220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that after installing a Windows 10 cumulative update last night, their workstation now displays a black screen for several minutes before the login screen appears. All other system functions seem normal once logged in. The technician suspects the update caused a driver conflict. Which built-in tool should the technician use to remove the problematic update without affecting other system settings?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse a driver conflict caused by an update with a driver-specific issue, leading them to choose Device Manager's rollback, when the correct approach is to uninstall the update itself via Windows Update settings.
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
✓
Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates
The 'Uninstall updates' feature in Windows Update settings is specifically designed to remove cumulative updates (like KBxxxxxxx) without affecting other system settings or installed applications. This tool targets only the update itself, reverting system files to their pre-update state while preserving user data and configurations. Using Device Manager or System Restore would be inappropriate here, as the issue is caused by a Windows update, not a driver or system-wide configuration change.
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 it's wrong here
System Restore reverts system files, settings, and installed programs to a previous state. It is a broader tool that could affect other changes made after the restore point was created. It should be used when the specific update cannot be identified or uninstalled.
- ✗
Device Manager (roll back driver)
Why it's wrong here
Device Manager's Roll Back Driver function only resets the driver package for a specific hardware component to the previous version stored in the DriverStore. A Windows 10 cumulative update, however, modifies operating-system binaries, services, and security settings far beyond device drivers, and it is installed as an update package rather than a driver. Because Device Manager does not enumerate Windows Update packages, rolling back a driver neither selects nor removes the cumulative update, and the prerequisite 'Previous driver' button would not be relevant to an OS update.
- ✓
Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates
Why this is correct
Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates is the built-in interface that lists installed servicing packages and opens the legacy 'Installed Updates' Control Panel applet. Selecting the target cumulative update and clicking Uninstall invokes wusa.exe with the /uninstall switch, which removes only that specific KB package while preserving all other installed updates and system configuration changes. This precision makes it the correct first response when a known cumulative update was installed and has since caused a problem.
- ✗
System Configuration (msconfig)
Why it's wrong here
System Configuration (msconfig) is a boot and startup-diagnostic utility, not a Windows Update package manager. It can disable startup items, services, and boot modes such as Safe Boot, but it has no logic for enumerating the component store or removing .msu packages. Using msconfig to disable non-Microsoft services may temporarily work around a problem's symptoms, but it does not revert the cumulative update's changes and can leave the system in a modified troubleshooting state.
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Data Classification Levels
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.
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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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 technician installed a Windows 10 cumulative update. After reboot, the system displays 'Configuring Windows updates' and has been stuck at 30% for over three hours. The technician suspects the update process has hung. Which of the following steps should the technician attempt FIRST to safely recover the system?
hard- ✓ A.Perform a hard reset by pressing and holding the power button, then boot into Safe Mode and uninstall the update.
- B.Run System File Checker (SFC) from the Windows Recovery Environment.
- C.Disconnect the network cable and wait for the process to complete.
- D.Use the shutdown command with the /t 0 parameter to force a restart.
Why A: When the Windows update process hangs, a hard reset (holding the power button) is the appropriate first step to forcibly terminate the hung process because the system is unresponsive and a soft shutdown command will not break the deadlock. After the reset, booting into Safe Mode allows the technician to uninstall the problematic cumulative update via Control Panel or DISM. Note that a hard reset carries some risk of file system corruption, but it is often necessary to regain control of the system.
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.