220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A technician boots a Windows 10 workstation after a power outage and receives the error: "Boot configuration data is missing. File: \Boot\BCD Error code: 0x000000f". The technician has a Windows 10 installation USB drive. Which command-line utility and specific command should the technician use to rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD)?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse `bootrec /rebuildbcd` with `bcdedit /rebuild` (which does not exist) or assume that fixing the boot sector (`/fixboot` or `/fixmbr`) will resolve a missing BCD file, when in fact the BCD store is a separate configuration database that must be rebuilt explicitly.
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
✓
bootrec /rebuildbcd
The error 'Boot configuration data is missing' with code 0x000000f indicates a corrupted or missing BCD store. The `bootrec /rebuildbcd` command scans all drives for Windows installations and prompts the user to add them to a new BCD store, directly rebuilding the BCD. This is the correct tool for this specific error, as it replaces the missing or damaged BCD file.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
bcdedit /rebuild
Why it's wrong here
The bcdedit command does not include a /rebuild switch. bcdedit is designed to edit existing BCD stores (for example, changing timeout values or boot entries), not to construct a new one. Attempting this command will produce an invalid syntax error, and it cannot regenerate missing or corrupted boot configuration data.
- ✗
bootrec /fixmbr
Why it's wrong here
The bootrec /fixmbr command writes a new master boot record to the system partition, typically to remove MBR corruption or malware bootkits. It does not alter the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store, which resides in the \boot directory or on a hidden system partition. If the BCD entries are missing or damaged, rewriting the MBR alone will not allow the Windows Boot Manager to locate or launch the operating system.
- ✗
bootrec /fixboot
Why it's wrong here
The bootrec /fixboot command writes a new boot sector (boot code) to the system partition, repairing issues like a corrupted boot sector. However, it does not rebuild the BCD store, which holds the operating system's boot entries. A boot sector fix may resolve certain error codes, but a missing or improperly configured BCD still leaves the system unbootable.
- ✓
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Why this is correct
The bootrec /rebuildbcd command scans all attached disks for installed Windows operating systems and prompts the user to add each discovered installation to the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store. This effectively recreates the BCD from scratch, restoring missing or corrupted boot entries. It is the correct recovery tool after a power outage that damages the BCD, because it both repairs the store and regenerates the menu entries for Windows.
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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
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.
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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.