or undersized power supply can cause shutdowns, but the scenario specifically points to thermal behavior: the CPU temperature rises rapidly in BIOS monitoring, and the issue began after a CPU replacement. That makes a cooling installation problem more likely than insufficient wattage.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Monitor refresh rate does not meaningfully reduce GPU thermal load in the way described, and the BIOS evidence specifically identifies CPU overheating. This option distracts by mentioning gaming, but it does not address the actual thermal fault.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Automatic thermal shutdown is a protective feature designed to prevent CPU damage. Disabling it would be unsafe and would not solve the overheating problem. Best practice is to correct the cooling issue, not bypass hardware protection.
- E. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Adding RAM is not an appropriate first response to a CPU overheating problem. While insufficient memory can affect performance, it does not explain a rapidly climbing CPU temperature immediately after a processor upgrade.