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A+ Essentials Tutorial

1.0 Personal Computer Components

1.1 Identify the fundamental principles of using personal computers

• Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of storage devices

  • FDD
  • HDD
  • CD / DVD / RW (e.g. drive speeds, media types)
  • Removable storage (e.g. tape drive, solid state such as thumb drive, flash and SD cards, USB, external CD-RW and hard drive)

• Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of motherboards

  • Form Factor (e.g. ATX / BTX, micro ATX / NLX)
  • Components 
    • Integrated I/Os (e.g. sound, video, USB, serial, IEEE 1394 / firewire, parallel, NIC, modem)
    • Memory slots (e.g. RIMM, DIMM)
    • Processor sockets
    • External cache memory
    • Bus architecture
    • Bus slots (e.g. PCI, AGP, PCIe, AMR, CNR)
    • EIDE / PATA, SATA
    • SCSI Technology
  • Chipsets
  • BIOS / CMOS / Firmware
  • Riser card / daughter board

• Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of power supplies, for example: AC adapter, ATX, proprietary, voltage

• Identify the names purposes and characteristics of processor / CPUs
  • CPU chips (e.g. AMD, Intel)
  • CPU technologies
    • Hyperthreading
    • Dual core
    • Throttling
    • Micro code (MMX)
    • Overclocking
    • Cache
    • VRM
    • Speed (real vs. actual)

    • 32 vs. 64 bit

• Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of memory
  • Types of memory (e.g. DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, DDR / DDR2, RAMBUS)
  • Operational characteristics
    • Memory chips (8, 16, 32)
    • Parity versus non-parity
    • ECC vs. non-ECC
    • Single-sided vs. double-sided
• Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of display devices, for example:projectors, CRT and LCD
  • Connector types (e.g. VGA, DVI / HDMi, S-Video, Component / RGB)
  • Settings (e.g. V-hold, refresh rate, resolution)
• Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of input devices for example: mouse, keyboard, bar code reader, multimedia (e.g. web and digital cameras, MIDI, microphones), biometric devices, touch screen. 

• Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of adapter cards
  • Video including PCI / PCIe and AGP
  • Multimedia
  • I / O (SCSI, serial, USB, Parallel)
  • Communications including network and modem
• Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of ports and cables for example: USB 1.1 and 2.0, parallel, serial, IEEE 1394 / firewire, RJ45 and RJ11, PS2 / Mini-DIN, Centronics (e.g. mini, 36) multimedia (e.g. 1 / 8 connector, MIDI Coaxial, SPDIF)

• Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of cooling systems for example heat sinks, CPU and case fans, liquid cooling systems, thermal compound

• Add, remove and configure internal and external storage devices
  • Drive preparation of internal storage devices including format / file systems and imaging technology
• Install display devices

• Add, remove and configure basic input and multimedia devices

1.3 Identify tools, diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for personal computer components

• Recognize the basic aspects of troubleshooting theory for example:
  • Perform backups before making changes
  • Assess a problem systematically and divide large problems into smaller components to be analyzed individually
  • Verify even the obvious, determine whether the problem is something simple and make no assumptions
  • Research ideas and establish priorities
  • Document findings, actions and outcomes
• Identify and apply basic diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for example:
  • Identify the problem including questioning user and identifying user changes to computer 
  • Analyze the problem including potential causes and make an initial determination of software and / or hardware problems
  • Test related components including inspection, connections, hardware / software configurations, device manager and consult vendor documentation
  • Evaluate results and take additional steps if needed such as consultation, use of alternate resources, manuals
  • Document activities and outcomes
• Recognize and isolate issues with display, power, basic input devices, storage, memory, thermal, POST errors (e.g. BIOS, hardware)

• Apply basic troubleshooting techniques to check for problems (e.g. thermal issues, error codes, power, connections including cables and / or pins, compatibility, functionality, software / drivers ) with components for example:
  • Motherboards
  • Power supply
  • Processor / CPUs
  • Memory
  • Display devices
  • Input devices
  • Adapter cards
• Recognize the names, purposes, characteristics and appropriate application of tools for example: BIOS, self-test, hard drive self-test and software diagnostics test

1.4 Perform preventive maintenance on personal computer components

• Identify and apply basic aspects of preventive maintenance theory for example:
  • Visual / audio inspection
  • Driver / firmware updates
  • Scheduling preventive maintenance
  • Use of appropriate repair tools and cleaning materials
  • Ensuring proper environment

• Identify and apply common preventive maintenance techniques for devices such as input devices and batteries

Download practice tests: A+ Essentials 220-601, A+ IT Technician 220-602, A+ Remote Support Technician 220-603, A+ Depot Technician 220-604

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