- A
Restore the entire file share from the latest snapshot.
Why wrong: Restoring the whole share would overwrite newer changes and violate the requirement to preserve later updates.
- B
Open a snapshot taken before the deletion.
A snapshot from before the deletion contains the missing folder tree in its prior state and is the correct recovery source.
- C
Copy only the deleted folder tree back into the live share.
Copying only the lost folders restores the deleted data while leaving newer changes in the share untouched.
- D
Convert the file share to the Hot access tier.
Why wrong: Access tiers are a blob storage feature and do not recover deleted content from Azure Files snapshots.
- E
Delete the newer folders so the share matches the snapshot exactly.
Why wrong: Deleting newer folders would intentionally discard valid post-deletion changes and is not a targeted recovery method.
Recovering Deleted Folders from Azure File Share Using Snapshots
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. 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 a nested folder tree from an Azure file share yesterday. Other folders in the share were updated after the deletion and must not be rolled back. Which two actions should the administrator take? Select two.
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
Open a snapshot taken before the deletion.
Option B is correct because Azure file share snapshots provide a point-in-time, read-only copy of the entire share. By opening a snapshot taken before the deletion, the administrator can browse the exact folder tree as it existed at that time. Option C is correct because the administrator can copy only the deleted folder tree from the snapshot back into the live share, leaving all other folders (including those updated after the deletion) intact.
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 file share from the latest snapshot.
Why it's wrong here
Restoring the whole share would overwrite newer changes and violate the requirement to preserve later updates.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question stated that no other files were modified after the deletion and the goal is to recover the entire share to its state before the deletion, restoring from the latest snapshot would be correct.
- ✓
Open a snapshot taken before the deletion.
Why this is correct
A snapshot from before the deletion contains the missing folder tree in its prior state and is the correct recovery source.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Copy only the deleted folder tree back into the live share.
Why this is correct
Copying only the lost folders restores the deleted data while leaving newer changes in the share untouched.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Convert the file share to the Hot access tier.
Why it's wrong here
Access tiers are a blob storage feature and do not recover deleted content from Azure Files snapshots.
When this WOULD be correct
An administrator needs to optimize costs for a blob storage account with frequent access patterns. Converting the blob storage account to the Hot access tier would reduce access costs compared to the Cool tier.
- ✗
Delete the newer folders so the share matches the snapshot exactly.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting newer folders would intentionally discard valid post-deletion changes and is not a targeted recovery method.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question required restoring the file share to an exact previous state (e.g., after accidental bulk deletion) and no updates needed to be preserved, deleting newer folders to match a snapshot would be a valid approach.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Open a snapshot taken before the deletion.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
A snapshot from before the deletion contains the missing folder tree in its prior state and is the correct recovery source.
✗Restore the entire file share from the latest snapshot.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Restoring the entire file share from the latest snapshot would roll back all changes, including the updates made after the deletion that must not be rolled back.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question stated that no other files were modified after the deletion and the goal is to recover the entire share to its state before the deletion, restoring from the latest snapshot would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think snapshots are the primary recovery method and overlook the requirement to preserve later updates, assuming a full restore is the only option.
✗Convert the file share to the Hot access tier.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The Hot access tier affects storage costs and performance for blobs, not file shares. It does not provide any mechanism to restore deleted files or folders.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An administrator needs to optimize costs for a blob storage account with frequent access patterns. Converting the blob storage account to the Hot access tier would reduce access costs compared to the Cool tier.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse file shares with blob storage and think that changing the access tier can help with data recovery or performance improvements for deleted files.
✗Delete the newer folders so the share matches the snapshot exactly.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Deleting newer folders to match the snapshot would also remove the updates that must not be rolled back, violating the requirement to preserve those changes.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question required restoring the file share to an exact previous state (e.g., after accidental bulk deletion) and no updates needed to be preserved, deleting newer folders to match a snapshot would be a valid approach.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that restoring from a snapshot requires making the live share identical to the snapshot, and deleting newer folders seems like a direct way to achieve that without understanding that it would discard recent changes.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume the only way to recover deleted data is to restore the entire share from a snapshot, overlooking the ability to mount the snapshot and perform a granular copy of only the deleted items.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure file share snapshots are differential snapshots that capture the state of the share at the time of creation; they are read-only and can be mounted via SMB 3.0 or accessed through the Azure portal. When copying from a snapshot, the administrator can use tools like AzCopy, Azure Storage Explorer, or PowerShell to selectively restore files and folders without affecting other data. This approach leverages the snapshot's VSS (Volume Shadow Copy) functionality, which is commonly used in enterprise environments for granular recovery.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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?
Implement and Manage Storage — This question tests Implement and Manage Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Open a snapshot taken before the deletion. — Option B is correct because Azure file share snapshots provide a point-in-time, read-only copy of the entire share. By opening a snapshot taken before the deletion, the administrator can browse the exact folder tree as it existed at that time. Option C is correct because the administrator can copy only the deleted folder tree from the snapshot back into the live share, leaving all other folders (including those updated after the deletion) intact.
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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Your company stores departmental documents in an Azure file share. Users need to be able to recover previous versions of files that were deleted or modified accidentally. You need a solution that supports recovery at the file share level without deploying additional virtual machines. What should you configure?
hard- A.Enable blob versioning.
- B.Configure Azure File Sync cloud tiering.
- ✓ C.Create share snapshots for the Azure file share.
- D.Enable immutable blob storage.
Why C: Option C is correct because Azure file share snapshots provide point-in-time, read-only copies of the entire file share, allowing users to recover previous versions of files that were deleted or modified accidentally. This feature operates at the file share level without requiring any additional virtual machines, making it a straightforward and cost-effective solution for version recovery.
Variation 2. A finance department stores spreadsheets in an Azure file share. Yesterday a user deleted a subfolder tree, but other folders were modified after that point and must not be rolled back. The administrator wants to restore only the deleted subfolder tree to its state from yesterday. What should the administrator use?
hard- A.Restore the entire share from Azure Backup to the yesterday recovery point.
- ✓ B.Use the Azure Files snapshot taken before the deletion and copy back only the required folders.
- C.Enable blob soft delete on the storage account and then recover the folders.
- D.Create a new file share and use synchronization to merge the deleted content.
Why B: Option B is correct because Azure Files supports snapshot-based restore at the share level. By taking a snapshot before the deletion, the administrator can mount that snapshot as a read-only copy of the share, then copy back only the deleted subfolder tree without affecting any modifications made to other folders after the snapshot was taken. This meets the requirement of restoring only the deleted content while preserving later changes.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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