Question 184 of 750

Virtualization and Cloud Technologies →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Performance Impact of Dynamically Expanding Virtual Hard Disks

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of virtualization and cloud technologies. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.

A user reports that their virtual machine running on a Type 2 hypervisor is extremely slow, especially during disk operations. The host machine has 16 GB of RAM and an SSD, but the VM is configured with 2 GB of RAM and a 100 GB dynamically expanding virtual hard disk. What is the most likely cause of the performance issue?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

A
The VM has insufficient RAM allocated.
Why wrong: While 2 GB of RAM is low, the symptom is specifically disk slowness, not general system sluggishness or out-of-memory errors.
B
The host is running out of physical memory.
Why wrong: The host has 16 GB of RAM, which is more than enough for a single VM with 2 GB; memory pressure is unlikely.
C
The virtual hard disk type is dynamically expanding.
Dynamically expanding disks grow on demand, causing fragmentation and slower I/O compared to fixed-size disks.
D
The VM is using an older version of the virtualization software.
Why wrong: Software version could affect features, but the disk type is a more direct and common cause of disk performance issues.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is the dynamically expanding virtual hard disk type. When a dynamically expanding VHD is used, the disk file starts small and grows as data is written, which leads to significant fragmentation and increased I/O overhead as the hypervisor must constantly manage file expansion during disk operations. This fragmentation directly causes the reported slowness, especially on a Type 2 hypervisor where the host OS handles the file system. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your understanding of virtual hard disk performance trade-offs; a common trap is blaming insufficient RAM or CPU, but the VM’s 2 GB allocation is adequate for basic tasks. Remember the memory tip: “Dynamic grows slow, fixed is fast—pre-allocate to eliminate the drag.”

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

✓

The virtual hard disk type is dynamically expanding.

A dynamically expanding virtual hard disk grows in size as data is written, but it does not pre-allocate the full 100 GB. This causes significant overhead because every write operation requires the hypervisor to update the disk's metadata and expand the underlying file, leading to poor I/O performance, especially on a Type 2 hypervisor where the host OS manages the file system. The SSD helps, but the dynamic expansion still introduces latency that a fixed-size VHD would avoid.

Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
The VM has insufficient RAM allocated.
Why it's wrong here
While 2 GB of RAM is low, the symptom is specifically disk slowness, not general system sluggishness or out-of-memory errors.
✗
The host is running out of physical memory.
Why it's wrong here
The host has 16 GB of RAM, which is more than enough for a single VM with 2 GB; memory pressure is unlikely.
✓
The virtual hard disk type is dynamically expanding.
Why this is correct
Dynamically expanding disks grow on demand, causing fragmentation and slower I/O compared to fixed-size disks.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The VM is using an older version of the virtualization software.
Why it's wrong here
Software version could affect features, but the disk type is a more direct and common cause of disk performance issues.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

CompTIA A+ often tests the misconception that RAM or host memory is the primary cause of VM slowness, but the specific symptom of slow disk operations points directly to the virtual hard disk type, not memory allocation.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, a dynamically expanding VHD (e.g., .vhd or .vhdx) uses a sparse file that grows in chunks (typically 2 MB increments). Each write to a new block triggers a file system metadata update on the host, which is slower than writing to pre-allocated space. In contrast, a fixed-size VHD allocates all blocks at creation, eliminating this overhead. Real-world scenarios include database servers or high-I/O applications where dynamic disks cause noticeable latency, often leading administrators to convert to fixed disks or use pass-through disks.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.

TExam Day Tips

Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.

Key takeaway

Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A practitioner preparing for the 220-1202 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 220-1202 question test?

Virtualization and Cloud Technologies — This question tests Virtualization and Cloud Technologies — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The virtual hard disk type is dynamically expanding. — A dynamically expanding virtual hard disk grows in size as data is written, but it does not pre-allocate the full 100 GB. This causes significant overhead because every write operation requires the hypervisor to update the disk's metadata and expand the underlying file, leading to poor I/O performance, especially on a Type 2 hypervisor where the host OS manages the file system. The SSD helps, but the dynamic expansion still introduces latency that a fixed-size VHD would avoid.

What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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