220-1202 Practice Question: A technician is configuring a new Windows 10…

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  Enable BitLocker on the workstation's internal drive

  Why it's wrong here

  Enabling BitLocker on the workstation's internal drive secures that specific volume, but it has no bearing on accessing a separate, already BitLocker-protected external USB drive. BitLocker operates on a per-volume basis, meaning each encrypted drive requires its own authentication for access. The workstation's ability to unlock an external drive is dependent on the user providing the correct credentials for *that* external drive, not on the encryption status of the internal system drive.

• ✓

  Provide the user with the drive's password or recovery key

  Why this is correct

  To access data on a BitLocker-protected external drive, the user *must* provide the correct password or the 48-digit recovery key associated with that specific encrypted volume. BitLocker To Go, designed for removable drives, requires this authentication step to decrypt the data and mount the drive for use, ensuring data confidentiality even if the physical drive is lost or stolen. Without these credentials, the drive remains inaccessible, regardless of the workstation's configuration.

• ✗

  Format the USB drive to NTFS

  Why it's wrong here

  Formatting the USB drive to NTFS, or any other file system, would completely erase all existing data on the drive, including the encrypted contents. This action is destructive and directly contradicts the goal of accessing the data already present on the BitLocker-protected drive. The drive is already encrypted and contains valuable information, making formatting an inappropriate and irreversible step for gaining access.

• ✗

  Install the BitLocker Drive Encryption feature from Control Panel

  Why it's wrong here

  Installing the BitLocker Drive Encryption feature from the Control Panel is only necessary if the workstation needs to *encrypt* a new drive or manage BitLocker settings extensively. However, a Windows 10 Home edition, which lacks the full BitLocker feature, can still *unlock and read* a BitLocker-protected external drive by simply entering the correct password or recovery key when prompted. The ability to decrypt and access an existing BitLocker volume does not require the full BitLocker management suite to be installed on the host system.

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