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Exam:
CompTIA A+ Essentials (220-601)
In order to receive CompTIA A+ certification a candidate must pass two exams.
The first exam is CompTIA A+ Essentials. The CompTIA A+ Essentials Examination
measures necessary competencies for an entry-level IT professional with the
equivalent knowledge of at least 500 hours of hands-on experience in the lab
or field. Hands-on experience or equivalent knowledge includes installing,
building, upgrading, repairing, configuring, troubleshooting, optimizing,
diagnosing, and performing preventive maintenance of basic personal computer
hardware and operating systems.
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)
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 cooling systems for example heat sinks, CPU and case fans, liquid cooling
systems, thermal compound
1.2 Install, configure, optimize and upgrade personal
computer components
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
o 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)
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
2.0 Laptops and Portable
Devices
2.1 Identify the fundamental principles of using laptops
and portable devices
Identify names, purposes and characteristics
of laptop-specific:
Form factors such as memory and hard
drives
Peripherals (e.g. docking station, port
replicator and media / accessory bay)
Expansion slots (e.g. PCMCIA I, II and
III, card and express bus)
Ports (e.g. mini PCI slot)
Communication connections (e.g. Bluetooth,
infrared, cellular WAN, Ethernet)
Input devices (e.g. stylus / digitizer,
function (Fn) keys and pointing devices such as touch pad, point stick / track
point)
Identify and distinguish between mobile
and desktop motherboards and processors including throttling, power management
and WiFi
2.2 Install, configure, optimize and
upgrade laptops and portable devices
Configure power management
Identify the features of BIOS-ACPI
Identify the difference between suspend,
hibernate and standby
Demonstrate safe removal of laptop-specific
hardware such as peripherals, hot-swappable devices and non-hot-swappable
devices
2.3 Identify tools, basic diagnostic
procedures and troubleshooting techniques for laptops and portable devices
Use procedures and techniques to diagnose
power conditions, video, keyboard, pointer and wireless card issues, for example:
Verify AC power (e.g. LEDs, swap AC adapter)
Verify DC power
Remove unneeded peripherals
Plug in external monitor
Toggle Fn keys
Check LCD cutoff switch
Verify backlight functionality and pixilation
Stylus issues (e.g. digitizer problems)
Unique laptop keypad issues
Antenna wires
2.4 Perform preventive maintenance
on laptops and portable devices
Identify and apply common preventive
maintenance techniques for laptops and portable devices, for example: cooling
devices, hardware and video cleaning
materials, operating environments including
temperature and air quality, storage, transportation and shipping.
3.0 Operating
Systems – unless otherwise noted, operating systems referred to within include
Microsoft
Windows 2000, XP Professional, XP Home
and Media Center.
3.1 Identify the fundamentals of using operating systems
Identify differences between operating
systems (e.g. Mac, Windows, Linux) and describe operating system revision
levels including GUI, system requirements,
application and hardware compatibility
Identify names, purposes and characteristics
of the primary operating system components including registry, virtual memory
and file system
Describe features of operating system
interfaces, for example:
Windows Explorer
My Computer
Control Panel
Command Prompt
My Network Places
Task bar / systray
Start Menu
Identify the names, locations, purposes
and characteristics of operating system files for example:
BOOT.INI
NTLDR
NTDETECT.COM
NTBOOTDD.SYS
Registry data files
Identify concepts and procedures for creating,
viewing, managing disks, directories and files in operating systems for example:
Disks (e.g. active, primary, extended and
logical partitions)
File systems (e.g. FAT 32, NTFS)
Directory structures (e.g. create folders,
navigate directory structures)
Files (e.g. creation, extensions, attributes,
permissions)
3.2 Install, configure, optimize and
upgrade operating systems – references to upgrading from Windows 95 and NT
may be made
Identify procedures for installing operating
systems including:
nstallation methods (e.g. boot media
such as CD, floppy or USB, network installation, drive imaging)
Operating system installation options
(e.g. attended / unattended, file system type, network configuration)
Disk preparation order (e.g. start installation,
partition and format drive)
Device driver configuration (e.g. install
and upload device drivers)
Verification of installation
Identify procedures for upgrading operating
systems including:
Upgrade considerations (e.g. hardware,
application and / or network compatibility)
Implementation (e.g. backup data, install
additional Windows components)
Install / add a device including loading,
adding device drivers and required software including:
Determine whether permissions are adequate
for performing the task
Device driver installation (e.g. automated
and / or manual search and installation of device drivers)
Using unsigned drivers (e.g. driver signing)
Verify installation of the driver (e.g.
device manager and functionality)
Identify procedures and utilities used
to optimize operating systems for example, virtual memory, hard drives, temporary
files, service, startup and applications
3.3 Identify tools, diagnostic procedures
and troubleshooting techniques for operating systems
Identify basic boot
sequences, methods and utilities for recovering operating systems
Boot methods (e.g. safe mode, recovery
console, boot to restore point)
Automated System Recovery (ASR) (e.g.
Emergency Repair Disk (ERD))
Identify and apply diagnostic procedures
and troubleshooting techniques for example:
Identify the problem by questioning the
user and identifying user changes to the computer
Analyze problem including potential causes
and initial determination of software and / or hardware problem
Test related components including connections,
hardware / software configurations, device manager and consulting vendor documentation
Evaluate results and take additional
steps if needed such as consultation, alternate resources and manuals
Document activities and outcomes
Explain common error messages and codes
for example:
Boot (e.g. invalid boot disk, inaccessible
boot drive, missing NTLDR)
Startup (e.g. device / service failed
to start, device / program in registry not found)
Event Viewer
Registry
Windows reporting
Identify the names, locations, purposes
and characteristics of operating system utilities for example:
Disk management tools (e.g. DEFRAG, NTBACKUP,
CHKDSK, Format)
System management tools (e.g. device
and task manager, MSCONFIG.EXE)
File management tools (e.g. Windows Explorer,
ATTRIB.EXE)
3.4 Perform preventive maintenance
on operating systems
Describe common utilities for performing
preventive maintenance on operating systems for example, software and Windows
updates (e.g. service packs),
scheduled backups / restore, restore
points
4.0 Printers
and Scanners
4.1 Identify the fundamental principles of using printers
and scanners
Identify differences between types of
printer and scanner technologies (e.g. laser, inkjet, thermal, solid ink,
impact)
Identify names, purposes and characteristics
of printer and scanner components (e.g. memory, driver, firmware) and consumables
(e.g. toner, ink cartridge,
paper)
Identify the names, purposes and characteristics
of interfaces used by printers and scanners including port and cable types
for example:
Parallel
Network (e.g. NIC, print servers)
USB
Serial
IEEE 1394 / firewire
Wireless (e.g. Bluetooth, 802.11, infrared
SCSI
4.2 Identify basic concepts of installing,
configuring, optimizing and upgrading printers and scanners
Install and configure printers / scanners
Power and connect the device using local
or network port
Install and update device driver and
calibrate the device
Configure options and default settings
Print a test page
Optimize printer performance for example,
printer settings such as tray switching, print spool settings, device calibration,
media types and paper orientation
4.3 Identify tools, basic diagnostic
procedures and troubleshooting techniques for printers and scanners
Gather information about printer / scanner
problems
Identify symptom
Review device error codes, computer error
messages and history (e.g. event log, user reports)
Print or scan test page
Use appropriate generic or vendor-specific
diagnostic tools including web-based utilities
Review and analyze collected data
Establish probable causes
Review service documentation
Review knowledge base and define and
isolate the problem (e.g. software vs. hardware, driver, connectivity, printer)
Identify solutions to identified printer
/ scanner problems
Define specific cause and apply fix
Replace consumables as needed
Verify functionality and get user acceptance
of problem fix
5.0 Networks
5.1 Identify the fundamental principles of networks
Describe basic networking concepts
Addressing
Bandwidth
Status indicators
Protocols (e.g. TCP / IP including IP,
classful subnet, IPX / SPX including NWLINK, NETBEUI / NETBIOS)
Cabling (e.g. twisted pair, coaxial cable,
fiber optic, RS-232, USB, IEEE 1394 / Firewire)
Networking models including peer-to-peer
and client / server
Identify names, purposes and characteristics
of the common network cables
Plenum / PVC
UTP (e.g. CAT3, CAT5 / 5e, CAT6)
STP
Fiber (e.g. single-mode and multi-mode)
Identify names, purposes and characteristics
of network connectors (e.g. RJ45 and RJ11, ST / SC / LC, MT-RJ)
Identify names, purposes and characteristics
(e.g. definition, speed and connections) of technologies for establishing
connectivity for example:
LAN / WAN
ISDN
Broadband (e.g. DSL, cable, satellite)
Dial-up
Wireless (all 802.11)
Infrared
Bluetooth
Cellular
VoIP
5.2 Install, configure, optimize and
upgrade networks
Install and configure network cards (physical
address)
Install, identify and obtain wired and
wireless connection
5.3 Identify tools, diagnostic procedures
and troubleshooting techniques for networks
Explain status indicators, for example
speed, connection and activity lights and wireless signal strength
6.0 Security
6.1 Identify the fundamental principles of security
Identify names, purposes and characteristics
of hardware and software security for example:
Hardware deconstruction / recycling
Smart cards / biometrics (e.g. key fobs,
cards, chips and scans)
Authentication technologies (e.g. user
name, password, biometrics, smart cards)
Malicious software protection (e.g. viruses,
Trojans, worms, spam, spyware, adware, grayware)
Software firewalls
File system security (e.g. FAT32 and
NTFS)
Identify names, purposes and characteristics
of wireless security for example:
Wireless encryption (e.g. WEP.x and WPA.x)
and client configuration
Data access (basic local security policy)
Encryption technologies
Backups
Data migration
Data / remnant removal
Password management
Locking workstation (e.g. hardware, operating
system)
Describe importance and process of incidence
reporting
Recognize and respond appropriately to
social engineering situations
6.2 Install, configure, upgrade and
optimize security
Install, configure, upgrade and optimize
hardware, software and data security for example:
BIOS
Smart cards
Authentication technologies
Malicious software protection
Data access (basic local security policy)
Backup procedures and access to backups
Data migration
Data / remnant removal
6.3 Identify tool, diagnostic procedures
and troubleshooting techniques for security
Diagnose and troubleshoot hardware, software
and data security issues for example:
BIOS
Smart cards, biometrics
Authentication technologies
Malicious software
File system (e.g. FAT32, NTFS)
Data access (e.g. basic local security
policy)
Backup
Data migration
6.4 Perform preventive maintenance
for computer security
7.0 Safety and Environmental
Issues
7.1 Describe the aspects and importance of safety and
environmental issues
Identify potential safety hazards and
take preventive action
Use Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
or equivalent documentation and appropriate equipment documentation
Use appropriate repair tools
Describe methods to handle environmental
and human (e.g. electrical, chemical, physical) accidents including incident
reporting
7.2 Identify potential hazards and
implement proper safety procedures including ESD precautions and procedures,
safe work
environment and equipment handling
7.3 Identify proper disposal procedures
for batteries, display devices and chemical solvents and cans
8.0 Communication
and Professionalism
8.1 Use good communication skills including listening
and tact / discretion, when communicating with customers and colleagues
Use clear, concise and direct statements
Allow
the customer to complete statements – avoid interrupting
Clarify customer statements – ask pertinent
questions
Avoid using jargon, abbreviations and
acronyms
Listen to customers
8.2 Use job-related professional behavior
including notation of privacy, confidentiality and respect for the customer
and
customers’ property
Behavior
Maintain a positive
attitude and tone of voice
Avoid arguing with customers and / or
becoming defensive
Do not minimize customers’ problems
Avoid being judgmental and / or insulting
or calling the customer names
Avoid distractions and / or interruptions
when talking with customers
Property
Telephone, laptop, desktop computer,
printer, monitor, etc.