mediumMultiple Choice
220-1202 Practice Question: A user calls the help desk because their MacBook…
A user calls the help desk because their MacBook Pro running macOS Sonoma suddenly shows a folder with a flashing question mark when booting. They were not performing any system updates. Which macOS tool or feature should you use to attempt to repair the startup volume?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that 'fsck' is the modern repair tool for macOS, but candidates must know that Disk Utility First Aid is the correct GUI tool for APFS volumes, and the deprecated 'fsck -fy' command is no longer the standard approach.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Boot to Recovery mode and run Disk Utility First Aid
A flashing question mark folder at boot on a Mac indicates that the startup volume is not found or is corrupt. Booting to Recovery mode (by holding Command-R at startup) and running Disk Utility First Aid allows you to verify and repair the volume's directory structure and file system, which is the appropriate first step to resolve this issue without reinstalling macOS.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Boot to Recovery mode and run Disk Utility First Aid
Why this is correct
A flashing question mark means the Mac cannot locate a bootable startup volume. Booting to Recovery mode and running Disk Utility First Aid verifies and repairs the volume's directory structure, directly addressing the startup volume fault without erasing data.
- ✗
Use the Terminal command 'sudo fsck -fy' at boot
Why it's wrong here
fsck runs in single-user mode on older macOS, but Apple silicon and modern Sonoma Macs boot without it; Disk Utility's First Aid performs the equivalent volume repair. fsck suits legacy Intel Macs where single-user mode remains accessible.
- ✗
Reinstall macOS from Internet Recovery
Why it's wrong here
Reinstalling macOS from Internet Recovery erases and replaces the startup volume, destroying user data when the volume may only need directory repair. It suits a corrupted or unbootable system with no recoverable data; First Aid's repair of the volume structure preserves existing files.
- ✗
Enable Target Disk Mode on the Mac
Why it's wrong here
Target Disk Mode exposes the Mac's drive to another computer over Thunderbolt; it does not repair the startup volume itself. It suits data recovery or migration when the internal disk is healthy but macOS will not boot, not filesystem repair.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.