220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A macOS user reports that they cannot print to a shared network printer that other users on the same network can access. Other network functions on the Mac work correctly. The technician suspects a corrupt print system. Which of the following steps should the technician perform FIRST to reset the macOS printing system?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume deleting and re-adding the printer is sufficient, not realizing that a corrupt print system requires a full reset of the CUPS subsystem to clear persistent corruption in queues, spool files, or configuration.
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
✓
Open Print & Scan Preferences, right-click (or Ctrl-click) in the printer list, and select 'Reset Print System'
The 'Reset Print System' function in Print & Scan Preferences completely removes all printer configurations, queues, and associated files, effectively rebuilding the printing subsystem from scratch. This is the recommended first step when a corrupt print system is suspected, as it clears underlying corruption that simply deleting and re-adding a printer would not fix.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Delete the printer in System Preferences and add it again
Why it's wrong here
Deleting the printer in System Preferences removes only the user-level printer object from the current account's list of available devices. The underlying CUPS queue, spool directory, and installed driver packages remain untouched in /etc/cups, so any corruption in those system-level components persists after you re-add the printer. This action never executes the `lpadmin -x` or `cancel` commands that would actually purge the queue, which is why it cannot clear the underlying fault.
- ✓
Open Print & Scan Preferences, right-click (or Ctrl-click) in the printer list, and select 'Reset Print System'
Why this is correct
Right-clicking (or Ctrl-clicking) the printer list in Print & Scan Preferences and choosing 'Reset Print System' is the canonical macOS procedure for this scenario. It prompts for administrator authentication, then performs a full CUPS teardown: it stops the scheduler, deletes every print queue, cancels all pending jobs, clears spool files, and restores the system's default printing configuration. This is the only option that guarantees a clean slate for the entire CUPS subsystem, directly addressing corruption that a simple printer reinstall or reboot cannot.
- ✗
Run the 'sudo cupsctl --reset' command in Terminal
Why it's wrong here
Running `sudo cupsctl --reset` only resets the CUPS daemon's configuration settings to their defaults, such as logging levels or server options. This command does not remove existing printer queues or installed printer drivers, which are the typical components suspected of corruption when a macOS user cannot print. It is tempting because "reset" is in the command, but it is intended for troubleshooting misconfigured CUPS server behaviour rather than clearing specific printer setups. It would be appropriate if the issue stemmed from altered CUPS daemon preferences, not a problematic printer installation.
- ✗
Restart the computer and try again
Why it's wrong here
A reboot only clears transient process states and in-memory caches; it does not clear any queued jobs persisted to disk in /var/spool/cups nor does it regenerate a corrupted /etc/cups/printers.conf. While restarting can resolve issues caused by a stale CUPS daemon lock file or a temporary network handshake failure, it cannot invalidate a bad printer driver or repair a broken printer queue entry that survives across reboots. This makes it a fine initial troubleshooting step, but not a definitive fix for a corrupt print system.
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 |
Go deeper
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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