How should I use these Software Troubleshooting practice questions?

Read each scenario carefully and choose your answer before revealing the explanation. Then check why your choice was right or wrong. Repeat until the reasoning feels automatic.

Can I practise just Software Troubleshooting questions in a focused session?

Yes — use the session launcher on this page to start a 10-, 20-, 30- or 50-question session drawn entirely from the Software Troubleshooting domain.

220-1202 · topic practice

Software Troubleshooting practice questions

Practise CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 Software Troubleshooting practice questions — original exam-style scenarios with answer choices, explanations, and analysis of common mistakes.

Courseiva uses original exam-style practice questions designed for learning and revision. The goal is to understand the concepts, recognise exam patterns, and improve through explanations — not memorise copied exam dumps.

Reviewed byJohnson Ajibi· MSc IT Security

5 questionsDomain: Software Troubleshooting

Practice 10 questions Browse domain →

What the exam tests

What to know about Software Troubleshooting

Software Troubleshooting questions test whether you can apply the concept in context, not just recognise a definition.

How the topic appears in realistic exam-style scenarios.

Which detail in the question changes the correct answer.

How to eliminate plausible but wrong options.

How to connect the question back to the wider exam objective.

Watch out for

Common Software Troubleshooting exam traps

▸Answering from memory before reading the full scenario.
▸Missing a constraint such as cost, availability, security, scope or command context.
▸Choosing a broad answer when the question asks for the most specific fix.
▸Ignoring why the wrong options are tempting.

Practice set

Software Troubleshooting questions

5 questions · select your answer, then reveal the explanation

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Read the full Software Troubleshooting explanation →

A technician is troubleshooting why a smart card reader at a secure entrance fails intermittently. Users can sometimes enter, but other times the reader does not respond. What should the technician check first?

Trap 1: Update the smart card reader firmware

Firmware updates are less likely to be the cause of intermittent physical failures; the issue appears hardware-related.

Trap 2: Replace the smart cards for all users

If the problem is with the reader, replacing cards will not solve it; the issue is likely at the reader end.

Trap 3: Reconfigure the access control software

Software reconfiguration is premature without ruling out physical hardware issues first.

Study all Software Troubleshooting common traps →

A
Update the smart card reader firmware
Why wrong: Firmware updates are less likely to be the cause of intermittent physical failures; the issue appears hardware-related.
B
Replace the smart cards for all users
Why wrong: If the problem is with the reader, replacing cards will not solve it; the issue is likely at the reader end.
C
Check the cabling and connections to the reader
Intermittent connectivity often points to loose or damaged cables; verifying physical connections is a quick and effective first step.
D
Reconfigure the access control software
Why wrong: Software reconfiguration is premature without ruling out physical hardware issues first.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 2mediummultiple choice

Read the full Software Troubleshooting explanation →

A user reports that their Windows 10 laptop is running very slowly after a recent software installation. You suspect a driver conflict. You need to boot the system with a minimal set of drivers and services to troubleshoot, but you must not use Safe Mode because the user needs network access for remote support. Which boot configuration should you set using the System Configuration tool?

Trap 1: Set the boot to 'Safe boot' with 'Network' selected under Boot…

This is a valid way to boot into Safe Mode with Networking, but it is not a 'minimal set of drivers'—Safe Mode loads a standard set. Also, the question asks for msconfig settings, which this is, but it's not the best fit for 'minimal'.

Trap 2: Under the General tab, select 'Selective startup' and uncheck 'Load…

Unchecking system services would disable critical services including networking, making remote support impossible.

Trap 3: Under the Boot tab, check 'No GUI boot' and set the timeout to 0.

This only removes the Windows splash screen and speeds boot slightly; it does not minimize drivers or services.

Study all Software Troubleshooting common traps →

A
Set the boot to 'Safe boot' with 'Network' selected under Boot options.
Why wrong: This is a valid way to boot into Safe Mode with Networking, but it is not a 'minimal set of drivers'—Safe Mode loads a standard set. Also, the question asks for msconfig settings, which this is, but it's not the best fit for 'minimal'.
B
Under the General tab, select 'Diagnostic startup'.
Diagnostic startup loads only basic devices and services, and it does not disable networking entirely, allowing remote support.
C
Under the General tab, select 'Selective startup' and uncheck 'Load system services'.
Why wrong: Unchecking system services would disable critical services including networking, making remote support impossible.
D
Under the Boot tab, check 'No GUI boot' and set the timeout to 0.
Why wrong: This only removes the Windows splash screen and speeds boot slightly; it does not minimize drivers or services.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 3hardmultiple choice

Read the full wireless explanation →

A user's iPhone is running iOS 16 and they cannot update to the latest iOS 17 because the 'Software Update' section in Settings shows 'Unable to Check for Update'. The device is connected to Wi-Fi and has sufficient storage. Which advanced troubleshooting step should you take to resolve this update issue?

Trap 1: Reset All Settings from General > Reset.

Resetting all settings clears preferences like Wi-Fi passwords and wallpapers, but does not clear the software update cache or fix the underlying update mechanism.

Trap 2: Restore the iPhone using an iCloud backup.

Restoring from a backup might reintroduce the same issue and is a time-consuming process that does not directly address the update failure.

Trap 3: Disable iCloud Private Relay in iCloud settings.

iCloud Private Relay can affect some network requests, but it does not cause the 'Unable to Check for Update' error on its own, and disabling it is unlikely to fix a corrupted cache.

Study all Software Troubleshooting common traps →

A
Reset All Settings from General > Reset.
Why wrong: Resetting all settings clears preferences like Wi-Fi passwords and wallpapers, but does not clear the software update cache or fix the underlying update mechanism.
B
Restore the iPhone using an iCloud backup.
Why wrong: Restoring from a backup might reintroduce the same issue and is a time-consuming process that does not directly address the update failure.
C
Use a computer with Finder (macOS) or iTunes (Windows) to download and install the update.
Using a computer forces the device to download the update via a wired connection, bypassing the device's own update mechanism and often resolving cache or network issues.
D
Disable iCloud Private Relay in iCloud settings.
Why wrong: iCloud Private Relay can affect some network requests, but it does not cause the 'Unable to Check for Update' error on its own, and disabling it is unlikely to fix a corrupted cache.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 4mediummultiple choice

Read the full Software Troubleshooting explanation →

A technician is troubleshooting an iPhone that fails to activate after a software update. The phone displays 'Activation Error' and the SIM card is known to be working. Which of the following steps should the technician perform FIRST?

Trap 1: Replace the SIM card with a new one.

The SIM is known to be working, so replacing it is unnecessary and would not resolve a server-side issue.

Trap 2: Restore the iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

Restoring may be needed later, but it is time-consuming and should not be the first step before checking server status.

Trap 3: Reset the iPhone's network settings.

Resetting network settings can help with connectivity issues, but it does not address server-side problems.

Study all Software Troubleshooting common traps →

A
Replace the SIM card with a new one.
Why wrong: The SIM is known to be working, so replacing it is unnecessary and would not resolve a server-side issue.
B
Restore the iPhone using iTunes or Finder.
Why wrong: Restoring may be needed later, but it is time-consuming and should not be the first step before checking server status.
C
Check Apple's System Status page for activation server outages.
If Apple's activation servers are down, no device can activate; checking this saves time and effort.
D
Reset the iPhone's network settings.
Why wrong: Resetting network settings can help with connectivity issues, but it does not address server-side problems.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 5mediummultiple choice

Read the full Software Troubleshooting explanation →

A user's iPad will not rotate the screen when turned sideways, even though the rotation lock is off in the Control Center. The screen remains in portrait mode. What should you check next?

Trap 1: Check if the app has its own orientation lock setting.

While possible, this is not the first step; the issue is system-wide, so checking the physical switch is more appropriate.

Trap 2: Perform a hard reset of the iPad.

This is a troubleshooting step but should be done after checking simpler hardware controls.

Trap 3: Update the iPadOS to the latest version.

Software updates are important but not the immediate fix for a rotation issue that started suddenly.

Study all Software Troubleshooting common traps →

A
Check if the app has its own orientation lock setting.
Why wrong: While possible, this is not the first step; the issue is system-wide, so checking the physical switch is more appropriate.
B
Check the physical mute/orientation lock switch on the side of the iPad.
On some iPad models, the side switch can be set to lock rotation; if it's engaged, it overrides the Control Center setting.
C
Perform a hard reset of the iPad.
Why wrong: This is a troubleshooting step but should be done after checking simpler hardware controls.
D
Update the iPadOS to the latest version.
Why wrong: Software updates are important but not the immediate fix for a rotation issue that started suddenly.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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Frequently asked questions

What does the 220-1202 exam test about Software Troubleshooting?: Software Troubleshooting questions test whether you can apply the concept in context, not just recognise a definition.
How should I use these practice questions?: Select your answer before revealing the explanation. Then read why each option is right or wrong — this active recall approach builds retention far faster than re-reading notes.
Can I practise just Software Troubleshooting questions in a focused session?: Yes — the session launcher on this page draws every question from the Software Troubleshooting domain. Use a 10-question session first to gauge your baseline, then move to 20 or 30 once the weak spots are clear.
Where can I practise other 220-1202 topics?: Use the topic links above to move to related areas, or go back to the 220-1202 question bank to see all topics.
Are these real exam questions or dumps?: These are original practice questions written to test the same concepts the 220-1202 exam covers. They are not copied from any real exam or dump site.

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Mixed 220-1202 session

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Study resources

All 220-1202 questions Software Troubleshooting domain overview 220-1202 exam guide

Exam traps to avoid

▸Answering from memory before reading the full scenario.
▸Missing a constraint such as cost, availability, security, scope or command context.
▸Choosing a broad answer when the question asks for the most specific fix.
▸Ignoring why the wrong options are tempting.

Software Troubleshooting practice questions

What to know about Software Troubleshooting

Common Software Troubleshooting exam traps

Software Troubleshooting questions

A technician is troubleshooting why a smart card reader at a secure entrance fails intermittently. Users can sometimes enter, but other times the reader does not respond. What should the technician check first?

A technician is troubleshooting an iPhone that fails to activate after a software update. The phone displays 'Activation Error' and the SIM card is known to be working. Which of the following steps should the technician perform FIRST?

A user's iPad will not rotate the screen when turned sideways, even though the rotation lock is off in the Control Center. The screen remains in portrait mode. What should you check next?

Track your progress over time

Start a Software Troubleshooting only practice session

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Frequently asked questions

Track your progress

Study resources

Exam traps to avoid