A+ Certification Training Guide (Exams 220-221, 220-222)

Charles J. Brooks is currently the president of Marcraft International Corporation, located in Kennewick, Washington, and is in charge of research and development. He is the author of several books, including Speech Synthesis, Pneumatic Instrumentation, The Complete Introductory Computer Course, Radio-Controlled Car Project Manual, and IBM PC Peripheral Troubleshooting and Repair. A former electronics instructor and technical writer with the National Education Corporation, Charles has taught and written on post-secondary EET curriculum, including introductory electronics, transistor theory, linear integrated circuits, basic digital theory, industrial electronics, microprocessors, and computer peripherals.

(NOTE: Each chapter concludes with a Part Summary and Apply Your Knowledge.)

Introduction.
I. CORE HARDWARE SERVICE TECHNICIAN.

1. Basic Terms and Concepts.


Introduction. PC Standards. The PC System. Inside the System Unit. Power Supplies. Adapter Cards. Storage Devices. Peripherals and Ports. Portable Display Types. Modems. Software. Basic Input/Output Systems. Operating Systems. CMOS Setup Utilities. Personal Digital Assistants.

2. Adding and Removing FRU Modules.


Introduction. Removing System Boards. System Board Devices. Power Supplies. Input Devices. Installing Sound Cards. Installing Scanners and Digital Cameras. Installing Storage Devices. Portable System Components.

3. System Resources.


Introduction. Extended I/O. Hexadecimal Addresses.

4. Peripherals and Ports.


Introduction. Standard I/O Ports. Parallel Ports. Serial Ports. Universal Serial Bus. Firewire. Infrared Ports.

5. Installing Disk Devices.


Introduction. Integrated Drive Electronics Interface. Small Computer System Interface.

6. Installing and Configuring Peripheral Devices.


Introduction. Video/Monitor Systems. Installing Modems. Configuring Advanced Ports. Peripheral Storage Devices. Portable Peripherals.

7. System Upgrading and Optimizing.


Introduction. System Board Upgrading. HDD Upgrading. Portable System Upgrading.

8. Symptoms and Troubleshooting.


Introduction. Isolating Power-Supply Problems. Troubleshooting the System Board. Troubleshooting Keyboard Problems. Troubleshooting Mouse Problems. Troubleshooting Video. Troubleshooting Monitors. Troubleshooting Floppy Disk Drives. Troubleshooting Hard Disk Drives. Troubleshooting CD-ROM Drives. Troubleshooting Port Problems. Troubleshooting Scanners. Troubleshooting Tape Drives. Troubleshooting Modems. Troubleshooting Sound Cards.

9. Basic Troubleshooting Techniques.


Introduction. Diagnostic and Repair Tools. Information Gathering. Initial Troubleshooting Steps. Field-Replaceable Unit Troubleshooting.

10. Preventive Maintenance.


Introduction. Cleaning. Preventive Maintenance Procedures.

11. System Protection.


Introduction. Power-Line Protection. Protection During Storage. Avoiding High-Voltage Hazards. Avoiding Laser and Burn Hazards. Disposal Procedures. Electrostatic Discharge.

12. Microprocessors.


Introduction. The Pentium Processor. Advanced Pentium Architectures. Socket Specifications. Clock Speeds. Power-Supply Levels. Heat Sinks and Fans. Configuring Microprocessors.

13. Random Access Memory.


Introduction. Memory Systems. SIMMs, DIMMs, and Banks. RAM Speeds.

14. Motherboards.


Introduction. System Board Form Factors. Pentium Chipsets. Expansion Bus Architectures. I/O Connections. Universal Serial Bus. Onboard Disk Drive Connections.

15. CMOS RAM.


Introduction. CMOS Setup Utilities.

16. Basic Printer Concepts.


Introduction. Printer Types. Fonts. Printer Mechanics. Dot-Matrix Printers. Ink-Jet Printers. Laser Printers. Paper Specifications. Printer Installation.

17. Servicing Printers.


Introduction. Troubleshooting Dot-Matrix Printers. Troubleshooting Ink-Jet Printers. Troubleshooting Laser Printers. Preventive Maintenance and Safety Issues.

18. Basic Networking Concepts.


Introduction. LAN Topologies. Logical Topologies. Network Control Strategies. Network Cabling. Network Access Protocols. Installing and Configuring LANs. Network Repair.

II. OPERATING SYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES.

19. Operating System Fundamentals.


Introduction. Operating System Basics. Microsoft Disk Operating Systems. Basic Memory Management. Windows 9x Functions, Structures, and Major Files. Windows NT/2000 Structures and Major Functions.

20. Navigating Operating Systems.


Introduction. Working from the Command Line. Navigating Windows 9x. Navigating Windows NT/2000.

21. Creating and Managing Files.


Introduction. Files and Filenames. MS-DOS Files. DOS Shortcuts. Windows 9x Files. Windows NT/2000 Files. Windows Explorer.

22. Basic Disk Management.


Introduction. Microsoft Disk Structures. Operating System Utilities.

23. Installing and Upgrading Operating Systems.


Introduction. Disk Preparation. Installing Windows 95. Installing Windows 98. Installing Windows NT/2000. Installing Windows 2000 Professional. Operating System Upgrading. Dual Booting.

24. Starting the System.


Introduction. The Boot Process. Plug-and-Play. MS-DOS Bootup. Windows 9x Startup. Windows NT Startup. Windows 2000 Startup. Self-Booting Disks.

25. Working with Devices, Applications, and Printers.


Introduction. Loading and Adding Device Drivers. Working with Applications. Printing in Windows.

26. Troubleshooting OS Setup/Startup Problems.


Introduction. Troubleshooting Setup Problems. Troubleshooting Startup Problems.

27. Common OS Operational Problems.


Introduction. Common OS Operational Problems. Windows-Related Printing Problems. Viruses.

28. Networking with Windows.


Introduction. Network Hardware. Resource Sharing. Networking with Windows 9x. Network Printing with Windows 9x. Networking with Windows 2000.

29. Internet Concepts.


Introduction. Wide Area Networks. Wide Area Networking with Windows 9x. Wide Area Networking with Windows NT/2000.

III. FINAL REVIEW.

Fast Facts: Core Hardware Service Technician Exam.


1.0 Installation, Configuration, and Upgrading. 2.0 Diagnosing and Troubleshooting. 3.0 Preventive Maintenance. 4.0 Motherboard/Processors/Memory. 5.0 Printers. 6.0 Basic Networking.

Fast Facts: Operating System Technologies Exam.


1.0 Operating System Fundamentals. 2.0 Installation, Configuration, and Upgrading. 3.0 Diagnosing and Troubleshooting. 4.0 Networks.

Study and Exam Prep Tips.


Learning as a Process. Study Tips. Exam Prep Tips.

Practice Exam: Core Hardware Service Technician.


Exam Questions. Answers to Exam Questions.

Practice Exam: Operating System Technologies.


Exam Questions. Answers to Exam Questions.

IV. Appendixes.

Appendix A. Glossary.
Appendix B. Overview of the Certification Process.


About the A+ Certification Program.

Appendix C. Whats on the CD-ROM.


PrepLogic Practice Tests, Preview Edition. Exclusive Electronic Version of Text. Easy Access to Online Pointers and References.

Appendix D. Using the PrepLogic Practice Tests, Preview Edition Software.


Exam Simulation. Software Requirements. Using PrepLogic Practice Tests, Preview Edition. Contacting PrepLogic. License Agreement.

Index.