| Welcome to A+ Certification Readiness Review | ix |
| Before You Begin | ix |
| Using the Readiness Review | xi |
| Exam Objectives Summary | xvii |
| Getting More Help | xxi |
| PART 1: A+ CORE HARDWARE EXAMINATION | 1 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 1: Installation, Configuration, and Upgrading | 3 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 4 |
| Further Reading | 7 |
| Objective 1.1: Identify basic terms, concepts, and functions of system modules, including how each module should work during normal operation and during the boot process. | 9 |
| Questions | 10 |
| Answers | 12 |
| Objective 1.2: Identify basic procedures for adding and removing field replaceable modules for both desktop and portable systems. | 15 |
| Questions | 16 |
| Answers | 18 |
| Objective 1.3: Identify available IRQs, DMAs, and I/O addresses and procedures for device installation and configuration. | 21 |
| Questions | 23 |
| Answers | 25 |
| Objective 1.4: Identify common peripheral ports, associated cabling, and their connectors. | 27 |
| Questions | 28 |
| Answers | 30 |
| Objective 1.5: Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring IDE/EIDE devices. | 33 |
| Questions | 35 |
| Answers | 37 |
| Objective 1.6: Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring SCSI devices. | 39 |
| Questions | 40 |
| Answers | 42 |
| Objective 1.7: Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring peripheral devices. | 45 |
| Questions | 47 |
| Answers | 48 |
| Objective 1.8: Identify hardware methods of upgrading system performance, procedures for replacing basic subsystem components, unique components and when to use them. | 51 |
| Questions | 53 |
| Answers | 54 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 2: Diagnosing and Troubleshooting | 57 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 58 |
| Further Reading | 59 |
| Objective 2.1: Identify common symptoms and problems associated with each module and how to troubleshoot and isolate the problems. | 61 |
| Questions | 62 |
| Answers | 63 |
| Objective 2.2: Identify basic troubleshooting procedures and how to elicit problem symptoms from customers. | 67 |
| Questions | 68 |
| Answers | 70 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 3: Preventive Maintenance | 73 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 74 |
| Further Reading | 75 |
| Objective 3.1: Identify the purpose of various types of preventive maintenance products and procedures and when to use them. | 77 |
| Questions | 78 |
| Answers | 79 |
| Objective 3.2: Identify issues, procedures, and devices for protection within the computing environment, including people, hardware, and the surrounding workspace. | 81 |
| Questions | 82 |
| Answers | 84 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 4: Motherboard/Processors/Memory | 87 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 88 |
| Further Reading | 90 |
| Objective 4.1: Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in terms of their basic characteristics. | 91 |
| Questions | 92 |
| Answers | 93 |
| Objective 4.2: Identify the categories of RAM (random access memory) terminology, their locations, and physical characteristics. | 95 |
| Questions | 96 |
| Answers | 97 |
| Objective 4.3: Identify the most popular type of motherboards, their components, and their architecture (bus structures and power supplies). | 101 |
| Questions | 103 |
| Answers | 105 |
| Objective 4.4: Identify the purpose of CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor), what it contains, and how to change its basic parameters. | 107 |
| Questions | 108 |
| Answers | 110 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 5: Printers | 113 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 113 |
| Further Reading | 114 |
| Objective 5.1: Identify basic concepts, printer operations, and printer components. | 115 |
| Questions | 116 |
| Answers | 118 |
| Objective 5.2: Identify care and service techniques and common problems with primary printer types. | 121 |
| Questions | 122 |
| Answers | 124 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 6: Basic Networking | 127 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 128 |
| Further Reading | 129 |
| Objective 6.1: Identify basic networking concepts, including how a network works and the ramification of repairs on the network. | 131 |
| Questions | 132 |
| Answers | 134 |
| PART 2: A+ OPERATING SYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES EXAMINATION | 137 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 1: Operating System Fundamentals | 139 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 140 |
| Further Reading | 141 |
| Objective 1.1: Identify the operating system's functions, structure, and major system files to navigate the operating system and how to get to needed technical information. | 143 |
| Questions | 145 |
| Answers | 147 |
| Objective 1.2: Identify basic concepts and procedures for creating, viewing, and managing files, directories, and disks. | 151 |
| Questions | 153 |
| Answers | 155 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 2: Installation, Configuration, and Upgrading | 159 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 160 |
| Further Reading | 162 |
| Objective 2.1: Identify the procedures for installing Windows 9x and Windows 2000 for bringing the software to a basic operational level. | 165 |
| Questions | 167 |
| Answers | 171 |
| Objective 2.2: Identify steps to perform an operating system upgrade. | 175 |
| Questions | 177 |
| Answers | 179 |
| Objective 2.3: 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. | 183 |
| Questions | 185 |
| Answers | 187 |
| Objective 2.4: Identify procedures for loading/adding and configuring application device drivers, and the necessary software for certain devices. | 191 |
| Questions | 193 |
| Answers | 196 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 3: Diagnosing and Troubleshooting | 199 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 201 |
| Further Reading | 202 |
| Objective 3.1: Recognize and interpret the meaning of common error codes and startup messages from the boot sequence, and identify steps to correct the problems. | 203 |
| Questions | 205 |
| Answers | 207 |
| Objective 3.2: Recognize common problems and determine how to resolve them. | 211 |
| Questions | 213 |
| Answers | 215 |
| OBJECTIVE DOMAIN 4: Networks | 219 |
| Tested Skills and Suggested Practices | 220 |
| Further Reading | 221 |
| Objective 4.1: Identify the networking capabilities of Windows, including procedures for connecting to the network. | 223 |
| Questions | 225 |
| Answers | 226 |
| Objective 4.2: Identify concepts and capabilities relating to the Internet and basic procedures for setting up a system for Internet access. | 229 |
| Questions | 231 |
| Answers | 233 |
| GLOSSARY | 237 |
| INDEX | 255 |
