220-1102 Question 90
Single answerPerformance Monitor (perfmon.msc)A user reports that their Windows 10 workstation becomes very slow several times a day, but only for a few minutes at a time. When a technician checks Task Manager after arriving, performance looks normal and the problem cannot be reproduced on demand. The technician wants to use Performance Monitor (perfmon.msc) to capture CPU, memory, and disk activity over the next workday so the spikes can be reviewed later. Which Performance Monitor feature should the technician configure?
- A
Create a Data Collector Set that logs relevant performance counters over time
- B
Open Resource Monitor and leave it running in the background
- C
Use Event Viewer to filter the System log for Warning events during the day
- D
Run msconfig and enable Diagnostic startup to reduce background services
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is to create a Data Collector Set in Performance Monitor. This allows a technician to log performance counters over time and review the collected data after the slowdown occurs. For intermittent issues, this is a best practice because the system can be monitored during normal use without requiring the technician to be present when the problem happens. Common counters for this scenario include Processor% Processor Time, Memory\Available MBytes, and disk-related counters such as PhysicalDisk\Avg. Disk Queue Length or Disk Transfers/sec. Microsoft documentation for Performance Monitor and Data Collector Sets describes using counter logs and scheduled collection to analyze trends and intermittent bottlenecks.
- A. Correct.
Correct. In Performance Monitor, a Data Collector Set can be configured to record performance counters such as Processor, Memory, and PhysicalDisk over a scheduled period. This is the appropriate tool when the issue is intermittent and needs to be captured for later analysis rather than viewed only in real time.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Resource Monitor is useful for live troubleshooting, but it is not the best choice here because the technician needs to capture activity over time for later review. Leaving it open does not provide the structured counter logging and scheduled collection that a Data Collector Set in Performance Monitor provides.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Event Viewer can help identify logged errors and warnings, but it does not continuously collect detailed performance counter data such as CPU utilization, disk queue length, or available memory. It may provide supporting clues, but it is not the correct primary tool for this requirement.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Msconfig Diagnostic startup is used to limit startup items and services for troubleshooting boot or software conflict issues. It does not collect performance metrics over time and would change the workstation's normal operating conditions, making it a poor fit for diagnosing intermittent performance spikes during a typical workday.