easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1102 Practice Question: A user is unable to print to a network printer…
A user is unable to print to a network printer after a Windows update. Other users on the same network can print successfully. Which Windows tool should you use to view detailed error messages related to the print spooler service?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse Services.msc (which only manages service state) with Event Viewer (which provides the actual error logs), leading them to pick B when they need to view detailed error messages.
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
✓
Event Viewer
Event Viewer (C) is the correct tool because it logs detailed error messages from the print spooler service (spoolsv.exe) under 'Windows Logs > System' or 'Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > PrintService'. When a Windows update breaks printing for a single user, Event Viewer captures spooler errors such as access denied, driver conflicts, or RPC failures that are not shown in other tools.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Device Manager
Why it's wrong here
Device Manager primarily displays the status of installed hardware devices and their associated drivers. While it can indicate if a printer device itself has a driver issue or is not recognized, it does not provide logs for software service failures, such as the print spooler crashing or network communication errors that prevent printing to a network resource. It's a hardware-centric tool, not a service-level diagnostic utility.
- ✗
Services.msc
Why it's wrong here
The Services console (services.msc) allows administrators to manage system services, including starting, stopping, pausing, or configuring their startup type. While the print spooler service is critical for printing, this tool only controls its operational state and basic recovery actions. It does not provide detailed diagnostic logs or specific error messages explaining why a service failed or encountered an issue during operation, which is crucial for troubleshooting.
- ✓
Event Viewer
Why this is correct
Event Viewer is the primary Windows utility for reviewing system, security, and application logs, including detailed event messages from services like the print spooler. When a print job fails, or the print spooler encounters an error, specific event IDs and descriptive messages are recorded here, often indicating the root cause, such as network connectivity issues, driver conflicts, or service crashes. This centralized logging makes it indispensable for diagnosing the underlying problem.
- ✗
Performance Monitor
Why it's wrong here
Performance Monitor is designed to collect and display real-time or historical data on various system performance counters, such as CPU utilization, memory usage, disk I/O, and network throughput. While it can show if a system resource is bottlenecking, it does not log specific application or service errors, nor does it provide detailed textual explanations for why a print job failed or why the print spooler service crashed. Its purpose is performance analysis, not error diagnostics.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Windows Editions and Features
Key term
Event
An event is any identifiable occurrence or action in a computer system, network, or application that can be logged, monitored, or analyzed for security or operational purposes.
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
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