220-1102 Question 598
Single answerBattery life issuesA user reports that their 3-year-old Windows 11 laptop now drops from 100% to 30% battery in less than an hour, even when they are only using a web browser and email. The laptop also feels warm and the fan runs frequently. You open Task Manager and see no single application consuming unusually high CPU. Which action should the technician take FIRST to best identify the cause of the poor battery life?
- A
Generate a Windows battery report using powercfg /batteryreport and review battery health and recent usage
- B
Replace the AC adapter because an underpowered charger commonly causes rapid battery drain during light use
- C
Disable User Account Control to reduce background prompts and save power
- D
Reinstall the web browser because browser corruption is the most likely cause of battery wear
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best first step is to gather evidence rather than immediately replace parts or change unrelated settings. On Windows, powercfg /batteryreport is a standard built-in diagnostic tool for battery issues and aligns with common troubleshooting best practices: identify the problem, establish a theory, test the theory, and verify functionality. The battery report helps determine whether the battery's full charge capacity has fallen far below its design capacity, which is common in older laptops and directly affects runtime. It can also show recent drain patterns and usage history that support further troubleshooting. Microsoft documents battery diagnostics through the powercfg command, including /batteryreport for supported portable systems. If the report shows major wear, battery replacement may be appropriate; if not, the technician can then investigate power plans, thermal conditions, startup/background apps, display brightness, wireless radios, and manufacturer-specific battery health settings.
- A. Correct.
Correct. Running powercfg /batteryreport is an appropriate first diagnostic step on a Windows laptop with battery-life complaints. The report provides useful data such as design capacity, full charge capacity, recent usage, battery life estimates, and charge/discharge history. In this scenario, the system is 3 years old and the symptoms could indicate battery degradation, abnormal usage patterns, or power-management issues. Reviewing the battery report helps the technician identify whether the battery itself has significantly worn down before replacing hardware or making unnecessary software changes.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A faulty or underpowered AC adapter can cause charging problems, slow charging, or failure to maintain charge under load while plugged in, but it is not the best first step for diagnosing fast battery drain during normal unplugged use. The system is already charging to 100%, so the issue is more likely related to battery health, power settings, heat, or background activity rather than the adapter.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. User Account Control is a security feature and disabling it is not a valid battery-life troubleshooting step. UAC prompts are not a meaningful cause of rapid discharge, and disabling UAC would reduce security without addressing the underlying issue. This distractor reflects the misconception that turning off security features improves performance or battery life in any significant way.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Browsers can contribute to battery usage if they have many tabs, extensions, or hardware acceleration issues, but the scenario states that Task Manager does not show a single application using unusually high CPU. Reinstalling the browser is too narrow and premature. The technician should first collect system-level battery data to determine whether the issue is battery degradation or overall power consumption.