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IT Support & Hardware · Foundational

Establish a Theory of Probable Cause

Step two of the troubleshooting methodology: form a hypothesis about the cause, questioning the obvious.

Definition

After identifying the problem, the technician considers likely causes, starting with the simplest, and may research using vendor documentation or knowledge bases. Multiple approaches, such as external or internal causes, are considered. If the theory is not confirmed in testing, establish a new theory or escalate.

Example

A user cannot print; the theory is that the printer is offline because its IP changed.

Exam tip

If testing disproves a theory, the next step is a new theory or escalation, not implementing a fix.

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