220-1102 Question 277
Single answerbootloaderA technician is troubleshooting a Windows 10 laptop that fails to start after the user interrupted an update. The system powers on, passes POST, and then displays: "Boot configuration data for your PC is missing or contains errors." The SSD is detected in UEFI firmware, and the user needs the least disruptive repair that restores boot functionality without reinstalling Windows. Which action should the technician take FIRST?
- A
Boot from Windows installation media, open the recovery environment, and run Startup Repair
- B
Enter UEFI setup and disable Secure Boot so the system can ignore the missing boot files
- C
Reformat the EFI System Partition and perform a clean installation of Windows
- D
Replace the SSD because the bootloader error confirms a hardware failure
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This scenario tests practical bootloader troubleshooting for Windows systems. Because the system completes POST and the drive is visible in UEFI, the issue is occurring after firmware hands off control to the operating system boot process. The error specifically references Boot Configuration Data, which is part of the Windows bootloader chain on modern systems. In a real support situation, best practice is to attempt the least invasive repair first. Microsoft recovery guidance for Windows startup issues includes using Windows Recovery Environment and Startup Repair before more aggressive measures such as rebuilding partitions or reinstalling the OS. If Startup Repair does not work, a technician may proceed to advanced recovery steps such as bootrec or bcdboot commands, but those are not the best FIRST action in this scenario.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A missing or corrupted Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store is a classic bootloader problem in Windows. The least disruptive first step is to boot to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) from installation media and run Startup Repair. This tool is designed to detect and repair common startup issues such as damaged boot files, BCD problems, and related bootloader corruption without wiping user data.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Secure Boot helps validate trusted boot components, but disabling it does not repair a corrupted or missing Windows bootloader or BCD store. A technician might choose this if they confuse a trust or signature issue with a damaged boot configuration, but the scenario specifically indicates a boot configuration error rather than blocked unsigned software.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A clean installation is far more disruptive than necessary and should not be the first step when the goal is to restore boot functionality while preserving the existing installation. Reformatting the EFI System Partition would remove current boot files and increase the scope of recovery. This is a common mistake when technicians skip built-in repair tools.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. The SSD being detected in UEFI and the specific error message pointing to boot configuration data make a logical bootloader issue more likely than immediate hardware failure. Although storage failure can cause boot problems, this message alone does not confirm a defective SSD. Replacing hardware before attempting software repair is premature.