220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A technician is tasked with creating a master Windows 10 image for deployment to multiple identical computers in the company. After configuring the reference computer with all necessary applications and settings, which built-in tool must the technician run before capturing the image to ensure it can be deployed to different hardware?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse Sysprep with the Windows ADK or DISM, thinking those tools are required for generalization, but Sysprep is the only built-in tool that directly prepares the OS for imaging across different hardware.
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
✓
A
Which refers to the System Preparation (Sysprep) tool. Sysprep is the built-in Windows utility that generalizes a Windows installation by removing system-specific data such as security identifiers (SIDs), computer names, and driver caches. This ensures the captured image can be deployed to different hardware without conflicts, as it prepares the OS to run the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) on first boot.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
A
Why this is correct
Sysprep with the /generalize option is the correct tool because it removes machine-specific security identifiers (SIDs), hardware-specific driver information, and other unique data from the Windows 10 installation. This produces a generalized image that can be duplicated and deployed to different computers, forcing them to generate new SIDs and run the OOBE on first boot. Without this step, every deployed system would share the same computer identity and potentially conflict on a network.
- ✗
B
Why it's wrong here
DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is indeed the command-line tool used to capture and apply Windows images, but it does not generalize the operating system. Running DISM to capture an image without first running Sysprep /generalize will preserve the reference computer's SID and drivers, causing duplicate SID and PnP conflicts on target machines. DISM services the image after Sysprep has prepared it, so it is a complementary tool, not a substitute for Sysprep.
- ✗
C
Why it's wrong here
Windows System Image Manager (WSIM) is a component of the Windows ADK used to create and edit unattended answer files (Unattend.xml). These files automate setup tasks like language selection, partition configuration, and OOBE settings, but they do not modify a live installation or remove unique identifiers. WSIM is typically used alongside Sysprep — the answer file can be passed to Sysprep to automate deployment — but it is not the tool that prepares the OS for imaging.
- ✗
D
Why it's wrong here
Windows PE (WinPE) is a minimal boot environment used to boot a computer for image capture, apply, and recovery tasks. It provides the lightweight operating system in which you run DISM or other deployment tools, but it does not change the target Windows 10 installation or strip machine-specific information. You can boot a reference computer into WinPE to execute Sysprep and capture an image, but WinPE itself is not a preparation step for imaging.
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macOS System Preferences and Settings
Key term
Security
Security in IT is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, damage, or theft.
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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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.