A technician is booting a laptop that has Windows 10 installed with 2 GB RAM. The boot process is currently working on the following step: The Windows kernel takes over the boot process. What is the next step that will happen in the boot process?

NTOSKRNL.EXE starts the login file called WINLOGON.EXE.

• Correct: After the Windows kernel (NTOSKRNL.EXE) takes over the boot process, the next step is for it to start the WINLOGON.EXE process. This process is crucial for managing user logins and displaying the logon UI, leading to the user authentication phase of the boot process.
• There are no more steps, the boot process is complete: This is incorrect. The boot process is not yet complete at this stage. Following the kernel’s takeover, several more steps occur, including user authentication and the initialization of various system processes and services.
• WINLOGON.EXE displays the Windows Welcome screen: While eventually true, this step comes after WINLOGON.EXE is initiated by NTOSKRNL.EXE. It’s not the immediate next step following the kernel’s takeover. WINLOGON.EXE must first be started, and then it proceeds to display the Welcome screen.
• The Windows kernel takes over the boot process: This statement is redundant in this context, as the kernel’s takeover is already mentioned as the current step in the boot process. The next step involves the actions taken by the kernel, namely starting WINLOGON.EXE.