220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  End the svchost.exe process

  Why it's wrong here

  Ending svchost.exe is risky because this process is a generic service host that can run multiple essential Windows services simultaneously. Task Manager shows several instances, but each instance may host services such as RPC, DHCP, or DNS; terminating the entire process will forcibly stop all of them, potentially causing system instability, application crashes, or a bugcheck (BSOD). Even if the issue appears to be a single svchost.exe consuming memory, you should never end it blindly; instead, expand it to see the specific service and stop only that service.

• ✗

  Run a full antivirus scan

  Why it's wrong here

  Running a full antivirus scan is a reactive measure that can identify malware, but it is not the best immediate step here because the system is already running slowly, and the scan itself consumes significant CPU and disk resources. Before scanning, you should use Task Manager to see exactly which process or service is consuming memory or processor time, as this may be a non-malicious service like a Windows Update component stuck in a loop. Once you've isolated the service, you can stop it to relieve pressure and then scan if you suspect malware, making the scan much more effective.

• ✓

  Identify which service is causing the issue and stop it

  Why this is correct

  In Windows 10 Task Manager, expand the 'Service Host' (svchost.exe) group under Windows processes to reveal the individual services hosted by each instance. You can also use the command `tasklist /svc` or Task Manager's Details tab to map specific service names to their svchost.exe process ID. Identify the service that is consuming an abnormal amount of memory or CPU, then right-click it and choose 'Stop' or run `net stop <service>` from an elevated command prompt. Stopping only that service avoids disrupting unrelated services and directly resolves the resource drain without needing to reboot.

• ✗

  Increase the size of the paging file

  Why it's wrong here

  Increasing the paging file size expands virtual memory on disk, but it does nothing to address the underlying problem of a service leaking memory or spinning in a loop. If a service is consuming RAM excessively, expanding the paging file will merely let it consume more, causing the system to thrash as it reads and writes to the slower disk, making the computer feel even less responsive. The correct step is to identify and stop the conflicting service, thereby releasing its memory; if the service is legitimate, restart it or update it, rather than masking the symptom with more virtual memory.

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