220-1101 · Question #151
The OS on a user's computer will not load. The day before, the user received a BSOD a couple of times that contained S.M.A.R.T. errors, and the computer was performing very slowly. Which of the follow
The correct answer is B. The hard drive has failed.. The occurrence of S.M.A.R.T. errors, slow performance, and an unbootable operating system collectively indicate that the hard drive has most likely failed.
Question
The OS on a user’s computer will not load. The day before, the user received a BSOD a couple of times that contained S.M.A.R.T. errors, and the computer was performing very slowly. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?
Options
- AThe TPM needs to be reconfigured.
- BThe hard drive has failed.
- CThe CMOS battery needs to be replaced.
- DThe OS was upgraded.
How the community answered
(33 responses)- A3% (1)
- B82% (27)
- C12% (4)
- D3% (1)
Why each option
The occurrence of S.M.A.R.T. errors, slow performance, and an unbootable operating system collectively indicate that the hard drive has most likely failed.
TPM (Trusted Platform Module) reconfigurations are related to security features and encryption, and do not typically cause S.M.A.R.T. errors or general hard drive performance issues leading to boot failure.
S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) errors are specific warnings from a hard drive indicating imminent or current failure. Coupled with severe performance degradation and the inability to boot the OS, these symptoms are definitive signs of a failed hard drive.
A dead CMOS battery primarily affects BIOS settings and the system clock, causing issues like incorrect date/time or boot order changes, but it does not cause S.M.A.R.T. errors or hard drive failures.
An OS upgrade might cause boot issues if it's corrupted, but it would not generate S.M.A.R.T. errors or cause the underlying hardware (hard drive) to perform slowly prior to the boot failure.
Concept tested: Hard drive failure symptoms (S.M.A.R.T.)
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