220-1102 Question 152
Single answerTurn on fast startupA user with a Windows 10 laptop says the computer takes too long to boot each morning. You confirm the system uses a local SSD and has no startup errors. The company wants a simple configuration change to reduce boot time without reinstalling Windows or changing hardware. Which action should the technician take to enable the feature most likely to help?
- A
Open Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do, and turn on Fast startup
- B
Open Task Manager > Startup, and enable all disabled startup applications
- C
Open Device Manager, update the storage controller driver, and disable write caching
- D
Open System Configuration, select Diagnostic startup, and reboot the system
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is to enable Fast startup in Windows power settings. In Windows 10, the usual path is Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do > Change settings that are currently unavailable, then select 'Turn on fast startup.' Fast startup combines elements of a cold shutdown and hibernation by saving kernel session information to disk, which can reduce boot time on the next startup. This is a practical A+ Core 2 task because technicians are often expected to improve boot performance using built-in Windows tools before recommending hardware changes. Microsoft documents Fast startup as a power feature tied to shutdown behavior, not startup app management, driver caching changes, or diagnostic boot modes.
- A. Correct.
Correct. In Windows 10, Fast startup is enabled through Control Panel power settings under 'Choose what the power buttons do.' This feature uses a hybrid shutdown process that saves system session information to speed up the next boot. This is the most direct configuration change for improving startup time in this scenario.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Enabling all startup applications would usually make startup slower, not faster. Task Manager > Startup is useful for disabling unnecessary startup programs, but it is not where Fast startup is turned on.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Updating drivers can sometimes resolve performance or compatibility issues, but disabling write caching is unrelated to Fast startup and can reduce performance. This does not address the requested feature or represent the standard way to improve boot time through Windows power settings.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Diagnostic startup is a troubleshooting mode used to load only basic services and drivers. It is not a normal optimization setting for end users and does not enable Fast startup. Using it would change the system's behavior for troubleshooting rather than improve regular boot performance.