220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that their Windows 10 computer is running slowly and the disk activity light is constantly on. Which tab in Task Manager should the technician use to see which process is using the most disk resources?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse the Performance tab's summary graphs with the ability to identify specific processes, but the Performance tab only shows aggregate metrics, not per-process disk usage, which is exclusively available on the Processes tab.
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
✓
Processes
The Processes tab in Task Manager displays a list of all running processes along with their current CPU, memory, disk, and network usage. By clicking the 'Disk' column header to sort by disk activity, the technician can quickly identify which process is consuming the most disk resources, directly addressing the user's complaint of constant disk activity and slow performance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Performance
Why it's wrong here
The Performance tab in Task Manager displays system-wide real-time graphs for CPU, memory, disk, and network utilization, but it aggregates data across all processes and does not provide a per-process breakdown. Identifying which specific process is consuming high disk I/O requires the Processes tab, where a Disk column can be sorted to reveal the culprit. This tab is useful for spotting overall system bottlenecks, not for pinpointing the source of disk saturation.
- ✓
Processes
Why this is correct
The Processes tab is the correct place because it lists every running process and provides columns for CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network usage. You can click the Disk column header to sort processes by disk activity, immediately revealing which process is responsible for the heavy I/O. This per-process granularity is exactly what is needed when a Windows 10 machine is slow due to high disk usage, such as when a program is continuously reading or writing data in the background.
- ✗
Startup
Why it's wrong here
The Startup tab in Task Manager shows only programs that are configured to launch automatically when Windows starts, and it focuses on measuring and controlling their startup impact. It does not display any current or real-time resource usage, because its purpose is to manage boot-time delays, not ongoing disk activity. A process that is consuming disk right now may not even have a Startup entry, so this tab is irrelevant to diagnosing high disk usage after startup.
- ✗
Users
Why it's wrong here
The Users tab displays resource utilization aggregated by user session, showing CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network values per logged-in user rather than per process. While it can help determine whether one user's session is responsible for high disk activity, it does not directly identify the specific process within that session unless you expand the user, and even then the drill-down is not as straightforward or detailed as the Processes tab. For a single-user PC, this tab is generally not the intended tool for finding a resource-heavy process.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Troubleshoot: Low Disk Space Issues
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.
Key term
Task Manager
Task Manager is a built-in Windows utility that shows running programs, processes, and system performance, allowing users to monitor and manage computer activity.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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