mediumMultiple Choice
220-1102 Practice Question: That their Windows 10 laptop suddenly shows a…
A user reports that their Windows 10 laptop suddenly shows a black screen with a movable mouse cursor after logging in. They can press Ctrl+Alt+Del to open the security screen. Which troubleshooting step should you perform first to restore the desktop?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is over-engineering the fix — candidates jump to System Restore or SFC because they sound 'thorough,' but the exam rewards the least invasive step that directly addresses the missing shell process.
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
✓
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, open Task Manager, then run a new task and type 'explorer.exe'.
A black screen with a visible, movable mouse cursor after login is the classic symptom of explorer.exe failing to start — the shell process that renders the desktop, taskbar, and Start menu. Since Ctrl+Alt+Del still opens the security screen, the OS kernel and session manager are healthy, so the fastest fix is to launch Task Manager and manually start explorer.exe via File > Run new task. This restores the desktop immediately without rebooting or risking data loss.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Boot into Safe Mode and run System File Checker (sfc /scannow).
Why it's wrong here
Safe Mode and SFC scan for corrupted system files, but the black screen with a movable cursor after login, combined with a functional Ctrl+Alt+Del security screen, typically indicates a corrupted or misconfigured shell component (such as explorer.exe) or a user profile issue, not file corruption. This step is tempting because SFC is a standard fix for many boot or stability problems, and it would be correct if the black screen resulted from damaged system files causing a crash before the desktop loaded.
- ✓
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, open Task Manager, then run a new task and type 'explorer.exe'.
Why this is correct
The 'explorer.exe' process is the core Windows shell, responsible for rendering the desktop, taskbar, and file explorer windows. When a user encounters a black screen with a movable cursor but can access the Ctrl+Alt+Del security screen, it indicates that the operating system kernel is functional, but the shell has failed to launch or has crashed. Manually launching 'explorer.exe' via Task Manager effectively restarts this critical process, often restoring the graphical user interface without requiring a full system reboot or more invasive troubleshooting steps.
- ✗
Perform a system restore to a point before the issue started.
Why it's wrong here
A system restore reverts system files and registry settings to a prior state, but the black screen with a movable cursor after login typically indicates a corrupted user profile or a shell (explorer.exe) loading failure, not a system-wide configuration change that a restore point would address. This option is tempting because system restore is a common fix for boot or driver issues caused by recent software installations, where reverting system files would resolve the problem.
- ✗
Check the display driver by pressing Windows+P and switching display modes.
Why it's wrong here
The 'Windows+P' shortcut is specifically designed to manage display output settings, allowing users to switch between modes like 'Duplicate,' 'Extend,' or 'Second screen only' for external monitors or projectors. While useful for resolving issues where the screen is blank due to an incorrect display configuration, it relies on the graphical shell being operational to display the mode selection interface. In a scenario where 'explorer.exe' has crashed, preventing the desktop from loading, this shortcut will not function effectively or resolve the underlying shell issue, as the problem is not with the display hardware or its configuration.
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Related to this question
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SOHO Network Security
Key term
Kernel
The kernel is the core program of an operating system that manages hardware resources and provides essential services for all other software to run.
Key term
Shell
A shell is a computer program that provides a user interface to access an operating system's services, typically by accepting text commands.
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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.