220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that a critical line-of-business application displays an 'application failed to initialize' error immediately after launching. The application worked correctly before a recent Windows 10 cumulative update was installed. The technician has run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM, both reporting no integrity violations. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT to resolve the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates may jump to reinstalling the application (Option C) because they assume the application files are corrupted, ignoring the clear temporal link to the Windows update and the fact that SFC/DISM found no integrity violations.
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
✓
Uninstall the most recent Windows Update
The application worked before the cumulative update, and SFC/DISM found no system file corruption. This points to a compatibility issue introduced by the update itself. Uninstalling the most recent Windows Update (Option B) is the fastest, least disruptive way to restore the application's functionality without affecting other system components.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rebuild the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) repository
Why it's wrong here
Rebuilding the WMI repository addresses corruption in the provider and class definitions used for system management queries, but the error here stems from a Windows 10 cumulative update breaking application dependencies, not from WMI corruption. This option is tempting because WMI corruption can cause initialisation failures in applications that query hardware or software inventory, making it a plausible fix if the error were tied to management instrumentation rather than update-induced binary or registry incompatibility.
- ✓
Uninstall the most recent Windows Update
Why this is correct
Rolling back the latest cumulative update directly reverses the OS-level changes (e.g., binary replacements, registry modifications, or runtime version upgrades) that broke the line-of-business application's dependencies. In Windows 10, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall updates, or use the DISM /Online /Remove-Package command, which restores the previous system state without touching user data or installed applications. This is the fastest, least invasive remedy because the error appeared immediately after the update, and it avoids unnecessary downtime from later troubleshooting steps.
- ✗
Reinstall the line-of-business application
Why it's wrong here
Reinstalling the line-of-business application only overwrites the application's own binaries and registry entries; it cannot repair system-level components that the faulty Windows Update altered, such as shared DLLs, .NET Framework versions, or the MSI installer cache. The application's original installation media may even require prerequisites that are now incompatible with the patched system, causing the reinstall to fail entirely or to silently reinstall the same broken dependencies. Additionally, restarting the app's setup could leave stale COM registrations or service configurations, so this step should be deferred until update rollback has been ruled out.
- ✗
Perform a Windows system refresh
Why it's wrong here
A Windows system refresh (Reset this PC > Keep my files) reimages the OS to its out-of-box state, removes all third-party applications, and resets system policies, but it reinstalls the same Windows 10 build that contains the problematic cumulative update—so the regression can immediately return once Windows Update runs. This operation is also highly disruptive: it takes 30-60 minutes, requires reinstallation of every application, and may fail if a recent update has corrupted the servicing store. Because the fault is a single update regression, a targeted rollback via Windows Update or a repair install (in-place upgrade) is far more appropriate than a full refresh.
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Troubleshoot: Application Crashes and Hangs
Key term
Windows
Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft that manages computer hardware and software, providing a graphical user interface for users to interact with their devices.
Key term
Integrity
Integrity is the assurance that data has not been altered or tampered with in an unauthorized way, preserving its accuracy and consistency from source to destination.
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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.