A desktop technician is assigned to troubleshoot a high-end graphics workstation that unexpectantly shuts down during intensive 3D rendering tasks. Place the technician's diagnostic and remedial actions in the correct sequential order according to the CompTIA 6-step troubleshooting methodology, from first action to last action.
- 1Interview the user about crash symptoms and inspect OS event logs for thermal warning events.
- 2Formulate a hypothesis that clogged heatsink fins and degraded thermal paste are causing CPU thermal throttling and shutdown.
- 3Run a hardware monitoring utility during a stress test to observe if CPU core temperatures exceed critical thresholds.
- 4Shut down the workstation, remove dust buildup from cooling fins, reapply thermal compound, and remount the heatsink.
- 5Execute a full rendering workload test to confirm temperature stability, then log the root cause and remedy in the ticketing system.
Answer
The correct order follows the standard CompTIA troubleshooting process: first interview the user and review event logs (Identify the problem), second formulate a hypothesis regarding thermal failure (Establish a theory), third run a stress test while monitoring hardware sensors (Test the theory), fourth clean the cooling components and reapply thermal paste (Implement the solution), and fifth perform a stress test to confirm fix and document findings (Verify system functionality and Document).
The correct sequence strictly adheres to the standard 6-step CompTIA troubleshooting methodology: 1. Identify the problem (gather user reports and logs), 2. Establish a theory of probable cause (hypothesize thermal throttling), 3. Test the theory (stress-test with temperature monitoring), 4. Implement the solution (clean heatsink and reapply thermal paste), and 5. Verify full system functionality and document findings (stress-test validation and ticket documentation).
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
CompTIA 6-Step Troubleshooting Methodology