220-1102 Question 197
Single answer/ApplicationsA user reports that a line-of-business application on a Windows 11 PC suddenly will not open. When they double-click the shortcut, they receive a message stating that the app cannot run because .NET is required. The application worked before a recent cleanup of Windows features. You confirm the software is from a trusted vendor and is compatible with Windows 11. What is the BEST next step to restore functionality?
- A
Reinstall or enable the required Microsoft .NET runtime/framework in Windows, then test the application
- B
Disable User Account Control (UAC) so the application can access protected system files
- C
Run Disk Cleanup to remove temporary files that may be preventing the application from launching
- D
Change the application's file association so .EXE files open with the correct program
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The key clue is the explicit error indicating that .NET is required. In A+ Core 2 application troubleshooting, technicians should focus first on the most direct and evidence-based cause. When a Windows application fails because a required runtime or framework has been removed, the correct response is to reinstall or enable that dependency rather than changing unrelated security or file settings. In Windows, some .NET components can be added through Windows Features, while others may require installation of the appropriate Microsoft .NET runtime from the software vendor's documented requirements. Best practice is to verify the exact version required by the application, install only trusted components from Microsoft or the vendor, and then retest. This aligns with standard troubleshooting methodology: identify the problem, establish the probable cause, implement the solution, and verify full system functionality.
- A. Correct.
This is correct. If an application specifically reports that .NET is required, the most appropriate action is to install or re-enable the needed .NET component. Many Windows applications depend on Microsoft .NET runtimes or framework features, and removing those components can prevent the app from launching. Since the app previously worked and Windows features were recently cleaned up, a missing dependency is the most likely cause.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. UAC controls elevation prompts and helps protect the operating system from unauthorized changes, but it does not resolve a missing application dependency such as .NET. Disabling UAC would reduce security and would not address the error message indicating that the runtime/framework is absent.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Temporary files generally do not cause a trusted application to report that .NET is missing. Disk Cleanup is useful for recovering storage space and removing unneeded files, but it does not restore removed application frameworks or runtimes.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. File associations determine which application opens a given file type, but .EXE files are already executable programs and are not fixed by changing associations in this scenario. The problem is the missing support component required by the application, not an association issue.