220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
After installing a new graphics card, a Windows 10 computer starts displaying a blue screen with the error 'SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED' during boot. The system worked normally before the installation. What should the technician do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to 'Update the driver' (Option A) as the obvious fix for a driver-related blue screen, but they fail to recognize that the system cannot boot, making driver updates impossible without first restoring or booting into Safe Mode.
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
✓
Perform a System Restore to a point before the installation.
The correct first step is to perform a System Restore to a point before the graphics card installation. This reverts the system to a known-good configuration, including the previous driver and registry settings, which is the most direct and safest way to undo the change that caused the boot-time blue screen. The error 'SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED' often indicates a driver conflict or corruption, and since the problem started immediately after hardware installation, rolling back the system state is the logical initial troubleshooting action.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Update the graphics card driver from the manufacturer's website.
Why it's wrong here
Updating the driver from the manufacturer's website is premature because the immediate cause of the issue is the recent hardware change, not necessarily a driver flaw. The recommended first step is to undo that change via System Restore, which reverts the driver and related registry entries to a known-good state. Installing a newer driver might also introduce additional compatibility problems, especially if the current driver is already corrupted by the failed installation.
- ✗
Run Windows Memory Diagnostic.
Why it's wrong here
Windows Memory Diagnostic is designed to test RAM for physical defects or errors, but the failure began immediately after installing a new graphics card, pointing to a driver or hardware conflict rather than memory corruption. While memory issues can cause crashes, the temporal correlation with the GPU installation makes memory an unlikely culprit. The appropriate first step is to revert the system change, not perform hardware diagnostics.
- ✓
Perform a System Restore to a point before the installation.
Why this is correct
System Restore rolls back critical system files, device drivers, and registry keys to a restore point created before the installation, effectively removing any problematic changes introduced by the new graphics card. This is the most efficient and comprehensive first step because it directly addresses the root cause — the recent system modification — without requiring additional troubleshooting. It also preserves user data, making it a safe recovery option.
- ✗
Disable the graphics card in Device Manager.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the graphics card in Device Manager might allow the system to boot using a basic display adapter, but it is only a temporary workaround that does not remove the installed driver or revert the registry changes made during installation. System Restore, by contrast, fully reverts the system configuration to its pre-installation state, eliminating the faulty driver and any conflicting settings. Therefore, disabling the card is less thorough and not the optimal first step for resolving a post-installation problem.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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Ticketing System Workflow
Key term
System Restore
System Restore is a Windows utility that lets you revert your computer's system files, registry settings, and installed programs to a previous state without affecting your personal files.
Key term
Registry
The Windows Registry is a central hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options for the operating system, hardware, software, and user preferences.
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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.