CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 Practice Test: 20 Free Questions with Answers

Twenty questions in the exam's domain weights, each with its answer and the reason. The full course has 235 explained questions plus generated math items, scored tests in the real exam's format, and lessons built from what you miss.

1. A technician must format a 128 GB flash drive to carry 9 GB video files between a Windows PC and a Mac. Which filesystem should be used?

   1. NTFS
   2. exFAT
   3. FAT32
   4. ext4
   Show the answer

   Answer: B. exFAT has no 4 GB file limit and is read and written by Windows, macOS, and Linux. FAT32 caps files at 4 GB, NTFS is read-only on macOS without extra software, and ext4 is Linux-only.

   From the lesson Operating System Types, Filesystems, Life Cycles, and Compatibility.

2. A new laptop shipped with Windows 11 Home cannot be joined to the company's Active Directory domain. What is the BEST solution?

   1. Reinstall Windows 11 Home
   2. Enable the TPM and Secure Boot in the firmware settings
   3. Upgrade the edition to Windows 11 Pro
   4. Switch the PC to a workgroup
   Show the answer

   Answer: C. Home editions cannot join a domain. An edition upgrade to Pro (by entering a Pro key) is done in place and adds domain join, BitLocker, Remote Desktop hosting, and Group Policy Editor.

   From the lesson Windows Editions, Feature Differences, Upgrade Paths, and Hardware Requirements.

3. A technician must install Windows on 40 identical desktops in a new office as efficiently as possible. Which method is BEST?

   1. A clean install from a USB drive on each PC
   2. Restoring each PC's recovery partition
   3. A repair installation on each PC
   4. Image deployment
   Show the answer

   Answer: D. Image deployment prepares one reference machine, captures its image, and copies it to many PCs, often over the network, producing identical systems quickly.

   From the lesson Installing and Upgrading Windows: Boot Methods, Installation Types, Partitioning, and Upgrade Considerations.

4. A video editing application lists a dedicated graphics card with 6 GB of VRAM as a requirement. The office PCs use integrated graphics. What is the correct conclusion?

   1. The PCs need a dedicated graphics card or replacement workstations
   2. Updating the graphics driver will meet the requirement
   3. Adding 16 GB of system RAM will satisfy the VRAM requirement because integrated graphics share it
   4. The application will run in compatibility mode
   Show the answer

   Answer: A. Integrated graphics borrows system RAM and does not provide dedicated VRAM. Meeting the requirement means installing a graphics card or using a workstation that has one.

   From the lesson Installing Applications and Cloud Productivity Tools: Requirements, Distribution, Impact, and Cloud Services.

5. A service failed to start overnight and a technician wants to know why. Which tool shows the error?

   1. Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc)
   2. Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc)
   3. Certificate Manager (certmgr.msc)
   4. Task Scheduler (taskschd.msc)
   Show the answer

   Answer: B. Event Viewer's System log records service failures with the reason. Application errors are in the Application log and logon audits in the Security log.

   From the lesson Task Manager and the MMC Snap-Ins.

6. A vendor requires proof that a PC boots in UEFI mode with Secure Boot enabled. Which utility shows this without rebooting?

   1. Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr)
   2. System Configuration (msconfig)
   3. System Information (msinfo32)
   4. Registry Editor (regedit)
   Show the answer

   Answer: C. System Information's summary lists BIOS Mode (Legacy or UEFI) and Secure Boot State, along with hardware, drivers, and software inventory.

   From the lesson The Other Windows Utilities: msinfo32, resmon, msconfig, cleanmgr, dfrgui, and regedit.

7. A company wants to stop unauthorized people from slipping into the building behind badge-carrying employees. Which physical control BEST addresses this?

   1. Bollards at the entrance
   2. An access control vestibule
   3. A magnetometer
   4. Additional exterior lighting
   Show the answer

   Answer: B. An access control vestibule is a two-door space where the second door opens only after the first closes and the person is verified, one person at a time. It defeats tailgating. Bollards stop vehicles, magnetometers find metal, and lighting deters.

   From the lesson Physical Security and Physical Access Controls.

8. A receptionist's account was found to be a member of the local Administrators group on every PC. Which security principle does this violate?

   1. Zero Trust
   2. Single sign-on, because one credential reaches every PC
   3. Principle of least privilege
   4. Just-in-time access
   Show the answer

   Answer: C. Least privilege gives each account only the rights its job requires. A receptionist does not need administrator rights, and granting them lets any malware running as that user take over the machine.

   From the lesson Logical Security: Least Privilege, Zero Trust, ACLs, MFA, SAML, SSO, JIT, PAM, MDM, DLP, IAM, and Directory Services.

9. A technician is configuring a new access point and all client devices support the latest standards. Which wireless security setting should be selected?

   1. WPA2 with TKIP
   2. WEP with a 128-bit key
   3. WPA with TKIP
   4. WPA3
   Show the answer

   Answer: D. WPA3 is the current standard, using SAE for the handshake, forward secrecy, and protected management frames. TKIP and WEP are deprecated and insecure.

   From the lesson Wireless Security Protocols and Authentication Methods.

10. A user installed what appeared to be a free video codec, and the machine later began accepting remote commands from an attacker. What type of malware was the codec?

    1. A trojan
    2. A boot sector virus
    3. A virus
    4. Adware
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. A trojan disguises itself as useful software and, once run, installs a backdoor or drops other malware. It does not spread by itself; the user installs it.

    From the lesson Malware Types and the Tools That Fight Them.

11. A user receives a text message claiming a package is on hold and asking them to tap a link and confirm payment details. What kind of attack is this?

    1. Vishing
    2. Smishing
    3. Whaling
    4. Shoulder surfing
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Smishing is phishing delivered by SMS text message. Vishing is by voice call, whaling targets executives, and shoulder surfing is watching a screen or keyboard.

    From the lesson Social Engineering, Threats, and Vulnerabilities.

12. A folder is shared with the share permission Full Control for Everyone, and the NTFS permission for the Sales group is Read. What can a Sales user do when accessing the folder over the network?

    1. Full Control
    2. Modify files
    3. Read only
    4. Nothing; access is denied
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Over the network the effective permission is the most restrictive combination of share and NTFS permissions. Full Control at the share layer and Read at the NTFS layer results in Read.

    From the lesson Windows Security Settings: Defender, Firewall, Accounts, Sign-In, NTFS and Share Permissions, and UAC.

13. A workstation began showing a blue screen with the same stop code right after a new graphics driver was installed. What should the technician do FIRST?

    1. Replace the RAM
    2. Boot to safe mode and roll back the driver
    3. Reinstall Windows
    4. Run a full antivirus scan, since stop codes right after an install usually mean a bundled infection
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. A crash that follows a specific change points at that change. Safe mode loads minimal drivers so the machine starts, and rolling back the driver undoes the change. Reinstalling is far down the ladder.

    From the lesson Windows Symptoms: From Blue Screens to Time Drift.

14. The command sfc /scannow reports that it found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. What should the technician run NEXT?

    1. chkdsk /f, because the corrupt system files sit in bad sectors that only a disk check can repair
    2. Reset this PC
    3. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, then sfc again
    4. format C:
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. When sfc cannot repair, the component store it draws from is damaged. DISM with RestoreHealth repairs that store, after which sfc can complete.

    From the lesson The Windows Repair Toolbox: Safe Mode, WinRE, sfc, DISM, chkdsk, Restore, Reset, Profiles.

15. A window appears stating that the PC has 37 infections and provides a phone number for immediate support. The organization does not use that product. What is this?

    1. A legitimate Windows Defender alert
    2. A Windows Update prompt
    3. A firewall notification
    4. A rogue antivirus showing false alerts
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. False alerts from a product that was never installed are scareware. Do not call or pay; run the real, updated antimalware from a clean boot and remove the program and extensions.

    From the lesson PC Security Symptoms and Browser Symptoms.

16. A phone's operating system update fails repeatedly. The phone is at 25 percent battery on cellular data with almost no free storage. What should the user do?

    1. Charge the phone, connect to Wi-Fi, and free up storage
    2. Factory reset the phone so the update can download onto a clean installation over cellular data
    3. Enable developer mode
    4. Replace the SIM card
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. OS updates need sufficient storage, a charged battery (usually 50 percent or a charger), and typically Wi-Fi. Meeting those prerequisites resolves most update failures.

    From the lesson Mobile OS and Application Issues.

17. A ticket reads only 'computer broken.' Which ticketing best practice is missing?

    1. An escalation level
    2. A service-level agreement stating how fast the ticket must be answered and resolved
    3. An asset tag
    4. A clear, concise issue description with facts
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. The issue description should state what happened, when, error text, what changed, and who is affected. Without facts, nobody can begin troubleshooting.

    From the lesson Ticketing, Asset Management, and Documentation.

18. A change to a core switch failed at 3 a.m. and the team had no way to return to the previous state. Which change management element was missing?

    1. A rollback plan and backup plan
    2. End-user acceptance
    3. A change freeze
    4. Peer review
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. The rollback plan describes how to undo the change, and the backup plan provides the saved configuration or data to restore. Both are required before implementation.

    From the lesson Change Management.

19. A full backup runs Sunday and incremental backups run Monday through Thursday. A failure occurs Friday morning. Which backup sets are needed to restore?

    1. Sunday and Thursday only, since Thursday's incremental holds every change made since the full
    2. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
    3. Thursday only
    4. Sunday only
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Each incremental contains only changes since the previous backup, so a restore needs the last full plus every incremental since it, in order.

    From the lesson Backup and Recovery.

20. A technician is about to install memory in a desktop at a carpeted workstation in winter. Which precaution is MOST important?

    1. Wear rubber gloves
    2. Keep the computer plugged in for grounding
    3. Wear a grounded ESD wrist strap and work on an ESD mat
    4. Increase the room temperature
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Dry air and carpet build static that can destroy components below the level a person can feel. A grounded strap and mat keep the technician and the equipment at the same potential. The PC should be unplugged.

    From the lesson Safety Procedures.