220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A user has a Windows 10 computer that is not joined to the corporate domain. The user needs to frequently access shared folders on a file server that requires domain credentials. Which Windows tool allows the user to securely store these domain credentials so they can be automatically used when mapping network drives?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse 'Local Users and Groups' (option B) as a place to store network credentials because it manages user accounts, but it cannot store domain credentials for automatic authentication—it only manages local accounts and group memberships.
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
✓
Credential Manager
Credential Manager (option A) is the correct tool because it allows users to securely store domain credentials (e.g., username and password) for network resources, such as file servers. When mapping a network drive to a shared folder that requires domain authentication, Windows automatically retrieves the stored credentials from Credential Manager, eliminating the need to re-enter them each time. This is especially useful for non-domain-joined computers that must access domain resources, as it caches the domain credentials in the Windows Vault using the Data Protection API (DPAPI) for encryption.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Credential Manager
Why this is correct
Credential Manager is the correct answer because it is the Windows component that securely stores domain and other credentials, such as those for mapped network drives or shared folders. When a user accesses a network resource that requires authentication, Windows automatically retrieves the matching credential from this vault, eliminating the need to re-enter it. This works even on a workgroup computer, as long as the resource requires Windows or generic credentials.
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Local Users and Groups
Why it's wrong here
Local Users and Groups (lusrmgr.msc) is a snap-in for administering local user accounts, group memberships, and account properties like password expiration and account lockout. It does not provide any mechanism for storing or retrieving credentials used to authenticate to external network shares or other domain resources. Thus, even though it can create local accounts, it cannot save the passwords needed to access a file server or NAS.
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Network and Sharing Center
Why it's wrong here
Network and Sharing Center is a Control Panel applet focused on network adapter configuration, connection status, and sharing options such as network discovery and public folder sharing. While it lets you set up new connections or troubleshoot existing ones, it has no vault or database for storing authentication credentials for network shares. Its role is to manage how the computer connects to the network, not to remember passwords for protected resources.
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Remote Desktop Connection
Why it's wrong here
Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) is a client application used to establish an interactive remote session with another computer, not a tool for managing credentials for general network file access. Although it can optionally save the logon credentials for the specific RDP session, those are confined to Remote Desktop connections and do not apply to mapped drives or SMB shares accessed in normal file browsing. Therefore, it is not the appropriate utility for storing credentials to access network resources.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Windows Networking and File Sharing
Key term
Windows
Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft that manages computer hardware and software, providing a graphical user interface for users to interact with their devices.
Key term
Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying that someone or something is who or what it claims to be before granting access to a system or resource.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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