220-1102 Question 596
Single answerSlow to respondA user reports that their Windows 10 laptop has become very slow to respond. Apps take a long time to open, and switching between browser tabs causes noticeable delays. You log in and observe that the hard drive activity light is constantly flashing even when no major applications are open. Task Manager shows memory usage above 90% with several applications and many browser tabs open, while CPU utilization remains low. Which action is the BEST first step to improve performance without replacing hardware?
- A
Disable unnecessary startup applications and close unneeded programs/tabs to reduce memory pressure
- B
Run chkdsk immediately because constant drive activity indicates file system corruption
- C
Update the video driver because display performance issues commonly cause slow application response
- D
Reinstall Windows because high memory usage usually means the operating system is corrupted
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This question tests practical troubleshooting of a PC that is slow to respond, a common A+ Core 2 objective. The key clues are low CPU utilization, very high memory usage, many open applications/browser tabs, and constant disk activity. In Windows, when physical memory is heavily consumed, the OS relies more on virtual memory (paging file), which causes frequent disk access and noticeable delays opening or switching applications. The best first action is to reduce resource consumption by closing unnecessary apps/tabs and disabling unneeded startup programs. This follows standard troubleshooting best practices: identify the likely cause from available symptoms and start with the least intrusive corrective action. Microsoft documentation for Windows performance troubleshooting and Task Manager usage supports checking resource utilization such as memory, disk, CPU, and startup impact before taking more disruptive actions like OS reinstallation.
- A. Correct.
Correct. The scenario points to excessive RAM usage causing paging/swapping to disk, which commonly makes a system feel slow to respond even when CPU usage is low. Reducing the number of running applications, browser tabs, and unnecessary startup items is the best first troubleshooting step because it addresses the likely cause with the least risk and effort.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. While heavy disk activity can sometimes be related to disk or file system problems, the evidence here more strongly indicates paging due to high memory utilization. Running chkdsk is not the best first step when Task Manager already shows a likely root cause.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A video driver issue is more likely to cause display artifacts, crashes, poor graphical performance, or screen flickering than general system sluggishness tied to high memory use and disk thrashing. It does not match the most likely cause in this scenario.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Reinstalling Windows is far too drastic as an initial response. The system is showing a common performance bottleneck related to resource usage, not clear evidence of OS corruption. Best practice is to troubleshoot least invasive causes first.