220-1102 Printer Driver Rollback Practice Question
After installing a new printer driver on a Windows 10 workstation, a user reports that all print jobs produce garbled text. The technician suspects the new driver is incompatible. Which built-in Windows tool should the technician use to revert to the previous driver without uninstalling the printer?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse the Print Management console with Device Manager, assuming it can perform driver rollbacks, but it only offers driver addition/removal, not version reversion.
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
✓
Device Manager
The Device Manager allows you to roll back a driver to the previous version without removing the printer itself. By accessing the printer's properties in Device Manager, selecting the Driver tab, and clicking 'Roll Back Driver,' Windows restores the prior driver package, which resolves incompatibility issues like garbled output.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Device Manager
Why this is correct
Device Manager is the correct tool because each device's Properties dialog includes a Driver tab with a 'Roll Back Driver' button. This feature reverts the currently installed driver to the previous version stored in the Windows driver store, which is essential when a new printer driver causes instability, degraded output, or failed print jobs. The rollback process temporarily disables the device, replaces the driver files, and restores the device, all without requiring a separate installer or an administrative download.
- ✗
Print Management console (printmanagement.msc)
Why it's wrong here
The Print Management console (printmanagement.msc) is designed for enterprise-level printer administration: deploying printers via Group Policy, adding and removing printer drivers, managing ports, and viewing print queues. While it can install a driver and list the currently available driver files, it has no rollback capability because it does not maintain a history of previously installed driver versions. Its functions are administrative, not version-control; therefore, it cannot revert a newly installed driver to a prior build.
- ✗
Programs and Features
Why it's wrong here
Programs and Features (appwiz.cpl) manages installed applications, Windows features, and updates, allowing users to uninstall or change software. Device drivers, however, are not registered as normal programs in this view; they live in the driver store and are bound to specific hardware via the Plug and Play subsystem. Even if a driver package appears in the 'Installed Updates' list, that is for updates, not for rollback—and the standard method for reverting a driver is the per-device Driver tab in Device Manager, not an application-level uninstaller.
- ✗
System Configuration (msconfig)
Why it's wrong here
System Configuration (msconfig) is a boot and startup utility that adjusts boot parameters, selects diagnostic startup modes, and toggles services and startup applications. It has no interface for viewing or modifying device driver versions, nor does it interact with the driver store or the Plug and Play enumeration process. Although it can disable a service that the printer driver depends on, that does not replace or roll back the driver; it merely prevents the service from running, which is a different troubleshooting step entirely.
Visual reference
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Related to this question
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Windows Device 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
Windows 10
Windows 10 is a personal computer operating system developed by Microsoft that combines the familiarity of Windows 7 with the modern features of Windows 8, designed to run on a wide range of devices from desktops to tablets.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 220-1102
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A user reports that after connecting a new printer, some documents print correctly while others print as garbled text. The technician checks the printer properties and sees the driver is listed as 'Generic / Text Only'. Which of the following should the technician do to resolve the issue?
medium- A.Update the printer firmware from the manufacturer's website
- ✓ B.Install the correct printer driver for the model
- C.Run the Windows Printer Troubleshooter
- D.Set the printer as the default printer in Windows
Why B: The 'Generic / Text Only' driver is a basic driver that does not support the full feature set of modern printers, such as PCL or PostScript commands. When documents contain complex formatting, fonts, or graphics, this driver cannot interpret them correctly, resulting in garbled output. Installing the correct printer driver from the manufacturer ensures the printer receives properly formatted data.
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.