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Hardware and Network Troubleshooting — A+ Core 1 practice questions

Domain 5 of the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) exam. 278 questions on this domain in the full bank — here are four free samples with answers and explanations.

Question 1 · Difficulty 2/5

According to the CompTIA 6-step troubleshooting methodology, which step involves gathering information from the user, documenting recent changes, and questioning the obvious before forming any hypothesis? (Select the best answer.)
  1. Establish a theory of probable cause
  2. Identify the problem
  3. Establish a plan of action and implement it
  4. Test the theory to determine the cause
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B

Identify the problem
Step 1 of the CompTIA methodology is 'Identify the problem,' which explicitly includes gathering information from the user, reviewing and documenting recent changes, and questioning the obvious before any hypothesis is formed. 'Establish a theory of probable cause' (Step 2) comes after the problem is identified and involves forming hypotheses about root cause, not collecting initial data. 'Test the theory to determine the cause' (Step 3) follows hypothesis formation and involves confirming or disproving the theory. 'Establish a plan of action and implement it' (Step 4) assumes the theory has already been confirmed and focuses on remediation steps.

Question 2 · Difficulty 3/5

A technician suspects that a faulty network driver is causing intermittent packet loss on a user's laptop. The technician reinstalls the driver, but the packet loss continues. According to the CompTIA 6-step troubleshooting methodology, what is the correct next action? (Select the best answer.)
  1. Proceed to establish a plan of action based on the original theory
  2. Document the findings and close the ticket
  3. Verify full system functionality and close the ticket
  4. Establish a new theory of probable cause and test it
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D

Establish a new theory of probable cause and test it
Step 3 of the CompTIA 6-step methodology states that if testing the theory does not confirm it as the root cause, the technician must form a new theory and test it rather than continuing to act on a disproven hypothesis. Proceeding to establish a plan of action based on the original theory (Step 4) is inappropriate because the theory was not confirmed. Verifying full system functionality (Step 5) and documenting findings (Step 6) are both premature while the problem remains unsolved, the root cause has not yet been identified or resolved.

Question 3 · Difficulty 2/5

According to the CompTIA 6-step troubleshooting methodology, which step requires a technician to record the root cause, the corrective actions taken, and the final outcome of the repair? (Select the best answer.)
  1. Identify the problem
  2. Establish a plan of action and implement it
  3. Implement preventive measures
  4. Document findings, actions, and outcomes
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D

Document findings, actions, and outcomes
Step 6 of the CompTIA A+ Core 1/Core 2 (220-1101/220-1102) 6-step troubleshooting methodology is 'Document findings, actions, and outcomes,' which explicitly requires recording the root cause, the steps taken to resolve the issue, and the final result so that future technicians can reference the record. 'Identify the problem' (step 1) focuses on gathering information before a fix is attempted. 'Establish a plan of action and implement it' (step 4) is about executing the fix, not recording it afterward. 'Implement preventive measures' (step 5b, part of the verify-and-prevent phase) addresses preventing recurrence of the issue, but does not fulfill the recording requirement, that remains the explicit purpose of step 6.

Question 4 · Difficulty 3/5

A technician is called to investigate a workstation that cannot reach any network resources. The technician asks the user whether anything changed recently, checks the event logs, and inspects the physical cable connections before forming any hypothesis. According to the CompTIA 6-step troubleshooting methodology, which step is the technician performing? (Select the best answer.)
  1. Establish a theory of probable cause
  2. Identify the problem
  3. Test the theory to determine the cause
  4. Establish a plan of action and implement it
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B

Identify the problem
Step 1 of the CompTIA methodology, 'identify the problem,' involves gathering information from the user, documenting recent changes, and performing preliminary observations (such as checking physical connections and event logs) before any hypothesis is formed. 'Establish a theory of probable cause' (step 2) comes after information is collected and involves proposing a likely cause. 'Test the theory' (step 3) involves actively attempting to confirm or refute a specific hypothesis. 'Establish a plan of action' (step 4) occurs only after a theory has been confirmed.

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