220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  Check for malware using anti-malware software

  Why it's wrong here

  While malware can indeed cause excessive memory consumption, that is not the first thing to check when a low-memory warning appears. The technician should first open Task Manager to observe current RAM usage and identify which process is consuming the most memory. Running a full anti-malware scan at this stage could take considerable time and may miss a non-malware cause such as a leaky application or insufficient RAM, making it an inefficient initial action.

• ✗

  Increase virtual memory in System Properties

  Why it's wrong here

  Increasing virtual memory in System Properties can sometimes mask a low-memory situation by making more paging space available, but it does not address the underlying cause, such as physical RAM shortage or a memory leak. Additionally, an improperly sized page file can lead to excessive disk thrashing and slower performance. The proper sequence is to first check RAM usage in Task Manager to see the actual physical memory and commit charge, then adjust virtual memory only if that diagnostic clearly indicates paging pressure as the root issue.

• ✓

  Check RAM usage in Task Manager

  Why this is correct

  Task Manager shows real-time physical memory utilization under the Performance tab, as well as per-process memory columns under the Processes tab, which directly tells the technician whether the system is running out of RAM or a single application is monopolizing memory. By sorting processes by the Memory column, the technician can immediately identify the culprit and decide whether to close the application, update it, or recommend a hardware RAM upgrade. This objective data is the essential first step in the troubleshooting process, as it distinguishes between a true low-memory condition and other problems that might present similar symptoms like sluggishness.

• ✗

  Run Disk Cleanup to free up space

  Why it's wrong here

  The Windows 'low memory' warning specifically refers to insufficient RAM or virtual memory (page file), not to the amount of free space on the hard drive. Disk Cleanup removes temporary files, recycle bin contents, and other storage clutter, which has no direct effect on RAM availability or the size of the page file. While a completely full disk could reduce the space the page file can use, that is an indirect and relatively rare scenario; the immediate diagnosis of a low-memory warning must always start with examination of current memory consumption, not storage cleanup.

Go deeper

Related to this question