- A
Performance Monitor
Why wrong: Performance Monitor provides advanced logging and analysis, but it is not the quickest tool for a one-time check of current resource usage.
- B
Resource Monitor
Why wrong: Resource Monitor offers more detailed data than Task Manager, but Task Manager is the most direct tool for this common task.
- C
Task Manager
Task Manager lists all running processes and their CPU/memory usage, allowing you to sort and identify high-consumption processes.
- D
System Configuration (msconfig)
Why wrong: System Configuration is used to manage startup programs and boot settings, not to monitor current resource usage.
Question 620 of 750
Using Task Manager to Identify Resource-Hungry Processes in Windows 10
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of windows administrative tools. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 Windows 10 PC is running slowly and they see many background processes in Task Manager. You need to identify which processes are consuming the most CPU and memory resources without installing any additional software. Which built-in Windows tool should you use?
Quick Answer
The answer is Task Manager, the built-in Windows 10 tool you should use to identify high CPU and memory processes. This is correct because Task Manager provides real-time monitoring of CPU, memory, disk, and network usage per process, allowing you to sort by resource consumption and instantly spot which background processes are hogging system resources without installing any additional software. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your knowledge of native Windows troubleshooting utilities—a common trap is choosing Resource Monitor or Performance Monitor, but the exam expects Task Manager as the first-line tool for quick identification. A helpful memory tip: think of Task Manager as your “first responder” for resource hogs—just press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open it, then click the CPU or Memory column header to sort from highest to lowest usage.
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
✓
Task Manager
Task Manager (Option C) is the correct built-in tool because it provides a real-time, sortable list of all running processes, displaying their CPU and memory usage directly on the Processes tab. This allows you to quickly identify which processes are consuming the most resources without needing to install additional software, as the user specifically requested.
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.
- ✗
Performance Monitor
Why it's wrong here
Performance Monitor provides advanced logging and analysis, but it is not the quickest tool for a one-time check of current resource usage.
- ✗
Resource Monitor
Why it's wrong here
Resource Monitor offers more detailed data than Task Manager, but Task Manager is the most direct tool for this common task.
- ✓
Task Manager
Why this is correct
Task Manager lists all running processes and their CPU/memory usage, allowing you to sort and identify high-consumption processes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
System Configuration (msconfig)
Why it's wrong here
System Configuration is used to manage startup programs and boot settings, not to monitor current resource usage.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Resource Monitor (Option B) as the primary tool for resource monitoring, but the question asks for the tool to 'identify which processes are consuming the most CPU and memory resources' without installing software, and Task Manager is the immediate, built-in solution for that specific task.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Task Manager uses the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and the Native API (NtQuerySystemInformation) to query process performance counters. The Processes tab sorts by CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network columns, and you can right-click a process to analyze its service dependencies or open its file location. In real-world scenarios, a sudden spike in CPU usage from a process like 'svchost.exe' can indicate a misbehaving service, and Task Manager allows you to quickly expand the process to see which service is responsible.
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?
Windows Administrative Tools — This question tests Windows Administrative Tools — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Task Manager — Task Manager (Option C) is the correct built-in tool because it provides a real-time, sortable list of all running processes, displaying their CPU and memory usage directly on the Processes tab. This allows you to quickly identify which processes are consuming the most resources without needing to install additional software, as the user specifically requested.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.
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