220-1102 Question 72
Single answerClean installA technician is preparing a company laptop for reassignment to a new employee. The current Windows installation is unstable, contains unauthorized software, and the user profile data has already been backed up to a network share. Company policy requires the technician to remove the existing operating system, eliminate any malware persistence from the previous installation, and deploy a fresh copy of Windows with no retained applications or settings. Which installation method should the technician choose?
- A
Perform an in-place upgrade from the existing Windows installation media
- B
Run System Restore to return the laptop to an earlier restore point
- C
Boot from Windows installation media, delete the existing system partition, and install Windows to the unallocated space
- D
Use the Refresh/Reset option that keeps user files and some configuration settings
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
A clean install is the best choice when a system is being repurposed, is heavily corrupted, or may contain malware or unauthorized software. In practice, technicians typically back up needed data first, boot from installation media, remove the existing Windows partition(s) as appropriate, and install the OS fresh. This approach avoids carrying over old applications, damaged settings, or user-specific configuration. Microsoft installation guidance distinguishes a clean installation from an in-place upgrade and from recovery options such as System Restore or Reset. For A+ Core 2, the key concept is that a clean install is used when you need the most complete replacement of the operating system environment rather than preserving the previous one.
- A. Incorrect.
Incorrect. An in-place upgrade is designed to preserve applications, settings, and user data while repairing or upgrading Windows. That does not meet the requirement to remove the previous environment completely or ensure unauthorized software and persistence mechanisms are eliminated.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. System Restore rolls back system files and certain configuration changes, but it does not provide a full clean installation. It also would not reliably remove unwanted applications, deeply embedded malware, or prior user configuration from the device.
- C. Correct.
Correct. Booting from installation media, deleting the existing system partition, and installing Windows to unallocated space is the standard clean install approach. This replaces the previous operating system installation rather than preserving apps or settings, making it the best choice when the goal is to start fresh and reduce the chance of retaining software-related problems from the old installation.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Reset or refresh-style recovery options may reinstall Windows, but options that keep files or some settings do not align with the stated requirement for a completely fresh deployment with no retained applications or settings. A candidate might choose this because it sounds like a reinstall, but it is not the most thorough option for reassignment and malware concerns.