A user reports that the PC is not working. After questioning the user, the technician believes the problem is a bad memory module. Which of the following is the NEXT step the technician should take?

Documenting findings comes at the end of the troubleshooting process, after the problem has been identified and resolved, not before testing a theory.

Replacing the motherboard is a drastic hardware replacement step that skips testing the current theory about memory and jumps to an unrelated component.

The CompTIA A+ troubleshooting model requires testing the theory of probable cause before escalating to hardware replacement. Memory diagnostic tools such as Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86 can confirm or refute a faulty RAM module, allowing the technician to validate the theory with minimal cost and effort.

Verifying the system is working correctly is the final step in the troubleshooting methodology, performed after a fix has been applied.