220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A technician is troubleshooting a Windows 10 application that fails to launch with error 'Unable to initialize the application. The required service 'AppHostSvc' is not running.' The technician checks Services.msc and finds the service is set to Manual. What command-line tool should the technician use to set the service to start automatically?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse 'net start' (which only starts a service temporarily) with 'sc config' (which permanently changes the startup type), leading them to choose option B without realizing the need for a persistent automatic start.
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
✓
sc config AppHostSvc start= auto
The 'sc config' command is the correct tool to change a service's startup type in Windows. Since the AppHostSvc service is currently set to Manual, using 'sc config AppHostSvc start= auto' will configure it to start automatically at boot, resolving the error. The syntax requires a space after 'start=' and before 'auto', which is a common nuance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
sc config AppHostSvc start= auto
Why this is correct
The `sc config` command directly modifies the service control manager's database, setting the Start value of `AppHostSvc` to 2 (auto) in the registry path `HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\AppHostSvc`. The space after `start=` is a syntactical requirement of the service control manager; omitting it causes the command to fail. This change persists across reboots, ensuring the service starts automatically at boot, which is essential for the application to find its dependency available.
- ✗
net start AppHostSvc
Why it's wrong here
`net start AppHostSvc` initiates the service immediately in the current session, but it does not alter the service's startup type in the registry. The service's Start value remains as it was before (e.g., 3 for manual), so after a system reboot the service will not start on its own, and the application will likely fail again. This makes it a temporary fix at best, not a proper solution to the underlying configuration problem.
- ✗
bcdedit
Why it's wrong here
`bcdedit` is a low-level tool for editing Boot Configuration Data (BCD) on Windows, which controls boot loader parameters such as OS selection, debugging options, and boot timeout. It has no relationship with the Windows Service Control Manager or service startup types. Running `bcdedit` would not affect `AppHostSvc` in any way, making it entirely irrelevant to the given failure scenario.
- ✗
sfc /scannow
Why it's wrong here
`sfc /scannow` is a system integrity check that scans and repairs protected system files by comparing them against cached copies in the Windows component store. It is designed to fix file-level corruption, but it does not modify service configuration or the startup type of a service. Since the app's launch problem is specifically about the `AppHostSvc` service not being set to auto-start, this command would not address the root cause.
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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.
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.
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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.