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Difficulty: MediumTroubleshooting Methodology

A tier-2 support specialist is investigating an issue where an enterprise workstation lost access to a shared network directory immediately following a scheduled operating system update. The specialist interviewed the user, reviewed system log files, and confirmed the workstation has a valid static IP address on the local subnet. Based on these findings, the specialist suspects that the update modified local firewall rules to block inbound file sharing protocols. According to the standard CompTIA 6-step troubleshooting methodology, which of the following actions should the specialist take NEXT?

  1. Test the theory by inspecting the active firewall rule table or temporarily altering the rule set in a controlled environment.Answer
  2. B
    Establish a plan of action to rewrite the company's network security group policies and deploy the changes across the enterprise.
  3. C
    Reconfigure the network DNS server to renew IP address leases and resolve local client hostnames.
  4. D
    Replace the unmanaged Layer 2 network switch connecting the workstation to the local subnet.

Answer

Test the theory by inspecting the active firewall rule table or temporarily altering the rule set in a controlled environment.
According to the CompTIA troubleshooting methodology, once a technician has identified the problem (Step 1) and established a theory of probable cause (Step 2), the next step is to test the theory to determine cause (Step 3). Inspecting the active firewall rules directly tests whether local firewall configuration changes are preventing file share access.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the current step in the CompTIA 6-step troubleshooting process from the scenario context.
The specialist completed Step 1 (Identify the problem: interviewed user, examined logs, verified IP) and Step 2 (Established a theory of probable cause: suspected firewall rule modification).
Sequential progression requires determining what step was just completed before identifying the subsequent action.
2
Determine the next sequential step in the CompTIA methodology.
The step directly following Step 2 is Step 3: Test the theory to determine cause.
A technician must confirm whether a theory is accurate before devoting resources to creating a plan of action or implementing changes.
3
Select the option that represents testing the established theory.
Inspecting the firewall rules or testing rule changes directly evaluates the firewall hypothesis without making premature enterprise-wide modifications.
Testing the specific theory validates the root cause while adhering to methodical troubleshooting boundaries.

Key Concept

CompTIA 6-Step Troubleshooting Methodology Order
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Topics

Troubleshooting Methodology

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