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220-1102 Practice Question: A user on a Windows 10 computer is unable to…
A user on a Windows 10 computer is unable to install a new application because they receive an error that 'Windows cannot verify the publisher of this driver software.' The application is from a trusted vendor. Which tool should you use to temporarily disable driver signature enforcement to complete the installation?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse 'bcdedit /set testsigning on' (which permanently enables test-signed drivers) with the temporary disable option in Advanced Startup Options, or they mistakenly think Device Manager or msconfig can override driver signature enforcement at the boot level.
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
✓
Advanced Startup Options (Disable driver signature enforcement)
The error 'Windows cannot verify the publisher of this driver software' indicates that the driver lacks a valid digital signature, which is required by default on 64-bit Windows 10. The Advanced Startup Options menu provides a direct way to boot with 'Disable driver signature enforcement' temporarily, allowing the unsigned driver to load for the current session without permanently altering the system's security policy.
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 is primarily used for managing hardware devices and their installed drivers, allowing administrators to update, roll back, or disable specific drivers. However, it operates on drivers that are already loaded or being installed through standard Windows processes and does not provide any mechanism to modify the operating system's boot-time security policies, such as bypassing driver signature enforcement. Therefore, it cannot be used to force the installation of an unsigned driver by overriding this fundamental security feature.
- ✗
System Configuration (msconfig)
Why it's wrong here
System Configuration, accessed via `msconfig`, is a utility designed for managing various system startup options, services, and boot configurations, including enabling Safe Mode or diagnostic startup. While it offers granular control over how Windows boots, it lacks a direct or indirect option to temporarily disable or bypass the driver signature enforcement policy. Its functions are focused on service management and boot environment selection, not on overriding core security features required for driver loading.
- ✓
Advanced Startup Options (Disable driver signature enforcement)
Why this is correct
The 'Disable driver signature enforcement' option, found within the Windows Recovery Environment's Advanced Startup Options, is specifically designed for troubleshooting scenarios where a legitimate but unsigned driver needs to be installed. Selecting this option allows the system to boot temporarily with driver signature enforcement disabled for that single startup session, enabling the installation of the problematic driver without permanent security compromises. This targeted approach provides a safe and effective method to address driver installation issues without weakening overall system integrity.
- ✗
Command Prompt with bcdedit /set testsigning on
Why it's wrong here
Using `bcdedit /set testsigning on` enables Test Signing mode, which allows loading unsigned drivers but does not bypass Windows’ driver signature enforcement for a single installation; it permanently weakens the system’s code-integrity policy until manually reversed. This is tempting because Test Signing mode is commonly used by developers to load test-signed drivers during debugging, and it would be correct if the goal were to allow unsigned drivers indefinitely in a development environment, not to temporarily disable enforcement for one trusted vendor’s application.
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
Security policy
A security policy is a formal set of rules and guidelines that an organization establishes to protect its information assets and technology resources.
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JA
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.