220-1102 Question 614
Single answerDegraded response timeA technician is troubleshooting a Windows 11 laptop used by a remote employee. The user reports that applications take several minutes to open, the browser becomes unresponsive, and the system is slow even after a restart. In Task Manager, disk utilization stays near 100% while CPU usage remains below 20% and memory usage is around 50%. SMART status shows no drive failure warnings. Which action should the technician take FIRST to address the degraded response time?
- A
Disable unnecessary startup applications and background processes
- B
Replace the hard drive immediately because 100% disk usage indicates hardware failure
- C
Increase the virtual memory paging file to the maximum size
- D
Reimage the laptop to eliminate possible operating system corruption
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This question tests the ability to interpret performance symptoms and choose the least disruptive, most likely corrective action first. In Windows, sustained high disk utilization with relatively low CPU and moderate memory use often points to background activity rather than immediate hardware failure. Common causes include excessive startup programs, search indexing, Windows updates, antimalware scans, and synchronization tools. CompTIA A+ troubleshooting best practices emphasize identifying the problem, considering the simplest and least invasive fix first, and confirming the probable cause before escalating to replacement or reimaging. Microsoft troubleshooting guidance for Windows performance issues also supports reviewing startup apps and Task Manager performance data when diagnosing sluggish systems.
- A. Correct.
Correct. Excessive startup applications and background processes are a common cause of degraded response time in Windows systems, especially when disk utilization is consistently high but CPU and RAM are not fully consumed. Programs that launch at startup can generate constant disk reads and writes, causing the system to feel unresponsive. Checking and disabling unnecessary startup items is an appropriate first troubleshooting step because it is low risk, aligns with standard troubleshooting methodology, and addresses a likely cause before more disruptive actions are taken.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Although failing drives can cause severe slowness, the scenario specifically states that SMART status does not show drive failure warnings. A technician should not jump immediately to hardware replacement when there is no supporting evidence of failure. High disk usage can also result from software causes such as indexing, updates, antimalware scanning, or excessive startup applications.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Increasing the paging file is not the best first step because memory usage is only around 50%, so there is no indication that the system is heavily paging due to insufficient RAM. Setting the paging file to the maximum size would not address the likely cause of high disk activity and may reflect a misunderstanding that all slowness is caused by virtual memory issues.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Reimaging is a much more invasive step and should generally be reserved for situations where software corruption, malware, or configuration problems cannot be resolved through standard troubleshooting. Since there is a strong indicator of disk-related software activity and no evidence yet that the OS is irreparably damaged, reimaging is not the best first action.