Course Introduction
This course prepares students for the CompTIA A+ Certification exam. Whether you intend to take the certification exam, or simply explore the area of personal computers in more depth, you will acquire an overview of topics related to the personal computer that will then help you decide what part of the industry you might like to pursue as a profession. This certification is also a prerequisite to more advanced certifications. Major topical areas include PC components; basic networking; operating systems installation, configuration, and troubleshooting; virtualization; and operational procedures.
This is the first of a two-course series and is designed to prepare you to take and pass the CompTIA A+ 2022 Core 1 (220-1101) exam & Core 2 (220-1102) exam. It's an internationally-recognized:
Part 1: CompTIA A+ Certification (220-1101).
Part 2: CompTIA A+ Certification (220-1102).
To become fully A+ certified you will need to pass both the 220-1101 and 220-1102 exams.
There are no specific prerequisites as the course covers all the topics in detail.
A basic familiarity with computers and networks is helpful.
Anyone looking to take and pass the CompTIA A+ (220-1101) certification exam
Anyone who wants to improve their skills as a computer or IT technician
1. Present yourself appropriately; talk to customers in a professional, productive manner; and discuss the tools of the trade and preparations necessary to deal with problems proactively.
2. Describe how computing devices work; identify common connectors and devices on a typical computer system; and discuss features common to operating system software.
3. Identify the core components of a CPU; describe the relationship of CPUs and memory; explain the varieties of modern CPUs; select and install a CPU; and troubleshoot CPUs.
4. Identify the different types of DRAM packaging; explain the varieties of RAM; select and install RAM properly; and perform basic RAM troubleshooting.
5. Explain the function of the BIOS; distinguish among various CMOS setup utility options; describe option ROM and device drivers; troubleshoot the power-on self-test (POST); and maintain the BIOS and CMOS properly.
6. Explain how motherboards work; recognize modern expansion buses; upgrade and install motherboards; and troubleshoot motherboard problems.
7. Explain the basics of electricity; describe the details about powering the PC; install and maintain power supplies; and recognize power supply troubleshooting and fire safety issues.
8. Explain how hard drives work; identify and explain the PATA and SATA interfaces; describe how to protect data with RAID; and outline the hard drive installation process.
9. Explain the partitions available in Windows; discuss hard drive formatting options; partition and format hard drives; and maintain and troubleshoot hard drives.
10. Explain how to support multipurpose connectors; identify and install standard peripherals on a computer; and identify and install standard storage devices (that aren’t SSDs or HDDs) and their media.
11. Research and summarize the specifications of specialized PCs; install and upgrade Windows; and describe Windows post-installation best practices.
12. Work with the Registry; understand and observe the Windows boot process; manage processes, services, and threads; and explore Windows tools for programmers.
13. Create and administer Windows users and groups; define and use NTFS permissions for authorization; share a Windows computer securely; and secure PCs with policies and User Account Control.
14. Perform operating system maintenance tasks; optimize operating systems; and prepare appropriately for potential problems.
15. Explain the operation of the command-line interface; describe fundamental commands; explain file manipulation; describe additional useful Windows commands; describe additional helpful macOS and Linux commands and explain scripting languages and platforms.
16. Troubleshoot boot problems, GUI problems, and application problems.
17. Explain how video displays work; select the proper video card; install and configure video; and troubleshoot basic video problems.
18. Describe the basic roles of various networked computers; discuss network technologies and Ethernet; and describe a typical Ethernet implementation.
19. Explain the basics of TCP/IP; install and configure wired networks; and troubleshoot wired networks.
20. Describe wireless networking components; analyze and explain wireless networking standards; install and configure wireless networks; and troubleshoot wireless networks.
21. Explain how the Internet works; describe ways to connect to the Internet; use Internet application protocols; and troubleshoot an Internet connection.
22. Explain why virtualization is so highly adopted today; create and use a virtual machine; and describe the service layers and architectures that make up cloud computing.
23. Describe the many types of portable computing devices available; explain ways to expand portable computers; manage and maintain portable computers; upgrade and repair portable computers; and troubleshoot portable computers.
24. Explain the features and capabilities of mobile devices; describe the major mobile operating systems; and describe how to configure mobile devices.
25. Troubleshoot common mobile device and application issues; explain basic mobile device security; and describe typical mobile OS and application security issues.
26. Describe current printer and multifunction device technologies; explain the laser printing process; install and configure a printer or multifunction device; and recognize and fix basic printer and multifunction device problems.
27. Explain the threats to computers and data; describe key security concepts and technologies; and explain how to protect computers from network threats.
28. Compare best practices associated with various types of documentation; implement basic change management properly; implement basic disaster prevention and recovery.
The course includes the following parts:
1. Safety and Professionalism
2. The Visible Computer
3. CPUs
4. RAM
5. Firmware
6. Motherboards
7. Power Supplies
8. Mass Storage Technologies
9. Implementing Mass Storage
10. Essential Peripherals
11. Building a PC
12. Windows Under the Hood
13. Users, Groups, and Permissions
14. Maintaining and Optimizing Operating Systems
15. Working with the Command-Line Interface
16. Troubleshooting Operating Systems
17. Display Technologies
18. Essentials of Networking
19. Local Area Networking
20. Wireless Networking
21. The Internet
22. Virtualization
23. Portable Computing
24. Understanding Mobile Devices
25. Care and Feeding of Mobile Devices
26. Printers and Multifunction Devices
27. Securing Computers
28. Operational Procedures
CompTIA A+® Certification (Exam 220-1101 & 220-1102)
Computer/IT/PC Technician, Computer/PC/Technical Support, Entry Level Help Desk Technician, A+ IT Field Engineer, Junior IT Support, Junior IT Engineer, IT Hardware Repair Technician, IT Support Specialist,