| About This Book | xix |
| Intended Audience | xix |
| Prerequisites | xx |
| About the CD-ROM | xx |
| Features of This Book | xx |
| Chapter and Appendix Overview | xxi |
| Finding the Best Starting Point for You | xxiii |
| Where to Find Specific Skill Areas in This Book | xxiv |
| A+ Core Hardware Examination | xxiv |
| A+ Operating System Technologies Exam | xxiv |
| Getting Started | xxv |
| Hardware Requirements | xxv |
| Software Requirements | xxv |
| About the Electronic Book | xxvi |
| The A+ Certification Program | xxvi |
| Benefits of Certification | xxvi |
| The A+ Exam Modules and Domains | xxvii |
| Registering for the A+ Exams | xxxi |
| CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Computers | 1 |
| About This Chapter | 1 |
| Before You Begin | 1 |
| Lesson 1: The Development of the Computer | 2 |
| The Abacus | 2 |
| The Analytical Engine (A Pre-Electronic Computer) | 3 |
| The First Electrically Driven Computer | 3 |
| The Digital Electronic Computer | 4 |
| Lesson Summary | 7 |
| Lesson 2: The Role of a Computer Service Professional | 8 |
| Lesson Summary | 8 |
| Chapter Summary | 9 |
| Review | 10 |
| CHAPTER 2 Understanding Electronic Communication | 11 |
| About This Chapter | 11 |
| Before You Begin | 11 |
| Lesson 1: Computer Communication | 12 |
| Early Forms of Communication | 12 |
| The Binary Language of Computers | 13 |
| ASCII Code | 17 |
| Lesson Summary | 19 |
| Lesson 2: The Computer Bus | 20 |
| Lesson Summary | 21 |
| Chapter Summary | 22 |
| Review | 23 |
| CHAPTER 3 An Overview of the Personal Computer | 25 |
| About This Chapter | 25 |
| Before You Begin | 25 |
| Lesson 1: The Three Stages of Computing | 26 |
| Input | 27 |
| Processing | 27 |
| Output | 27 |
| Input, Processing, and Output | 27 |
| Lesson Summary | 28 |
| Lesson 2: Components of a Computer | 29 |
| Input | 29 |
| Processing | 30 |
| Output | 32 |
| Input and Output | 33 |
| Lesson Summary | 34 |
| Lesson 3: Support Hardware | 35 |
| Lesson Summary | 36 |
| Chapter Summary | 37 |
| Review | 38 |
| CHAPTER 4 The Central Processing Unit | 39 |
| About This Chapter | 39 |
| Before You Begin | 39 |
| Lesson 1: Microprocessors | 40 |
| The External Data Bus | 40 |
| The CPU | 42 |
| Memory | 47 |
| How Microprocessors Work | 49 |
| PC Microprocessor Developments and Features | 50 |
| The First Pentiums | 59 |
| Lesson Summary | 67 |
| Lesson 2: Replacing and Upgrading a CPU | 68 |
| Possible Upgrade Scenarios | 68 |
| Inserting a CPU | 69 |
| Lesson Summary | 72 |
| Chapter Summary | 73 |
| Review | 74 |
| CHAPTER 5 Power Supplies | 77 |
| About This Chapter | 77 |
| Before You Begin | 77 |
| Lesson 1: Power Supplies | 78 |
| Overview of Power Supplies | 78 |
| Power Supply Sizes | 79 |
| Power Supply Wattage | 80 |
| Power Supply Connectors | 80 |
| Lesson Summary | 85 |
| Lesson 2: Power Supply Problems | 86 |
| Power Failures | 86 |
| Power Protection Devices | 87 |
| Power Supply Problems | 88 |
| Lesson Summary | 88 |
| Chapter Summary | 89 |
| Review | 90 |
| CHAPTER 6 Motherboard and ROM BIOS | 93 |
| About This Chapter | 93 |
| Before You Begin | 93 |
| Lesson 1: Computer Cases | 94 |
| The Computer Case | 94 |
| Working with Cases | 95 |
| Lesson Summary | 96 |
| Lesson 2: Motherboards | 97 |
| The Motherboard | 97 |
| Chip Sets | 99 |
| Lesson Summary | 100 |
| Lesson 3: ROM BIOS | 101 |
| ROM BIOS | 101 |
| Updating CMOS | 103 |
| The CMOS Battery | 109 |
| All Other Chips | 111 |
| Power-On Self Test | 112 |
| Lesson Summary | 115 |
| Chapter Summary | 116 |
| Review | 117 |
| CHAPTER 7 Memory | 119 |
| About This Chapter | 119 |
| Before You Begin | 119 |
| Lesson 1: ROM and RAM | 120 |
| Defining Memory | 120 |
| Nonvolatile and Volatile Memory | 120 |
| ROM | 121 |
| RAM | 121 |
| RAM Packaging | 123 |
| SIPPs | 124 |
| SIMMs (30-Pin) | 124 |
| Memory Configuration | 125 |
| Specifying SIPPs and SIMMs | 127 |
| The 72-Pin SIMM | 127 |
| Voltage | 128 |
| Installing SIMMs | 128 |
| Dual Inline Memory Modules | 130 |
| Cache Memory | 130 |
| Lesson Summary | 133 |
| Lesson 2: Memory Mapping | 134 |
| The Workings of Hexadecimal Code | 134 |
| Memory Allocation | 136 |
| Determining Usable Memory | 140 |
| Lesson Summary | 142 |
| Chapter Summary | 143 |
| Review | 144 |
| CHAPTER 8 Expansion Buses, Cables, and Connectors | 147 |
| About This Chapter | 147 |
| Before You Begin | 147 |
| Lesson 1: Understanding Expansion Buses | 148 |
| Development of the Expansion Bus | 148 |
| Industry Standard Architecture | 149 |
| Micro Channel Architecture | 150 |
| Extended ISA | 151 |
| VESA Local Bus | 152 |
| Peripheral Component Interconnect | 153 |
| Accelerated Graphics Port | 154 |
| IEEE 1394 FireWire High-Performance Serial Interface | 156 |
| Universal Serial Bus | 156 |
| Lesson Summary | 157 |
| Lesson 2: Configuring Expansion Cards | 159 |
| I/O Addresses | 159 |
| Interrupt Request | 162 |
| Direct Memory Access | 166 |
| COM and Ports | 167 |
| Installing Expansion Cards | 169 |
| Lesson Summary | 169 |
| Lesson 3: Cables and Connectors | 170 |
| Parallel Printer Cables | 170 |
| Serial Port Cables | 172 |
| Null Modem Cables | 173 |
| SCSI Cables | 173 |
| Keyboard Cables | 173 |
| Identifying Cables and Connectors | 174 |
| Troubleshooting Cables | 174 |
| Summary of Connectors | 175 |
| Lesson Summary | 175 |
| Chapter Summary | 176 |
| Review | 177 |
| CHAPTER 9 Basic Disk Drives | 181 |
| About This Chapter | 181 |
| Before You Begin | 181 |
| Lesson 1: Floppy Disk Drives | 182 |
| The Basics of Floppy Disk Drives | 182 |
| Keeping a Floppy Disk Drive Running | 185 |
| Errors Caused by the Floppy Disk | 186 |
| Lesson Summary | 189 |
| Lesson 2: Hard Disk Drives | 190 |
| Physical Characteristics | 190 |
| Storing Data | 191 |
| Actuator Arms | 192 |
| Geometry | 193 |
| Hard Disk Drive Types | 196 |
| Installation and Setup | 198 |
| Maintaining a Disk Drive | 212 |
| Lesson Summary | 215 |
| Chapter Summary | 216 |
| Review | 217 |
| CHAPTER 10 Advanced Disk Drive Technology | 221 |
| About This Chapter | 221 |
| Before You Begin | 221 |
| Lesson 1: CD-ROM and DVD Drives | 222 |
| Advantages of CD-ROM and DVD Drives | 222 |
| Development of the CD | 223 |
| About CD-ROM Standards | 223 |
| CD-ROM Technology | 224 |
| DVD: A Super CD-ROM Alternative | 224 |
| DVD Formats | 225 |
| Connecting CD-ROM and DVD Drives | 225 |
| Audio Capability | 226 |
| Access Time | 227 |
| Installing CD-ROM and DVD Drives | 227 |
| Multimedia | 231 |
| Lesson Summary | 232 |
| Lesson 2: Advanced Hard Disk Drives | 233 |
| Limitations of Early Hard Disk Drives | 233 |
| EIDE | 235 |
| Overcoming the 528-MB Barrier | 235 |
| Breaking the 8.4-GB Barrier | 237 |
| Ultra DMA | 238 |
| Installing EIDE Drives | 238 |
| Other Settings | 241 |
| Lesson Summary | 242 |
| Lesson 3: SCSI Drives | 243 |
| SCSI-1 | 243 |
| SCSI-2 | 244 |
| SCSI-3 | 245 |
| Noise and SCSI | 247 |
| Memory Management | 248 |
| Costs and Benefits of SCSI | 248 |
| The Future of SCSI | 248 |
| Setting SCSI IDs | 250 |
| Logical Unit Numbers | 251 |
| Termination | 251 |
| Lesson Summary | 252 |
| Chapter Summary | 253 |
| Review | 254 |
| CHAPTER 11 The Display System | 257 |
| About This Chapter | 257 |
| Before You Begin | 257 |
| Lesson 1: Monitors | 258 |
| Basic Monitor Operation | 258 |
| Other Considerations in Choosing Monitors | 261 |
| Power-Saving Features | 262 |
| Tuning the Monitor’s Display | 262 |
| Lesson Summary | 265 |
| Lesson 2: Flat-Panel Displays | 266 |
| Flat-Panel and CRT Displays Compared | 266 |
| How Flat Panels Work | 267 |
| Emerging Flat-Panel Technologies | 268 |
| Installing and Maintaining FPDs | 268 |
| Lesson Summary | 269 |
| Lesson 3: Display Adapters | 270 |
| Evolution of the Display Adapter | 270 |
| The Advent of Advanced Display Systems | 272 |
| High Color, True Color, Photo-Realism, and Multimedia Displays | 272 |
| Video Memory | 274 |
| Display Drivers | 275 |
| Lesson Summary | 276 |
| Lesson 4: Choosing and Troubleshooting Display Systems | 277 |
| Choosing a Display System | 277 |
| Troubleshooting Display Systems | 278 |
| Lesson Summary | 279 |
| Chapter Summary | 280 |
| Review | 281 |
