Mike Meyers' CompTIA A+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting PCs, Fifth Edition (Exams 220-901 & 220-902), 5th Edition

Mike Meyers' CompTIA A+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting PCs, Fifth Edition (Exams 220-901 & 220-902), 5th Edition

by Mike Meyers
Released April 2016
Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
ISBN: 9781259589553

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Book description

Essential Skills for a Successful IT Career

Written by the leading authority on CompTIA A+ certification and training, this four-color guide will help you become a certified IT professional with proven expertise in hardware and software, and help you pass CompTIA A+ exams 220-901 and 220-902. Mike Meyers’ CompTIA A+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting PCs, Fifth Edition offers complete coverage of the latest exam objectives. You’ll get on-the-job tips, end-of-chapter review questions, and hundreds of color photographs and illustrations.

Learn how to:

  • Work with CPUs, RAM, microprocessors, BIOS, motherboards, power supplies, and other PC components
  • Install, configure, and troubleshoot hard drives
  • Manage peripheral devices and removable media
  • Install, upgrade, and maintain operating systems, including Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux
  • Troubleshoot common computer problems
  • Establish users and groups
  • Set up video and multimedia cards
  • Administer smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices
  • Install and configure wired and wireless networks
  • Connect to the Internet
  • Secure your PC and your network
  • Install, configure, and manage printers and multifunction devices
  • Work with the latest virtualization technologies
  • Understand safety and environmental issues

Electronic content includes:

  • Practice exams for 901 & 902
  • One hour+ of free video training from Mike Meyers
  • TotalSim simulations of performance-based questions
  • Mike's favorite free PC tools and utilities
  • A complete PDF copy of the book

Instructor resources available:

  • Instructor's Manual
  • Power Point slides for each chapter with photographs and illustrations from the book
  • Test Bank cartridges with hundreds of questions for use as quizzes and exams
  • Answers to the end of chapter sections are not included in the book and are only available to adopting instructors

 

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. About This Book
  6. CompTIA Approved Quality Content
  7. Contents at a Glance
  8. Contents
  9. Preface
  10. Instructor Web Site
  11. Chapter 1 The Path of the PC Tech
    1. CompTIA A+ Certification
      1. Who Is CompTIA?
      2. The Path to Other Certifications
    2. CompTIA A+ Objectives
      1. Windows-Centric
      2. Windows 10
      3. Exam 220–901
      4. Exam 220-902
    3. The Path to Certification
      1. Finding a Testing Center
      2. Exam Costs
      3. How to Pass the CompTIA A+ Exams
    4. Historical/Conceptual
  12. Chapter 2 Operational Procedures
    1. 902
    2. The Professional Tech
      1. Appearance
      2. The Traits of a Tech
    3. Effective Communication
      1. Assertive Communication
      2. Respectful Communication
      3. Eliciting Answers
      4. Expectations and Follow-Up
    4. Tools of the Trade and Personal Safety
      1. Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
      2. Antistatic Tools
      3. Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)
      4. Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)
      5. Personal Safety
      6. Physical Tools
      7. Software Tools
      8. Troubleshooting Theory
  13. Chapter 3 The Visible Computer
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. The Computing Process
      1. The Computing Parts
      2. Stages
      3. Why the Process Matters to Techs
      4. Breaking It Down
    3. 901
    4. Computing Hardware
    5. 902
    6. Computing Software
      1. Common Operating System Functions
      2. User Interfaces
      3. File Structures and Paths
      4. The Tech Launch Points
  14. Chapter 4 Microprocessors
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. CPU Core Components
      1. The Man in the Box
      2. Clock
      3. Back to the External Data Bus
    3. Memory
      1. Memory and RAM
      2. Address Bus
    4. 901
    5. Modern CPUs
      1. Developers
      2. Technology
    6. Selecting and Installing CPUs
      1. Selecting a CPU
      2. Installation Issues
    7. Troubleshooting CPUs
      1. Symptoms of Overheating
      2. Catastrophic Failure
    8. Beyond A+
      1. Intel Core M
  15. Chapter 5 RAM
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. Understanding DRAM
      1. Organizing DRAM
      2. Practical DRAM
      3. DRAM Sticks
      4. Consumer RAM
    3. Types of RAM
      1. SDRAM
      2. RDRAM
    4. 901
      1. DDR SDRAM
      2. DDR2
      3. DDR3
      4. DDR3L/DDR3U
      5. DDR4
      6. RAM Variations
    5. Working with RAM
      1. Do You Need More RAM?
      2. Getting the Right RAM
      3. Installing DIMMs
      4. Installing SO-DIMMs in Laptops
    6. Troubleshooting RAM
      1. Testing RAM
  16. Chapter 6 BIOS
    1. 901
    2. We Need to Talk
      1. Talking to the Keyboard
      2. BIOS
    3. CMOS
      1. Modify CMOS: The Setup Program
      2. Typical CMOS Setup Programs
    4. Option ROM and Device Drivers
      1. Option ROM
      2. Device Drivers
      3. BIOS, BIOS, Everywhere!
    5. POST
      1. Before and During the Video Test: The Beep Codes
      2. Text Errors
      3. POST Cards
      4. The Boot Process
    6. Care and Feeding of BIOS and CMOS
      1. Default/Optimized Settings
      2. Clearing CMOS
      3. Losing CMOS Settings
      4. Flashing the ROM
  17. Chapter 7 Motherboards
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. How Motherboards Work
      1. Form Factors
    3. 901
      1. Chipset
      2. Motherboard Components
    4. Expansion Bus
      1. Structure and Function of the Expansion Bus
      2. PCI
      3. AGP
      4. PCI-X
      5. Mini-PCI
      6. PCI Express
      7. Installing Expansion Cards
      8. Troubleshooting Expansion Cards
    5. Upgrading and Installing Motherboards
      1. Choosing the Motherboard and Case
      2. Installing the Motherboard
    6. Troubleshooting Motherboards
      1. Symptoms
      2. Techniques
      3. Options
  18. Chapter 8 Power Supplies
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. Understanding Electricity
    3. 901
    4. Powering the PC
      1. Supplying AC
    5. 902
    6. 901
      1. Supplying DC
    7. Installing and Maintaining Power Supplies
      1. Installing
      2. Cooling
    8. Troubleshooting Power Supplies
      1. No Motherboard
      2. Switches
      3. When Power Supplies Die Slowly
      4. Fuses and Fire
    9. Beyond A+
      1. It Glows!
      2. Modular Power Supplies
      3. Temperature and Efficiency
  19. Chapter 9 Hard Drive Technologies
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. How Hard Drives Work
      1. Magnetic Hard Drives
    3. 901
      1. Solid-State Drives
      2. Hybrid Hard Drives
    4. Parallel and Serial ATA
      1. PATA
      2. SATA
    5. Protecting Data with RAID
      1. RAID
      2. Implementing RAID
      3. Software Versus Hardware
    6. Installing Drives
      1. Choosing Your Drive
      2. Jumpers and Cabling on PATA Drives
      3. Cabling SATA Drives
      4. Connecting Solid-State Drives
      5. BIOS Support: Configuring CMOS and Installing Drivers
      6. Troubleshooting Hard Drive Installation
  20. Chapter 10 Implementing Hard Drives
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. Hard Drive Partitions
    3. 902
      1. Master Boot Record
      2. Dynamic Disks
      3. GUID Partition Table
      4. Other Partition Types
      5. When to Partition
      6. Partition Naming Problems
    4. Hard Drive Formatting
      1. File Systems in Windows
      2. FAT
      3. FAT32
      4. NTFS
      5. FAT64
      6. File Systems in Mac OS X
      7. File Systems in Linux
    5. The Partitioning, Formatting, and Pooling Process
      1. Bootable Media
      2. Partitioning and Formatting with the Installation Media
      3. Disk Management
      4. Formatting a Partition
      5. Storage Spaces
    6. Maintaining and Troubleshooting Hard Drives
      1. Maintenance
    7. 901
      1. Troubleshooting Hard Drive Implementation
    8. Beyond A+
      1. Third-Party Partition Tools
  21. Chapter 11 Essential Peripherals
    1. 901
    2. Supporting Common Ports
      1. USB Ports
      2. FireWire Ports
      3. Thunderbolt Ports
      4. General Port Issues
    3. Common Peripherals
      1. Keyboards
      2. Pointing Devices
      3. Biometric Devices
      4. Smart Card Readers
      5. Bar Code Readers
      6. Touch Screens
      7. Motion Sensors
      8. KVM Switches
      9. Gamepads and Joysticks
      10. Digitizers
      11. Multimedia Devices
      12. Video Capture
      13. TV Tuners
      14. Smart TV and Set-Top Boxes
    4. Storage Devices
      1. Flash Memory
      2. Optical Drives
  22. Chapter 12 Building a PC
    1. 901
    2. Specialized Custom PCs
      1. Evaluating Parts
      2. Workstation PCs
      3. Specialized Consumer PCs
    3. 902
    4. Installing and Upgrading Windows
      1. Media Sources
      2. Types of Installation
      3. The Installation and Upgrade Process
      4. Troubleshooting Installation Problems
    5. Post-Installation Tasks
      1. Patches, Service Packs, and Updates
      2. Upgrading Drivers
      3. Restoring User Data Files (If Applicable)
      4. Migrating and Retiring Systems
      5. No Installation Is Perfect
    6. Beyond A+
    7. Installing Windows 10
  23. Chapter 13 Windows Under the Hood
    1. 902
    2. Registry
      1. Accessing the Registry
      2. Registry Components
      3. Talkin’ Registry
      4. Manual Registry Edits
      5. Command-Line Registry Editing Tools
    3. The Boot Process
    4. Processes, Services, and Threads
      1. Task Manager
      2. Performance Tools
    5. Tools for Programmers
      1. Component Services
      2. Data Sources
  24. Chapter 14 Users, Groups, and Permissions
    1. 902
    2. Authentication with Users and Groups
      1. User Accounts
      2. Passwords
      3. Groups
      4. Configuring Users and Groups
      5. Local Users and Groups
    3. Authorization Through NTFS
      1. NTFS Permissions
      2. Inheritance
      3. Permission Propagation
      4. Techs and Permissions
      5. Permissions in Linux and Mac OS X
    4. Sharing Resources Securely
      1. Sharing a Folder
      2. Add/Edit Users and/or Groups
      3. Administrative Shares
      4. Protecting Data with Encryption
    5. Beyond Sharing Users and Groups
      1. Security Policies
      2. User Account Control
      3. How UAC Works
      4. How to Turn Off UAC
      5. UAC in Modern Windows
  25. Chapter 15 Maintaining and Optimizing Operating Systems
    1. 902
    2. Maintaining Operating Systems
      1. Windows Patch Management
      2. Patch Management in Mac OS X and Linux
      3. Managing Temporary Files in Windows
      4. Registry Maintenance
      5. Disk Maintenance Utilities
      6. Scheduling Maintenance
      7. Controlling Autostarting Software
      8. System Information
      9. Microsoft Management Console
    3. Optimizing Operating Systems
      1. Installing and Removing Software
      2. Installing/Optimizing a Device
      3. Performance Options
    4. Preparing for Problems
      1. Backing Up Personal Data
      2. System Restore in Windows
  26. Chapter 16 Working with the Command-Line Interface
    1. 902
    2. Deciphering the Command-Line Interface
      1. Shells
      2. Accessing the Command-Line Interface in Windows
      3. Accessing the Command-Line Interface in Mac OS X and Linux
      4. The Command Prompt
      5. Closing the Terminal
      6. Filenames and File Formats
      7. Drives and Folders
    3. Mastering Fundamental Commands
      1. Structure: Syntax and Switches
      2. Viewing Directory Contents: dir and ls
      3. Changing Directory Focus: The cd Command
      4. Moving Between Drives
      5. Making Directories: The md/mkdir Command
      6. Removing Directories: The rd/rmdir Command
      7. Running a Program in Windows
      8. Running a Program in Mac OS X and Linux
    4. Working with Files
      1. Using Wildcards to Locate Files
      2. Deleting Files
      3. Copying and Moving Files
      4. Pruning and Grafting Folder Trees
    5. Assorted Windows Commands
      1. chkdsk (/f /r)
      2. format
      3. hostname
      4. gpupdate
      5. gpresult
      6. sfc
      7. shutdown
      8. Using Special Keys in Windows
    6. Beyond A+
      1. The compact and cipher Commands
    7. 902
      1. PowerShell
    8. Assorted Mac OS X and Linux Commands
      1. ifconfig
      2. iwconfig
      3. ps
      4. grep
      5. apt-get
      6. vi
      7. dd
      8. shutdown
      9. passwd
  27. Chapter 17 Troubleshooting Operating Systems
    1. 902
    2. Failure to Boot
      1. Failure to Boot: Hardware or Configuration
      2. Failure to Boot: Windows XP (A CompTIA Retro Moment)
      3. Failure to Boot: Modern Windows
      4. Failure to Boot: Linux
    3. Failure to Start Normally
      1. Device Drivers
      2. Registry
      3. Advanced Startup Options
      4. Troubleshooting Tools
      5. More Control Panel Tools
    4. Application Problems
      1. Application Installation Problems
      2. Problems with Uninstalling
      3. Compatibility
      4. Missing File or Incorrect File Version
      5. Crashing Programs
      6. Volume Shadow Copy Service and System Protection
  28. Chapter 18 Virtualization
    1. 902
    2. Benefits of Virtualization
      1. Power Saving
      2. Hardware Consolidation
      3. System Management and Security
      4. Research
    3. Implementing Virtualization
      1. Meet the Hypervisor
      2. Emulation Versus Virtualization
      3. Client-Side Virtualization
      4. Server-Side Virtualization
    4. To the Cloud
      1. The Service-Layer Cake
      2. Ownership and Access
      3. Why We Cloud
  29. Chapter 19 Display Technologies
    1. Video Displays
    2. Historical/Conceptual
      1. CRT Monitors
    3. 901
      1. LCD Monitors
      2. Projectors
      3. Plasma Displays
      4. Common Features
    4. Display Adapters
    5. Historical/Conceptual
      1. Modes
    6. 901
      1. Motherboard Slot
      2. Graphics Processor
      3. Video Memory
      4. Integrated GPUs
      5. Connector Types and Associated Cables
    7. Installing and Configuring Video
      1. Software
    8. 902
      1. Working with Drivers
      2. 3-D Graphics
    9. Troubleshooting Video
      1. Troubleshooting Video Cards/Drivers
      2. Troubleshooting Monitors
    10. Beyond A+
    11. Changing Technologies
  30. Chapter 20 Essentials of Networking
    1. 902
    2. Roles Hosts Play in Networks
    3. Historical/Conceptual
    4. Networking Technologies
    5. 901
      1. Frames and NICs
      2. Ethernet
      3. Ethernet with Twisted Pair
      4. Ethernet with Alternative Connections
    6. Implementing Ethernet
      1. The Typical LAN
      2. Structured Cabling
      3. Going Wide
  31. Chapter 21 Local Area Networking
    1. 901/902
    2. TCP/IP
      1. Network Addressing with IPv4
      2. Network Addressing with IPv6
    3. Installing and Configuring a Wired Network
      1. Installing a NIC
      2. Configuring a Network Client
      3. Sharing and Security
      4. Network Shares
      5. Network Organization
    4. Troubleshooting Networks
      1. Repairing Physical Cabling
      2. Fixing Common Problems
  32. Chapter 22 Wireless Networking
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. Wireless Networking Components
    3. 901
      1. Wireless Networking Software
      2. Wireless Network Modes
    4. 902
      1. Wireless Networking Security
    5. 901
      1. Speed and Range Issues
    6. Wireless Networking Standards
      1. IEEE 802 11-Based Wireless Networking
      2. Other Wireless Standards
    7. 902
    8. Installing and Configuring Wireless Networking
      1. Wi-Fi Configuration
      2. Bluetooth Configuration
      3. Cellular Configuration
    9. Troubleshooting Wi-Fi
      1. Hardware Troubleshooting
      2. Software Troubleshooting
      3. Connectivity Troubleshooting
      4. Configuration Troubleshooting
  33. Chapter 23 The Internet
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. How the Internet Works
      1. Internet Tiers
      2. TCP/IP—The Common Language of the Internet
      3. Internet Service Providers
      4. Connection Concepts
    3. 901
    4. Connecting to the Internet
      1. Dial-Up
      2. DSL
      3. Cable
      4. Fiber
      5. Wi-Fi
      6. Cellular
      7. Satellite
      8. Connection to the Internet
    5. Internet Application Protocols
    6. 902
      1. The World Wide Web
      2. E-mail
      3. File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
      4. Telnet and SSH
      5. SFTP
      6. Voice over IP
      7. Remote Desktop
      8. Virtual Private Networks
      9. Support Applications (Internet Utilities)
    7. 901
    8. Internet Troubleshooting
      1. No Connectivity
      2. Limited Connectivity
      3. Local Connectivity
      4. Slow Transfer Speeds
    9. Beyond A+
      1. Online Gaming
      2. Chat
      3. File Sharing
  34. Chapter 24 Portable Computing
    1. Historical/Conceptual
    2. Portable Computing Devices
      1. Taxonomy
    3. 901
      1. Input Devices
      2. Display Types
    4. Extending Portable Computers
      1. Single-Function Ports
      2. Networking Options
      3. Portable-Specific Expansion Slots
      4. Storage Card Slots
      5. General-Purpose Ports
    5. Managing and Maintaining Portable Computers
      1. Batteries
      2. Power Management
      3. Cleaning
      4. Heat
      5. Protecting the Machine
    6. Upgrading and Repairing Laptop Computers
      1. Disassembly Process
      2. Standard Upgrades
      3. Hardware Replacement
    7. Troubleshooting Portable Computers
      1. Power and Performance
      2. Components
  35. Chapter 25 Understanding Mobile Devices
    1. 901
    2. Mobile Computing Devices
      1. Device Variants
      2. Mobile Hardware Features
    3. 902
    4. Meet the Big Three Mobile OSs
      1. Development Models
      2. Apple iOS
      3. Google Android
      4. Microsoft Windows Phone
      5. Mobile OS Features
    5. Configuring a Mobile Device
      1. Enhancing Hardware
      2. Adding Apps
      3. Network Connectivity
      4. Data
      5. E-mail
      6. Synchronization
      7. Mobile Device Communication and Ports
  36. Chapter 26 Care and Feeding of Mobile Devices
    1. 901/902
    2. Troubleshooting Mobile Device Issues
      1. Troubleshooting Tools
      2. Touchscreen and Display Issues
      3. App Not Loading
      4. Overheating
      5. Slow Performance
      6. Battery Life
      7. Swollen Battery
      8. Frozen System
      9. Cannot Broadcast to an External Monitor
      10. No Sound from Speakers
      11. Connectivity and Data Usage Issues
      12. GPS and Location Services Problems
      13. System Lockout
      14. Encryption Problems
    3. Securing Mobile Devices
      1. BYOD versus Corporate-Owned Devices
      2. Profile Security Requirements
      3. Preventing Physical Damage
      4. Combating Malware
      5. Dealing with Loss
      6. Recovering from Theft
      7. Securing Your Data
    4. Mobile OS and Application Security Issues
      1. Troubleshooting Tools
      2. Risks, Symptoms, and Clues
  37. Chapter 27 Printers and Multifunction Devices
    1. 901
    2. Printer and Multifunction Device Components and Technologies
      1. Printers
      2. Scanners
      3. Copy and Fax Components
      4. Connectivity
    3. The Laser Printing Process
      1. Processing
      2. Charging
      3. Exposing
      4. Developing
      5. Transferring
      6. Fusing
      7. Cleaning
    4. Installing a Multifunction Device
      1. Setting Up Printers in Windows
      2. Configuring Print Settings
      3. Optimizing Print Performance
      4. Managing Shared/Public/Networked Devices
    5. Troubleshooting Printers
      1. Troubleshooting General Issues
      2. Troubleshooting Impact Printers
      3. Troubleshooting Thermal Printers
      4. Troubleshooting Inkjet Printers
      5. Troubleshooting Laser Printers
  38. Chapter 28 Securing Computers
    1. 902
    2. Analyzing Threats
      1. Unauthorized Access
      2. Social Engineering
      3. Data Destruction
      4. Administrative Access
      5. System Crash/Hardware Failure
      6. Physical Theft
      7. Malware
      8. Environmental Threats
    3. Security Concepts and Technologies
      1. Access Control
      2. Data Classification and Compliance
      3. Licensing
      4. Reporting
    4. Network Security
      1. Malicious Software
      2. Malware Signs and Symptoms
      3. Malware Prevention and Recovery
      4. Firewalls
      5. Internet Appliances
      6. Authentication and Encryption
      7. Wireless Issues
  39. Appendix A Mapping to the CompTIA A+ Objectives
    1. 220–901 Exam Objectives
    2. 220–902 Exam Objectives
  40. Appendix B About the Download
    1. Media Center Download
      1. Playing the Mike Meyers Introduction Video
    2. Downloading Total Tester Exam Software
      1. Installing and Running Total Tester
      2. About Total Tester
      3. About the Assessment Test
    3. TotalSims for CompTIA A+
    4. Mike’s Video Training
    5. Mike’s Cool Tools
    6. Technical Support
      1. Total Seminars Technical Support
      2. McGraw-Hill Education Content Support
  41. Glossary
  42. Index

Product information

  • Title: Mike Meyers' CompTIA A+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting PCs, Fifth Edition (Exams 220-901 & 220-902), 5th Edition
  • Author(s): Mike Meyers
  • Release date: April 2016
  • Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
  • ISBN: 9781259589553