- A
Restore the entire virtual machine from the most recent recovery point.
Why wrong: This would recover the file, but it is much heavier than necessary and could interrupt the running VM or overwrite recent changes.
- B
Use File Recovery from the Recovery Services vault, mount the recovery point, and copy back the deleted file.
File Recovery is designed for this exact scenario. It mounts a backup recovery point so the administrator can browse the contents and copy back only the missing file, while the production VM continues running without a full restore.
- C
Fail over the VM by using Azure Site Recovery and then copy the file from the replica.
Why wrong: Site Recovery is for disaster recovery failover, not for a simple file-level restore on an otherwise healthy virtual machine.
- D
Create a snapshot of the VM disk and restore the spreadsheet from the snapshot.
Why wrong: Disk snapshots are not the standard Azure Backup workflow for file-level restoration from a protected VM backup.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use File Recovery from the Recovery Services vault, mount the recovery point, and copy back the deleted file. This is correct because Azure Backup for Azure VMs supports file-level recovery from recovery points without requiring a full VM restore; the File Recovery feature mounts the selected recovery point as an iSCSI target directly on the running VM, allowing the administrator to browse and copy the single Excel file back to its original location. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of granular recovery options versus full VM restore or snapshot management, and a common trap is choosing to restore the entire VM or using a manual snapshot, which wastes time and disrupts operations. Remember the memory tip: “Mount, don’t restore” — if you need one file, mount the recovery point via iSCSI rather than spinning up a whole VM.
AZ-104 Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of monitor and maintain azure resources. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 deleted one Excel file from a Windows Server VM that is protected by Azure Backup. The VM must keep running, and the administrator must restore only that file as quickly as possible. What should the administrator do?
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
Use File Recovery from the Recovery Services vault, mount the recovery point, and copy back the deleted file.
Azure Backup for Azure VMs supports file-level recovery from recovery points without restoring the entire VM. The File Recovery feature mounts the recovery point as an iSCSI target on the VM, allowing the administrator to browse and copy the deleted Excel file directly. This is the fastest method because it avoids the overhead of a full VM restore or snapshot management.
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.
- ✗
Restore the entire virtual machine from the most recent recovery point.
Why it's wrong here
This would recover the file, but it is much heavier than necessary and could interrupt the running VM or overwrite recent changes.
- ✓
Use File Recovery from the Recovery Services vault, mount the recovery point, and copy back the deleted file.
Why this is correct
File Recovery is designed for this exact scenario. It mounts a backup recovery point so the administrator can browse the contents and copy back only the missing file, while the production VM continues running without a full restore.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Fail over the VM by using Azure Site Recovery and then copy the file from the replica.
Why it's wrong here
Site Recovery is for disaster recovery failover, not for a simple file-level restore on an otherwise healthy virtual machine.
- ✗
Create a snapshot of the VM disk and restore the spreadsheet from the snapshot.
Why it's wrong here
Disk snapshots are not the standard Azure Backup workflow for file-level restoration from a protected VM backup.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume a full VM restore is required for any file recovery, overlooking the Azure Backup File Recovery feature which provides granular, in-place restoration without disrupting the running VM.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Backup's File Recovery works by mounting the selected recovery point as an iSCSI target on the VM, using the Azure Backup service to expose the VHD contents over the network. The administrator runs a PowerShell script or uses the Azure portal to attach the recovery point, then copies the file via standard file copy tools (e.g., robocopy or drag-and-drop). This process is supported for Windows VMs and leverages the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to ensure application-consistent snapshots, making it suitable for restoring individual files from Excel or other applications.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — This question tests Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use File Recovery from the Recovery Services vault, mount the recovery point, and copy back the deleted file. — Azure Backup for Azure VMs supports file-level recovery from recovery points without restoring the entire VM. The File Recovery feature mounts the recovery point as an iSCSI target on the VM, allowing the administrator to browse and copy the deleted Excel file directly. This is the fastest method because it avoids the overhead of a full VM restore or snapshot management.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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