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220-1102 Practice Question: A user calls the help desk because their Windows…
A user calls the help desk because their Windows 10 PC is not showing any sound icon in the system tray, and audio is not working. You suspect the audio service is disabled. Which Control Panel applet would you use to check and restart the Windows Audio service?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that the Sound applet or Device Manager can manage services, but only Administrative Tools (or directly running services.msc) allows you to check and restart the Windows Audio service.
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
✓
Administrative Tools
The Windows Audio service is a background service that must be running for audio to function. The Administrative Tools applet provides access to the Services console (services.msc), where you can check the status of the Windows Audio service and restart it if it is disabled or stopped. This is the correct tool because the Sound applet only configures playback devices and volume, not service states.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Sound
Why it's wrong here
The Sound control panel applet, accessible via Control Panel or Settings, is primarily used for configuring audio input and output devices, adjusting volume levels, and managing sound schemes. While it interacts with audio-related services in the background, it provides no direct interface for starting, stopping, or configuring the startup type of any Windows service, making it unsuitable for service management tasks.
- ✗
Device Manager
Why it's wrong here
Device Manager is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in used for viewing and controlling the hardware attached to the computer. It allows administrators to install, update, disable, or uninstall device drivers, and troubleshoot hardware conflicts. However, it does not provide any functionality for managing Windows services, which are software components that run in the background, independent of specific hardware drivers.
- ✓
Administrative Tools
Why this is correct
Administrative Tools is a folder within the Control Panel (and also accessible via the Start Menu in some Windows versions) that consolidates shortcuts to various system management utilities. Crucially, it provides a direct shortcut to the "Services" console (services.msc), which is the primary graphical interface for viewing, starting, stopping, configuring startup types, and managing dependencies for all Windows services. This makes it the correct path for service management.
- ✗
System
Why it's wrong here
The System control panel applet (or the "About" section in modern Settings) displays fundamental information about the computer, such as the Windows edition, processor, installed RAM, and system type. It also provides access to advanced system settings like performance options, remote desktop, and system protection, but it lacks any direct interface or link to manage background Windows services.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Windows Editions and Features
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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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.