220-1102 Question 276
Single answerkernelA Linux workstation begins crashing immediately after a recently installed third-party hardware driver is loaded. The user reports that the system worked normally before the driver installation, but now it fails during startup with kernel-related errors. You need to restore the system with the least invasive change while preserving user data and applications. What is the BEST action to take first?
- A
Boot into a recovery or single-user environment and remove or disable the newly added kernel driver/module
- B
Reformat the drive and perform a clean installation of the operating system
- C
Replace the system's RAM because kernel errors always indicate faulty memory
- D
Delete the user's home directory to remove any corrupted personal settings
- E
Upgrade all installed applications to the latest version before restarting
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best first step is to reverse the most recent likely cause: the newly installed kernel driver or module. In Linux, hardware drivers are often loaded as kernel modules, and a bad or incompatible module can cause startup failures or kernel panic behavior. Standard troubleshooting best practice in CompTIA A+ and vendor documentation is to identify what changed, start with the least invasive fix, and restore functionality before considering more disruptive actions. Recovery mode, rescue mode, or single-user mode is commonly used to disable or remove problematic modules, edit boot parameters, or roll back changes. This approach preserves user data and applications while directly addressing the kernel-related issue. Relevant best-practice guidance can be found in Linux administration documentation for module management tools such as modprobe, lsmod, and rmmod, as well as distribution-specific recovery procedures.
- A. Correct.
Correct. If crashes began immediately after a driver installation, the most likely cause is a faulty or incompatible kernel module/driver. Booting into a recovery, rescue, or single-user mode allows a technician to prevent the driver from loading and remove or disable it. This is the least invasive first step and aligns with standard troubleshooting methodology: identify the recent change, reverse it, and test.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A clean installation is highly invasive and should not be the first action when there is a clear probable cause tied to a recent change. Reinstalling the OS would risk unnecessary downtime and require restoring settings and applications, even though the issue may be resolved simply by removing the problematic driver.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Faulty RAM can cause kernel panics or crashes, but the statement that kernel errors always indicate memory failure is false. In this scenario, the timing strongly points to the newly installed driver. Replacing hardware before addressing the recent software change would be poor troubleshooting practice.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. User profile data in the home directory is generally not the cause of a startup failure triggered by a kernel driver. Deleting personal files would be destructive, would not address the likely root cause, and violates the requirement to preserve user data.
- E. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Application updates typically do not resolve a boot failure caused by a kernel-level driver. Applications run in user space, while the issue described occurs when the operating system is loading a kernel component during startup.