|
|
Computer Training > A+ Certification
Computer Training -
A+ Certification Training
8 Days (64
hrs) - $1499.00
Learn to build a computer
from scratch!
Click here to view the
current schedule
of classes.
|
|
|
|
The CompTIA A+ certification is the industry
standard for validating the vendor-neutral skills expected of an
entry-level computer technician. Having an A+ certification
proves that you have a broad base of knowledge and competency in
core hardware and operating system technologies including
installation, configuration, diagnosing, preventive maintenance
and basic networking.
Companies like Best Buy know the value of
the A+ certification and require their supervisors to be A+
certified. Many other companies like Sears, Radio Shack and State
Farm insurance also have A+ certification requirements for their
IT employees.
Every business uses computers, and skilled
technicians are a necessity. Your A+ certification opens the door
to an exciting career in computer technology at an affordable
price. A+ is a solid certification that employers look for.
For A+ certification, the examinee must pass both the A+
Core Hardware exam and the A+ Operating System
Technologies exam. Click on the following links for a
breakdown of both.
A+ Core Hardware exam
A+ Operating System Technologies exam
A+ Core Hardware exam
Identify basic terms, concepts, and
functions of system modules, including how each module should
work during normal operation and during the boot process.
|
System
board
|
Power
supply
|
Processor
/CPU
|
|
Memory
|
Storage
devices
|
Monitor
|
|
Modem
|
Firmware
|
BIOS
|
|
CMOS
|
LCD
(portable systems)
|
Ports
|
|
PDA
(Personal Digital Assistant)
|
|
|
Identify basic procedures for adding and
removing field replaceable modules for both desktop and portable
systems.
|
System
board
|
Storage
device
|
Power
supply
|
|
Processor
/CPU
|
Memory
|
Input
devices
|
|
Hard
drive
|
Keyboard
|
Video
board
|
|
Mouse
|
Network
Interface Card (NIC)
|
|
Portable system components
|
AC
adapter
|
Digital
Camera
|
DC
controller
|
|
LCD
panel
|
PC
Card
|
Pointing
Devices
|
Identify available IRQs, DMAs, and I/O
addresses and procedures for device installation and
configuration.
|
Standard
IRQ settings
|
Modems
|
Floppy
drive controllers
|
|
Hard
drive controllers
|
USB
ports
|
Infrared
ports
|
|
Hexadecimal/Addresses
|
|
|
Identify common peripheral ports, associated
cabling, and their connectors
Cable types
|
Cable
orientation
|
Serial
versus parallel
|
Pin
connections
|
Connectors
|
DB-9
|
DB-25
|
RJ-11
|
|
RJ-45
|
BNC
|
PS2/MINI-DIN
|
|
USB
|
IEEE
1394
|
|
Identify proper procedures for installing
and configuring IDE/EIDE devices.
|
Master/Slave
|
Devices
per channel
|
Primary/Secondary
|
Identify proper procedures for installing
and configuring SCSI devices.
|
Address/Termination
conflicts
|
Cabling
|
Types
(example: regular, wide, ultra-wide)
|
|
Internal
versus external
|
Expansion
slots, EISA, ISA, PCI
|
Jumper
block settings (binary equivalents)
|
Identify proper procedures for installing
and configuring peripheral devices.
|
Monitor/Video
Card
|
Modem
|
USB
peripherals and hubs
|
|
IEEE
1284
|
IEEE
1394
|
External
storage
|
|
Docking
stations
|
PC
cards
|
Port
replicators
|
|
Infrared
devices
|
|
|
Identify hardware methods of upgrading
system performance, procedures for replacing basic subsystem
components, unique components and when to use them.
|
Memory
|
Hard
Drives
|
CPU
|
|
Upgrading
BIOS
|
When
to upgrade BIOS
|
|
Portable Systems
|
Battery
|
Hard
Drive
|
Types
I, II, III cards
|
|
Memory
|
|
|
Identify common symptoms and problems
associated with each module and how to troubleshoot and isolate
the problems.
|
Processor/Memory
symptoms
|
Mouse
|
Floppy
drive
|
|
Parallel
ports
|
Hard
Drives
|
CD-ROM
|
|
DVD
|
Sound
Card/Audio
|
Monitor/Video
|
|
Motherboards
|
Modems
|
BIOS
|
|
USB
|
NIC
|
CMOS
|
|
Power
supply
|
Slot
covers
|
POST
audible/visual error codes
|
|
Troubleshooting
tools, e.g., multimeter
|
Large
LBA, LBA
|
Cables
|
|
Keyboard
|
Peripherals
|
|
Identify basic troubleshooting procedures
and how to elicit problem symptoms from customers.
|
Troubleshooting/isolation/problem
determination procedures
|
Determine
whether hardware or software problem
|
Gather
information from user regarding Customer Environment,
Symptoms/Error Codes, and Situation when the problem
occurred
|
Identify the purpose of various types of
preventive maintenance products and procedures and when to use
them.
|
Liquid
cleaning compounds
|
Types
of materials to clean contacts and connections
|
Non-static
vacuums (chassis, power supplies, fans)
|
Identify issues, procedures and devices for
protection within the computing environment, including people,
hardware and the surrounding workspace.
|
UPS
(Uninterruptible Power Supply) and suppressors
|
Determining
the signs of power issues
|
Proper
methods of storage of components for future use
|
Potential hazards and proper safety
procedures relating Lasers
|
High-voltage
equipment
|
Power
supply
|
CRT
|
Special disposal procedures that comply with
environmental guidelines.
|
Batteries
|
CRTs
|
Toner
kits/cartridges
|
|
Chemical
solvents and cans
|
MSDS
(Material Safety Data Sheet)
|
|
ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) precautions
and procedures
|
What
ESD can do, how it may be apparent, or hidden
|
Common
ESD protection devices
|
Situations
that could present a danger or hazard
|
Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in
terms of their basic characteristics.
|
Popular
CPU chips (Intel, AMD, Cyrix)
|
Characteristics
|
Physical
size
|
|
Voltage
|
Speeds
|
On
board cache or not
|
|
Sockets
|
SEC
(Single Edge Contact)
|
|
Identify the categories of RAM (Random
Access Memory) terminology, their locations, and physical
characteristics.
|
EDO
RAM (Extended Data Output RAM)
|
DRAM
(Dynamic Random Access Memory)
|
SRAM
(Static RAM)
|
|
RIMM
(Rambus Inline Memory Module 184 Pin)
|
VRAM
(Video RAM)
|
SDRAM
(Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
|
|
WRAM
(Windows Accelerator Card RAM)
|
Locations
and physical characteristics:
|
Memory
bank
|
|
Memory
chips (8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit)
|
SIMMS
(Single In-line Memory Module)
|
DIMMS
(Dual In-line Memory Module)
|
|
Parity
chips versus non-parity chips
|
|
|
Identify the most popular type of
motherboards, their components, and their architecture (bus
structures and power supplies).
|
AT
(Full and Baby)
|
ATX
|
Components:
|
|
Communication
ports
|
SIMM
and DIMM
|
Processor
sockets
|
|
External
cache memory (Level 2)
|
Bus
Architecture
|
ISA
|
|
PCI
|
AGP
|
USB
(Universal Serial Bus)
|
|
VESA
local bus (VL-Bus)
|
Basic
compatibility guidelines
|
IDE
(ATA, ATAPI, ULTRA-DMA, EIDE)
|
|
SCSI
(Wide, Fast, Ultra, LVD(Low Voltage Differential))
|
|
|
Identify the purpose of CMOS (Complementary
Metal-Oxide Semiconductor), what it contains and how to change
its basic parameters.
|
Printer
parallel port—Uni., bi-directional, disable/enable, ECP,
EPP
|
COM/serial
port—memory address, interrupt request, disable
|
Floppy
drive—enable/disable drive or boot, speed, density
|
|
Hard
drive—size and drive type
|
Memory—parity,
non-parity
|
Boot
sequence
|
|
Date/Time
|
Passwords
|
Plug
& Play BIOS
|
Identify basic concepts, printer operations
and printer components.
|
Types
of Printers: Laser, Inkjet, and Dot Matrix
|
Parallel
|
Network
|
|
USB
|
Infrared
|
Serial
|
Identify care and service techniques and
common problems with primary printer types.
|
Feed
and output
|
Errors
(printed or displayed)
|
Paper
jam
|
|
Print
quality
|
Safety
precautions
|
Preventive
maintenance
|
Identify basic networking concepts,
including how a network works and the ramifications of repairs on
the network.
|
Installing
and configuring network cards
|
Network
access
|
Full-duplex,
half-duplex
|
|
Cabling—Twisted
Pair, Coaxial, Fiber Optic, RS-232
|
Ways
to network a PC
|
Physical
Network topographies
|
|
Increasing
bandwidth
|
Loss
of data
|
Network
slowdown
|
|
Infrared
|
Hardware
protocols
|
|
A+ Operating System Technologies exam
Identify the operating system’s functions,
structure, and major system files to navigate the operating
system and how to get to needed technical information.
|
Major
Operating System functions
|
Create
folders
|
Checking
OS Version
|
|
Major
Operating System components
|
Explorer
|
My
Computer
|
|
Control
Panel
|
Contrasts
between Windows 9X and Windows 2000
|
System,
Configuration, and User Interface files
|
|
IO.SYS
|
BOOT.INI
|
WIN.COM
|
|
MSDOS.SYS
|
AUTOEXEC.BAT
|
CONFIG.SYS
|
|
COMMAND
LINE PROMPT
|
Conventional
Memory management
|
Extended/upper
memory
|
|
High
memory
|
Virtual
memory
|
HIMEM.SYS
|
|
EMM386.exe
|
|
|
Windows 9x
|
IO.SYS
|
WIN.INI
|
USER.DAT
|
|
SYSEDIT
|
SYSTEM.INI
|
SETVER.EXE
|
|
SMARTDRV.EXE
|
MSCONFIG
(98)
|
COMMAND.COM
|
|
DOSSTART.BAT
|
REGEDIT.EXE
|
SYSTEM.DAT
|
|
RUN
COMMAND
|
DriveSpace
|
|
Windows 2000
|
Computer
Management
|
BOOT.INI
|
REGEDT32
|
|
REGEDIT
|
RUN
CMD
|
NTLDR
|
|
NTDETECT.COM
|
NTBOOTDD.SYS
|
|
Command Prompt Procedures (Command syntax)
|
DIR
|
ATTRIB
|
VER
|
|
MEM
|
SCANDISK
|
DEFRAG
|
|
EDIT
|
XCOPY
|
COPY
|
|
FORMAT
|
FDISK
|
MSCDEX
|
|
SETVER
|
SCANREG
|
|
Identify basic concepts and procedures for
creating, viewing and managing files, directories and disks. This
includes procedures for changing file attributes and the
ramifications of those changes (for example, security issues).
|
File
attributes - Read Only, Hidden, System, and Archive
attributes
|
File
naming conventions (Most common extensions)
|
Windows
2000 COMPRESS, ENCRYPT
|
|
IDE/SCSI
|
Internal/External
|
Backup/Restore
|
|
Partitioning/Formatting/File
System
|
FAT
|
FAT16
|
|
FAT32
|
NTFS4
|
NTFS5
|
|
HPFS
|
Windows-based
utilities
|
ScanDisk
|
|
Device
manager
|
System
Manager
|
Computer
Manager
|
|
MSCONFIG.EXE
|
REGEDIT.EXE
(View information/Backup registry)
|
REGEDT32.EXE
|
|
ATTRIB.EXE
|
EXTRACT.EXE
|
DEFRAG.EXE
|
|
EDIT.COM
|
FDISK.EXE
|
SYSEDIT.EXE
|
|
SCANREG
|
WSCRIPT.EXE
|
HWINFO.EXE
|
|
ASD.EXE
(Automatic Skip Driver)
|
Cvt1.EXE
(Drive Converter FAT16 to FAT32)
|
|
Identify the procedures for installing
Windows 9x, and Windows 2000 for bringing the software to a basic
operational level.
|
Start
Up
|
Partition
|
Format
drive
|
|
Loading
drivers
|
Run
appropriate set up utility
|
|
Identify steps to perform an operating
system upgrade.
|
Upgrading
Windows 95 to Windows 98
|
Upgrading
from Windows NT Workstation 4.0 to Windows 2000
|
Replacing
Windows 9x with Windows 2000
|
|
Dual
boot Windows 9x/Windows NT 4.0/2000
|
|
|
Identify the basic system boot sequences and
boot methods, including the steps to create an emergency boot
disk with utilities installed for Windows 9x, Windows NT, and
Windows 2000.
|
Startup disk
|
Safe Mode
|
MS-DOS mode
|
|
NTLDR (NT
Loader), BOOT.INI
|
Files required
to boot
|
Creating
emergency repair disk (ERD)
|
Identify procedures for loading/adding and
configuring application device drivers, and the necessary
software for certain devices.
|
Windows
9x Plug and Play and Windows 2000
|
Identify
the procedures for installing and launching typical Windows
and non-Windows applications. (Note: there is no content
related to Windows 3.1)
|
Procedures
for set up and configuring Windows printing subsystem.
|
|
Setting
Default printer
|
Installing/Spool
setting
|
Network
printing (with help of LAN admin)
|
Recognize and interpret the meaning of
common error codes and startup messages from the boot sequence,
and identify steps to correct the problems.
|
Safe
Mode
|
No
operating system found
|
Error
in CONFIG.SYS line XX
|
|
Bad
or missing COMMAND.COM
|
HIMEM.SYS
not loaded
|
Missing
or corrupt HIMEM.SYS
|
|
SCSI
|
Swap
file
|
NT
boot issues
|
|
Dr.
Watson
|
Failure
to start GUI
|
Windows
Protection Error
|
|
Event
Viewer – Event log is full
|
A
device referenced in SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI, Registry is not
found
|
|
Recognize common problems and determine how
to resolve them.
|
Eliciting
problem symptoms from customers
|
Having
customer reproduce error as part of the diagnostic process
|
Identifying
recent changes to the computer environment from the user
|
|
Troubleshooting
Windows-specific printing problems
|
General
Protection Faults
|
Illegal
operation
|
|
Invalid
working directory
|
System
lock up
|
Option
(Sound card, modem, input device) or will not function
|
|
Application
will not start or load
|
Cannot
log on to network (option – NIC not functioning)
|
TSR
(Terminate Stay Resident) programs and virus
|
|
Applications
don’t install
|
Network
connection
|
Viruses
and virus types
|
Identify the networking capabilities of
Windows including procedures for connecting to the network.
|
Protocols
|
IPCONFIG.EXE
|
WINIPCFG.EXE
|
|
Sharing
disk drives
|
Sharing
print and file services
|
Network
type and network card
|
|
Installing
and Configuring browsers
|
Configure
OS for network connection
|
|
Identify concepts and capabilities relating
to the Internet and basic procedures for setting up a system for
Internet access.
|
ISP
|
TCP/IP
|
IPX/SPX
|
|
NetBEUI
|
E-mail
|
PING.EXE
|
|
HTML
|
HTTP://
|
FTP
|
|
Domain
Names (Web sites)
|
Dial-up
networking
|
TRACERT.EXE
|
|
NSLOOKUP.EXE
|
|
|
|
