220-1102 Practice Test 16 — 15 Questions

Question 1

While configuring a new Windows 11 workstation, you need to ensure that a legacy application can always run with administrative privileges without prompting the user. The user is a standard user. What is the best way to accomplish this?

Accepted Answer

Create a scheduled task that runs with the highest privileges and launches the application at user logon.. Forcing a legacy app to run as administrator without UAC prompts for a standard user requires creating a scheduled task that runs with elevated privileges. The task can be set to run at user logon or on demand, and the application is launched by the task with the stored admin credentials. This bypasses UAC while maintaining security for the standard user account.

Answer

Set the application's compatibility mode to 'Run this program as an administrator' and grant the user full control over the program's folder.

Answer

Disable User Account Control (UAC) via the Control Panel.

Answer

Add the user to the local Administrators group.

Question 2

A user reports that their Windows 10 laptop suddenly shows a black screen with a movable mouse cursor after logging in. They can press Ctrl+Alt+Del to open the security screen. Which troubleshooting step should you perform first to restore the desktop?

Accepted Answer

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, open Task Manager, then run a new task and type 'explorer.exe'.. A black screen with a cursor after login often indicates that the Windows Explorer shell (explorer.exe) has crashed or is not starting properly. Using Task Manager to manually restart the explorer.exe process is a quick and non-destructive first step that often resolves the issue without rebooting.

Answer

Boot into Safe Mode and run System File Checker (sfc /scannow).

Answer

Perform a system restore to a point before the issue started.

Answer

Check the display driver by pressing Windows+P and switching display modes.

Question 3

A user on Windows 11 reports that their computer frequently freezes for 5–10 seconds at a time, especially when opening multiple browser tabs. The system has 8 GB of RAM and a mechanical hard drive. Which performance monitor counter should you check first to confirm the likely bottleneck?

Accepted Answer

Avg. Disk Queue Length. Frequent freezing when multitasking on a system with a mechanical hard drive and limited RAM often points to excessive disk usage due to paging. The 'Avg. Disk Queue Length' counter in Performance Monitor indicates how many requests are waiting for the disk; a sustained value over 2 suggests the disk is the bottleneck, likely from swapping memory to the page file.

Answer

% Processor Time

Answer

Available Mbytes

Answer

Pages/sec

Question 4

After a security incident, a Windows 10 workstation is suspected of having malware that prevents the Task Manager and Command Prompt from opening. You need to run a system scan. Which tool can you use from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to perform an offline antivirus scan?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft Defender Offline Scan. Windows Defender Offline (now part of Microsoft Defender Antivirus) can be run from the Windows Recovery Environment to scan for malware without booting the infected OS. This bypasses malware that blocks security tools in the normal Windows environment. It is the appropriate tool for this scenario.

Answer

System File Checker (sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows)

Answer

Windows Memory Diagnostic

Answer

Diskpart

Question 5

A user on Windows 11 is trying to install a new application, but receives the error 'Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.' The user is a local administrator. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The file has been blocked by Windows because it was downloaded from the internet.. Even local administrators can be blocked from running executables that were downloaded from the internet because Windows marks them with a zone identifier. The 'Unblock' button in the file's Properties removes this mark, allowing the file to run. This is a common security feature in Windows to prevent accidental execution of potentially unsafe files.

Answer

The file is corrupted and needs to be re-downloaded.

Answer

User Account Control (UAC) is blocking the installation.

Answer

The user does not have 'Read & Execute' permissions on the file.

Question 6

A technician is troubleshooting a Windows 10 computer that randomly restarts without any error message. The system does not create a minidump file. Which advanced startup option should be disabled in the System Properties to help capture the error for analysis?

Accepted Answer

Automatic restart. When 'Automatic restart' is enabled, the system restarts immediately after a critical error (BSOD) without displaying the error screen or creating a dump file. Disabling this option allows the system to halt on the blue screen, showing the error code and enabling dump file generation for troubleshooting.

Answer

Fast Startup

Answer

Write an event to the system log

Answer

Small memory dump (256 KB)

Question 7

A user reports that their Windows 10 PC is infected with malware that keeps reinstalling after removal. You need to boot into a minimal environment to run antivirus scans without malware interference. Which advanced startup option should you use?

Accepted Answer

Safe Mode. Safe Mode (B) loads Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services, preventing malware that runs as a startup program or service from loading. This allows antivirus software to scan and remove the infection without interference, addressing the scenario where malware reinstalls after removal in a normal boot.

Answer

Enable Boot Logging

Answer

Last Known Good Configuration

Answer

Debugging Mode

Question 8

A junior admin needs to list all files in the current directory, including hidden files, with detailed information such as permissions, owner, and size. Which command should they use?

Accepted Answer

ls -la. The `ls -la` command combines the `-l` (long format) and `-a` (all files, including hidden ones) options. This fulfills the requirement to list all files in the current directory, including hidden files (those starting with a dot), with detailed information such as permissions, owner, group, size, and modification time.

Answer

ls -l

Answer

ls -a

Answer

ll

Question 9

A technician is tasked with disposing of a server that contains multiple SAS hard drives. The company's data destruction policy mandates that drives must be rendered unreadable by any means. Which combination of methods ensures compliance?

Accepted Answer

Use a degausser on each drive and then shred them.. Option B is correct because degaussing destroys the magnetic field on SAS hard drives, making data unrecoverable, and shredding physically destroys the platters, ensuring compliance with a policy that mandates drives be rendered unreadable by any means. This combination addresses both magnetic and physical recovery methods, which is necessary for high-security data destruction.

Answer

Perform a full format on each drive.

Answer

Overwrite each drive with zeros using a software tool.

Answer

Remove the drives and store them in a locked cabinet.

Question 10

A company is moving to a new office and needs to dispose of 200 fluorescent light tubes from the old ceiling fixtures. What is the legally required and environmentally responsible disposal method?

Accepted Answer

Contact a certified universal waste recycler to pick them up.. Fluorescent light tubes contain mercury, a hazardous substance, so they are classified as universal waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Option B is correct because certified universal waste recyclers are legally authorized to handle, transport, and recycle mercury-containing lamps, ensuring environmental compliance and safety.

Answer

Break them into small pieces and place them in a sealed bag in the trash.

Answer

Place them in the regular recycling bin for glass.

Answer

Burn them in an industrial incinerator.

Question 11

A help desk ticket states that a user cannot write to a shared directory /data/projects. The directory permissions are drwxr-xr-x and the user is in the 'staff' group. The directory's group owner is 'staff'. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The directory lacks group write permission.. The directory permissions are drwxr-xr-x, which means the owner has read, write, and execute (rwx), the group has read and execute (r-x), and others have read and execute (r-x). Since the user is in the 'staff' group and the directory's group owner is 'staff', the user's effective permissions are the group permissions, which lack write (w). Therefore, the user cannot write to the directory. Option B correctly identifies that the directory lacks group write permission.

Answer

The user does not have read permission on the directory.

Answer

The user is not the owner of the directory.

Answer

The sticky bit is set on the directory.

Question 12

A customer reports that their computer is running very slowly after they installed a new screensaver. The technician suspects the screensaver may be consuming excessive resources. Which of the following is the most professional way to address this?

Accepted Answer

Explain that you will check the system resources to identify the cause of the slowness.. Option B is correct because it demonstrates a professional, systematic troubleshooting approach. Instead of prematurely blaming the screensaver, the technician will use Task Manager (or Resource Monitor) to verify if the screensaver process is consuming excessive CPU, memory, or disk resources. This aligns with CompTIA's troubleshooting methodology: identify the problem by gathering data before forming a conclusion.

Answer

Tell the customer that the screensaver is likely the problem and they should uninstall it.

Answer

Blame the screensaver and suggest the customer stop using decorative software.

Answer

Ignore the screensaver and run a full virus scan.

Question 13

A user reports that their Windows 10 laptop is running very slowly after a recent software installation. You suspect a driver conflict. You need to boot the system with a minimal set of drivers and services to troubleshoot, but you must not use Safe Mode because the user needs network access for remote support. Which boot configuration should you set using the System Configuration tool?

Accepted Answer

Under the General tab, select 'Diagnostic startup'.. In the System Configuration tool (msconfig), the Diagnostic startup option under the General tab loads only basic devices and services, which includes essential drivers and network services. This allows minimal boot for troubleshooting while retaining network access for remote support. Selective startup with 'Load system services' unchecked would disable all services, including networking, thus preventing remote access. Safe Mode with Networking is a boot option but is not a setting within msconfig; the question explicitly requires using the System Configuration tool.

Answer

Set the boot to 'Safe boot' with 'Network' selected under Boot options.

Answer

Under the General tab, select 'Selective startup' and uncheck 'Load system services'.

Answer

Under the Boot tab, check 'No GUI boot' and set the timeout to 0.

Question 14

A technician is deploying a new virtual machine on a Type 1 hypervisor. The VM will run a Linux web server and needs to be isolated from the corporate network except for HTTPS traffic. Which networking configuration should the technician implement?

Accepted Answer

Use a virtual switch set to host-only mode and configure port forwarding for HTTPS. Option B is correct because a host-only virtual switch creates an isolated network between the host and the VM, preventing direct access from the corporate network. By configuring port forwarding on the host, the technician can selectively allow only HTTPS traffic (TCP/443) to reach the VM while keeping it otherwise isolated. This meets the requirement of isolation except for HTTPS.

Answer

Bridge the VM directly to the physical network adapter

Answer

Attach the VM to a NAT network without any port forwarding

Answer

Assign the VM an IP from the corporate DHCP scope

Question 15

A customer needs to transfer their user profile, documents, and application settings from an old Windows 7 PC to a new Windows 10 PC. Which Windows tool is specifically designed for this purpose?

Accepted Answer

User State Migration Tool (USMT). The User State Migration Tool (USMT) is a command-line utility designed for IT professionals to automate large-scale user state migrations, including user profiles, documents, and application settings, from one Windows OS to another. It supports migration from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and provides granular control over what is transferred via XML configuration files.

Answer

Windows Easy Transfer

Answer

File History

Answer

Windows Backup and Restore