The Complete Guide to A+ Certification covers everything you need to know to pass both the Core Hardware Exam and the Operating Systems Technologies Exam of CompTIA's A+ certification program. With its easy-to-read style, The Complete Guide to A+ Certification serves as a good training manual and will serve as a valuable reference long after your certification is hanging on your wall. The text examines basic components of computer hardware systems, as well as how to upgrade and troubleshoot computers. Both Windows and Linux operating systems are covered. This guide includes practice exam questions, as well as separate glossaries for terms and acronyms. Each chapter is highlighted with "buzz-words" helping to increase readers' technical vocabulary. Exam notes and sidebars help explain related issues in detail. Benefits:

• Comprehensive coverage of CompTIA's A+ Core Hardware and OS Technologies objectives prepare students for both A+ exams.
• Exam Notes point out specific facts and knowledge statements specifically targeted by the A+ Exam.
• Conversational tone engages readers, enabling them to easily grasp and retain information.
• Serves as an ideal text for the 5-day "boot camp" style certification courses, as well as courses with an extended format.
• Back-of-book CD includes video clips and practice exam questions.

• Preface
• The A+ Guide to PC Hardware
  • Introduction
  • PC Basics
  • An Introduction to Operating Systems
  • The Basic Components
  • Basic Electricity and the Power Supply
  • Computer Enclosures
  • Motherboards, BIOS, and the Chipset
  • Understanding CPUs
  • The Evolution and Development of the CPU
  • Searching Your Memory
  • Examining the Expansion Bus
  • Input Devices
  • Working with Removable Disks
  • Hard Disk Drive Structure and Geometry
  • Hard Disk Interfacing and Disk Management
  • The Many Faces of SCSI
  • Your Computer and Graphics
  • Multimedia: Computerized Home Entertainment
  • Printing Technologies: Getting It All On Paper
  • Portable Computing
  • Telecommunications
• The A+ Guide to PC Operating Systems
  • Introduction
  • MS-DOS and the Command Prompt
  • The Evolution of Windows and Windows Basics
  • Introducing WIN9X
  • Managing Windows 9X
  • The World of NT
  • Windows NT Architecture
  • Administrative Tools in NT
  • An Introduction to Windows 2000
  • WIN2K System Administration
  • Introducing XP
  • Introducing Linux
  • The Hardware of the Network
  • Operating Systems and Networking
  • Navigating the Internet
  • Basic Troubleshooting Procedures
• Appendix A: Answers To Odd-Numbered Chapter Exercises
• Appendix B: Glossary
• Appendix C: Glossary of Acronyms
• Appendix D: Commonly Used File Extensions
• Appendix E: Windows Functions
• Appendix F: Bios Beep Codes and Error Messages
• Appendix G: References CHarts: Pinouts and Charater Sets
• Index