FC0-U71 Applications and Software Practice Question
A user is configuring backup software on a workstation. The user wants the backup job to run automatically every night, capture only files that changed since the last run, and avoid re-copying files that have not been modified. The backup destination is a local external drive. Which backup type should the user select?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse differential with incremental, since both copy changed files but on different reference points.
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
✓
Incremental backup
The requirement is to capture only data that changed since the previous backup while skipping untouched files. Incremental backups track the last backup of any kind and copy only newly modified files, keeping each nightly run minimal. Full backups duplicate everything, differential backups re-copy all changes since the last full backup, and mirror backups replicate the current state without version history, so none of those match the stated goals.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Mirror backup
Why it's wrong here
A mirror backup maintains an exact duplicate of the source, so deletions propagate to the destination and there is no version history. It copies the current state of every file rather than only changed ones, which does not satisfy the goal of capturing just modified files and protecting against accidental deletion or corruption.
- ✓
Incremental backup
Why this is correct
An incremental backup copies only the files that changed since the most recent backup of any type. Each nightly run captures just the newly modified data, which directly satisfies both requirements: automatically capturing changes and avoiding re-copying files that were untouched since the previous run, while keeping each job small and fast.
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Differential backup
Why it's wrong here
A differential backup copies all files changed since the last full backup, so files modified early in the week are copied again on each subsequent run. This grows larger over time and re-copies data that has not changed since the previous differential, failing the requirement to avoid re-copying unmodified files on each nightly run.
- ✗
Full backup
Why it's wrong here
A full backup copies every selected file on every run regardless of whether it changed. This meets the automatic nightly requirement but violates the goals of capturing only changed files and avoiding re-copying unmodified data, since each run would duplicate the entire data set and consume far more time and destination space.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 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 FC0-U71 exam.