General
This is a process of problem solving
Troubleshooting p86
When you question the User at the beginning of a Troubleshooting call, you ask about the computer status and symptoms. What other "first look" item should you ask about?
Any ERROR MESSAGES p88
This Troubleshooting step involves paring down potential causes by questioning the obvious
Establish Probable Cause p89
This Plan of Action solution describes what you do when applying a Work Around
Ignore the Problem (Usually temporary) p92
A system crash after the OS loads can indicate this problem with hardware
Overheating p95
If a product is out of warranty, a common alternate to OEM Support are these
Community Forums p98
It is important to realize that problems have these 3 characteristics
Causes, Symptoms & Consequences p86
This question helps to determine the severity of the problem
How many people affected p88
This Troubleshooting approach involves hypothesizing multiple possible causes, and examining them individually to understand the core problem
Divide and Conquer p90
Look for these signs when inspecting for physical damage of items being dropped or banged
Dents, Scratches & Cracks p94
When Troubleshooting, it is important not to attempt these solutions
Beyond your experience or expertise p95
Search Engines work by compiling this about web pages
Database of information p98
List the correct order of the CompTIA troubleshooting model
Identify problem, Research KB/Internet, Establish Probable Cause, Test the Theory, Establish Plan of Action (POA), Implement – OR – Escalate, Verify Full Functionality, Document results p86
This simple question can be crucial in determining the cause of a problem
What has changed p88
This Troubleshooting action does not actually solve the root problem, but allows the User a method to continue working while you seek a solution
Apply a Workaround p90
Computers automatically perform this test when started to ensure all components are present and functioning properly
Power On Self Test (POST) p94
Most PC systems guides are now delivered in this format
PDF p95
These are important tools to help locate webpages
Search Engines p98
List some methods to “Identify the Problem” in CompTIA Troubleshooting model
Gather Information, Duplicate Problem, Question User, Identify Symptoms, Has Anything Changed, Approach multiple problems individually p86
Direct observation, remote desktop, and using a test environment can help with this initial troubleshooting step
Duplicate Problem or Identify Symptoms p88
Should you discover the problem is a wider issue, you might need to perform this action
Escalate p91
If the computer screen remains blank after system start, what should you check?
Power and Video cables p94
In addition to finding Drivers, an OEM Support site often includes these documents
System Guides & Manuals p95
These experienced volunteers monitor and answer questions in Microsoft Support channels
Microsoft Most Valued Professionals (MVPs) p98
This step in CompTIA Troubleshooting you seek permission or move to a higher tier of support
Escalation p87
This scenario often leads to the need of additional support tickets
Multiple Problem p89
Establishing Support Teams in this manner allows for Escalation of complex problems
Tiered Support Teams p91
Once POST completes on a PC, it passes control to this
The Operating System (OS) p94
Windows OS includes these 2 methods of accessing online Help
Tips App or press F1 p96
These are 2 widely used search engines
Google & Bing p98
As an Enterprise Support Tech, this is where you would “document” your Troubleshooting results
ITSM Knowledge Base (KB) p87
You can gather additional information & research symptoms from these resources to help troubleshoot
Remote Desktop, Log Files & similar reported problems p89
Moving to the final stage of Troubleshooting is to establish this to eliminate the ROOT Cause
Establish Plan of Action (POA) p91
If the Operating System fails to load, it should generate this which can be used to help troubleshoot the problem
Error Message p94
Technical Support organizations often require this before troubleshooting begins
Opening the Support Ticket p96
Typing text directly into a web browser address bar will generally use the default Search Engine. (YES/NO)
YES - configured in Settings or Preferences p99
This is how you approach a Troubleshooting situation
Logically p87
This could be an expensive Plan of Action, and possibly time-consuming
Upgrading p92
A Key objective of your Plan of Action is to (hopefully) ensure this does not happen
Destabilize some other part of system p91
After the OS loads, but you find Peripheral devices non-responsive check connections before updating/replacing these
Device Drivers p95
These key pieces of information are typically required when opening an ITSM Support ticket
Name & Contact info, Software/Hardware and version, date it was acquired, description of problem p97
Unique words or special these help filter Search Engine results
Syntax characters p99