Which of the following troubleshooting steps requires you to have knowledge on the different
system and configuration areas, and the utilities needed to troubleshoot these areas?

A.
Gathering information on the issue.

B.
Talking to the user experiencing the problem.

C.
Isolating possible causes of the issue, and eliminating possibilities.

D.
Document your findings and solutions.

Explanation:
Isolating possible causes of the issue and eliminating possibilities usually follow after you have
gathered information on the problem. This is where your knowledge on the different system and
configuration areas is important, as well as knowing the various tools and utilities used to
troubleshoot and debug issues pertaining to these areas.
Incorrect Answers:
A: Gathering information on the issue is usually the second step in troubleshooting an issue. This
step involves ascertaining whether new hardware or software added caused an issue, whether the
issue can be reproduced, whether the user performed an action that resulted in the issue, and so
forth.
B: The first step in troubleshooting an issue is talking to the user experiencing the problem.
Contact with a user means that you need to have some degree of customer relations skills to carry
out successful diagnosis of an issue. Here, you need the user to show you what the current
problem is.
D: Once a problem being discussed with a user seems to surpass a few crucial components, you
should document your findings and solutions. This would enable you to quickly reference the issue
the next time it appears.References:David Groth and Dan Newland, A+ Study Guide, 2nd Edition,
Alameda, Sybex, 2004, p. 775 – 776.