220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A technician needs to capture a custom Windows 10 image from a reference computer that has been generalized with Sysprep. Which command-line tool should be used to capture the image into a single .wim file?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse Sysprep's role in generalizing the system with the actual image capture process, leading them to choose Sysprep instead of DISM, or they mistakenly think Windows PE itself performs the capture.
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
✓
DISM
DISM (Deployment Imaging Service and Management Tool) is the correct command-line tool to capture a generalized Windows 10 image into a single .wim file. After running Sysprep with the /generalize option to remove system-specific information, you boot the reference computer into Windows PE and use DISM with the /Capture-Image option to create the .wim file. This is the standard method for creating a custom Windows image for deployment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Sysprep
Why it's wrong here
Sysprep (System Preparation Tool) generalizes a Windows installation by stripping machine-specific identifiers such as the computer's security identifier (SID), computer name, and driver-specific caches, setting it to the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) mode. However, Sysprep only prepares the operating system for duplication; it writes no image file. The actual capture is performed afterward with DISM's /Capture-Image command, typically from the Windows PE environment, so selecting Sysprep alone would leave you without a .wim image.
- ✓
DISM
Why this is correct
DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is the command-line tool that captures a generalized Windows 10 installation into a Windows Imaging Format (.wim) file using the /Capture-Image parameter. After Sysprep has generalized the reference computer and you have booted into Windows PE, dism /Capture-Image /ImageFile:install.wim /CaptureDir:C:\ /Name:"Reference" creates a deployable image. DISM is also used to service and modify .wim images, making it the specific tool that performs the capture step in this task.
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Windows PE
Why it's wrong here
Windows PE (Preinstallation Environment) is a lightweight, minimal operating system that Microsoft provides to boot a computer without a full Windows installation, allowing you to run maintenance or deployment utilities. While you must boot into Windows PE to safely capture a reference image (because the offline system avoids file locks and ensures a consistent snapshot), Windows PE itself does not create the .wim file. DISM is the command-line tool invoked from within Windows PE to execute the actual capture; Windows PE is merely the platform that hosts that tool.
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ADK
Why it's wrong here
The Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) is a collection of deployment tools and components, including DISM, Windows PE, Windows System Image Manager, and the User State Migration Tool, used to build and deploy Windows images. It is not a single command-line utility that captures images; instead, it supplies the underlying DISM executable and the ability to generate bootable Windows PE media. In practice, you would install the ADK to obtain DISM and create a WinPE boot USB, but the capture operation itself is carried out by DISM, not by the ADK suite.
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Related to this question
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Windows Services Management
Key term
Image
An image is a complete snapshot of a system's operating system, applications, and settings, used to deploy or restore computing environments quickly.
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.
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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 capture a custom Windows 10 image from a reference computer and deploy it to multiple identical machines. Which tool is designed to capture and apply Windows images?
medium- A.Windows System Image Manager (WSIM)
- B.Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)
- ✓ C.Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)
- D.Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT)
Why C: DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is the command-line tool specifically designed to capture and apply Windows images. It can capture a customized Windows 10 installation into a .wim file using the `/Capture-Image` command and deploy it to target machines using `/Apply-Image`. This makes it the correct choice for the technician's task.
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.