hardMultiple Choice
220-1202 Practice Question: A user's MacBook Air running macOS Ventura is…
A user's MacBook Air running macOS Ventura is experiencing intermittent kernel panics. The crashes seem to occur when the laptop is connected to a specific USB-C hub. Which macOS tool should you use to analyze the crash logs and identify the faulty driver?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA tests the misconception that System Information or Activity Monitor can retrieve historical kernel panic reports. While System Information shows hardware and software details, and Activity Monitor shows live resource usage, the Console app is the standard tool for viewing persistent kernel panic reports and system logs across reboots.
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
✓
Console
The Console app is the correct tool because it provides a centralized interface for viewing all system logs, including kernel panic reports (stored in /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports). When a kernel panic occurs, macOS generates a .panic file containing stack traces and loaded kext (kernel extension) information. By examining these logs in Console, you can identify the specific kext or driver (e.g., a USB hub driver) that triggered the panic, especially when the crash is hardware-dependent like this USB-C hub scenario.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
System Information
Why it's wrong here
System Information provides hardware and software inventory but does not display crash logs.
- ✓
Console
Why this is correct
Console allows you to view kernel panic logs and filter them by date and process to identify the problematic driver.
- ✗
Activity Monitor
Why it's wrong here
Activity Monitor shows live system performance, not historical crash logs.
- ✗
Terminal with 'sudo dmesg' command
Why it's wrong here
dmesg shows kernel ring buffer messages but is less user-friendly for filtering specific panic logs; Console is the recommended tool.
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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.