Conquer
Three Computer Industries In Four Days
Introduction
For
A+ Certification, the examinee must pass both this examination and
the A+ Operating System
Technologies
examination. The Core Hardware examination measures essential competencies
for a desktop computer hardware service technician with six months
of on-the-job experience. The examinee must demonstrate basic knowledge
of installing, configuring, upgrading, troubleshooting, and repairing
desktop computer systems at the standard defined by this test specification
The
skills and knowledge measured by this examination are derived from
an industry-wide and worldwide job task analysis which was validated
through a survey of almost 2,000 A+ certified professionals. The
results of the survey are used in weighting the domains and ensuring
that the weighting is representative of the relative importance
of that content to the job requirements of a service technician
with six months on- the-job experience. The intent is to certify
individuals in a body of knowledge that is identified and accepted
as the baseline or foundation of any entry -level PC technician.
The
results of the job task analysis and survey can be found in the
following report: CompTIA A+ Certification Core Hardware and OS
Technologies examinations Job Task Analysis. This report is available
for distribution.
The
exam is in adaptive format, therefore, will be presented with 20-30
questions. You will have 30 minutes to complete the exam. Please
be aware that a score determination could be made before the maximum
number of questions is presented. Once a score determination is
made, the exam will shut off.
The
exam is translated in the following languages: Japanese, French,
Spanish and German.
Note:
This examination blueprint for the A+ Core Hardware examination
includes the weighting, test objectives, and example content. Example
topics and concepts are included to clarify the test objectives
and should not be construed as a comprehensive listing of all the
content of this examination.
The
table below lists the domains measured by this examination and the
extent to which they are represented in the examination.
Response
Limits
The examinee selects, from four (4) or more response options and
the option(s) that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Distracters or wrong answers are response options that examinees
with incomplete knowledge or skill would likely choose, but are
generally plausible responses fitting into the content area. Test
item formats used in this examination are:
Multiple-choice:
The examinee selects one option that best answers the question or
completes a statement. The option can be embedded in a graphic where
the examinee points and clicks on their selection choice to complete
the test item.
Multiple-response:
The examinee selects more then one option that best answers the
question or completes a statement.
Sample
Directions:
Read the statement or question and from the response options, select
only the option(s) that represent the most correct or best answer(s).
Installation,
Configuration, and Upgrading
This
domain requires the knowledge and skills to identify, install, configure,
and upgrade desktop computer modules and peripherals, following
established basic procedures for system assembly and disassembly
of field replaceable modules. Elements included are listed below
with each test objective.
Content
Limits
1.1
Identify basic terms, concepts, and functions of system modules,
including how each module should work during normal operation and
during the boot process.
Examples
of concepts and modules are:
System
board
Power supply
Processor /CPU
Memory
Storage devices
Monitor
Modem
Firmware
BIOS
CMOS
LCD (portable systems)
Ports
PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)
1.2
Identify basic procedures for adding and removing field replaceable
modules for both desktop and portable systems.
Examples
of modules:
System
board
Storage device
Power
supply
Processor
/CPU
Memory
Input devices
Hard
drive
Keyboard
Video
board
Mouse
Network
Interface Card (NIC)
Portable
system components
AC
adapter
Digital Camera
DC controller
LCD panel
PC Card
Pointing Devices
1.3
Identify available IRQs, DMAs, and I/0 addresses and procedures
for device installation and configuation.
Content
may include the following:
-
Standard
IRQ settings
-
Modems
-
Floppy
drive controllers
-
Hard
drive controllers
-
USB
ports
-
Infrared
ports
-
Hexadecimal
Addresses
1.4
Identify common peripheral ports, associated cabling, and their
connectors.
Content
may include the following:
- Cable types
- Cable orientation
- Serial versus
parallel
- Pin connections
Examples of types
of connectors:
- DB-9
- DB-25
- RJ-11
- RJ-45
- BNC
- PS2/MINI-DIN
- USB
- IEEE 1394
1.5
Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring IDE/EIDE
devices.
Content
may include the following:
-
Master/Slave
-
Devices per channel
-
Primary/Secondary
1.6
Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring SCSI
devices.
Content
may include the following:
-
Address/Termination conflicts
-
Cabling
-
Types (example: regular, wide, ultra-wide)
-
Internal versus external
-
Expansion slots, ElSA, ISA, PCI
-
Jumper block settings (binary equivalents)
1.7
Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring peripheral
devices.
Content
may include the following:
-
Monitor/Video Card
-
Modem
-
USB peripherals and hubs
-
IEEE
1284
-
IEEE 1394
-
External storage
Portables
-
Docking stations
-
PC
cards
-
Port replicators
-
Infrared devices
1.8
Identify hardware methods of upgrading system performance, procedures
for replacing basic subsystem components, unique components and
when to use them.
Content
may include the following:
-
Memory
-
Hard Drives
-
CPU
-
Upgrading
BIOS
-
When to upgrade BIOS
Portable
Systems
-
Battery
-
Hard Drive
-
Types I, II, III cards
-
Memory
Diagnosing
and Troubleshooting
This
domain requires the ability to apply knowledge relating to diagnosing
and troubleshooting common module problems and system malfunctions.
This includes knowledge of the symptoms relating to common problems.
Content
Limits
2.1
Identify common symptoms and problems associated with each module
and how to troubleshoot and isolate the problems.
Content may include the following:
-
Processor/Memory symptoms
-
Mouse
-
Floppy drive
-
Parallel
ports
-
Hard Drives
-
CD-ROM
-
DVD
-
Sound
Card/Audio
-
Monitor/Video
-
Motherboards
-
Modems
-
BIOS
-
USB
-
NIC
-
CMOS
-
Power supply
-
Slot
covers
-
POST
audible/visual error codes
-
Troubleshooting tools, e.g., multimeter
-
Large LBA, LBA
-
Cables
-
Keyboard
-
Peripherals
2.2
Identify basic troubleshooting procedures and how to elicit problem
symptoms from customers.
Content
may include the following:
-
Troubleshooting/isolation/problem
determination procedures
-
Determine
whether hardware or software problem
-
Gather
information from user regarding, e.g.,
This
domain requires the knowledge of safety and preventive maintenance.
With regard to safety, it includes the potential hazards to personnel
and equipment when working with lasers, high voltage equipment,
ESD, and items that require special disposal procedures that comply
with environmental guidelines. With regard to preventive maintenance,
this includes knowledge of preventive maintenance products, procedures,
environmental hazards, and precautions when working on desktop
computer systems.
Content
Limits
3.1
Identify the purpose of various types of preventive maintenance
products and procedures and when to use them.
Content may include the following:
-
Liquid
cleaning compounds
-
Types of materials to clean contacts and connections
-
Non-static vacuums (chasis, powersupplies, fans)
3.2
Identify issues, procedures and devices for protection within
the computing environment, including people, hardware and the
surrounding workspace.
Content may include the following:
-
UPS
(Uninterruptible Power Supply) and suppressors
-
Determining the signs of power issues
-
Proper methods of storage of components for future use
Potential
hazards and proper safety procedures relating Lasers
-
High-voltage equipment
-
Power supply
-
CRT
Special
disposal procedures that comply with environmental guidelines.
ESD
(Electrostatic Discharge) precautions and procedures
-
What
ESD can do, how it may be apparent, or hidden
-
Common ESD protection devices
-
Situations that could present a danger or hazard
Motherboard/Processors/Memory
This
domain requires knowledge of specific terminology, facts, ways
and means of dealing with classifications, categories and principles
of motherboards, processors, and memory in desktop computer systems.
Content
Limits
4.1
Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in terms of their basic
characteristics.
Content
may include the following:
-
Popular
CPU chips (Intel, AMD, Cyrix)
-
Characteristics
-
Physical size
-
Voltage
-
Speeds
-
On board cache or not
-
Sockets
-
SEC (Single Edge Contact)
4.2
Identify the categories of RAM (Random Access Memory) terminology,
their locations, and physical characteristics.
Content
may include the following:
-
Terminology:
-
EDO RAM (Extended Data Output RAM)
-
DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)
-
SRAM (Static RAM)
-
RIMM (Rambus Inline Memory Module 184 Pin)
-
VRAM (Video RAM)
-
SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
-
WRAM
(Windows Accelerator Card RAM)
-
Locations and physical characteristics:
-
Memory
bank
-
Memory chips (8-bit, l6-bit, and 32-bit)
-
SIMMS (Single In-line Memory Module)
-
DlMMS (Dual In-line Memory Module)
-
Parity chips versus non-parity chips
4.3
Identify the most popular type of motherboards, their components,
and their architecture (bus structures and power supplies).
Content
may include the following:
-
Types
of motherboards:
-
AT (Full and Baby)
-
ATX
-
Components:
-
Communication
ports
-
SIMM and DIMM
-
Processor sockets
-
External cache memory (Level 2)
-
Bus Architecture
-
ISA
-
PCI
-
AGP
-
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
-
VESA local bus (VL-Bus)
-
Basic compatibility guidelines
-
IDE (ATA, ATAPI, ULTRA-DMA, EIDE)
-
SCSI (Wide, Fast, Ultra, LVD(Low Voltage Differential))
4.4
Identify the purpose of CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor),
what it contains and how to change its basic parameters.
Example
Basic CMOS Settings:
-
Printer
parallel port Uni., bi-directional, disable/enable, ECP, EPP
-
COM/serial port memory address, interrupt request, disable
-
Floppy drive enable/disable drive or boot, speed, density
-
Hard drive size and drive type
-
Memory parity, non-parity
-
Boot sequence
-
Date/Time
-
Passwords
-
Plug
& Play BIOS
This
domain requires knowledge of basic types of printers, basic concepts,
and printer components, how they work, how they print onto a page,
paper path, care and service techniques, and common problems.
Content
Limits
5.1 Identify basic concepts, printer operations and printer components.
Content
may include the following:
Paper feeder mechanisms
Types of Printers
Types
of printer connections and configurations
-
Parallel
-
Network
-
USB
-
Infrared
-
Serial
5.2
Identify care and service techniques and common problems with
primary printer types.
Content
may include the following:
Basic
Networking
This
domain requires knowledge of basic network concepts and terminology,
ability to determine whether a computer is networked, knowledge
of procedures for swapping and configuring network interface cards,
and knowledge of the ramifications of repairs when a computer
is networked. The scope of this topic is specific to hardware
issues on the desktop and connecting it to a network.
Content
Limits
6.1
Identify basic networking concepts, including how a network works
and the ramifications of repairs on the network.
Content
may include the following:
-
Installing and configuring network cards
-
Network access
-
Full-duplex, half-duplex
-
Cabling Twisted Pair, Coaxial, Fiber Optic, RS-232
-
Ways to network a PC
-
Physical Network topographies
-
Increasing bandwidth
-
Loss of data
-
Network slowdown
-
Infrared
-
Hardware protocols
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