220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that their Windows 10 workstation displays a blue screen error containing the text 'PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA' after upgrading the RAM from 8GB to 16GB. The technician has already verified that the new RAM modules are compatible and seated correctly. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT to resolve the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to choose 'Update the BIOS/UEFI firmware' because they assume a RAM upgrade requires a firmware update, but the question explicitly states compatibility is verified, making memory testing the logical next step.
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 Windows Memory Diagnostic
The PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA error after a RAM upgrade typically indicates a memory defect or timing issue. Running Windows Memory Diagnostic (mdsched.exe) will test the new RAM modules for errors, isolating whether the hardware itself is faulty. This is the most direct next step because the technician has already verified compatibility and seating.
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 Windows Memory Diagnostic
Why this is correct
Running Windows Memory Diagnostic is the correct first step because the PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA stop code specifically indicates that Windows attempted to access memory that could not be paged, a classic symptom of faulty or incompatible RAM. This built-in tool reboots the system and executes a low-level memory test that directly probes each memory address for read/write errors, giving a definitive pass/fail result for the newly installed hardware. It is the most direct diagnostic for a suspected RAM defect and should precede any firmware or software changes.
- ✗
Update the BIOS/UEFI firmware
Why it's wrong here
Updating the BIOS/UEFI firmware is not the correct immediate action because the blue screen appeared after installing new RAM, and a memory test should always be performed first to isolate a hardware defect. While a firmware update can improve memory compatibility or training sequences for newer modules, it is an indirect fix that may not address a physically faulty stick, and it carries a small risk of introducing new instability if performed unnecessarily. The existing diagnostic already points toward RAM, so validating the hardware is the priority, not altering the firmware.
- ✗
Disable Fast Startup
Why it's wrong here
Disabling Fast Startup is a red herring because this feature is a power management setting that speeds up boot times by using a hybrid shutdown with hibernation, and it has no bearing on how the CPU or kernel accesses memory during normal operation. The PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA error occurs when the system tries to read a page that is not in memory and cannot be fetched from the page file, a condition caused by hardware fault or driver corruption, not by the boot sequence. Therefore, toggling Fast Startup will not affect the memory subsystem that is failing under load.
- ✗
Perform a System Restore
Why it's wrong here
Performing a System Restore is inappropriate because the blue screen began immediately after a hardware change, and a restore point rolls back registry, system files, and drivers, not physical memory modules. While a system restore could revert a faulty driver that was installed alongside the RAM, the most likely culprit is the hardware itself—defective or incompatible RAM will still cause a page fault even if software is reverted. The correct troubleshooting order starts with testing the actual memory, not Undoing changes that cannot alter the physical condition of the new hardware.
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Troubleshoot: Registry Errors
Key term
Dual In-line Memory Module
A Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) is a small circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a computer's motherboard to provide Random Access Memory (RAM).
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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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.