220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A user calls the help desk because their Windows 11 laptop will not boot. The screen displays the message "Bootmgr is missing" immediately after the manufacturer logo. The technician needs to repair the boot configuration data so the system can start normally. Which command should the technician run from the Windows Recovery Environment?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that any bootrec switch will fix any boot error, when each switch targets a specific boot component and only /rebuildbcd rebuilds the BCD store.
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 "Bootmgr is missing" error means the boot manager cannot find a valid Boot Configuration Data entry for the Windows installation. The bootrec /rebuildbcd command scans for Windows installations and rebuilds the BCD store, directly resolving this issue. Other recovery commands address different problems such as MBR corruption, system file damage, or disk errors, and would not restore the missing boot entry.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Why this is correct
The /rebuildbcd switch scans all disks for Windows installations and lets the technician add missing entries to the Boot Configuration Data store. Because the error indicates that the boot manager cannot locate a valid BCD entry, rebuilding the BCD is the appropriate repair. This command directly addresses the missing or corrupted boot configuration that prevents Windows 11 from starting.
- ✗
bootrec /fixmbr
Why it's wrong here
The /fixmbr switch writes a new master boot record to the system partition, which is useful when the MBR is corrupted on a BIOS/MBR system. However, this laptop is Windows 11 and likely uses UEFI with GPT, and the error points to missing boot configuration data rather than a damaged MBR. Running /fixmbr alone will not rebuild the BCD store or resolve the "Bootmgr is missing" message.
- ✗
chkdsk /f
Why it's wrong here
chkdsk /f repairs file system errors and bad sectors on a volume, which can resolve some boot failures caused by disk corruption. However, the specific error "Bootmgr is missing" indicates a missing or damaged boot configuration entry, not a file system integrity problem. Running chkdsk alone will not recreate the BCD entry that the boot manager needs to locate the Windows installation.
- ✗
sfc /scannow
Why it's wrong here
System File Checker scans and repairs protected Windows system files, but it requires a running Windows environment to operate effectively. From the Windows Recovery Environment, sfc can be run offline against an installation, yet it does not rebuild the Boot Configuration Data store. The "Bootmgr is missing" error occurs before Windows loads, so repairing system files will not restore the boot entry.
Visual reference
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
File Systems: NTFS, FAT32, exFAT
Key term
Recovery
Recovery is the process of restoring systems, data, and operations after a security incident, failure, or disaster to return to normal functioning.
Key term
Windows 11
Windows 11 is Microsoft's latest desktop operating system, offering a redesigned interface, enhanced security features, and improved support for modern hardware.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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.