220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that their USB printer stopped working immediately after a Windows 10 update. The technician checks Device Manager and sees a yellow exclamation mark on the printer driver. The printer and USB cable are confirmed to be functional on another computer. What should the technician do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers choose to roll back the Windows Update (Option A) because they assume the update caused the problem, but the yellow exclamation mark specifically signals a driver issue, making driver update the correct first step per CompTIA's troubleshooting methodology.
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
✓
Update the printer driver to a compatible version.
The yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager indicates a driver conflict or incompatibility, which commonly occurs after a Windows 10 update installs a generic or incompatible driver. Since the printer and USB cable are confirmed functional on another computer, the issue is isolated to the driver on this system. Updating the printer driver to a version compatible with the current Windows build directly addresses the root cause without unnecessary steps.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Roll back the Windows Update that caused the issue.
Why it's wrong here
Rolling back the Windows Update is an aggressive and broad remedy: it removes not only the problematic change but also all cumulative patches, security fixes, and feature updates included in that update. This can leave the system vulnerable and may reintroduce other bugs. Since the printer driver is the most likely point of incompatibility with a new Windows 10 build, installing a compatible driver is a far more targeted and lower-risk first step, making the rollback unnecessary unless the driver update fails.
- ✓
Update the printer driver to a compatible version.
Why this is correct
Updating the printer driver to a compatible version is the correct first action because Windows 10 updates frequently modify the USB driver stack, print spooler architecture, or print class driver behavior, which can break an older printer driver. Installing the latest driver from the manufacturer's website or using Device Manager's 'Update driver' function explicitly replaces the outdated driver with one that Windows recognizes as compatible with the current OS build. This directly resolves the root cause—the driver-OS mismatch—without reverting other essential system changes or merely masking symptoms.
- ✗
Run the Windows Printer troubleshooter.
Why it's wrong here
The Windows Printer troubleshooter is a diagnostic tool that automates basic recovery steps, such as restarting the Print Spooler, clearing a stuck print queue, and re-adding the printer. However, it does not inspect or replace the printer driver, so if the underlying issue is a driver incompatibility triggered by a Windows update, the troubleshooter will likely either report a false success or fail to correct the driver's inability to communicate with the updated OS. It is useful for configurable faults, but it lacks the capability to address a binary-level driver conflict, making it an incorrect primary solution here.
- ✗
Disable and re-enable the printer device in Device Manager.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling and re-enabling the printer in Device Manager merely restarts the device by powering down its virtual bus and triggering a fresh enumeration (Plug and Play re-detection). This action does not replace, roll back, or modify the installed driver; it only clears transient hardware states or hung device contexts. If the driver itself is incompatible with the current Windows 10 update, the same flawed driver will be reloaded during re-enumeration, so the printer will continue to fail. This is only effective for resets, not for driver-level corruption or version mismatches.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Troubleshoot: Windows Update Failures
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
Universal Serial Bus
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a standard interface that allows you to connect devices like keyboards, mice, storage drives, and printers to a computer for data transfer and power delivery.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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