CompTIA A+ · Domain 8 · 23% of the examCore 2 (220-1202) · Software Troubleshooting
10 practice questions. Tap an option to check it, or open “Show answer” for the explanation.
1. A user's Windows 11 laptop takes several minutes after sign-in before it's usable, and many system tray icons load during that time. What should the technician do first?
Objective 3.1Show answerHide answer
Answer: C. Turn off unneeded programs on Task Manager's Startup apps tab
Too many startup programs is the most common cause of slow sign-ins, and disabling them is quick and low-risk. Reimaging is a last resort, used after less disruptive fixes have failed.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
2. Right after a new graphics driver is installed, a PC crashes with a stop error at every startup. What is the best way to fix it?
Objective 3.1Show answerHide answer
Answer: A. Boot into Safe Mode and roll back the driver in Device Manager
Safe Mode loads only basic drivers, so the PC can boot and Roll Back Driver can restore the previous version. Reinstalling Windows would also work but is far more disruptive than undoing the one change.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
3. Several built-in Windows tools won't open and show errors about missing or corrupted system DLL files. No hardware faults were found. Which command checks and repairs protected Windows system files?
Objective 3.1Show answerHide answer
Answer: B. sfc /scannow
System File Checker scans protected system files and replaces corrupted ones with good copies. chkdsk checks the file system structure and disk sectors, not whether Windows system files are intact.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
4. A user signs in and sees a default desktop with a message saying she's signed in with a temporary profile, and her files and settings are missing. Other users on the PC are fine. What is the best fix?
Objective 3.1Show answerHide answer
Answer: D. Back up her data and rebuild her Windows user profile
A temporary-profile sign-in means her profile is corrupted, and rebuilding it restores a working profile while her data is kept. Reinstalling applications doesn't repair the profile itself.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
5. A user can't install a new app from the official app store; the download starts and then fails. Her phone's storage shows 98% full. What should she do?
Objective 3.2Show answerHide answer
Answer: C. Free up space by removing unused apps or moving photos to cloud storage
An app can't install without enough free storage. A factory reset would free space but wipes everything, which is excessive when removing a few items solves the problem.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
6. Two coworkers are standing next to each other, but one can't see the other's iPhone in AirDrop. What should the technician check?
Objective 3.2Show answerHide answer
Answer: A. That Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on for both phones and AirDrop receiving is set to Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes
AirDrop finds nearby devices over Bluetooth and transfers files over peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, and receiving has to be allowed. Cellular data isn't used for AirDrop at all.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
7. After installing a 'free' version of a paid game from a website as an APK file, a user's Android phone shows pop-ups, uses a lot of data and drains its battery quickly. What should the technician do?
Objective 3.3Show answerHide answer
Answer: D. Uninstall the sideloaded app, run an anti-malware scan, and block installs from unknown sources
APKs from unofficial sources are a common way malware gets onto a phone, so the fix is to remove the app and close the gap it came through. Replacing the battery only treats a symptom of the malicious app.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
8. The company's MDM marks an employee's Android phone as non-compliant and blocks corporate email. The employee admits he rooted the phone to install custom tools. Why did MDM block it?
Objective 3.3Show answerHide answer
Answer: B. Rooting bypasses the OS security model, so the MDM treats the device as compromised
Rooting gives apps unrestricted access, which breaks the OS's sandboxing and security controls, so compliance policies block rooted devices. Storage space has nothing to do with the device's integrity status.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
9. A user's browser home page and default search engine keep changing to an unfamiliar site, and he sees pop-ups even on trusted websites. What is the best first step?
Objective 3.4Show answerHide answer
Answer: C. Remove unfamiliar extensions, reset the browser settings, and run an anti-malware scan
A changed home page, changed search engine and pop-ups point to a browser hijacker, usually a malicious extension or PUP. Flushing DNS doesn't remove the extension that keeps changing the settings.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
10. Every HTTPS website on one user's PC shows a certificate warning, while other PCs on the same network work fine. The taskbar clock shows a date three years in the past. What should the technician do?
Objective 3.4Show answerHide answer
Answer: A. Correct the system date and time, and check the CMOS battery
Browsers check certificate validity dates against the local clock, so a wrong date makes valid certificates look invalid. Turning off warnings hides the symptom and leaves the user open to real attacks.
Checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) · Oct 14, 2026
Original practice questions written from CompTIA’s published exam objectives, not real exam questions. CompTIA is a trademark of CompTIA, Inc.; this site isn’t affiliated with CompTIA.