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220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question

A technician needs to boot a Windows 10 computer into Safe Mode to troubleshoot a driver conflict. The computer is currently running normally. Which method can the technician use to configure the system to start in Safe Mode on the next reboot?

⚠ Common exam trap

Candidates often confuse the Shift+Restart method (which leads to WinRE) with a direct Safe Mode boot, not realizing that WinRE requires navigating through multiple menus to reach the Safe Mode option, whereas msconfig provides a one-click persistent configuration for the next reboot.

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

✓

Use the System Configuration utility (msconfig) and select 'Safe boot' on the Boot tab.

The System Configuration utility (msconfig) provides a direct, persistent setting to boot into Safe Mode on the next restart by selecting 'Safe boot' on the Boot tab. This modifies the boot configuration data (BCD) to add the SAFEBOOT option, ensuring the system starts in Safe Mode regardless of how it is restarted. It is the simplest method for a normally running Windows 10 system when the goal is to configure Safe Mode for the next reboot.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • ✗

    Open an elevated Command Prompt and run 'shutdown /r /t 0' to restart into Safe Mode.

    Why it's wrong here

    The 'shutdown /r /t 0' command performs an immediate standard restart of Windows 10, but it does not alter the boot configuration database (BCD) or enable the Safe Mode boot flag. To restart directly into Safe Mode from a command prompt, you must either use 'shutdown /r /o /t 0' to open the advanced startup options, or use bcdedit to set the safeboot parameter before restarting. Simply executing this shutdown command without those additional steps leaves the system booting normally.

  • ✓

    Use the System Configuration utility (msconfig) and select 'Safe boot' on the Boot tab.

    Why this is correct

    The System Configuration utility (msconfig) modifies the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) by adding the 'safeboot' option when you check the Safe boot box on the Boot tab. This causes Windows 10 to load the Safe Mode environment on every subsequent restart until the box is unchecked, making it a persistent system-wide configuration rather than a one-time recovery action. For a minimal or network-enabled Safe Mode session, you can also select the Alternate shell or Network radio buttons. Because this changes the default boot behavior, you must remember to revert it after troubleshooting.

  • ✗

    Press Shift while clicking Restart from the Start menu's Power button.

    Why it's wrong here

    Pressing Shift while clicking Restart invokes Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) and presents a menu path through Troubleshoot, Advanced options, and Startup Settings, where you manually select Safe Mode. This is an interactive, one-time boot method: the next restart after you exit Safe Mode returns to a normal boot with no persistent BCD change. It does not 'configure' the computer to boot into Safe Mode automatically, which is what msconfig accomplishes through a persistent boot flag.

  • ✗

    Boot from the Windows 10 installation media and select 'Repair your computer'.

    Why it's wrong here

    Booting from Windows 10 installation media and choosing 'Repair your computer' loads the Windows Recovery Environment from external media, which is designed for offline troubleshooting when Windows cannot start or you need to access recovery tools like Startup Repair, Command Prompt, or System Image Recovery. It does not modify the existing OS's boot configuration to enter Safe Mode automatically; you would have to drop into a Command Prompt and run bcdedit or navigate to Startup Settings. For a computer that is currently bootable and running, msconfig is the direct configuration method, making the installation-media approach an out-of-band recovery solution rather than the intended answer.

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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 needs to configure a Windows 10 workstation to boot into Safe Mode with Networking on the next restart. The technician wants to make this change using a built-in graphical tool. Which tool should the technician use?

easy
  • ✓ A.System Configuration (msconfig)
  • B.Registry Editor (regedit)
  • C.Command Prompt (cmd)
  • D.Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)

Why A: The System Configuration tool (msconfig) provides a graphical interface to modify boot options, including enabling Safe Mode with Networking for the next restart. By selecting the 'Boot' tab and checking 'Safe boot' with the 'Network' radio button, the technician can set the boot configuration without using command-line or registry editing.

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.