This MD-102 practice question tests your understanding of manage and maintain devices. 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.
You are implementing Windows Autopilot for your organization. You need to ensure that during the first boot, the device automatically enrolls in Microsoft Intune and joins Microsoft Entra ID. What is the minimum requirement for the device?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
The device must have a local administrator account.
Why wrong: Not required.
The device must be joined to an on-premises Active Directory domain.
Why wrong: Autopilot can join Entra ID directly.
The device must have a TPM 2.0 chip.
Why wrong: TPM 2.0 is only required for self-deploying mode.
The device must be registered in Autopilot with a valid profile.
Autopilot requires registration and profile assignment.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The device must be registered in Autopilot with a valid profile.
Option D is correct because Windows Autopilot requires the device to be registered in the Autopilot service with a valid profile assigned. This profile contains the settings that dictate the out-of-box experience (OOBE), including automatic enrollment into Microsoft Intune and joining Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). Without a registered Autopilot profile, the device will not trigger the automated enrollment and join process during first boot.
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.
The device must have a local administrator account.
Why it's wrong here
Not required.
The device must be joined to an on-premises Active Directory domain.
Why it's wrong here
Autopilot can join Entra ID directly.
The device must have a TPM 2.0 chip.
Why it's wrong here
TPM 2.0 is only required for self-deploying mode.
The device must be registered in Autopilot with a valid profile.
Why this is correct
Autopilot requires registration and profile assignment.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "first", "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse hardware prerequisites (like TPM 2.0) with the mandatory requirement of a registered Autopilot profile, leading them to select Option C instead of D.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Autopilot uses the device's hardware hash (collected during registration) to match it to a profile in the Microsoft Intune tenant. During OOBE, the device contacts the Autopilot deployment service via the internet, downloads the profile, and executes the configured enrollment steps—such as enrolling in Intune via the MDM enrollment protocol (MS-MDE) and joining Entra ID using the device registration protocol. A real-world scenario where this matters is when an organization deploys devices to remote users: without a valid profile, the device would present the standard OOBE and require manual configuration, defeating the purpose of zero-touch deployment.
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 and maintain devices — This question tests Manage and maintain devices — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The device must be registered in Autopilot with a valid profile. — Option D is correct because Windows Autopilot requires the device to be registered in the Autopilot service with a valid profile assigned. This profile contains the settings that dictate the out-of-box experience (OOBE), including automatic enrollment into Microsoft Intune and joining Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). Without a registered Autopilot profile, the device will not trigger the automated enrollment and join process during first boot.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first", "minimum / minimize". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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