220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that their Windows 10 workstation gets stuck at a blue screen with the error 'INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE' after a power outage. The technician suspects file system corruption. Which command should the technician run from the Windows Recovery Environment to attempt to repair the file system?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse file system corruption with boot configuration issues, often choosing `bootrec /fixmbr` or `bcdedit /rebuildstore` because the error mentions 'boot device', but the root cause after a power outage is typically file system damage, not boot loader corruption.
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
✓
chkdsk /f /r
The 'INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE' error after a power outage strongly suggests file system corruption on the boot drive. The `chkdsk /f /r` command from the Windows Recovery Environment scans the file system for logical errors, repairs them (`/f`), and locates bad sectors and recovers readable data (`/r`). This directly addresses the underlying corruption, making B the correct choice.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
bootrec /fixmbr
Why it's wrong here
bootrec /fixmbr rewrites the master boot record to the system partition, which is useful only for boot loader errors like a missing or corrupted MBR. It does not, however, examine or repair the NTFS file system structure, so if the blue screen is caused by file system corruption on the C: drive, this command leaves the underlying issue untouched. The /fixmbr switch also does not affect partition table entries or the boot sector, making it ineffective for anything beyond the boot loader itself.
- ✓
chkdsk /f /r
Why this is correct
chkdsk /f /r is the correct first step because it directly addresses file system corruption, which is a common cause of blue screen stop errors. The /f flag instructs chkdsk to fix logical errors found on the volume, while /r locates bad sectors and attempts to recover readable information; /r also implies /f for a comprehensive scan. Running chkdsk from the Windows Recovery Environment is valid because the OS is offline, allowing the tool to access the volume without interference from running processes that would otherwise hold file locks.
- ✗
sfc /scannow
Why it's wrong here
sfc /scannow is a system file integrity checker that verifies and repairs Windows system files, but it requires a running Windows environment to operate. In the Recovery Environment, the OS is not fully loaded, and sfc cannot access the component store (WinSxS) or service the live registry appropriately, so it either fails or produces no meaningful results. Even if it did run, SFC repairs OS files, not NTFS file system metadata or bad sectors, so it would not resolve the file system corruption causing the blue screen.
- ✗
bcdedit /rebuildstore
Why it's wrong here
bcdedit /rebuildstore is used to rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store, which holds firmware and boot parameters. This is only relevant when the BCD is missing or corrupted, resulting in boot loader errors like 'Bootmgr is missing' or 'BCD status: not found.' The blue screen described here is a stop error caused by file system corruption, not a boot configuration problem; therefore, rebuilding the BCD store does nothing to scan or repair the NTFS volume, leaving the actual cause unresolved.
Go deeper
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Key term
Recovery
Recovery is the process of restoring systems, data, and operations after a security incident, failure, or disaster to return to normal functioning.
Key term
New Technology File System
New Technology File System (NTFS) is a modern file system developed by Microsoft that controls how data is stored, organized, and accessed on Windows-based hard drives and other storage devices.
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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.