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.

• ✓

  Roll back the most recent Windows Update

  Why this is correct

  Rolling back the most recent Windows Update is the targeted fix here because the application crash began immediately after that update, indicating a system-level compatibility break. Windows updates frequently alter crucial components such as the .NET Framework, Visual C++ Redistributables, or security policies that an application depends on at initialization. By using Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history to uninstall the problematic update, you restore the previous runtime environment without touching the app's own files. This action directly addresses the root cause rather than masking the symptom.

• ✗

  Reinstall the application

  Why it's wrong here

  Reinstalling the application replaces its own program files and registry entries but will not roll back or repair the OS-level changes made by a freshly installed Windows Update. If the crash stems from an incompatible system library or an API change introduced by that update, the application will still fail immediately after reinstallation because those dependencies remain altered. Furthermore, reinstallation could overwrite user configuration or local data, increasing the risk of additional issues without any guarantee of resolving the startup crash. The proper approach is to eliminate the environmental change first, not to re-add a copy of the same broken code over the same altered system.

• ✗

  Run the application as an administrator

  Why it's wrong here

  Running the application as an administrator only elevates its access token to grant more permissions, such as writing to Program Files or HKLM, but it does not alter or restore the system libraries and API behavior that are causing the initialization failure. In this scenario, the crash occurs during early startup, before the app would need any elevated privileges, so heightened rights offer no benefit. Additionally, elevation can introduce new conflicts by changing the app's working directories or create side effects like virtualization, but it cannot undo the modifications from an OS patch. This option is only useful for permission-related problems, not for compatibility breaks from an OS patch.

• ✗

  Check the Event Viewer for detailed error logs

  Why it's wrong here

  Checking Event Viewer for detailed error logs is an excellent diagnostic step and has likely already been done to obtain the error code and failing module, but it does not change the state of the system and therefore cannot resolve the crash. The logs provide evidence that points to the Windows Update as the root cause, yet the user still needs to perform an action such as rolling back that update to fix the problem. In the CompTIA troubleshooting methodology, this step belongs after 'Establish a theory of probable cause' and before implementing a solution. Since the question asks for the correct solution, Event Viewer alone is insufficient because diagnosis is not remediation.

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