220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that after installing a new graphics card driver, Windows 10 fails to boot and shows a blue screen with error STOP: 0x00000116 (VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE). The technician is unable to boot into Safe Mode. Which Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) option should the technician use FIRST to restore the previous driver?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates choose Startup Repair (Option B) thinking it will fix any boot issue, but it cannot undo driver changes, while System Restore is the only option that directly targets the driver rollback needed for a VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE error.
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
✓
System Restore
System Restore is the correct first option because it can revert the system state, including drivers, to a previous restore point without requiring a full boot into Windows or Safe Mode. Since Safe Mode is inaccessible, WinRE's System Restore provides a direct way to undo the driver change that caused the VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (0x00000116) error, which indicates a timeout in the graphics driver.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
System Restore
Why this is correct
System Restore is the correct tool because it uses restore points created before the driver installation to revert the system registry and critical files to a prior state. When a graphics driver is installed, Windows typically creates a restore point, allowing you to remove the driver and its registry entries without affecting personal data. Rolling back to that point will restore the previous, stable driver configuration and eliminate the driver-caused stop error.
- ✗
Startup Repair
Why it's wrong here
Startup Repair is designed to diagnose and fix problems that prevent Windows from booting, such as missing boot configuration data, corrupted boot sector, or broken system files. It does not interact with installed drivers or the Windows registry in a way that can undo a driver update. A driver-induced blue screen like VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE occurs after boot, and Startup Repair will only check boot integrity, not roll back driver changes, making it ineffective here.
- ✗
Go back to previous build
Why it's wrong here
Go back to previous build is a Windows feature that reverts a recent feature update (for example, reverting from Windows 10 version 22H2 to an earlier version) by using the Windows.old folder. This option only applies to whole-OS feature updates, not to the installation of an individual hardware driver. Since the problem is isolated to a newly installed graphics card driver, this tool cannot address it and is not the appropriate remediation.
- ✗
Command Prompt to run sfc /scannow
Why it's wrong here
Running sfc /scannow in Command Prompt invokes System File Checker to verify the integrity of protected Windows system files and repair corrupted ones. However, a graphics card driver installation places files in the driver store and registry, and the driver is not considered a protected system file that sfc is designed to restore. Therefore, sfc will not remove or roll back the problematic driver, so this method will not resolve the stop error.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
User Account Control (UAC)
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
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.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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