Senior Acquisitions Editor: Jeff Kellum

Development Editor: Alexa Murphy

Technical Editors: Naomi Alpern and Ian Seaton

Production Editor: Dassi Zeidel

Copy Editor: Judy Flynn

Editorial Manager: Pete Gaughan

Production Manager: Tim Tate

Vice President and Executive Group Publisher: Richard Swadley

Vice President and Publisher: Neil Edde

Media Project Manager 1: Laura Moss-Hollister

Media Associate Producer: Shawn Patrick

Media Quality Assurance: Marilyn Hummel

Book Designers: Judy Fung and Bill Gibson

Compositor: Craig Woods, Happenstance Type-O-Rama

Proofreader: Josh Chase, Word One New York

Indexer: Ted Laux

Project Coordinator, Cover: Katherine Crocker

Cover Designer: Ryan Sneed

Cover Image: © Jeremy Woodhouse / Photodisc / Getty Images

Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

ISBN: 978-1-118-32406-6

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Dear Reader,

Thank you for choosing CompTIA A+ Complete Deluxe Study Guide, Second Edition. This book is part of a family of premium-quality Sybex books, all of which are written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching.

Sybex was founded in 1976. More than 30 years later, we’re still committed to producing consistently exceptional books. With each of our titles, we’re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on, to the authors we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available.

I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I’d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we’re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an email at [email protected]. If you think you’ve found a technical error in this book, please visit http://sybex.custhelp.com. Customer feedback is critical to our efforts at Sybex.

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For Kara, Abbie, Lauren, Reina, and Alina—Quentin Docter

For Karen, Kristin, Evan, and Spencer—Emmett Dulaney

For Karen, Toby, Tiffani, Trey, and Taylor—Toby Skandier

Acknowledgments

As we were putting together this book, I was reminded of the proverb that begins, “It takes a small village…” That beginning definitely holds true to create a book of this scope and size. From beginning to end, there are scores of dedicated professionals focused on delivering the best book possible to you the readers.

First, I need to thank my coauthors, Emmett Dulaney and Toby Skandier. Their dedication to producing an excellent book that will best serve the needs of our readers is inspiring. Now, onto the rest of the team.

Jeff Kellum and Alexa Murphy kept us on track and moving forward, which was a challenge at times. Dassi Zeidel had the fun job of keeping us organized, which is akin to herding cats. Tech editors Naomi Alpern and Ian Seaton provided a great set of expert eyes and made excellent suggestions. Copyeditor Judy Flynn reminded me yet again that I am no master of the English language and saved me from butchering it (too badly). Many thanks also go out to proofreader Josh Chase at Word One, our indexer Ted Laux, and Craig Woods, our compositor at Happenstance. Without their great contributions this book would not have made it to your hands.

—Quentin Docter

I would like to thank Jeff Kellum—an acquisitions editor who knows how to do a difficult job extremely well. I would also like to thank my coauthors, Quentin Docter and Toby Skandier, without whom this text would have never happened.

—Emmett Dulaney

Quentin Docter and Emmett Dulaney are two of the most professional and expert coauthors anyone could request. I had the great fortune a few editions ago to be brought onboard this project without the need to request them. Truer serendipity is hard to find in this world. Thanks, guys.

I would like to thank our acquisitions editor, Jeff Kellum, and development editor, Alexa Murphy, for their expert guidance and project management. Without them, a work of this magnitude would surely be doomed.

Thanks to our technical editors, Naomi Alpern and Ian Seaton, for doing such a great job flagging any technical issues that existed during the writing process. I don’t know how to possibly thank our production editor, Dassi Zeidel, and copyeditor, Judy Flynn, for the tireless work they put into parsing every word and image that was sent their way. This book is infinitely better as a result of their pains.

In addition, I’d like to thank our proofreader Josh Chase at Word One, indexer Ted Laux, typesetter Craig Woods, and the media developers, Laura Moss-Hollister, Shawn Patrick, and Marilyn Hummel.

Thank you to my associates at Global Knowledge and CenturyLink for the support and challenges you continue to offer.

—Toby Skandier