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research into computer sciencem information technology, computers, certifcations, etc.
[ 1.0: comptia a+ certification info ]
test info
CompTIA A+ Info
CompTIA A+ Core 1 Objectives
CompTIA A+ Core 2 Objectives
[ 1.1: comptia a+ study guides ]
examcompass - free a+ practice tests
professor messer - CompTIA A+ core 1 videos
practice questions - core 1, 10 total
professor messer - CompTIA A+ core 2 videos
practice questions - core 2, 10 total
archived textbook - study guide Exams 1101-1102 5th edition
ccilearning - comptia a+ sample notes (old)
[ 1.2: comptia a+ core 1 objectives ]
below are the 5 main domains of the test
- 1: mobile devices 13%
- 2: networking 23%
- 3: hardware 25%
- 4: virtualization and cloud computing 11%
- 5: hardware and network troubleshooting 28%
[ 1.21: mobile devices ]
[ 1.211 ] given a scenario, monitor mobile device hardware and use appropriate replacement techniques:
[ 1.212 ] compare and contrast accessories and connectivity options for mobile devices:
- Connection methods
- Accessories
- Stylus
- Headsets
- Speakers
- Webcam
- Docking station
- Port replicator
- Trackpad/drawing pad/track points
[ 1.213 ] given a scenario, configure basic mobile device network connectivity and provide application support:
- Wireless/cellular data
- network (enable/disable)
- 3G/4G/5G
- Hotspot
- Wi-Fi
- Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)/eSIM
- Bluetooth
- Enable Bluetooth
- Enable pairing
- Find a device for pairing
- Enter the appropriate personal identification number (PIN) code
- Test connectivity
- Location services
- Global positioning system (GPS) services
- Cellular location services
- Mobile device management (MDM)
- Device configurations
- Corporate
- Bring your own device (BYOD)
- Policy enforcement
- Corporate applications
- Mobile device synchronization
- Recognizing data caps
- Calendar
- Contacts
- Business applications
[ 1.22: networking ]
[ 1.221 ] compare and contrast transmission control protocol (TCP) and user datagram protocol (UDP) ports, protocols, and their purposes:
- Ports and protocols
- 20-21 – File Transfer Protocol (FTP):
wiki: File Transfer Protocol
- 22 – Secure Shell (SSH):
wiki: Secure Shell
- 23 – Telnet:
wiki: Telnet
- 25 – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP):
wiki: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
- 53 – Domain Name System (DNS)
- 67/68 – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
- 80 – Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
- 110 – Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3)
- 143 – Internet Mail Access Protocol (IMAP)
- 137-139 Network Basic Input/Output System (NetBIOS)/NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT)
- 389 – Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
- 443 – Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)
- 445 – Server Message Block (SMB)/Common Internet File System (CIFS)
- 3389 – Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
- TCP vs. UDP
[ 1.222 ] explain wireless networking technologies:
- Frequencies
- Channels
- Regulations
- Channel selection
- Bluetooth
- 802.11 standards
- NFC
- Radio-frequency identification (RFID)
[ 1.223 ] summarize services provided by networked hosts:
- Server roles
- DNS
- DHCP
- Fileshare
- Print servers
- Mail servers
- Syslog
- Web servers
- Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA)
- Database servers
- Network Time Protocol (NTP)
- Internet appliances
- Spam gateways
- Unified threat management (UTM)
- Load balancers
- Proxy servers
- Legacy/embedded systems
- Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)
- Internet of Things (IoT) devices
wiki: Internet of things
[ 1.224 ] Explain common network configuration concepts.
- DNS
- A
- AAAA
- Canonical Name (CNAME)
- Mail exchanger (MX)
- Text (TXT)
- Spam management
- DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)
- Sender Policy Framework (SPF)
- Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC)
- DHCP
- Leases
- Reservations
- Scope
- Exclusions
- Virtual LAN [local area network] (VLAN):
wiki: VLAN
- Virtual private network (VPN):
wiki: Virtual private network
[ 1.225 ] compare and contrast common networking hardware devices:
- Routers:
wiki: Router (computing)
- Switches
- Access points
- Patch panel
- Firewall
wik: Firewall (computing)
- Power over Ethernet (PoE)
- Injectors
- Switch
- PoE standards
- Cable modem
- Digital subscriber line (DSL)
- Optical network terminal (ONT)
- Network interface card (NIC)
- Physical media access control (MAC) address
[ 1.226 ] given a scenario, configure basic wired/wireless small office/home office (SOHO) networks:
- Internet Protocol (IP) addressing
- IPv4
- Private addresses
- Public addresses
- IPv6
- Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA)
- Static
- Dynamic
- Subnet mask
- Gateway
[ 1.227 ] compare and contrast internet connection types, network types, and their characteristics:
- Internet connection types
- Satellite
- Fiber
- Cable
- DSL
- Cellular
- Wireless internet service provider (WISP)
- Network types
- LAN
- Wide area network (WAN)
- Personal area network (PAN)
- Metropolitan area network (MAN)
- Storage area network (SAN)
- Wireless local area network (WLAN)
[ 1.228 ] explain networking tools and their purposes:
- Crimper
- Cable stripper
- Wi-Fi analyzer
- Toner probe
- Punchdown tool
- Cable tester
- Loopback plug
- Network tap
[ 1.23: hardware ]
[ 1.231 ] compare and contrast display components and attributes:
- Types
- Liquid crystal display (LCD)
- In-plane switching (IPS)
- Twisted nematic (TN)
- Vertical alignment (VA)
- Organic light-emitting diode (OLED)
- Mini light-emitting diode (Mini-LED)
- Touch screen/digitizer
- Inverter
- Attributes
- Pixel density
- Refresh rates
- Screen resolution
- Color gamut
[ 1.232 ] summarize basic cable types and their connectors, features, and purposes:
- Network cables
- Copper
- Categories
- Coaxial
- Shielded twisted pair
- Unshielded twisted pair
- Plenum-rated
- Optical
- Peripheral cables
- USB 2.0
- USB 3.0
- Serial
- Thunderbolt
- Video cables
- High-definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)
- DisplayPort
- Digital Visual Interface (DVI)
- Video Graphics Array (VGA)
- USB-C
- Hard drive cables
- Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)
- External SATA (eSATA)
- Adapters
- Connector types
- RJ11
- RJ45
- F-type
- Straight tip (ST)
- Subscriber connector (SC)
- Lucent connector (LC)
- Punchdown block
- MicroUSB
- MiniUSB
- USB-C
- Molex
- Lightning
- DB9
[ 1.233 ] compare and contrast RAM characteristics:
- Form factors
- Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Module (SODIMM)
- Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM)
- Double Data Rate (DDR) iterations
- Error-correcting code (ECC) vs. non-ECC RAM
- Channel configurations
[ 1.234 ] compare and contrast storage devices:
- Hard drives
- Spindle speeds
- Form factors
- Solid-state drives
- Communications interfaces
- Non-volatile Memory Express (NVMe)
- SATA
- Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe)
- Serial Attached SCSI [Small Computer System Interface] (SAS)
- Form factors
- M.2
- Mini-serial Advanced Technology Attachment (mSATA)
- Drive configurations
- Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) 0, 1, 5, 6, 10
- Removable storage
- Flash drives
- Memory cards
- Optical drives
[ 1.235 ] given a scenario, install and configure motherboards, central processing units (CPUs), and add-on cards:
- Motherboard form factors
- Advanced Technology Extended (ATX)
- microATX
- Information Technology eXtended (ITX)
- Motherboard connector types
- Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
- PCIe
- Power connectors
- SATA
- eSATA
- Headers
- M.2
- Motherboard compatibility
- CPU socket types
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)
- Intel
- Multisocket
- BIOS/Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) settings
- Boot options
- USB permissions
- Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security features
- Fan considerations
- Secure Boot
- Boot password
- BIOS password
- Temperature monitoring
- Virtualization support
- Encryption
- TPM
- Hardware security module (HSM)
- CPU architecture
- x86/x64
- Advanced RISC [Reduced Instruction Set Computer] Machine (ARM)
- Core configurations
- Expansion cards
- Sound card
- Video card
- Capture card
- Network interface card
- Cooling
- Fans
- Heat sink
- Thermal paste/pads
- Liquid
[ 1.236 ] given a scenario, install the appropriate power supply:
- Input 110–120 VAC vs. 220–240 VAC
- Output 3.3V vs. 5V vs. 12V
- 20+4 pin motherboard connector
- Redundant power supply
- Modular power supply
- Wattage rating
- Energy efficiency
[ 1.237 ] given a scenario, deploy and configure multifunction devices/printers and settings:
- Properly unbox device and consider set-up location
- Use appropriate drivers for a given operating system
- Printer Control Language (PCL) vs. postscript
- Firmware
- Device connectivity
- Public/shared devices
- Printer share
- Print server
- Configuration settings
- Duplex
- Orientation
- Tray settings
- Quality
- Security
- User authentication
- Badging
- Audit logs
- Secured prints
- Network scan services
- Automatic document feeder (ADF)/flatbed scanner
[ 1.238 ] given a scenario, perform appropriate printer maintenance:
- Laser
- Maintenance: Replace toner, apply maintenance kit, calibrate, and clean
- Inkjet
- Ink cartridge, printhead, roller, and feeder
- Maintenance: Clean printheads, replace cartridges, calibrate, and clear jams
- Thermal
- Feed assembly
- Special thermal paper
- Maintenance: Replace paper, clean heating element, and remove debris
- Impact
- Multipart paper
- Maintenance: Replace ribbon, printhead, and paper
[ 1.24: virtualization and cloud computing ]
[ 1.241 ] explain virtualization concepts:
- Purpose of virtual machines
- Sandbox
- Test development
- Application virtualization
- Legacy software/OS
- Cross-platform virtualization
- Requirements
- Desktop virtualization
- Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
- Containers
- Hypervisors
[ 1.242 ] explain virtualization concepts:
- Common cloud models
- Private cloud
- Public cloud
- Hybrid cloud
- Community cloud
- Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
- Software as a service (SaaS)
- Platform as a service (PaaS)
- Cloud characteristics
- Shared resources vs. dedicated resources
- Metered utilization
- Elasticity
- Availability
- File synchronization
- Multitenancy
[ 1.25: hardware and network troubleshooting ]
[ 1.251 ] given a scenario, troubleshoot motherboards, RAM, CPUs, and power:
- Common symptoms
- Power-on self-test (POST) beeps
- Proprietary crash screens
- Blank screen
- No power
- Sluggish performance
- Overheating
- Burning smell
- Random shutdown
- Application crashes
- Unusual noise
- Capacitor swelling
- Inaccurate system date/time
[ 1.252 ] given a scenario, troubleshoot drive and RAID issues:
- Common symptoms
- Light-emitting diode (LED) status indicators
- Grinding noises
- Clicking sounds
- Bootable device not found
- Data loss/corruption
- RAID failure
- Self-monitoring and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) failure
- Extended read/write times
- Low performance input/output operations per second (IOPS)
- Missing drives in OS
- Array missing
- Audible alarms
[ 1.253 ] given a scenario, troubleshoot video, projector, and display issues:
- Common symptoms
- Incorrect input source
- Physical cabling issues
- Burnt-out bulb
- Fuzzy image
- Display burn-in
- Dead pixels
- Flashing screen
- Incorrect color display
- Audio issues
- Dim image
- Intermittent projector shutdown
- Sizing issues
- Distorted image
[ 1.254 ] given a scenario, troubleshoot common mobile device issues:
- Common symptoms
- Poor battery health
- Swollen battery
- Broken screen
- Improper charging
- Poor/no connectivity
- Liquid damage
- Overheating
- Digitizer issues
- Physically damaged ports
- Malware
- Cursor drift/touch calibration
- Unable to install new applications
- Stylus does not work
- Degraded performance
[ 1.255 ] given a scenario, troubleshoot network issues:
- Common symptoms
- Intermittent wireless connectivity
- Slow network speeds
- Limited connectivity
- Jitter
- Poor Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) quality
- Port flapping
- High latency
- External interference
- Authentication failures
- Intermittent internet connectivity
[ 1.256 ] given a scenario, troubleshoot printer issues:
- Lines down the printed pages
- Garbled print
- Paper jams
- Faded prints
- Paper not feeding
- Multipage misfeed
- Multiple prints pending in queue
- Speckling on printed pages
- Double/echo images on the print
- Grinding noise
- Finishing issues
- Incorrect page orientation
- Tray not recognized
- Connectivity issues
- Frozen print queue
[ 1.3: comptia a+ core 1 hardware and software ]
[ 1.31: equipment ]
- Apple tablet/smartphone
- Android tablet/smartphone
- Windows tablet
- Chromebook
- Windows laptop/Mac laptop/Linux laptop
- Windows desktop/Mac desktop/Linux desktop
- Windows server with Active Directory and Print Manager
- Monitors
- Projectors
- SOHO router/switch
- Access point
- VoIP phone
- Printer
- Laser/inkjet
- Wireless
- 3-D printer
- Thermal
- Surge suppressor
- UPS
- Smart devices (IoT devices)
- Server with a hypervisor
- Punchdown block
- Patch panel
- Webcams
- Speakers
- Microphones
[ 1.32: hardware ]
- Motherboards
- RAM
- Hard drives
- Power supplies
- Video cards
- Sounds cards
- Network cards
- Wireless NICs
- Fans, cooling devices, heat sinks
- CPUs
- Assorted connectors/cables
- Adapters
- Network cables
- Unterminated network cable/connectors
- AC adapters
- Optical drives
- Screws/stand-offs
- Cases
- Maintenance kit
- Mice/keyboards
- Keyboard-Video-Mouse (KVM)
- Console cable
- SSD
[ 1.33: tools ]
- Screwdrivers
- Multimeter
- Wire cutters
- Punchdown tool
- Crimper
- Power supply tester
- Cable stripper
- Standard technician toolkit
- Electrostatic discharge (ESD) strap
- Thermal paste
- Cable tester
- Cable toner
- Wi-Fi analyzer
- Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) to USB connectors
- Operating systems - Linux
[ 2.0: wiki topics ]
Form factor (design)
Linux distribution
[ 3.0: other links ]
raspberrypi - for projects and computing
anki cards - flash card program
[ 4.0: windows commands ]
commands for pc health
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
↳ provides repair files for corrupted system files. run this prior to running the sfc command below
sfc /scannow
↳ system file checker, scans system files for corrupt files and repairs them
[ 5.0: other certifications ]
tba
[ back to journal ]