220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A technician is troubleshooting a Windows 10 workstation that is failing to boot normally. The technician wants to configure the system to boot into Safe Mode with Networking on the next restart. Which tool should the technician use to make this configuration change?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often think Command Prompt is the correct answer because they know bcdedit can set boot options, but the question specifically asks for the tool to 'configure' the system, and msconfig is the standard GUI tool for this purpose on Windows 10.
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
✓
System Configuration (msconfig)
System Configuration (msconfig) provides a graphical interface to modify boot options, including enabling Safe Boot with Networking for the next restart. This is the correct tool because it directly sets the boot configuration to enter Safe Mode with networking support on the next reboot without requiring manual command-line intervention.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Task Manager
Why it's wrong here
Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) shows current processes, CPU/memory usage, and lets users end tasks or toggle Startup apps. It can't alter the boot loader or set a one-time Safe Mode boot. While the Startup tab can disable shell/startup items—which might help some boot issues—it is not a tool for configuring Windows Recovery Environment or Safe Mode for the next restart.
- ✓
System Configuration (msconfig)
Why this is correct
Under the Boot tab, check 'Safe boot' and choose an option such as Minimal, Alternate shell, or Network. After clicking OK, Windows prompts to restart, and the next boot enters Safe Mode with the chosen settings. This tool modifies boot flags in the Windows Boot Manager (BCD) but the setting is persistent—you must manually uncheck it later. It's the standard GUI tool for this task.
- ✗
Command Prompt
Why it's wrong here
Launching Command Prompt (e.g., from the Advanced Startup Options or WinRE) gives access to bcdedit, a command-line utility that manipulates BCD entries to set boot options. However, it requires knowing the exact boot entry identifier and syntax (for instance, `bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal`), and a misstep can leave the system unbootable. It is not the intended GUI tool for a typical technician; System Configuration provides a guided, safer alternative.
- ✗
Device Manager
Why it's wrong here
Device Manager provides a centralized view of installed hardware, letting users update or roll back drivers, disable/enable devices, and inspect resource conflicts. It has no interface for boot configuration, Safe Mode, or boot-time settings. Accessing Safe Mode via Device Manager is impossible; even if a driver is causing boot failure, you'd need to boot into Safe Mode first, which is configured elsewhere.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
PXE Boot and Windows Deployment Services
Key term
Safe Mode
Safe Mode is a diagnostic startup mode in operating systems that loads only essential drivers and services, allowing users to troubleshoot and fix problems caused by non-critical software or hardware.
Key term
System Configuration
System Configuration refers to the specific combination of hardware components, software settings, and operating system parameters that determine how a computer behaves and performs.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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