220-1101 Question 442
Single answerDegraded performanceA user reports that a 4-year-old laptop has become very slow over the past week. Applications take several minutes to open, the cooling fan runs constantly, and the system becomes less responsive after about 15 minutes of use. In Task Manager, CPU utilization is frequently near 100% even when only a web browser and email client are open. The technician confirms there is sufficient free disk space and no malware is detected. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST to address the degraded performance?
- A
Open the laptop and clean dust from the vents and cooling assembly
- B
Disable the paging file to reduce disk activity
- C
Reformat the drive and reinstall the operating system
- D
Upgrade the system from a hard drive to an SSD
- E
Increase the display resolution to reduce GPU scaling overhead
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This question focuses on identifying likely thermal throttling as a cause of degraded performance. In A+ Core 1 troubleshooting, technicians should use observed symptoms to choose the least invasive and most directly relevant next step. A system that slows down after warming up, has a constantly running fan, and shows high CPU usage during light tasks commonly indicates poor cooling caused by dust buildup, blocked airflow, or a failing fan. CompTIA A+ objectives for mobile device and hardware troubleshooting emphasize checking for overheating, airflow obstruction, and environmental causes when performance degrades. Best practice is to inspect and clean vents, fans, and heatsinks before taking disruptive actions such as reinstalling the OS. If the issue persists after cleaning, the technician could then evaluate fan operation, thermal paste condition, background processes, and storage performance.
- A. Correct.
Correct. The symptoms point to overheating and thermal throttling: the fan runs constantly, performance gets worse after the laptop has been on for a while, and CPU usage remains high during light workloads. Dust buildup in vents and heatsinks is a common cause of degraded performance in older laptops. Cleaning the cooling path is an appropriate first troubleshooting step because it directly addresses a likely hardware issue without making unnecessary configuration changes.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Disabling the paging file is not a standard performance fix and can make system stability and performance worse, especially if memory pressure occurs. It also does not address the heat-related symptoms, such as the constantly running fan and worsening responsiveness over time.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Reinstalling the operating system is too disruptive as a first step and is not supported by the evidence in the scenario. The technician has already ruled out malware and confirmed adequate disk space. The gradual slowdown during use and constant fan activity suggest a thermal issue rather than OS corruption.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. An SSD upgrade can improve boot times and application load times, especially on systems with mechanical drives, but it would not be the first action here because it does not explain the fan behavior or the worsening performance after the laptop heats up. It is a possible improvement later, not the best initial corrective action.
- E. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Display resolution is not the cause of this type of system-wide slowdown. Changing resolution would have little to no meaningful impact on CPU-bound thermal throttling symptoms and is not a recognized first-line troubleshooting step for degraded overall performance.