Quick Answer
The answer is to restart the device, check and adjust Update Rings policy deferral settings, and verify the device has installed the required updates. This is correct because a "Pending restart" status in Intune indicates that updates have been downloaded but not applied, and the device remains non-compliant until the restart completes the installation. On the MD-102 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Update Rings deferral periods can delay update installation, creating a common trap where candidates assume the device is compliant once updates are downloaded. The key technical concept is that compliance is evaluated based on installed updates, not pending ones, so a restart is mandatory to trigger the compliance state change. A useful memory tip is "Restart to Reset Compliance"—the reboot finalizes the update installation and forces Intune to re-evaluate the device’s compliance status, clearing the pending restart flag.
This MD-102 practice question tests your understanding of manage, maintain, and protect devices. 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 company uses Microsoft Intune to manage devices. They have a Windows 10 device that is non-compliant due to missing required updates. The administrator reviews the device and sees the update status shows 'Pending restart'. Which THREE actions should the administrator take to resolve the compliance issue?
Check the Update Rings policy for deferral settings.
Deferrals may delay update installation.
Sync the device with Intune.
Sync triggers a compliance evaluation.
Restart the device.
Restart completes the update installation.
Wait for the automatic restart from the compliance policy.
Why wrong: Compliance policy does not force restart.
Re-enroll the device in Intune.
Why wrong: Re-enrollment is not required.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Check the Update Rings policy for deferral settings.
Option A is correct because Update Rings policy deferral settings can delay the installation of required updates, causing the device to show a 'Pending restart' status without actually applying the updates. By checking and adjusting these deferral settings, the administrator can ensure updates are installed promptly, resolving the non-compliance issue.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Check the Update Rings policy for deferral settings.
Why this is correct
Deferrals may delay update installation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Sync the device with Intune.
Why this is correct
Sync triggers a compliance evaluation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Restart the device.
Why this is correct
Restart completes the update installation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Wait for the automatic restart from the compliance policy.
Why it's wrong here
Compliance policy does not force restart.
Re-enroll the device in Intune.
Why it's wrong here
Re-enrollment is not required.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may assume waiting for an automatic restart (Option D) is sufficient, but Intune compliance policies do not enforce restarts; the administrator must take proactive steps like syncing and restarting to resolve the pending restart state.
Detailed technical explanation
In Intune, Update Rings use Windows Update for Business policies to control update behavior, including deferral periods measured in days. When a device has a 'Pending restart' status, it indicates that updates have been downloaded but not installed due to a pending reboot, which can be triggered manually or via a scheduled restart from the Update Ring policy. The compliance policy evaluates update installation status, not restart status, so a pending restart directly causes non-compliance until the reboot completes.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
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FAQ
Manage, maintain, and protect devices — This question tests Manage, maintain, and protect devices — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Check the Update Rings policy for deferral settings. — Option A is correct because Update Rings policy deferral settings can delay the installation of required updates, causing the device to show a 'Pending restart' status without actually applying the updates. By checking and adjusting these deferral settings, the administrator can ensure updates are installed promptly, resolving the non-compliance issue.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This MD-102 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft 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 MD-102 exam.
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