CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Cert Guide

CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 exams retired in 2019. Search the store to find CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1001) and Core 2 (220-1002) books, eBooks, and video courses.

In this best-of-breed full-color study guide, a leading expert helps you master

all the topics you need to know to succeed on your CompTIA 220-901 and 902

exams and move into a successful career as an IT technician. The Academic

Edition is ideal for the classroom and self study and includes bonus content

such as exam objectives table for easy navigation by chapter, a full objectives

index for each exam, and a master list of key topics, each of which give you the

page number where the objective/topic can be found.

Every feature of this book is designed to support both efficient exam preparation

and long-term mastery:

• Includes coverage of the new performance-based questions
• Exam Objectives Summary and Index make it easier than ever to find what you’re looking for and track what you’ve learned
• Opening Topics Lists define the topics you’ll need to learn in each chapter, including a list of the official exam objectives covered in that chapter
• Key Topics call attention to the information that’s most crucial to know for the exam
• Exam Preparation Tasks include reviewing key topics, completing memory tables, defining key terms, working through scenarios, and answering review questions–all designed to help you go beyond simple facts to make sure you master concepts crucial to both passing the exam and enhancing your career
• Key Terms defined in a complete glossary explain all the field’s essential terminology

The companion website contains access to the powerful Pearson IT Certification Practice Test Engine and two complete exams with access to a large library of exam-realistic questions.

This study guide helps you master all the topics on the new A+ 901 and 902 exams, including

• Motherboards, processors, RAM, and BIOS
• Power supplies and system cooling
• I/O, input ports, and devices
• Video displays and video cards
• Customized PCs
• Laptops, mobile and wearable devices
• Printers
• Storage devices including SSDs
• Installing, using, and troubleshooting Windows, Linux, and OS X
• Virtualization
• Networking
• Security
• Operational procedures and communications methods

    Introduction xliii

Chapter 1 Technician Essentials and Computer/Device Anatomy 101 2

    Foundation Topics 3

    The Essential Parts of Any Computer or Mobile Device 3

        Front and Rear Views of a Desktop PC 3

        All Around a Laptop Computer 7

        All-in-One Computers 9

        Smartphones and Tablets 9

        Quick Reference to PC and Mobile Components 10

    Hardware, Software, and Firmware 12

        Hardware 12

        Software 12

        Firmware 13

        Why Hardware, Software, and Firmware Are Important to Understand 13

    The CompTIA Six-Step Troubleshooting Theory 13

    Technician Tools and Equipment 14

        Basic Tools and Supplies for Assembly/Disassembly of Computers 14

        System and Electrical Testing Tools 15

        Network Installation and Configuration Tools 15

        Printer Maintenance Tools 16

        Software and Operating Systems 16

        Spare Parts and Equipment to Test 16

    Important Websites 17

    Exam Preparation Tasks 18

Chapter 2 Configure and Use BIOS/UEFI Tools 26

    Foundation Topics 27

    BIOS/UEFI Configuration 27

        Accessing the BIOS Setup Program 27

        UEFI and Traditional BIOS 28

        BIOS Settings Overview 29

        Automatic Configuration of BIOS/CMOS Settings 31

        Main Menu 32

        Main/Standard Features/Settings 33

        Discovering System Information 33

        Boot Settings and Boot Sequence 34

        Integrated Ports and Peripherals 35

            SATA Configuration 35

            USB Host Adapters and Charging Support 35

            Audio and Ethernet Ports 36

        Power Management 37

        Monitoring 38

        Processor and Memory Configuration 39

        Virtualization Support 40

        Security Features 41

        Exiting BIOS and Saving/Discarding Changes 42

    Flash Upgrade BIOS 43

        Flash BIOS Update 44

    Using BIOS/UEFI Diagnostics 46

    Exam Preparation Tasks 47

Chapter 3 Motherboard Components 54

    Foundation Topics 55

    ATX, ITX, and Smaller Sizes 55

        ATX and microATX 55

        ITX Family 57

        Comparing ATX, MicroATX, and Mini-ITX Motherboards 58

    Expansion Slot Types 59

        PCI Slots 59

        PCI-X Slots 59

        PCIe (PCI Express) Slots 60

    RAM Sockets 63

    CPU Sockets 64

    Chipsets 64

    CMOS Battery 65

    Power Connectors 66

    Fan Connectors 66

    Front and Top Panel Connectors 67

    Bus Speeds 69

    Installing Motherboards 69

        Step-by-Step Motherboard Removal 69

        Preparing the Motherboard for Installation 72

        Step-by-Step Motherboard Installation 72

    Exam Preparation Tasks 74

Chapter 4 RAM Types and Features 82

    Foundation Topics 83

    Memory Upgrade Considerations 83

    RAM Types 84

        SRAM 84

        SDRAM 84

        DDR SDRAM 84

        DDR2 SDRAM 84

        DDR3 SDRAM 85

        Parity vs Non-Parity 87

        ECC vs non-ECC Memory 87

        Buffered (Registered) vs Unbuffered 88

    SO-DIMM vs DIMM 88

    RAM Configurations 90

        Single-Channel 90

        Dual-Channel 90

        Triple-Channel 90

        Quad-Channel 91

    Single-Sided vs Double-Sided 91

    RAM Compatibility 91

    Installing Memory 91

        Preparations for Installing DIMM Memory 92

    Exam Preparation Tasks 95

Chapter 5 PC Expansion Cards 102

    Foundation Topics 103

    Expansion Card and Slot Overview 103

    Installing Sound Cards 103

        Installing a USB Audio Device 104

        Configuring a Sound Card with Windows 105

        Configuring a Sound Card with OS X 105

        Configuring a Sound Card with Linux 105

    Installing Video Cards 105

        BIOS Configuration 106

        Removing Drivers for an Old Video Card or Onboard Video 107

        Removing the Old Video Card 107

        Video Card Physical Installation 109

        Driver Installation 110

    Installing Network Cards 110

    Installing USB Cards 111

    Installing FireWire Cards 112

    Installing Thunderbolt Cards 113

    Installing Storage Cards 114

    Installing Modem Cards 114

    Installing Wireless/Cellular Cards 115

    Installing TV Tuner Cards 118

    Installing Video Capture Cards 118

    Installing Riser Cards 119

        Speakers 119

        Display Devices 121

    Exam Preparation Tasks 123

Chapter 6 Storage Devices 130

    Foundation Topics 131

    Optical Drive Features and Capacities 131

        CD-ROM / CD-RW 131

        DVD Recordable and Rewriteable Standards 131

        Blu-ray (BD) 132

        Drive Speed Ratings 133

        Recording Files to Optical Discs 133

            Creating Optical Discs in Windows 133

            Using Third-Party Optical Disc Mastering Programs for Windows 135

            Using Third-Party Drag-and-Drop File Copying Programs 135

            Burning Discs in OS X 136

            Burning Discs in Linux 136

    Magnetic Hard Disk Drives 137

        Form Factors 137

        Spin Rate 138

        Internal Hard Disk Drive, SSD, and Optical Drive Installation 139

        Installing an eSATA Hard Disk 142

    Flash Drives 144

        Flash Card Reader 146

    Solid State Drives 148

        SSD 148

        Hybrid 150

        eMMC 150

    Hot-Swappable Drives 150

        Safely Ejecting a Drive in Windows 150

        Safely Ejecting a USB Drive in Mac OS X 151

        Safely Ejecting a USB Drive in Linux 152

    RAID Types 152

        Creating an SATA RAID Array 153

    Tape Drive 156

        Tape Drive Capacities 156

    Exam Preparation Tasks 157

Chapter 7 CPUs 164

    Foundation Topics 165

    Processor Characteristics 165

        Speeds 165

        Overclocking 166

        Cores 167

        Cache Size/Type 167

        Hyper-Threading (HT Technology) 168

        Virtualization Support 168

        Architecture (32-bit vs. 64-bit) 168

        Integrated GPU 169

            Intel HD Graphics from Clarkdale to Ivy Bridge 169

            Intel HD Graphics for Haswell Processors 169

            Intel HD Graphics for Broadwell Processors 170

            Intel HD Graphics for Skylake Processors 170

        AMD APU Graphics 170

        Execute Disable Bit (EDB) 171

    Socket Types 171

        Intel 172

            Land Grid Array Sockets 172

            Processor Code Names 173

            LGA 775 174

            LGA 1366 175

            LGA 1156 176

            LGA 1155 176

            LGA 1150 177

            LGA 2011 178

        AMD 179

            mPGA Sockets 179

            Socket AM3 180

            Socket AM3+ 181

            Socket FM1 181

            Socket FM2 182

            Socket FM2+ 183

    Cooling 183

        Heat Sink 183

        Fans 184

        Phase-Change Material/Thermal Paste 184

        Liquid-Based Cooling 186