What Does This Book Cover?
This book covers everything you need to know to pass the A+ exam.
Part I of the book starts at Chapter 1 and concludes after Chapter 11. It will cover all the topics you will be tested on from exam 220-801:
Chapter 1, “Motherboards, Processors, and Memory” Chapter 1 details the characteristics of motherboards, their slots, and built-in components. The CPU, RAM, and BIOS, which are attached to the motherboard, are also presented in Chapter 1.
Chapter 2, “Storage Devices and Power Supplies” Chapter 2 presents the popular forms of storage devices in use today, including traditional hard drives, solid-state drives, floppy diskette drives, and flash drives and memory cards. Capacities, form factors, and makeup of these components is also discussed.
Chapter 3, “Peripherals and Expansion” Chapter 3 covers installation and characteristics of expansion cards, the ports they and the motherboard present to the user, and the peripheral devices connected to these interfaces. Required cabling and its characteristics are also included.
Chapter 4, “Display Devices” Chapter 4 runs the gamut of display devices and their characteristics. Everything from the classic CRT to the cutting-edge organic LED is covered in this chapter.
Chapter 5, “Custom Configurations” Chapter 5 presents information based on a newer objective outlining the specialized systems we see more and more of in the field today. Examples include gaming PCs, graphic design and audio/video editing workstations, home theater PCs, and home servers.
Chapter 6, “Networking Fundamentals” Chapter 6 covers characteristics of cable types and connectors, network devices, networking tools, and network topologies.
Chapter 7, “Introduction to TCP/IP” Chapter 7 details the most common network protocol in use today. It covers TCP/IP structure, addressing (including IPv6), and common protocols in the suite.
Chapter 8, “Installing Wireless and SOHO Networks” Chapter 8 contains two main sections. The first is on wireless networking standards and security, and the second discusses setting up a small office, home office (SOHO) network and choosing an Internet connection type.
Chapter 9, “Understanding Laptops” Chapter 9 covers topics such as laptop-specific hardware, components within a laptop display, and laptop features.
Chapter 10, “Installing and Configuring Printers” Chapter 10 starts by discussing different printing technologies, such as impact, inkjet, and laser printers. It then moves on to installing printers and performing printer maintenance.
Chapter 11, “Understanding Operational Procedures” Chapter 11 covers the “softer” side of working with computers. Topics include following safety procedures, understanding environmental impacts, and practicing proper communication and professionalism.
Part II of the book, Chapter 12 through Chapter 20, looks at the topics from exam 220-802:
Chapter 12, “Operating System Basics” Chapter 12 starts the examination of operating systems, and CompTIA expects you to know how to administer three of them, plus many of the various editions of each version: Microsoft’s Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.
Chapter 13, “Operating System Administration” Chapter 13 continues the discussion begun in Chapter 12 and looks at utilities and features that exist in each of the three operating systems that you need to know for the exam.
Chapter 14, “Working with Windows 7” Chapter 14 focuses only on Windows 7. It’s newest of the three versions of operating systems that the 220-802 exam tests on, and this chapter looks at features unique to Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, and Windows 7 Enterprise.
Chapter 15, “Working with Windows Vista” Chapter 15 examines the often underappreciated Windows Vista and features unique to Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Ultimate, and Windows Vista Enterprise.
Chapter 16, “Working with Windows XP” Chapter 16 focuses only on Windows XP, the oldest of the three versions of operating systems that the 220-802 exam tests on. This chapter looks at features unique to Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Media Center, and Windows XP 64-bit Professional.
Chapter 17, “Security” Just when you think this book couldn’t get any better, we toss in a chapter devoted to security. This chapter looks at all the security topics on the exam and includes information on social engineering, best practices, and securing SOHO networks, both wired and wireless.
Chapter 18, “Mobile Devices” Chapter 18 details the similarities and differences between Apple- and Android-based mobile devices. This chapter gives you extensive hands-on steps for configuring a variety of features and services on such devices.
Chapter 19, “Troubleshooting Theory, OSs, and Security” If you collected a nickel every time someone requested a chapter on troubleshooting theory, you’d have enough to buy a decent pair of socks. Since CompTIA has an uncompromising view on the topic, you need to know the topic from the perspective of the objectives, and that is what you will find in Chapter 19.
Chapter 20, “Hardware and Network Troubleshooting” The last chapter in the book covers a wide array of troubleshooting topics. Specific components include motherboards, RAM, CPUs, storage devices, display devices, printers, and laptops. Troubleshooting wired and wireless networks is also discussed.
What’s Included in the Book
We’ve included several learning tools throughout the book:
Assessment test At the end of this introduction is an assessment test that you can use to check your readiness for the exam. Take this test before you start reading the book; it will help you determine the areas you might need to brush up on. The answers to the assessment test questions appear on a separate page after the last question of the test. Each answer includes an explanation and a note telling you the chapter in which the material appears.
Objective map and opening list of objectives At the beginning of the book, we have included a detailed exam objective map showing you where each of the exam objectives is covered. In addition, each chapter opens with a list of the exam objectives it covers. Use these to see exactly where each of the exam topics is covered.
Exam essentials Each chapter, just before the summary, includes a number of exam essentials. These are the key topics you should take from the chapter in terms of areas to focus on when preparing for the exam.
Chapter review questions To test your knowledge as you progress through the book, there are review questions at the end of each chapter. As you finish each chapter, answer the review questions and then check your answers—the correct answers and explanations are in Appendix A. You can go back to reread the section that deals with each question you got wrong to ensure that you answer correctly the next time you’re tested on the material.
What’s Included on the CD
We’ve included a number of additional study tools that can be found on the book’s CD:
Sybex test engine Using this custom software, you can identify up front the areas in which you are weak and then develop a solid studying strategy using the test engine for each of the robust testing features included with this book. In addition to the assessment test and the chapter review questions, you’ll find a total of eight practice exams, four for exam 220-801 and four for exam 220-802. Take these practice exams just as if you were taking the actual exam (without any reference material). When you’ve finished the first exam, move on to the next one to solidify your test-taking skills. If you get more than 90 percent of the answers correct, you’re ready to take the certification exam.
Electronic flashcards Use these handy flashcards for quick and convenient review.
Instructional videos We’ve included over an hour of instructional videos showing readers some of the more popular exam topics, including identifying the parts of a workstation and laptop and various storage devices, examining networking cables, and using the Windows operating systems.
E-book in all formats Because we know many readers like to read on the go, we’ve included the study guide in various e-book formats, allowing you to read on most of the popular e-reader devices, tablets, and computers.
Please see the appendix “About the Companion CD” for instructions on how to install the e-book files on your device.
PDF of key terms We’ve included a searchable glossary so you can quickly find definitions for terms you’re not familiar with.
How to Use This Book
If you want a solid foundation for preparing for the A+ exams, this is the book for you. We’ve spent countless hours putting together this book with the sole intention of helping you prepare for the exams.
This book is loaded with valuable information, and you will get the most out of your study time if you understand how we put the book together. Here’s a list that describes how to approach studying:
1. Take the assessment test immediately following this introduction. It’s okay if you don’t know any of the answers—that’s what this book is for. Carefully read over the explanations for any question you get wrong, and make note of the chapters where that material is covered.
2. Study each chapter carefully, making sure you fully understand the information and the exam objectives listed at the beginning of each one. Again, pay extra-close attention to any chapter that includes material covered in questions you missed on the assessment test.
3. Read over the summary and exam essentials. These will highlight the sections from the chapter you need to be familiar with before sitting for the exam.
4. Answer all the review questions at the end of each chapter. Specifically note any questions that confuse you, and study those sections of the book again. And don’t just skim these questions—make sure you understand each answer completely.
5. Go over the electronic flashcards. These help you prepare for the latest A+ exams, and they’re really great study tools.
6. Take the practice exams on the CD.
Minimum System Requirements
You should have a minimum of 45MB of disk space, as well as Windows 98 or higher, to use the Sybex test engine. You will also need Adobe Acrobat Reader (included).
Performance-Based Questions
With the latest A+ exams, CompTIA has introduced performance-based questions. These are not the traditional multiple-choice questions you’re probably familiar with. These questions require the candidate to actually know how to perform a specific task or series of tasks. Although the A+ exams were not released at the time this book was written, we have a pretty good idea of how these questions will be laid out. The candidate will be presented with a scenario and will be asked to complete a task. They will be taken to a simulated environment where they will have to perform a series of steps and will be graded on how well they complete the task.
The Sybex test engine does not have the ability to include performance-based questions. However, we have included at the end of most chapters a section called “Performance-Based Questions” designed to measure how well you understood the chapter topics. Some simply ask you to complete a task for which there is only one correct response. Others are more subjective, with multiple ways to complete. We will provide the most logical or practical solution in Appendix B. Note that these may cover topic areas not covered in the actual A+ performance-based questions. However, we feel that being able to think logically is a great way to learn.
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