Learn the most likely reason a laptop fails to boot after installing a new SSD, as covered in the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 exam. Understand SSD initialization, formatting, and boot requirements to ensure a successful storage upgrade.
Table of Contents
Question
A technician is upgrading a laptop’s storage from an HDD to an SSD. The new SSD is installed, but the system does not boot. What is the most likely oversight?
A. Incorrect BIOS boot order
B. Incompatible SSD interface
C. Missing SSD drivers
D. Unformatted SSD
E. Faulty SATA cable
Answer
D. Unformatted SSD
Explanation
A newly installed SSD is typically unformatted and lacks a bootable partition or operating system. The technician likely forgot to format the SSD and install the OS, causing the system to fail to boot.
A newly installed SSD typically comes unformatted and without a bootable partition or operating system. If the technician installs the SSD without formatting it and installing an OS, the system will not find any bootable media and will fail to start. Before an SSD can be used as a boot drive, it must be initialized, partitioned, and formatted, and an operating system must be installed or cloned onto it.
Only after these steps will the BIOS recognize the SSD as a valid boot device and allow the system to start from it. Other issues such as incorrect boot order or missing drivers can also cause boot problems, but an unformatted SSD is the most common oversight in this scenario.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 exam and earn CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 certification.