220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A technician needs to verify which Windows hotfixes have been installed on a remote Windows 10 computer. Which PowerShell cmdlet should the technician use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the built-in Get-HotFix cmdlet with third-party module cmdlets like Get-WindowsUpdate or Get-UpdateHistory, assuming all update-related commands are native to PowerShell.
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
✓
Get-HotFix
The Get-HotFix cmdlet is the correct PowerShell command to list installed hotfixes (Windows updates) on local or remote Windows systems. It queries the Win32_QuickFixEngineering WMI class, which stores update information from the Windows Update Agent. The -ComputerName parameter allows targeting a remote Windows 10 computer directly.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Get-HotFix
Why this is correct
Get-HotFix is a built-in PowerShell cmdlet that queries the Win32_QuickFixEngineering WMI class, so it is available natively without any additional modules or third-party software. It reliably lists installed hotfixes, such as KB updates, and supports the -ComputerName parameter to query remote machines directly. This makes it the correct, zero-dependency tool for checking hotfix status across a Windows network.
- ✗
Get-WindowsUpdate
Why it's wrong here
Get-WindowsUpdate is a function that only exists after importing the PSWindowsUpdate module, which is not part of the default PowerShell or Windows operating system. It must be installed separately from the PowerShell Gallery or via package management, and it is primarily designed for managing the update lifecycle (scanning, downloading, installing) rather than simply enumerating installed hotfixes. In a clean Windows environment, this command would fail, so it is incorrect for this scenario.
- ✗
Get-Patch
Why it's wrong here
Get-Patch is not a valid or recognized PowerShell cmdlet, alias, or function in any stock Windows environment. Running it produces a CommandNotFoundException, and no official Microsoft module uses this name for package or update retrieval. Since the command simply does not exist, it cannot be used to enumerate installed hotfixes, making it an immediate wrong answer.
- ✗
Get-UpdateHistory
Why it's wrong here
Get-UpdateHistory is not a built-in PowerShell cmdlet in Windows 10 or 11; the 'update history' view is a Settings app feature, and the closest module-based command is Get-WUHistory provided by PSWindowsUpdate. Without installing that module or manually calling COM APIs such as Microsoft.Update.Session, no Get-UpdateHistory command would be available. Therefore, although it sounds plausible, it is not a native tool and is not the correct answer.
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Windows Update Configuration
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.
Key term
PowerShell
PowerShell is a task automation and configuration management framework from Microsoft, consisting of a command-line shell and a scripting language built on the .NET framework.
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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.