Try 10 focused CompTIA A+ 220-1202 questions on Software Troubleshooting, with explanations, then continue with IT Mastery.
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| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam route | CompTIA A+ 220-1202 |
| Topic area | Software Troubleshooting |
| Blueprint weight | 22% |
| Page purpose | Focused sample questions before returning to mixed practice |
Use this page to isolate Software Troubleshooting for CompTIA A+ 220-1202. Work through the 10 questions first, then review the explanations and return to mixed practice in IT Mastery.
| Pass | What to do | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| First attempt | Answer without checking the explanation first. | The fact, rule, calculation, or judgment point that controlled your answer. |
| Review | Read the explanation even when you were correct. | Why the best answer is stronger than the closest distractor. |
| Repair | Repeat only missed or uncertain items after a short break. | The pattern behind misses, not the answer letter. |
| Transfer | Return to mixed practice once the topic feels stable. | Whether the same skill holds up when the topic is no longer obvious. |
Blueprint context: 22% of the practice outline. A focused topic score can overstate readiness if you recognize the pattern too quickly, so use it as repair work before timed mixed sets.
These questions are original IT Mastery practice items aligned to this topic area. They are designed for self-assessment and are not official exam questions.
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
A user on a 5GB/month mobile data plan reports that their Android phone has become hot, the battery is draining quickly, and they received a data-usage limit alert after only a few days. They say they mainly checked email and did light web browsing.
You ask the user to open the phone’s mobile data usage screen and send a screenshot.
Exhibit: App data usage (mobile data – last 24 hours)
| App | Foreground | Background | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45MB | 10MB | 55MB | |
| Browser | 120MB | 25MB | 145MB |
| Free VPN Unlimited | 15MB | 2,300MB | 2.3GB |
| Maps | 30MB | 5MB | 35MB |
Based on this information, which action is the MOST appropriate next step to address the likely cause of the issue?
Options:
A. Reset the phone’s network settings to clear any incorrect carrier or APN configuration
B. Uninstall or disable the Free VPN Unlimited app and then recheck data and battery usage
C. Contact the mobile carrier to increase the user’s monthly data limit
D. Enable the phone’s general data-saver/low data mode and keep all apps installed
Best answer: B
Explanation: The exhibit shows mobile data usage per app for the last 24 hours. Three apps (Mail, Browser, Maps) each use tens or low-hundreds of megabytes, which is consistent with normal use. In contrast, Free VPN Unlimited shows 2.3GB total, almost all of it as background data.
This huge background usage lines up with the user’s symptoms: rapid data cap consumption, high device temperature, and fast battery drain even though the user reports only light foreground activity. A VPN app that transmits large amounts of data in the background, especially when the user is not actively browsing, is a strong sign of a misconfigured, misbehaving, or potentially malicious app.
Therefore, the most appropriate next step is to remove or disable that specific app and then monitor the device to confirm that data and battery usage return to normal. Other measures like data saver or higher data limits do not address the root cause shown in the exhibit.
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
A sales employee reports that their corporate Android phone has become very slow and hot, and they are getting daily warnings from the carrier that they are close to their mobile data limit. The user says this started a few days after installing a free wallpaper app from an unknown website, but all other users on the same Wi‑Fi and carrier are fine. The company wants to stop the unexpected data use, keep required business apps, and improve the phone’s security without unnecessary disruption. Which action should the technician take FIRST to best meet these goals?
Options:
A. Ask the mobile carrier to increase the user’s data plan so the warnings stop
B. Tell the user to rely only on public Wi‑Fi hotspots during the day to avoid using cellular data
C. Perform a full factory reset and restore all apps and data from the most recent cloud backup
D. Use the phone’s Settings to review cellular data and battery usage by app, then uninstall or restrict any recently installed app showing unusually high background usage
Best answer: D
Explanation: The scenario strongly suggests that a specific, recently installed app is responsible for the sudden spike in data usage, degraded performance, and the device running hot. On Android and iOS, the operating system provides per‑app statistics for cellular data and battery usage. Reviewing these stats allows a technician to correlate abnormal activity with a particular app.
By opening the phone’s Settings and examining which apps have unusually high background data and battery consumption—especially recently installed apps from untrusted sources—the technician can identify the likely culprit. Uninstalling or restricting that app addresses the root cause, reduces unexpected data usage, and improves security, while keeping legitimate business apps intact.
This approach is targeted, minimally disruptive, and follows best practices for troubleshooting suspected mobile malware or misbehaving apps: identify the specific app causing issues, remove or contain it, then reinforce safe app‑installation practices (such as using only official app stores or managed app catalogs).
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
A user’s corporate-managed Android smartphone cannot install updates for a commonly used productivity app from the official app store. The error message mentions “insufficient storage.” The device also contains many large personal videos and photos. Which of the following actions should the technician AVOID? (Select TWO.)
Options:
A. Ask the user to restart the smartphone and then try updating the app again from the official app store.
B. Have the user delete several unneeded videos and photos to free storage space, then attempt the app update again.
C. Open the app store settings and clear its cache and temporary data before retrying the installation from the official store.
D. Perform an immediate factory reset of the smartphone without first backing up data or attempting basic troubleshooting steps.
E. Instruct the user to download the app’s APK file from a third-party website and install it manually instead of using the app store.
Correct answers: D and E
Explanation: In this scenario, the device shows an “insufficient storage” error when updating an app from the official store. For mobile app installation and update issues, a technician should start with basic, low-risk steps: restarting the device, freeing storage, and clearing app store cache or data. These steps directly address common causes of failed updates and do not endanger user data or device security.
Two proposed actions stand out as unsafe or inappropriate. Sideloading an APK from an untrusted third-party site bypasses the protections of the official app store and can violate corporate security policies, increasing the risk of malware or unauthorized app versions. Performing an immediate factory reset without backup or escalation unnecessarily erases data and skips standard troubleshooting, violating good operational procedure and user data protection principles.
The best practice is to work within official channels (the app store, MDM policies) and to try simple, reversible fixes before considering drastic actions such as a factory reset.
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
A user’s Windows 11 laptop began showing a blue screen with the stop code SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED immediately after the user installed a new graphics driver. The system now crashes a few minutes after each normal boot. Which of the following actions should the technician NOT perform while troubleshooting this issue?
Options:
A. Download an unverified third-party “registry cleaner” tool and let it automatically remove large numbers of registry entries without a backup
B. Review the System log in Event Viewer for critical errors and driver-related events around the time of the crashes
C. Boot into Safe Mode and roll back the graphics driver in Device Manager
D. Use System Restore from the Windows Recovery Environment to revert to a restore point created before the driver update
Best answer: A
Explanation: In this scenario, the BSOD started immediately after installing a new graphics driver, making that driver the most likely cause. A+ technicians should start with simple, low-risk troubleshooting steps that directly relate to the recent change, using built-in tools such as Safe Mode, Device Manager, System Restore, and Event Viewer.
Booting into Safe Mode loads only essential drivers, which often prevents the faulty driver from loading, allowing you to roll it back in Device Manager. System Restore can revert the system configuration (including drivers and registry settings) to a known-good restore point prior to the problematic update. Event Viewer’s System log can confirm driver-related errors and help verify the root cause.
Using unverified third-party registry cleaners that automatically delete large numbers of entries is an example of an unsafe, unsupported troubleshooting method. It does not specifically target the suspected graphics driver problem, can introduce new errors, and violates the principle of using vendor-supported, low-risk tools and always maintaining a backup before making major changes to the registry or system configuration.
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
A user reports that after installing a “free video player” add-on in Microsoft Edge, every search is redirected to an unknown site and extra ads now appear on all pages. Company policy is to preserve the user’s bookmarks and history. Which action is the BEST way to resolve this issue?
Options:
A. Run a full antivirus scan and leave the browser configuration unchanged if no threats are found
B. Uninstall Microsoft Edge, delete the user’s profile folder, and then reinstall Edge from Microsoft’s website
C. Clear the browser cache and cookies and then restart Edge
D. Open Edge’s Extensions settings, remove the suspicious add-on, and reset Edge settings to their defaults while keeping saved data
Best answer: D
Explanation: This scenario describes a classic browser hijack caused by an unwanted or malicious extension. The user installed a “free video player” add-on, after which search redirection and extra ads began appearing. That timing strongly suggests the add-on is responsible.
Modern browsers such as Microsoft Edge include an Extensions manager and a reset feature. Removing suspicious extensions directly addresses hijacked search engines and injected ads. Using the reset feature restores default search, start page, and other settings while typically preserving bookmarks and history, which satisfies the policy requirement.
More destructive approaches, such as deleting the entire browser profile or uninstalling and reinstalling the browser, are not appropriate as first steps when safer, built-in tools can resolve the issue and protect user data. Cache clearing and antivirus alone do not reliably remove a malicious extension or reverse its configuration changes.
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
A help-desk policy states that if a technician observes signs such as recurring malware alerts, unknown processes that immediately restart after being ended, or unexplained outbound connections, they must stop normal troubleshooting and immediately follow the documented malware-removal playbook or escalate to security. Which underlying principle does this policy BEST illustrate?
Options:
A. Implementing defense in depth with multiple security layers
B. Using change management for all system modifications
C. Following documented incident-response and escalation procedures
D. Enforcing least privilege for user accounts
Best answer: C
Explanation: The scenario describes a support policy that tells technicians to watch for certain warning signs of malware (recurring alerts, processes that respawn, strange outbound traffic). When they see these, they must stop normal troubleshooting and switch to a formal malware-removal or escalation process.
This is not about adding more technical controls or limiting permissions; it is about how technicians respond when specific symptoms appear. That behavior aligns with the principle of following documented incident-response and escalation procedures so security issues are handled consistently, safely, and thoroughly.
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
A remote employee uses a Windows 11 laptop that is joined to the company domain. Their domain account is configured with a roaming profile. When working from home without VPN, sign-in sits at “Preparing Windows” for several minutes, and after a week the system clock is 10–15 minutes fast, causing authentication issues. The user only connects to VPN occasionally. You are allowed to change settings on this laptop but must keep the same domain sign-in and preserve the user’s data.
Which action combination BEST improves the user’s experience while minimizing ongoing dependence on the VPN?
Options:
A. Reimage the laptop and recreate the same roaming profile from scratch to remove possible profile corruption
B. Require the user to connect to the VPN before every sign-in so the roaming profile and time can sync with the domain controller
C. Reconfigure the user to use a local (non-roaming) profile on the laptop and set Windows Time to sync with a reliable internet NTP server
D. Leave the roaming profile in place but change Windows Time to sync only with an internet NTP server
Best answer: C
Explanation: The scenario combines two related issues for a mostly remote, domain-joined Windows 11 laptop: slow logons and time drift. Both are common when a user account uses a roaming profile and the computer infrequently reaches the domain controller.
A roaming profile is stored on a network server and downloaded at sign-in. When a user signs in away from the corporate network and without VPN, Windows may spend significant time trying to contact the profile server or reconciling cached data, leading to long “Preparing Windows” delays.
Similarly, domain-joined Windows clients normally synchronize their clocks with a domain controller. If the laptop rarely reaches the corporate network, the clock can drift significantly, eventually causing problems with authentication, certificates, and time-sensitive applications.
The best fix is to adapt the configuration to the user’s actual usage pattern. Changing the account to use a local (non-roaming) profile keeps all user data on the laptop and avoids network dependencies during sign-in. Configuring Windows Time to use a public NTP server allows accurate time sync even when the device is off the domain network, resolving the drift. This combination improves the user’s experience while preserving the same domain sign-in and data, and it does not require the user to change daily habits or rely on always-on VPN.
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
Which underlying condition is most likely causing a modern smartphone to feel sluggish, occasionally freeze, and repeatedly show “Storage almost full” warnings?
Options:
A. A weak or aging battery that no longer holds a charge
B. Poor cellular signal strength from the carrier
C. Very low free internal storage space on the device
D. Too many apps open in the background using RAM
Best answer: C
Explanation: The combination of sluggish performance, occasional freezes, and repeated “Storage almost full” warnings clearly points to a lack of free internal storage space. Modern mobile operating systems need free space for caches, temporary files, app data, and OS updates. When storage is almost full, they struggle to manage data efficiently, which can slow down the device and cause apps or the OS to freeze.
Other factors such as many background apps, poor signal, or a weak battery can cause other kinds of problems, but they do not normally generate storage warnings. The key clue in the scenario is the explicit “Storage almost full” message, which directly indicates low available storage as the primary issue.
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
Which TWO actions are appropriate first responses when a user reports that a recently installed mobile app seems suspicious on their Android or iOS device? (Select TWO.)
Options:
A. Use the app permissions screen to revoke unnecessary access such as camera, microphone, location, and SMS for that app
B. Open the device’s app settings and uninstall the suspicious app using the normal removal process
C. Install additional apps from untrusted third‑party stores that claim to scan and “clean” the suspicious app
D. Root or jailbreak the device so you can forcibly delete the app and its system files
E. Leave the app installed and wait for the next OS update, since platform patches will automatically remove malicious apps
Correct answers: A and B
Explanation: When a user reports a suspicious mobile app, technicians should first rely on the device’s built‑in management tools and official app stores. The safest standard responses are to uninstall the suspicious app through the normal app settings and to restrict or revoke its permissions. These actions reduce or remove the app’s ability to run and access sensitive data, without weakening the device’s overall security model.
More extreme steps such as rooting or jailbreaking create additional risk and are outside normal support procedures. Likewise, ignoring the issue or installing more software from untrusted sources can make the situation worse, not better.
Topic: Software Troubleshooting
Which TWO of the following statements about troubleshooting a web browser that is showing frequent pop-ups, redirects, and a hijacked search engine are correct? (Select TWO.)
Options:
A. Disabling the browser’s built-in pop-up blocker usually stops malicious pop-up windows.
B. Ignoring certificate warnings is acceptable when a browser is already showing signs of hijacking, since the connection is likely unsafe anyway.
C. Resetting the browser to its default settings can help undo unwanted homepage and search-engine changes.
D. Removing suspicious or unknown browser extensions/add-ons is an appropriate early remediation step.
E. Clearing the browser cache and cookies always removes any installed adware from the system.
Correct answers: C and D
Explanation: Frequent pop-ups, redirects, and a hijacked search engine are classic symptoms of browser-based malware, such as adware or a malicious extension. A support technician’s goal is to remove the unwanted components and restore the browser to a known-good configuration while maintaining security.
Removing suspicious extensions or add-ons is one of the most effective first steps because many browser hijackers install themselves as extensions. After that, performing a browser reset can clear persistent customizations to the homepage, new tab page, and default search provider that normal settings changes cannot easily fix.
Other steps, like clearing cache and cookies, may help with privacy and minor issues but will not remove installed malware by themselves. Similarly, weakening security features (turning off pop-up blocking or ignoring certificate warnings) increases risk and does not address the root cause of the problem.
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