A technician is troubleshooting a computer that will not boot. They have verified the power outlet and cable are working properly, and the power cable is properly connected. However, when the…

Question

Options

• APunch down tool
• BPOST card
• CPower supply tester
• DLoopback plug

• A
  13% (5)
• B
  3% (1)
• C
  76% (29)
• D
  8% (3)

Explanation

When the power outlet, cable, and connections are all confirmed good but the system shows absolutely no signs of life (no fans, no lights, no POST), the next logical suspect is the Power Supply Unit (PSU). A power supply tester connects directly to the PSU's connectors and measures whether it is delivering the correct voltages (+12V, +5V, +3.3V, etc.). If the PSU is dead or out of spec, it would explain why nothing happens when the power button is pressed. The other tools are used for unrelated purposes: a punch down tool terminates network cables into patch panels or keystone jacks; a POST card is inserted into an expansion slot to capture and display POST (Power-On Self-Test) error codes, but requires the system to at least begin POSTing first; a loopback plug is used to test network interface ports for send/receive functionality. Since the system shows zero activity, a POST card would be useless here - you must first confirm the PSU is supplying power.

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