220-1102 Question 794
Single answerAutomated backupsA small accounting office stores client spreadsheets on a Windows 10 workstation. The user reports that a file was accidentally overwritten yesterday afternoon and needs to be restored quickly without rebuilding the entire PC. The workstation is connected to an external drive that was configured weeks ago to run automatic backups of user libraries every hour. Which action should the technician take FIRST to restore the most recent previous version of the file with the least disruption?
- A
Open File History and restore the previous version of the spreadsheet from the backup drive
- B
Run System Restore to return Windows to a restore point from before the file was overwritten
- C
Use Startup Repair from Windows Recovery Environment to recover the spreadsheet
- D
Reinstall Microsoft Excel and then open the AutoRecover folder to restore the spreadsheet
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best first action is to use File History to restore the previous version of the spreadsheet. In Windows 10, File History is a built-in automated backup feature that can save copies of user files on a schedule, commonly to an external drive. When the issue is accidental overwrite or deletion of a user document, best practice is to use the least disruptive recovery method that specifically targets the file. System Restore and Startup Repair are recovery tools for system problems, not primary file-recovery methods for normal user data loss. Microsoft documentation for Windows backup features distinguishes File History for personal files from System Restore for system configuration recovery.
- A. Correct.
Correct. File History in Windows is designed for automated backup of user files in libraries, desktop, contacts, and favorites to another drive or network location. If it has been configured to run hourly, it is the most direct way to restore a previous version of a personal file that was overwritten. This approach targets the needed document without affecting the operating system or installed applications.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. System Restore is intended to roll back system files, drivers, registry settings, and installed applications to an earlier state. It is not primarily used to restore a user document that was overwritten. Using it for this situation is both less precise and more disruptive than restoring the file from an automated file backup.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Startup Repair is used to troubleshoot problems that prevent Windows from booting properly. In this scenario, Windows is running and only a user file needs recovery. Choosing Startup Repair reflects a misunderstanding between boot recovery tools and file-level backup tools.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Reinstalling Excel does not restore a previously overwritten document. AutoRecover may help in some crash scenarios with unsaved work, but it is not a reliable method for recovering a version of a file overwritten the day before, especially when an automated backup solution is already in place. This option is more disruptive and less likely to succeed.