220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that a specific web page displays a '404 Not Found' error. The user can access other pages on the same website without issue. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1102 exam often tests the distinction between client-side errors (like DNS or cache) and server-side HTTP status codes, so candidates mistakenly attribute a 404 to DNS or cache issues instead of recognizing it as a server response indicating a missing resource.
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
✓
The page URL has been changed or removed
A 404 Not Found error is an HTTP status code indicating that the server could find the requested resource but the specific URL path does not correspond to any existing file or route. Since the user can access other pages on the same website, the DNS resolution and server connectivity are working correctly, isolating the issue to the specific page's URL being changed, moved, or deleted.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The page URL has been changed or removed
Why this is correct
A 404 Not Found is an HTTP status code sent by the server when no resource matches the exact URL path requested. The most common real-world trigger is that the page has been moved, renamed, or deleted without a proper 301 redirect. Because other pages on the same domain load normally, the issue is isolated to that specific resource, not the domain or network.
- ✗
The DNS server is not resolving the domain correctly
Why it's wrong here
DNS resolution operates at the domain level, translating a hostname like www.example.com into an IP address. If DNS were misconfigured or failing, the entire domain would be unreachable or resolve to the wrong server, not a single page. A 404 response necessarily comes from a reachable web server, which proves that DNS lookup succeeded and the user connected to the correct host.
- ✗
The user's browser cache is corrupted
Why it's wrong here
Browser cache corruption can cause stale CSS, outdated scripts, or rendering artifacts, but a 404 status is generated by the server and delivered as an HTTP response. The browser does not invent a 404 from cached content; it sends a request to the server and receives that status code. Clearing the cache might fix visual/loading glitches, but it cannot recreate a page the server reports as missing.
- ✗
The website's server is down
Why it's wrong here
A server being down would prevent any HTTP response from arriving; the user would instead see a timeout, connection refused, or DNS error, not a 404. A 404 status proves the web server is running and actively processing requests, because it returns a formal HTTP status code. Since other pages on the same site are accessible, the server is clearly online and the failure is specific to the requested URL path.
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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.