220-1102 Question 186
Single answerFile Explorer navigation–network pathsA user calls the help desk because they cannot find a shared project folder on the company file server. You know the folder is available at \FS1\Projects\2026\Designs. The user is already signed in to the domain and has permission to the share. You want the quickest way to verify access to the exact folder using File Explorer without mapping a drive. Which action should you instruct the user to take?
- A
In File Explorer, click the address bar, type \FS1\Projects\2026\Designs, and press Enter.
- B
In File Explorer, type FS1:Projects:2026:Designs into the search box and press Enter.
- C
Open File Explorer and browse to C:\FS1\Projects\2026\Designs.
- D
In File Explorer, right-click This PC and choose Format, then enter \FS1\Projects\2026\Designs.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is to enter the UNC path directly into File Explorer's address bar. In Windows, UNC naming convention uses the format \server\share\subfolder, which allows direct access to network resources when the user has connectivity and permissions. This is a common A+ Core 2 task because technicians often guide users to shared folders without creating mapped drives. Microsoft Windows documentation and standard administrative practice support using the address bar, Run dialog, or similar navigation field for UNC paths. Search boxes, local drive paths, and disk-management actions do not provide correct navigation to a network share.
- A. Correct.
Correct. In Windows File Explorer, a UNC path in the format \server\share\folder can be entered directly into the address bar to navigate to a network location. This is the standard method for opening a shared folder quickly without mapping it as a drive letter first.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. The File Explorer search box is used to search within the current location, not to navigate to a UNC path. In addition, Windows network paths do not use colon-separated syntax like FS1:Projects:2026:Designs.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Network shares are not accessed through the local C: drive path. C:\FS1\Projects\2026\Designs would refer to a local folder structure on the user's own computer, not a shared folder hosted on a server.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Formatting is unrelated to opening a network path and would be a destructive storage-management action, not a navigation task. This option reflects a misunderstanding of File Explorer functions.