CompTIA 220-1202 Exam - Topic 2 Question 13 Discussion

Actual exam question for CompTIA's 220-1202 exam

Question #: 13
Topic #: 2

The screen of a previously working computer repeatedly displays an OS Not Found error message when the computer is started. Only a USB drive, a keyboard, and a mouse are plugged into the computer. Which of the following should a technician do first?

ARun data recovery tools on the disk

BPartition the disk using the GPT format

CCheck boot options

DSwitch from UEFI to BIOS

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: C

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

An 'OS Not Found' error typically indicates that the computer is attempting to boot from a drive that doesn't contain a valid operating system or bootable partition. The presence of a USB drive might be confusing the boot order. Therefore, the first step a technician should take is to verify and adjust the boot sequence in the system's firmware (BIOS or UEFI). It's possible that the USB drive is being prioritized over the internal hard drive, which may cause the system to miss the OS entirely.

A . Running data recovery tools is premature before confirming boot order.

B . Repartitioning the disk would destroy existing data---this should not be done until confirmed the OS is actually missing.

D . Switching between UEFI and BIOS (legacy mode) might help in rare cases, but it is not the first step in standard OS boot issue troubleshooting.

CompTIA A+ 220-1102 Objective 1.7: Troubleshoot common operating system problems.

Study Guide Section: Boot process and boot order configuration.

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by Frederick at Nov 25, 2025, 10:43 PM

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Regenia

16 hours ago

GPT partitioning won't help if it can't boot.

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Whitney

6 days ago

Surprised this isn't a data recovery question!

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Kallie

11 days ago

I disagree, switching to BIOS might be better.

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Mattie

16 days ago

Check boot options first, definitely!

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Billi

21 days ago

Haha, I bet the user tried to boot from the mouse. C is the answer!

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Margarita

27 days ago

Definitely C. Gotta make sure the computer is set to boot from the right device.

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Roxane

1 month ago

I agree, checking the boot options is the way to go. Can't do much else if the OS isn't even found.

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Nichelle

1 month ago

C) Check boot options seems like the logical first step here.

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Shad

1 month ago

Running data recovery tools seems like it could help, but I feel like we should troubleshoot the boot options first.

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Yuette

2 months ago

I remember a practice question where we had to switch from UEFI to BIOS, but I don't know if that's necessary here.

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Vicente

2 months ago

I think the first step should be to check the boot options, but I'm not entirely sure if that's the right choice.

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Benton

2 months ago

I'd start with checking the boot options. If that doesn't work, then I might consider switching from UEFI to BIOS, but I'd want to be really careful with that in case it makes things worse. Data recovery or partitioning the disk seems like it could be overkill for this problem.

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Cora

2 months ago

Okay, I think the key here is that the computer was previously working. So the issue is likely with the boot process, not the disk itself. I'd check the boot options first before trying anything more drastic.

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Mirta

3 months ago

I’m a bit confused about whether partitioning the disk is relevant right now. Shouldn't we check the boot settings first?

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Dorinda

3 months ago

Hmm, I'm a bit confused. Is the issue with the disk itself or the boot process? I'm not sure if I should go for data recovery or messing with the partitions and BIOS/UEFI settings.

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Dyan

3 months ago

I'd start by checking the boot options to see if the computer is set to boot from the right device. That seems like the most straightforward thing to try first.

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Gail

2 months ago

Yeah, I’d check that first too. Simple fix!

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Dorothy

2 months ago

Definitely! It could just be looking at the wrong drive.

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Shawn

3 months ago

I agree, checking boot options is the way to go.

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