220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A Windows 10 workstation experiences frequent Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors with the stop code MEMORY_MANAGEMENT. Which hardware component is most likely the cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often assume any BSOD is caused by the CPU or a driver, but the MEMORY_MANAGEMENT stop code is a direct indicator of RAM or memory subsystem failure, not a general hardware fault.
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
✓
RAM
The MEMORY_MANAGEMENT stop code indicates that the Windows Memory Manager has detected a critical error, such as a page fault in a non-paged area or a corrupted page table entry. Faulty or failing RAM is the most common hardware cause, as it can corrupt data structures used by the memory manager, leading to these BSODs. While other components can cause BSODs, this specific stop code is overwhelmingly linked to physical memory issues.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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CPU
Why it's wrong here
The CPU is not the cause of a MEMORY_MANAGEMENT bug check because processor faults produce distinct stop codes such as CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT, which indicates a core failed to handle interrupts, or THERMAL_EVENT, which signals overheating. These codes reflect the CPU's own failure modes, whereas MEMORY_MANAGEMENT specifically points to errors in the memory manager's page tables or PFN database, which are RAM-related structures. A CPU issue would also typically be accompanied by other symptoms like throttling or system hangs before the blue screen, not a memory-specific stop code.
- ✓
RAM
Why this is correct
The MEMORY_MANAGEMENT stop code (0x0000001A) is a direct indication that Windows' memory manager encountered a fatal inconsistency, such as a corrupted page table entry, an invalid virtual-to-physical address translation, or a damaged PFN database. This is almost always caused by defective RAM sticks, unstable overclocking (e.g., XMP profile), or a failing memory controller on the motherboard. Because the error recurs frequently, it is a strong signal to run MemTest86 for several passes and to reseat or replace the DIMMs, rather than investigating the CPU or storage.
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Hard drive
Why it's wrong here
Hard drive failures typically produce bug checks like CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED or UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION, which involve the storage subsystem failing to deliver cached pages or system files to the kernel. A failing HDD or SSD might also trigger KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR when a requested page cannot be read from disk, but it does not generate MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, which is a volatile memory error. The storage driver's own error handling and the system cache manager operate separately from the memory manager's page table integrity, so disk faults manifest in different stop codes.
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Power supply
Why it's wrong here
Power supply problems do not generate a precise stop code like MEMORY_MANAGEMENT because an unstable PSU typically causes sudden shutdowns, random reboots, or hard freezes as voltage rails drop or ripple exceeds specifications. These events often happen before the OS can write a crash dump, or they may trigger WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR if corrupted data reaches the CPU. Since MEMORY_MANAGEMENT is a deterministic software-level error detected by the kernel's memory manager, a PSU fault would be an improbable and indirect cause for this specific bug check.
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Related to this question
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Windows Task Manager
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
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 220-1102 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 220-1102 exam.