220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that Microsoft Edge crashes immediately upon launch. The technician has tried resetting Edge settings via Settings > Reset settings, but the issue persists. The technician suspects a corrupted user profile. What should the technician do NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to system-level repairs (like SFC or reinstallation) when the issue is actually per-user profile corruption, which requires a new user account to test.
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
✓
Create a new local user account and test Edge
Creating a new local user account and testing Edge isolates whether the issue is tied to the current user profile. Since resetting Edge settings did not resolve the crash, a corrupted user profile is the likely cause; a new profile bypasses any corruption in the existing profile's registry keys and AppData folders (e.g., %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data). This is a standard troubleshooting step in CompTIA A+ 220-1102 for application-specific profile corruption.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Reinstall Microsoft Edge using Windows Features
Why it's wrong here
Reinstalling Microsoft Edge through Windows Features (or re-registering the app package) restores the application binaries but leaves the per-user profile directory untouched. Because the profile — including settings, bookmarks, and session state — lives in %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data, any corruption there will persist and cause the same instant crash. Since the existing note indicates settings were already reset, this step does not address the actual user-profile corruption.
- ✓
Create a new local user account and test Edge
Why this is correct
Creating a new local user account generates a completely fresh profile directory that is independent of the corrupted one. Signing into that account and launching Edge lets the technician isolate whether the crash stems from a damaged user profile or from a system-wide component. If Edge launches normally under the new account, the original user's profile data is confirmed as the cause, validating this as the correct troubleshooting move.
- ✗
Run System File Checker (sfc /scannow)
Why it's wrong here
System File Checker (sfc /scannow) verifies and repairs protected operating system files by comparing them against the Windows side-by-side component store. It does not inspect per-user Edge profile files, HKCU registry keys, or user-specific cached data that could be damaged. Because the existing troubleshooting already reset Edge settings, system-file corruption is an unlikely explanation for the crash, making this step both unrelated and ineffective.
- ✗
Clear the Edge cache and browsing data
Why it's wrong here
Clearing the Edge cache and browsing data removes temporary page resources and cookies, but it does not repair a corrupted 'Preferences', 'Bookmarks', or 'History' database stored inside the user profile. Since resetting Edge settings already clears all caching and browsing data, repeating this step is redundant and leaves the structural fault untouched. Profile corruption typically triggers a crash during launch, whereas cache issues surface as slow loading or page errors, not immediate termination.
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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.