220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A user reports that their Windows 10 computer fails to boot with error '0xc0000225' after a failed Windows update. The technician boots from Windows PE and opens a command prompt. Running 'bootrec /scanos' shows no Windows installations found. What should the technician do NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse BCD corruption with file system corruption or system file damage, leading them to choose chkdsk or sfc instead of the BCD-specific repair command.
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
✓
Run 'bootrec /rebuildbcd'.
The error 0xc0000225 indicates the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) is missing or corrupted, and 'bootrec /scanos' found no Windows installations because the BCD store is damaged. Running 'bootrec /rebuildbcd' scans all disks for Windows installations and rebuilds the BCD store, which directly resolves the boot failure caused by the failed update.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Run 'bootrec /rebuildbcd'.
Why this is correct
The bootrec /rebuildbcd command scans every disk for Windows installations and rebuilds the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store from scratch. Because error 0xc0000225 indicates the BCD store is missing or corrupted, this command directly addresses the root cause by creating a fresh, valid boot configuration. After running it, you typically need to confirm the installation(s) it finds, and it is usually executed from the Windows Recovery Environment command prompt.
- ✗
Run 'bcdedit /export'.
Why it's wrong here
bcdedit /export creates a backup copy of the current BCD store to a specified file, but it does nothing to repair or re-create the store itself. If the BCD is already missing or damaged, the export operation will either fail or produce a useless backup of corrupted data. This command is for preserving a known-good configuration, not for troubleshooting a boot failure caused by a broken BCD.
- ✗
Run 'sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows'.
Why it's wrong here
The sfc /scannow command with /offbootdir and /offwindir verifies and replaces protected Windows system files in the specified offline installation, such as DLLs and executables. It does not read or rewrite the boot configuration data, which resides in a separate, hidden BCD store rather than in the C:\Windows folder. Since error 0xc0000225 is a BCD-related failure, running SFC is not the correct first step and will not repair the missing or corrupt boot entries.
- ✗
Run 'chkdsk /f C:'.
Why it's wrong here
chkdsk /f C: inspects the file system on the C: drive for logical and physical errors, and it can fix issues like bad sectors or corrupted index entries. However, the 0xc0000225 boot error indicates a problem with the boot configuration data, not necessarily with the underlying disk's file system structure. While a disk error could theoretically cause boot problems, this particular error code points squarely at the BCD store, making bootrec the appropriate tool.
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Key term
Command Prompt
Command Prompt is a text-based interface in Windows that lets you type commands to perform tasks like managing files, troubleshooting networks, or launching programs.
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.