220-1102 Operational Procedures Practice Question
A company policy requires that all data on decommissioned laptops be completely destroyed to prevent data breaches. The laptops have non-functional hard drives. Which method of data destruction is most appropriate?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to choose overwriting or formatting because they are familiar software-based methods, but they fail to recognize that non-functional drives cannot execute any software commands, making degaussing the only viable physical destruction method.
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
✓
Degaussing
Degaussing is the correct method because it uses a strong magnetic field to physically destroy the magnetic domains on the hard drive platters, rendering the data unrecoverable. Since the drives are non-functional, software-based methods like formatting, overwriting, or file deletion cannot be executed. Degaussing works regardless of the drive's operational state, making it the only viable option for complete data destruction on non-functional hard drives.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Degaussing
Why this is correct
Degaussing exposes magnetic media to a powerful alternating magnetic field that realigns and obliterates the magnetically stored data domains. It is the only method listed that works even on a dead or non-spinning HDD, because it does not require the drive's internal electronics to function. After degaussing, data is physically destroyed and cannot be recovered with any current forensic technique, though it renders the drive permanently unusable.
- ✗
Formatting
Why it's wrong here
A standard format writes a fresh file system structure, but it only overwrites metadata such as the partition table and directory entries, not every sector containing user data. On a decommissioned drive that has failed or refuses to spin, formatting is impossible to execute, and even on a working drive, recoverable residual data remains in slack space and on unallocated sectors. Therefore, formatting cannot guarantee that all data has been erased in compliance with the policy.
- ✗
Overwriting
Why it's wrong here
Overwriting (or wiping) writes patterns across every addressable sector, but it is only effective when the drive can accept and verify writes across the full surface. If the drive has bad sectors, internal remapping, or mechanically fails partway through, the process aborts and leaves pockets of data intact. Also, because over-provisioned and reallocated sectors are not exposed to the OS, overwriting cannot reach data stored there in modern drives, so it is not a reliable method for a decommissioned, potentially failing drive.
- ✗
File deletion
Why it's wrong here
Deleting a file in an OS removes the directory entry and marks the clusters as free, but it does not touch the actual data bits stored in those sectors. Until those sectors are overwritten by new data, the original contents remain fully accessible using file recovery software. This method is not only inadequate for satisfying a data destruction policy but also fails entirely if the drive is no longer operational.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 925 original 220-1102 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1102 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 220-1102 exam.