CompTIA A+ Core 2 practice test: free drills for 220-1202

Core 2 (220-1202) is the second A+ exam: up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, 700 to pass on a 100 to 900 scale. Its four domains are Operating Systems (28%), Security (28%), Software Troubleshooting (23%) and Operational Procedures (21%). This page has free drills for Operating Systems and Operational Procedures; security and software troubleshooting have their own pages.

4
Core 2 domains: 90 min
up to 90 questions: 700
to pass (100-900): 2
free drills here

Last checked 22 October 2026 · Exam facts and weights from CompTIA

Free Core 2 drills: 12 original A+-style questions each, at exam pace, then every answer explained. No sign-up.

12
questions
12 min
time limit
Free
every answer explained

By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated 22 October 2026 · How we check facts · How this is scored

What is on A+ Core 2?

Four domains weighted by CompTIA. Operating Systems and Security are each 28%, so together they are over half the exam.

Core 2 domains and weights (CompTIA exam objectives)
Exam	Domain	Weight	What it covers
Core 2	Operating Systems	28%	Windows editions, tools, commands and settings, file systems, installs and upgrades, macOS and Linux basics
Core 2	Security	28%	Physical and logical security, wireless security, malware, social engineering, data destruction, browser security
Core 2	Software Troubleshooting	23%	Windows, mobile app and security problems: symptoms and the first fix to try
Core 2	Operational Procedures	21%	Documentation, change management, backups, safety, environmental controls, privacy, professionalism and scripting basics

Operating Systems (28%)
Free drill
Windows editions, tools, commands and settings, file systems, installs and upgrades, macOS and Linux basics.
Security (28%)
Free drill
Physical and logical security, wireless security, malware, social engineering, data destruction, browser security.
Software Troubleshooting (23%)
Free drill
Windows, mobile app and security problems: symptoms and the first fix to try.
Operational Procedures (21%)
Free drill
Documentation, change management, backups, safety, environmental controls, privacy, professionalism and scripting basics.

What do I need to know for A+ Operating Systems?

Windows editions and their features, the command-line tools, the Control Panel and Settings tools, file systems, installation and upgrade methods, and the basics of macOS and Linux.

Windows commands the exam expects you to know
Command	What it does
ipconfig	Shows IP settings; /release and /renew get a new DHCP address; /flushdns clears the DNS cache
ping, tracert	Test whether a host answers, and the route to it
nslookup	Query DNS for a name or address
chkdsk	Check a drive's file system; /f fixes errors
sfc /scannow	Scan and repair protected system files
gpupdate /force	Apply Group Policy changes now
gpresult	Show which Group Policies apply
robocopy, xcopy	Copy files and folders, with robocopy for large or resumable jobs
netstat	Show network connections and listening ports
shutdown	Shut down or restart, locally or remotely

Know the Linux and macOS basics too: ls, cd, pwd, chmod, chown, sudo, grep, ps and apt or dnf on Linux; Time Machine, FileVault, Keychain and Spotlight on macOS.

What do I need to know for A+ Operational Procedures?

How support work is done properly: documentation and ticketing, change management, backups and recovery, safety and environmental controls, regulated data and licensing, communication and professionalism, and scripting basics.

Backup types (standard definitions)
Type	What it copies	To restore you need
Full	Everything	The full backup
Incremental	Changes since the last backup of any kind	The last full and every incremental since
Differential	Changes since the last full backup	The last full and the latest differential
Synthetic full	A full built from a full and later incrementals	The synthetic full

The 3-2-1 rule (three copies, on two kinds of media, one off site) and the change management steps (request, review, approval, a rollback plan, then implementation and documentation) come up often. In scenario questions, the right answer follows the process, even when a shortcut would work.

What do A+ Core 2 questions look like?

Three examples follow: a Windows edition question, a command question and a backup restore. The first is worked in full.

CompTIA A+-style question 1 · Windows editions
A small business wants its new laptops to join the company's Active Directory domain. Which Windows edition is the lowest that supports this?
1. AWindows Home
2. BWindows Pro
3. CWindows Home in S mode
4. DAny edition can join a domain
Worked answer
B: Windows Pro. Joining a domain needs Pro or higher (Pro, Enterprise or Education). Home editions cannot join an Active Directory domain.
1. Domain join is a business feature.
2. Home editions do not include it.
3. Pro is the lowest edition that does.
The trap: Thinking any edition can join if you have an admin password. Home simply does not have the feature.
CompTIA A+-style question 2 · Commands
Which Windows command checks a drive for file system errors and can fix them?
1. Asfc /scannow
2. Bchkdsk /f
3. Cdiskpart
4. Dformat
Show the worked answer
B: chkdsk /f. chkdsk checks a volume's file system, and /f tells it to fix errors. sfc repairs protected system files, a different job.
1. The task is the file system on a drive.
2. chkdsk checks disks; /f fixes errors.
3. sfc is for system files, not the disk.
The trap: Choosing sfc /scannow, which repairs Windows system files, not the file system on the disk.
CompTIA A+-style question 3 · Backups
A server gets a full backup every Sunday night and a differential backup every other night. It fails on Friday morning. Which backups are needed to restore it to Thursday night?
1. ASunday's full only
2. BSunday's full and Thursday's differential
3. CSunday's full and every differential from Monday to Thursday
4. DThursday's differential only
Show the worked answer
B: Sunday's full and Thursday's differential. A differential holds every change since the last full backup, so Thursday's differential already includes Monday to Wednesday. You need the full plus the latest differential.
1. Differential = all changes since the last full.
2. Thursday's differential covers Monday to Thursday.
3. Restore Sunday's full, then Thursday's differential.
The trap: Answering every backup since Sunday. That is the rule for incremental backups, which hold only the changes since the previous backup.

Pass Core 2 on the first attempt

Four drills for each Core 2 domain and eight full mocks, every answer explained.

The CompTIA A+ Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 36 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The CompTIA A+ Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the A+ Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

8
timed mocks: 36
topic drills: 1
score predictor

Does A+ really test customer service?

Yes. Operational Procedures includes communication and professionalism: listening without interrupting, setting expectations, keeping customer data private, and avoiding distractions on the job.

These questions are easy points if you read them as a manager would. The right answer is usually the one that is respectful, keeps the customer informed and follows policy. Answers that blame the user, take personal calls, or promise what you cannot deliver are wrong, however efficient they look.

Privacy and regulated data (PII, PCI DSS, HIPAA-style health data, GDPR) and licensing (EULAs, open-source licenses, personal versus corporate use) also sit in this domain.

How should I study for A+ Core 2?

Start with Operating Systems and Security, which are over half the exam, then Software Troubleshooting and Operational Procedures. Use a Windows PC and a Linux virtual machine as you go.

Run every command in the table above on a real machine, open every tool you read about, and set up a Linux VM to practise the basic commands. The security page and the troubleshooting page cover the other two Core 2 domains, and the full practice test times both cores.

Frequently asked questions

What is the passing score for A+ Core 2?

700 on a scale of 100 to 900, higher than Core 1's 675.

How many questions are on Core 2?

Up to 90 questions in 90 minutes.

Is there Linux on A+ Core 2?

Yes, the basics: common commands, file permissions and package managers.

What is the biggest Core 2 domain?

Operating Systems and Security, at 28% each.

Is scripting on A+ Core 2?

At a basic level: recognizing script file types (.bat, .ps1, .sh, .py, .js, .vbs) and what scripts are used for.

Make Core 2 a sure pass

Four drills per Core 2 domain, eight full A+-style mocks and every answer explained, in one payment.