easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1102 Practice Question: That their Windows 10 laptop is running slowly…
A user reports that their Windows 10 laptop is running slowly and frequently shows a 'Low Memory' warning. They have 8 GB of RAM and are not running any unusual applications. Which built-in Windows tool should you use to determine if a specific process is leaking memory?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that Performance Monitor is the only tool for memory leak diagnosis, but Task Manager is the correct first-line tool for quickly identifying a leaking process in a user-reported scenario.
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
✓
Task Manager
Task Manager (Option B) is the correct tool because it provides a real-time view of per-process memory usage, including the 'Memory (Active Private Working Set)' column, which can identify a process that is consuming an abnormally increasing amount of RAM over time—indicative of a memory leak. Unlike other tools, Task Manager allows you to quickly sort processes by memory usage and observe growth without needing to configure counters or parse logs.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Performance Monitor
Why it's wrong here
Performance Monitor excels at collecting detailed, long-term performance data through custom data collector sets and counters, allowing for historical analysis of system resources. While it can display real-time metrics, its interface and primary utility are geared towards in-depth system profiling and trend analysis rather than a quick, immediate check of individual process memory consumption to diagnose an active leak.
- ✓
Task Manager
Why this is correct
Task Manager is the most direct and accessible utility for immediately identifying processes consuming excessive memory. Its 'Processes' or 'Details' tab provides a real-time, sortable list of all running applications and background processes, clearly displaying their current memory usage. This allows a technician to quickly pinpoint which specific process is exhibiting escalating memory consumption, a hallmark sign of a memory leak.
- ✗
Event Viewer
Why it's wrong here
Event Viewer is designed for logging system events, errors, warnings, and informational messages across various categories like Application, Security, and System. While it records critical system failures or 'out of memory' errors *after* they occur, it does not provide real-time, dynamic monitoring of individual process memory consumption. Therefore, it cannot be used to actively observe a memory leak as it develops.
- ✗
System Configuration (msconfig)
Why it's wrong here
System Configuration, commonly known as msconfig, is primarily used for managing boot options, startup programs, and services to troubleshoot system startup issues. Its functionality focuses on configuring static system settings and identifying conflicts that occur during the boot process. It offers no capabilities for monitoring live, dynamic resource usage, such as the real-time memory consumption of active processes.
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Windows Editions and Features
Key term
Memory leak
A memory leak happens when a program uses up system memory but never releases it, slowly eating away at available memory until the computer slows down or crashes.
Key term
Dual In-line Memory Module
A Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) is a small circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a computer's motherboard to provide Random Access Memory (RAM).
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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.