220-1102 Question 85
Single answerDisk Management (diskmgmt.msc)A Windows 10 user installed a second internal SSD and asks you to make it available for storing project files. In File Explorer, the new drive does not appear. In Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc), you see the disk listed as Online and initialized, with the entire capacity shown as Unallocated. The user wants to begin using the drive immediately without changing the existing system drive. Which action should you take next?
- A
Create a new simple volume on the unallocated space, assign a drive letter, and format it with NTFS
- B
Mark the new disk as Active so Windows can mount it in File Explorer
- C
Convert the disk to Dynamic, then extend the C: partition onto the new SSD
- D
Use Disk Management to set the disk as Offline and then Online again so Windows assigns it automatically
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
In Windows Disk Management, a newly added disk typically must go through several stages before it is usable: detection, initialization, partition/volume creation, drive-letter assignment, and formatting. In this scenario, the disk is already Online and initialized, so the remaining task is to create a volume on the unallocated space. For a single new storage disk, the standard choice is a New Simple Volume, followed by assigning a drive letter and formatting, commonly with NTFS in business Windows environments. Microsoft documentation and standard Windows administration practice distinguish clearly between unallocated space and formatted volumes: unallocated space will not appear in File Explorer until a volume is created and formatted. Options involving Active status, Dynamic disks, or cycling Online/Offline reflect common misunderstandings about what Disk Management is actually used for in basic drive provisioning.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A disk that is Online and initialized but entirely Unallocated still needs a partition/volume created before it can be used. In Disk Management, the appropriate next step is to create a New Simple Volume, assign a drive letter or mount point, and format it with a supported file system such as NTFS. After that, the drive will appear in File Explorer and be ready for storing files.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Marking a partition as Active is related to bootable partitions on MBR disks, not to making a data drive visible in File Explorer. An Active partition flag does not create a usable volume from unallocated space and is unnecessary for a secondary storage disk intended only for user data.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Converting the disk to Dynamic is not required just to use a new secondary SSD for storage. Extending the C: partition onto another physical disk would not be the standard or appropriate action here, and extending a system volume across disks is not a normal best practice for this scenario. The user specifically wants to use the new drive without altering the existing system drive.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Taking the disk Offline and bringing it back Online does not create a partition or file system. Since the disk is already recognized by Windows and shown as Online and initialized, the missing step is volume creation and formatting, not toggling its status.