220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A technician needs to configure a Windows 10 Pro workstation so that a user can sign in and access local files while the computer is not connected to the corporate network. The user does not have a Microsoft account and the company does not use a Microsoft account for workstations. Which account type should the technician create?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse a local user account with a Microsoft account, assuming all Windows 10 accounts require online verification, but local accounts are fully functional offline and do not need any network or Microsoft services.
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
✓
Local user account
A local user account is the correct choice because it allows the user to sign in and access local files without any network connectivity. Unlike Microsoft accounts or domain accounts, a local account is stored entirely on the workstation and does not require authentication against an external server or online service. This meets the requirement of offline access without a Microsoft account or corporate network.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Local user account
Why this is correct
A local user account stores credentials in the workstation's own SAM database, so authentication succeeds without contacting a domain controller or Microsoft Entra ID. This directly satisfies the offline sign-in constraint, since cached domain credentials and Microsoft account sign-in both require prior network connectivity or cloud reachability.
- ✗
Microsoft account
Why it's wrong here
A Microsoft account authenticates against Microsoft's consumer identity service, which the company explicitly does not use, and cached credentials still depend on that online identity. It is appropriate for consumer devices where users want synchronised settings and store purchases, not for a corporate workstation requiring purely local offline sign-in.
- ✗
Work or school account
Why it's wrong here
A work or school account authenticates against Microsoft Entra ID and requires connectivity to that directory, so offline sign-in and local file access fail. It is the right choice when a user must access organisational resources with directory-issued credentials, not for standalone offline use on a workstation outside any directory.
- ✗
Domain account
Why it's wrong here
A domain account validates credentials against a domain controller, so sign-in fails when the workstation cannot reach the corporate network. It is the correct choice for centrally managed users who need policy and resource access while connected; here the requirement is offline access to local files only.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Windows User Accounts and Groups
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
Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying that someone or something is who or what it claims to be before granting access to a system or resource.
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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.