31 Days Before Your CompTIA A+ Certification Exam: A Day-By-Day Review Guide for the CompTIA 220-901 and 220-902 Certification exams

by Scott D Brennan, Ted Travis

Overview

31 Days Before Your CompTIA A+ Certification Exam

 

31 Days Before Your CompTIA A+ Certification Exam offers you a friendly, practical way to understand the A+ certification process, commit to taking the A+ 220-901 and 220-902 exams, and finish your preparation using a variety of Primary and Supplemental study resources.

 

The 900 series A+ exams test knowledge and skills needed to manage and troubleshoot desktop, laptop, and mobile hardware and networking technologies; install, use, and troubleshoot Windows, Linux, and OS X; utilize virtualization, strengthen security, and work effectively as an IT technician.

 

Sign up for the exam and use this book’s day-by-day guide and checklist to organize, prepare, and review. Each day in this guide breaks down an exam topic into a manageable bit of information to review using short summaries. Daily Study Resources sections provide quick references for locating more in-depth treatment within Primary and Supplemental resources.

 

This book’s features help you fit exam preparation into a busy schedule:

·         Visual tear-card calendar summarizing each day’s study topic

·         Checklist for tracking your progress in mastering exam objectives

·         Description of the organization and sign-up process for the A+ 220-901 and 220-902 exams

·         Strategies to prepare mentally, organizationally, and physically for exam day

·         Conversational tone to make study more enjoyable

 

Digital Study Guide

To enhance your preparation, upgrade to the Digital Study Guide, a media-rich web edition that includes mobile friendly ebook, interactive exercises, and Check Your Understanding questions. See offer inside. A sample is available to preview at www.pearsonitcertification.com/title/9780134540030.

 

Shelving category: Certification

Covers: CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902

www.pearsonlTcertification.com

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780134539928
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	10/18/2016
Series:	31 Days
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Laura Schuster has been working in the information systems field since 1979. She has held numerous IT positions, including systems analyst, network administrator, consultant, project manager, and technical support manager. She currently works as a full-time professor at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio. She teaches A+, Network+, and other information systems courses. Laura has an MOD in organizational development, is an MCNE, and holds CompTIA A+, Network+, and Oracle certifications.

 

Dave Holzinger has been a curriculum developer, project manager, author, and technical editor for the Cisco Networking Academy program in Phoenix, Arizona, since 2001. Dave has helped develop many online courses, including IT Essentials, CCNA, and CCNP. He has been working with computer hardware and software since 1981. Dave has certifications from Cisco, BICSI, and CompTIA, including the A+.

Table of Contents

Introduction xviii

Day 31: BIOS/UEFI Settings 1

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 1

Key Topics 1

Purpose of the BIOS 1

Booting with BIOS 3

Accessing the Physical BIOS 3

The POST 4

Complementary Metal-oxide Semiconductor 4

UEFI 5

Booting with UEFI 6

Firmware Upgrades 7

Boot Security Measures 7

Study Resources 8

Day 30: Motherboard Components 9

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 9

Key Topics 9

Motherboards 9

CPU Sockets 11

Chipsets 12

Clock Rates 13

RAM Slots 14

Expansion Slots 16

Power Connectors 17

Study Resources 18

Day 29: PC Component Installation, Part 1 19

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 19

Key Topics 19

Motherboard Preparation and Installation 19

Install Expansion Cards 24

Install Storage Devices 25

Study Resources 28

Day 28: PC Component Installation, Part 2 29

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 29

Key Topics 29

PC Connection Interfaces 29

Install Power Supply 35

Custom PC Configurations 37

Study Resources 39

Day 27: Peripheral Devices and Connectors 41

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 41

Key Topics 41

Types of Display Devices 41

Video Settings 43

Analog Versus Digital Displays 45

Privacy/Antiglare Filters 46

Using Multiple Displays 46

Display Connector Types 47

Device Cables and Connectors 50

Installing and Configuring Common Peripheral Devices 52

Study Resources 54

Day 26: Printer Installation 55

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 55

Key Topics 55

Selecting a Printer 55

Installing Printers 55

Installing Multifunction Printers for SOHO 56

Printer Drivers 57

Configuring the Printer 57

Local Connections 58

Network Printer Installation 59

Wireless Printing 62

Cloud Printing/Remote Printing 62

Apple Printing 62

Secure Printing 62

Study Resources 63

Day 25: Printer Technologies and Maintenance 65

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 65

Key Topics 65

Printer Types and Features 65

Printer Connections 73

Printer Maintenance and Optimization 74

Study Resources 76

Day 24: Network Cabling 77

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 77

Key Topics 77

Fiber 77

Twisted Pair 78

Coaxial 81

Study Resources 82

Day 23: IP Addressing 83

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 83

Key Topics 83

IP Version 4 83

Client-side DHCP 88

Client-side DNS 88

Classless Inter-domain Routing 88

IP Version 6 89

Study Resources 91

Day 22: Ports and Protocols 93

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 93

Key Topics 93

Common Ports 93

Common Protocols 96

Study Resources 100

Day 21: SOHO Router Installation 101

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 101

Key Topics 101

Wireless Standards 101

SOHO Router Configuration 101

Study Resources 105

Day 20: Network Devices and Internet Connections 107

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 107

Key Topics 107

Connecting to an ISP 107

Wireless Connections 111

Network Types 113

Networking Devices 115

Study Resources 119

Day 19: Laptop Components and Features 121

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 121

Key Topics 121

Laptop Expansion Options 121

Laptop Hardware Replacement 122

Laptop Displays 125

Laptop Features 126

Laptop Accessories 126

Study Resources 127

Day 18: Mobile Device Components and Features 129

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 129

Key Topics 129

Tablets and Smartphones 129

Specialty Mobile Devices 130

Wearable Devices 130

Mobile Device Connection Types 131

Mobile Device Accessories 133

Study Resources 134

Day 17: Hardware Troubleshooting, Part 1 135

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 135

Key Topics 135

Troubleshooting Motherboards 135

Troubleshooting RAM 136

Troubleshooting CPUs 137

Troubleshooting Power 138

Troubleshooting Hard Drives 139

Troubleshooting RAID Arrays 139

Troubleshooting Video, Projector, and Display Issues 140

Study Resources 141

Day 16: Network Troubleshooting and Tools 143

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 143

Key Topics 143

Common Network Symptoms 143

Cabling Tools 144

Command-line Tools 146

Study Resources 154

Day 15: Hardware Troubleshooting, Part 2 155

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 155

Key Topics 155

Troubleshooting Mobile Devices and Laptops 155

Troubleshooting Printers 163

Troubleshooting Printer Installation 166

Maintaining Printers 166

Optimizing Printers 168

Study Resources 169

Day 14: Windows Installation 171

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 171

Key Topics 171

Windows Features 171

Installing Windows 175

Study Resources 187

Day 13: Windows Tools 189

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 189

Key Topics 189

Microsoft Command-line Tools 189

Administrative Tools 191

System Utilities 199

Windows Control Panel Utilities 200

Study Resources 207

Day 12: Windows Networking and Maintenance 209

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 209

Key Topics 209

Domains Versus Homegroups Versus Workgroups 209

Establishing Network Connections 216

Preventive Maintenance Procedures 220

Study Resources 225

Day 11: Mac and Linux Operating Systems 227

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 227

Key Topics 227

Features of Mac and Linux 227

Mac and Linux Tools 229

The Terminal 230

Mac and Linux Best Practices 232

Study Resources 233

Day 10: Client-side Virtualization and Cloud Concepts 235

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 235

Key Topics 235

Virtual Machines and Their Requirements 235

Cloud Concepts and Services 237

Study Resources 239

Day 9: Network Services 241

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 241

Key Topics 241

Server Roles 241

Internet Appliances 242

Study Resources 243

Day 8: Mobile Operating Systems Management 245

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 245

Key Topics 245

Mobile Operating Systems Features 245

Mobile Device Connectivity and Email 249

Firmware, Updates, and Identification 252

Mobile Device Data Synchronization 252

Study Resources 253

Day 7: Security Threat Prevention 255

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 255

Key Topics 255

Common Security Threats and Vulnerabilities 255

Common Prevention Methods 257

Study Resources 261

Day 6: User Access, Device Security, and Data Disposal 263

CompTIA A+ 220-901 Exam Topics 263

Key Topics 263

Windows OS Security Settings 263

Security Best Practices to Secure a Workstation 266

Securing Mobile Devices 267

Data Destruction and Disposal Methods 268

Study Resources 270

Day 5: SOHO Security Implementation 271

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 271

Key Topics 271

Wireless Security 271

Study Resources 276

Day 4: PC Operating System and Security Troubleshooting 277

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 277

Key Topics 277

Troubleshooting Operating Systems 277

Common PC Security Issues 287

Study Resources 290

Day 3: Mobile OS and Security Troubleshooting 291

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 291

Key Topics 291

Troubleshooting Mobile OS and Application Issues 291

OS and Application Tools 293

Troubleshooting Mobile OS and Application Security Issues 294

Mobile OS and Application Security Tools 296

Study Resources 297

Day 2: Safety and Environmental Procedures 299

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 299

Key Topics 299

Safety Procedures 299

Proper Component Handling and Storage 303

Incident Response and Licensing 304

Study Resources 305

Day 1: Professionalism and Troubleshooting Methodology 307

CompTIA A+ 220-902 Exam Topics 307

Key Topics 307

Proper Communication Techniques 307

Applying the Troubleshooting Theory 309

Study Resources 311

Exam Day 313

What You Need for the Exam 313

What You Should Receive After Completion 313

Summary 314

Post-Exam Information 315

Receiving Your Certificate 315

Examining Certification Options 315

If You Failed the Exam 316

Summary 317

 

 

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