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2
®
CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-
902 Exam Cram
David L. Prowse
800 East 96th Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46240 USA
3
®
CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Exam Cram
Copyright © 2016 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from
the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the
information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in
the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no
responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is any liability assumed for
damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-5631-2
ISBN-10: 0-7897-5631-5
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015956432
Printed in the United States of America
Fourth Printing: April 2017
Associate Publisher
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4
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5
Contents at a Glance
Introduction
CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Troubleshooting
CHAPTER 2 Motherboards
CHAPTER 3 The CPU
CHAPTER 4 RAM
CHAPTER 5 Power
CHAPTER 6 Storage
CHAPTER 7 Mobile Device Hardware
CHAPTER 8 Installing and Upgrading Windows
CHAPTER 9 Configuring Windows
CHAPTER 10 Maintaining Windows
CHAPTER 11 Troubleshooting Windows
CHAPTER 12 Video and Audio
CHAPTER 13 Peripherals and Custom Computing
CHAPTER 14 Printers
CHAPTER 15 Computer Networking Part I
CHAPTER 16 Computer Networking Part II
CHAPTER 17 Security
CHAPTER 18 Android, iOS, OS X, and Linux
CHAPTER 19 Safety, Procedures, and Professionalism
CHAPTER 20 Taking the Real Exams
Practice Exam 1: CompTIA A+ 200-901 Questions
Practice Exam 2: CompTIA A+ 200-902 Questions
6
Appendix A: Real-World Scenarios
Index
DVD Only:
Appendix B: Additional Reading and Resources
Practice Exam 1 Answers
Practice Exam 2 Answers
Practice Exam 3
Practice Exam 4
Exam Alerts
Cram Quizzes
7
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Troubleshooting
The Six-Step A+ Troubleshooting Process
Step 1: Identify the Problem
Step 2: Establish a Theory of Probable Cause (Question the
Obvious)
Step 3: Test the Theory to Determine Cause
Step 4: Establish a Plan of Action to Resolve the Problem and
Implement the Solution
Step 5: Verify Full System Functionality and, If Applicable,
Implement Preventative Measures
Step 6: Document Findings, Actions, and Outcomes
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
Troubleshooting Examples and PC Tools
Troubleshooting Example 1—Basic: Display Issue
Troubleshooting Example 2—Intermediate: Power Issue
Troubleshooting Example 3—Advanced: Wireless Issue
PC Tools
More Troubleshooting Tidbits
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
CHAPTER 2 Motherboards
Motherboard Components and Form Factors
Motherboard Components
Form Factors
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
The BIOS/UEFI
BIOS, CMOS, and the Lithium Battery
8
The POST
Accessing and Configuring the BIOS
Flashing the BIOS
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
Installing and Troubleshooting Motherboards
Installing Motherboards
Troubleshooting Motherboards
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
CHAPTER 3 The CPU
CPU 101
CPU Technology
Cooling
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
Installing and Troubleshooting CPUs
Installing CPUs
Troubleshooting CPUs
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
CHAPTER 4 RAM
RAM Basics and Types of RAM
RAM Basics
Types of RAM
RAM Technologies
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
Installing and Troubleshooting DRAM
Installing DRAM
Troubleshooting DRAM
Cram Quiz
9
Cram Quiz Answers
CHAPTER 5 Power
Understanding and Testing Power
Testing an AC Outlet with a Receptacle Tester
Testing an AC Outlet with a Multimeter
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
Power Devices
Power Strips
Surge Protectors
Uninterruptible Power Supplies
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
Power Supplies
Planning Which Power Supply to Use
Installing the Power Supply
Troubleshooting Power Supply Issues
Heating and Cooling
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
CHAPTER 6 Storage
Hard Drives
Hard Disk Drives
Solid-State Drives
SATA
Hard Drive Specifications
Installing Hard Drives
Preventative Maintenance and Troubleshooting Hard Drives
Network Attached Storage
Cram Quiz
Cram Quiz Answers
RAID
10
