Troubleshooting Practice Questions: Software Troubleshooting

1. A user reports that their Windows 10 computer displays a "Windows Update error 0x80070002" message when attempting to install the latest feature update. The user has sufficient disk space and a stable internet connection. Which of the following should a technician perform FIRST?
(a) Run System File Checker (SFC) to repair corrupted system files
(b) Delete the contents of the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder
(c) Perform an in-place upgrade using Windows installation media
(d) Disable the Windows Update service and restart the computer

2. Which of the following tools would BEST help diagnose why a Windows application crashes immediately after launch without displaying any error messages?
(a) Performance Monitor
(b) Event Viewer
(c) Task Manager
(d) Resource Monitor

3. An office worker calls the help desk stating that their Microsoft Excel spreadsheet has been opening very slowly for the past two days. The file size is 45 MB and contains multiple worksheets with formulas. Other applications on the Windows 10 system run normally. What should the technician recommend FIRST?
(a) Increase the virtual memory page file size
(b) Disable Excel add-ins and restart the application
(c) Perform a repair installation of Microsoft Office
(d) Run CHKDSK to check for hard drive errors

4. A technician is troubleshooting a Windows 10 laptop that displays a BSOD with the error "DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" after installing new antivirus software. The laptop was functioning normally before the installation. Which action should the technician take FIRST?
(a) Update the system BIOS to the latest version
(b) Boot into Safe Mode and uninstall the recently installed antivirus software
(c) Run Memory Diagnostic tool to test RAM integrity
(d) Perform a System Restore to a point before the antivirus installation

5. What is the MOST likely cause when a Windows application displays a message stating "This program requires elevated permissions to run"?
(a) The application requires administrator privileges through User Account Control
(b) The application file is corrupted and needs reinstallation
(c) Windows Defender has quarantined the application executable
(d) The user account has been disabled by the domain administrator

6. A small business employee reports that their computer displays a pop-up message stating "Your Windows license will expire soon" every time they log in. The company uses genuine Windows 10 Pro licenses purchased from Microsoft. What should the technician do to resolve this issue?
(a) Purchase a new Windows license key and reinstall the operating system
(b) Run the slmgr /rearm command to reset the activation timer
(c) Open Settings and reactivate Windows using the existing product key
(d) Disable Windows activation notifications in Group Policy Editor

7. Which Windows utility should a technician use to identify which program is configured to start automatically during system boot?
(a) Services.msc
(b) Msconfig.exe
(c) Regedit.exe
(d) Eventvwr.msc

8. A customer reports their Windows 10 computer is displaying advertisements on the desktop and the default web browser homepage has changed to an unfamiliar search engine. The computer runs slowly and multiple browser toolbars have appeared. Which of the following should the technician perform to address this issue?
(a) Update Windows Defender definitions and run a full system scan
(b) Uninstall unused programs from Control Panel and remove suspicious browser extensions
(c) Perform a clean boot and disable all third-party startup programs
(d) Reinstall the web browser using the manufacturer's website

9. A developer's workstation running Windows 10 Pro displays the error "DLL file is missing" when launching a custom business application. Other users can run the same application successfully on their computers. What is the MOST appropriate solution?
(a) Copy the missing DLL file from a working computer to the affected system
(b) Reinstall the application on the affected workstation
(c) Run SFC /scannow to repair system files
(d) Update the Windows operating system to the latest version

10. A technician receives a ticket stating that a user's computer boots to a black screen with the message "Operating System Not Found" after the user attempted to install Linux alongside Windows 10 in a dual-boot configuration. The computer was working fine before the Linux installation. What is the MOST likely cause?
(a) The Windows boot partition was overwritten during Linux installation
(b) The hard drive has failed and needs replacement
(c) The BIOS boot order was changed to prioritize a USB device
(d) Windows activation has expired and locked the system

11. An accountant reports that her laptop running Windows 10 displays a "No Boot Device Available" error message after restarting from a Windows update. Prior to the update, the system was functioning normally. The technician verifies the hard drive is detected in BIOS. What should the technician do NEXT?
(a) Replace the hard drive with a new solid-state drive
(b) Use Windows Recovery Environment to run Startup Repair
(c) Reinstall Windows 10 using installation media
(d) Reset BIOS settings to factory defaults

12. A Windows 10 computer repeatedly displays UAC prompts for legitimate applications that previously ran without prompting. The user is logged in with a standard user account. Which setting has MOST likely been changed?
(a) Windows Defender SmartScreen settings have been increased
(b) User Account Control notification level has been raised
(c) The user account type was changed from administrator to standard
(d) Application compatibility settings were modified to run as administrator

13. A healthcare office manager reports that patient management software crashes with an "Out of Memory" error when generating monthly reports, even though the computer has 16 GB of RAM installed. Task Manager shows only 4 GB of RAM available to the system. What is the MOST likely cause?
(a) The operating system is a 32-bit version of Windows limiting RAM usage
(b) The RAM modules are incompatible with the motherboard
(c) Windows is configured with a maximum memory limit in msconfig
(d) The application has a memory leak requiring reinstallation

14. Which command-line utility would a technician use to repair corrupted Windows system files that are detected but cannot be repaired by SFC?
(a) DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
(b) CHKDSK /F /R
(c) bootrec /fixboot
(d) format C: /FS:NTFS

15. A remote employee contacts IT support stating their VPN connection keeps disconnecting every 10-15 minutes on their Windows 10 laptop. The employee has stable internet connectivity and can browse websites normally. Other employees using the same VPN service have no issues. What should the technician investigate FIRST?
(a) Check if the laptop's power settings are putting the network adapter to sleep
(b) Reinstall the VPN client software on the laptop
(c) Configure Windows Firewall to allow all VPN traffic
(d) Update the laptop's wireless network driver

16. A user complains that their computer running Windows 10 displays a "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file" error when attempting to launch a specific executable file from their desktop. The file worked yesterday and the user has not changed any settings. What is the MOST likely cause?
(a) Antivirus software has quarantined or blocked the executable file
(b) The file has been corrupted due to hard drive errors
(c) User account permissions have been revoked by the administrator
(d) The application requires a Windows update to function properly

17. A graphic designer's workstation displays a "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" error message multiple times daily while using Adobe Photoshop. The computer runs Windows 10 with an NVIDIA graphics card. Other applications run without issues. What should the technician try FIRST?
(a) Replace the graphics card with a different model
(b) Update the NVIDIA graphics driver to the latest version
(c) Increase the virtual memory page file size
(d) Reinstall Adobe Photoshop from the official website

18. A technician is troubleshooting a Windows 10 computer that takes 10 minutes to boot to the login screen. Once logged in, applications run normally. The hard drive health check shows no errors and there is adequate free space. Which tool should the technician use to identify the cause?
(a) Disk Defragmenter to optimize file placement
(b) Task Manager Startup tab to review enabled startup programs
(c) Device Manager to check for driver conflicts
(d) Windows Memory Diagnostic to test RAM

19. A Windows 10 laptop user reports receiving a notification that states "This PC is out of date and is missing important security and quality fixes." Windows Update shows error code 0x80240034 and fails to download updates. The laptop has internet connectivity and can access websites normally. What should the technician do NEXT?
(a) Run Windows Update Troubleshooter from Settings
(b) Manually download and install the latest cumulative update from Microsoft's website
(c) Perform a clean installation of Windows 10
(d) Disable Windows Update service permanently

20. A company executive's Windows 10 computer displays pop-up messages claiming the system is infected and urging immediate purchase of security software. Windows Defender is enabled and shows no threats. The browser homepage has been changed and cannot be reset through browser settings. What should the technician conclude?
(a) The computer has a legitimate virus that requires third-party antivirus software
(b) Windows Defender has malfunctioned and needs reinstallation
(c) The system has adware or a potentially unwanted program installed
(d) The executive accidentally subscribed to a legitimate security alert service