220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A user reports that a legacy line-of-business application designed for Windows 7 is failing to run on a Windows 10 Pro workstation. The user receives the error message 'This app can't run on your PC'. The technician confirms the application is not digitally signed and is 32-bit. Which of the following is the BEST built-in method to allow this application to run without installing additional software?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse 'built-in method' with a downloadable tool like the Application Compatibility Toolkit, or assume that virtualization is a built-in feature of Windows 10 Pro when the question specifically prohibits installing additional software.
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
✓
Right-click the application executable, select Properties, go to the Compatibility tab, and enable 'Run this program in compatibility mode for' Windows 7
The Compatibility tab in Windows 10 allows you to run an application in a compatibility mode that emulates an older version of Windows, such as Windows 7. This built-in feature is designed specifically for legacy applications that fail to run due to version checks or API differences, and it does not require any additional software. Since the error 'This app can't run on your PC' often indicates a compatibility block, enabling Windows 7 compatibility mode is the most direct and supported method.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Right-click the application executable, select Properties, go to the Compatibility tab, and enable 'Run this program in compatibility mode for' Windows 7
Why this is correct
The Compatibility tab applies a set of application shims from the Application Compatibility Engine, which intercepts the program's API calls and reports a Windows 7 version and feature set. This is the built-in, lowest-effort method because it requires no additional downloads, virtual machines, or OS reinstallation. Enabling 'Run this program in compatibility mode for' Windows 7 often resolves the 'This app can't run on your PC' error for legacy 32-bit programs.
- ✗
Install Windows 7 in a virtual machine and run the application inside the VM
Why it's wrong here
Running the legacy application inside a Windows 7 virtual machine does solve the compatibility issue by isolating it from Windows 10, but it is not the simplest built-in approach. It requires a separate Windows 7 license, a hypervisor like Hyper-V or VirtualBox, sufficient RAM and CPU for the guest OS, and ongoing patching of an unsupported operating system. The question asks for the best built-in method, and the Compatibility tab achieves the same result without that overhead.
- ✗
Download and run the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit to create a custom fix
Why it's wrong here
The Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit is a standalone download for enterprise-level compatibility testing, not a component shipped with Windows 10. It provides shim database editing, compatibility fixers, and command-line tools, but using it to create a custom fix for a single application is far more complex and meant for IT departments managing many apps. Because it is neither built-in nor the quickest solution, it is not the correct choice for a single legacy application.
- ✗
Reinstall Windows 10 from scratch to remove any compatibility blockers
Why it's wrong here
Reinstalling Windows 10 from scratch will not repair application compatibility because the error originates from the legacy program's assumptions about the operating system, not from corruption or missing files in Windows 10. A clean installation wipes user data and installed applications while leaving the same Windows 10 version and its compatibility behavior unchanged. This is an extreme, destructive step that avoids the actual issue, which is best addressed by the built-in Compatibility tab or a compatible environment.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Windows Command Line Tools
Key term
Windows 10
Windows 10 is a personal computer operating system developed by Microsoft that combines the familiarity of Windows 7 with the modern features of Windows 8, designed to run on a wide range of devices from desktops to tablets.
Key term
API
An API is a set of rules that allows software applications to communicate and exchange data with each other.
About these practice questions
This 220-1102 question is part of Courseiva's 925-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 220-1102
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A technician is installing a 32-bit legacy application on a 64-bit Windows 10 Pro workstation. The technician enables .NET Framework 3.5 via Windows Features, but the installation still fails with the error 'This program might not have installed correctly'. Which of the following should the technician try FIRST?
medium- ✓ A.Run the installer in Windows 7 compatibility mode
- B.Change the application's shortcut to run as administrator
- C.Install the 64-bit version of the application
- D.Download the latest version of the application from the vendor
Why A: The error 'This program might not have installed correctly' typically indicates a compatibility issue with the legacy application and the modern Windows 10 environment. Running the installer in Windows 7 compatibility mode forces the operating system to emulate the behavior of Windows 7, which often resolves such compatibility failures for 32-bit legacy applications. This is the simplest and least invasive first step before attempting other fixes.
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.