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Safe Mode Driver Troubleshooting

5 minutes 5 Questions

Safe Mode Driver Troubleshooting is a technique used to identify and resolve driver-related issues by booting the computer in Safe Mode. When starting the computer in Safe Mode, only essential drivers and services are loaded to allow minimal functionality for diagnostics and repair purposes. In thi…

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CompTIA A+ - Safe Mode Driver Troubleshooting Example Questions

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Question 1

When troubleshooting a driver issue in Safe Mode, which Windows tool provides detailed information about currently installed drivers and their status?

Correct Answer: Device Manager

The Device Manager is the correct tool for troubleshooting driver issues in Safe Mode. It provides detailed information about currently installed drivers and their status. Device Manager allows users to view all hardware devices installed on the system, check their current status, update or roll back drivers, and disable or enable devices. When in Safe Mode, Device Manager can help identify problematic drivers or hardware conflicts. Driver Verifier is a tool used to stress-test drivers, but it doesn't provide an overview of all installed drivers and their status. System Configuration Utility (MSConfig) is used for managing startup programs and boot options, but it doesn't offer detailed driver information. Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool is designed to test computer memory for errors and is not related to driver management or troubleshooting.

Question 2

You need to update an older driver causing issues with the system. You have already booted into Safe Mode. What is the next step?

Correct Answer: Use Device Manager to update the driver

Using Device Manager to update the driver allows you to locate the specific component. Disk Management is for disk operations, System File Checker is for integrity checks, and System Restore will only revert the system to an earlier state. Reinstalling the operating system is unnecessary, and running the driver installer manually might not replace the correct file.

Question 3

You've just installed a new device driver, but after rebooting, the system hangs during startup. How can you resolve this?

Correct Answer: Boot into Safe Mode and roll back the driver

Booting into Safe Mode and rolling back the driver reverses the installation of the problematic driver and reverts to the previous version. Restarting multiple times won't help. System Restore cannot be used in Normal Mode if the system is hanging. Disabling all drivers could lead to more issues, and reinstalling the operating system is unnecessary. Deleting driver files directly can lead to unstable system behavior.

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