220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A technician needs to determine the build number and edition of Windows 10 installed on a remote computer. Which built-in command-line tool should the technician use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse `winver` (a GUI tool) with a command-line tool, or assume `msinfo32` can be used remotely via command line, but only `systeminfo` supports remote querying natively from the command prompt.
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
✓
systeminfo
The `systeminfo` command displays detailed configuration information about a computer, including the OS name, version, build number, and edition (e.g., Windows 10 Pro, build 19045). It can be run against a remote computer using the `/S` parameter, making it the correct built-in command-line tool for this task.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
winver
Why it's wrong here
winver launches the 'About Windows' graphical dialog box, which displays the Windows edition, version, and build number in a small GUI window. Although it can be invoked from a command prompt, it does not write any output to the console or return data that could be captured by a script. Because it is not a command-line utility, it fails the requirement to determine the build number and edition from the command line.
- ✓
systeminfo
Why this is correct
systeminfo is a command-line utility that queries WMI to display a comprehensive system summary, including OS Name (edition), OS Version, and OS Build Number. It outputs plain text to the console, making it suitable for redirection, parsing, and automated administration. This is the only option that directly provides both the build number and edition from the command line without requiring a graphical interface.
- ✗
msinfo32
Why it's wrong here
msinfo32 opens the System Information graphical tool, a rich MMC snap-in that aggregates hardware, software, and OS details such as the version and build. While it has a command-line syntax (e.g., `msinfo32 /report`), the default behavior spawns a GUI window and does not return the information to the command prompt. Its reliance on interactive viewing rather than console output makes it unsuitable for simple command-line determination of the build and edition.
- ✗
hostname
Why it's wrong here
hostname is a minimal command that simply prints the computer's network host name and then exits. It queries the local system's name from environment variables or NetBIOS and never accesses the OS version, edition, or build information. Therefore it provides no data relevant to identifying the Windows 10 build or edition.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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Windows Task Manager
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
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 determine the build version and edition of Windows 10 on a workstation. Which command should the technician use from the Command Prompt?
easy- ✓ A.systeminfo
- B.ipconfig
- C.tasklist
- D.chkdsk
Why A: The `systeminfo` command displays detailed system configuration information, including the OS name, version, build number, and edition (e.g., Windows 10 Pro, version 22H2, build 19045). This makes it the correct choice for determining both the build version and edition of Windows 10 from the Command Prompt.
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.