CompTIA A+ Certification

Duration: 40 Hrs.

CompTIA A+ certification is an international industry credential that validates the knowledge of computer service technicians with the equivalent of 500 hours of hands-on experience. Major hardware and software vendors, distributors and resellers accept CompTIA A+ as the standard in foundation-level, vendor-neutral certification for service technicians. The exams cover a broad range of hardware and software technologies, but are not bound to any vendor-specific products. The skills and knowledge measured by the CompTIA A+ exams were derived from an industry-wide and worldwide job task analysis.

Earning CompTIA A+ certification proves that a candidate has a broad base of knowledge and competency in core hardware and operating system technologies including installation, configuration, diagnosing, preventive maintenance and basic networking.

CompTIA A+ certification

Overview

Number of exam parts	Two - A+ Core hardware and A+ OS Technological
Current English Exam Codes	A+ 2003 Linear Core Exam: 220-301 A+ 2003 Linear OS Exam: 220-302

Course Objectives - A+ Core Hardware

Installation, Configuration, and Upgrading

Identify the names, purpose, and characteristics, of system modules.
Identify basic procedures for adding and removing field-replaceable modules for desktop systems.
Identify basic procedures for adding and removing field- replaceable modules for portable systems.
Identify typical IRQs, DMAs, and I/O addresses, and procedures for altering these settings when installing and configuring devices.
Identify the names, purposes, and performance characteristics, of standardized/common peripheral ports, associated cabling, and their connectors.
Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring common IDE devices.
Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring common SCSI devices
Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring common peripheral devices.
Identify procedures to optimize PC operations in specific situations.
Determine the issues that must be considered when upgrading a PC.

Diagnosing and Troubleshooting

Recognize common problems associated with each module and their symptoms, and identify steps to isolate and troubleshoot the problems.
Identify basic troubleshooting procedures and tools, and how to elicit problem symptoms from customers.

PC Preventive Maintenance, Safety, and Environmental Issues

Identify the various types of preventive maintenance measures, products and procedures and when and how to use them.
Identify various safety measures and procedures, and when/how to use them.
Identify environmental protection measures and procedures, and when/how to use them.

Motherboard/Processors/Memory

Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in terms of their basic characteristics.
Identify the types of RAM (Random Access Memory), form factors, and operational characteristics.
Identify the most popular types of motherboards, their components, and their architecture (bus structures).
Identify the purpose of CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) memory, what it contains, and how and when to change its parameters.

Printers

Identify printer technologies, interfaces, and options/upgrades.
Recognize common printer problems and techniques used to resolve them.

Basic Networking

Identify the common types of network cables, their characteristics and connectors.
Identify basic networking concepts including how a network works.
Identify common technologies available for establishing Internet connectivity and their characteristics.

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Course Objectives - A+ Operating Systems

Operating System Fundamentals

Identify the major desktop components and interfaces, and their functions. Differentiate the characteristics of Windows 9x/Me, Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP.
Identify the names, locations, purposes, and contents of major system files.
Demonstrate the ability to use command-line functions and utilities to manage the operating system, including the proper syntax and switches.
Identify basic concepts and procedures for creating, viewing, and managing disks, directories and files. This includes procedures for changing file attributes and the ramifications of those changes (for example, security issues).
Identify the major operating system utilities, their purpose, location, and available switches.

Installation, Configuration and Upgrading

Identify the procedures for installing Windows 9x/Me, Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP, and bringing the operating system to a basic operational level.
Identify steps to perform an operating system upgrade from Windows 9.x/ME, Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP.
Identify the basic system boot sequences and boot methods, including the steps to create an emergency boot disk with utilities installed for Windows 9x/Me, Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP.
Identify procedures for installing/adding a device, including loading, adding, and configuring device drivers, and required software.
Identify procedures necessary to optimize the operating system and major operating system subsystems.

Diagnosing and Troubleshooting

Recognize and interpret the meaning of common error codes and startup messages from the boot sequence, and identify steps to correct the problems.
Recognize when to use common diagnostic utilities and tools.
Recognize common operational and usability problems and determine how to resolve them.

Networks

Identify the networking capabilities of Windows. Given configuration parameters, configure the operating system to connect to a network.
Identify the basic Internet protocols and terminologies. Identify procedures for establishing Internet connectivity.

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