CompTIA® A+® Certification: A Comprehensive Approach for all 2006 Exam Objectives

Course Specifications

Course number: 085820
Software: Microsoft and Windows
Course length: 7.0 day(s)
Certification: A+ Certification

Course Description

If you are getting ready for a career as an entry-level information technology (IT) professional or personal computer (PC) service technician, the CompTIA® A+® Certification course is the first step in your preparation. The course will build on your existing user-level knowledge and experience with personal computer software and hardware to present fundamental skills and concepts that you will use on the job. In this course, you will acquire the essential skills and information you will need to install, upgrade, repair, configure, troubleshoot, optimize, and perform preventative maintenance of basic personal computer hardware and operating systems.

Course Objective: You will install, upgrade, repair, configure, optimize, troubleshoot, and perform preventative maintenance on basic personal computer hardware and operating systems.

Target Student: The target student is anyone with basic computer user skills who is interested in obtaining a job as an IT professional or PC technician. Possible job environments include mobile or corporate settings with a high level of face-to face client interaction, remote-based work environments where client interaction, client training, operating systems, and connectivity issues are emphasized, or settings with limited customer interaction where hardware activities are emphasized. In addition, this course will help prepare students to achieve a CompTIA A+ Certification.

Prerequisites: Students taking this course should have the following skills: End-user skills with Windows-based personal computers, including the ability to: Browse and search for information on the Internet. Start up and shut down the computer. Log on to a computer and computer network. Run programs. Move, copy, delete, and rename files in Windows Explorer. Basic knowledge of computing concepts, including: The difference between hardware and software. The functions of software components, such as the operating system, applications, and file systems.The function of a computer network.

Delivery Method: Instructor led, group-paced, classroom-delivery learning model with structured hands-on activities.

Hardware Requirements

Each student and the instructor will require one computer. The class is designed for each pair of students to work at a student lab station that should consist of one desktop computer, one laptop/portable computer, and one printer. If you do not have enough laptop computers to have one per lab station, provide as many as you can and provide the remaining students with desktop computers. If you do not have enough physical printers to have one per lab station, provide sufficient printers so that students can have adequate hands-on access to the printer mechanisms and components. You will also need to provide other hardware items for students to install; wherever possible provide enough components so that each lab station can install each device. The specifications for the desktop and laptop computers, as well as a list of other hardware items you will need to provide, follow.

• Desktop computers should be ATX-based systems with PCI slots. Additional bus types, such as ISA slots, are a plus. The system should also include the following ports: parallel, VGA, PS/2 keyboard port, PS/2 mouse port, serial, USB, and, if possible, sound ports including Line In, Line Out, Mic, and Game. Any additional ports are a plus. Desktop systems should have bootable CD-ROM drives and floppy drives.
• Portable computers should have a floppy drive and a CD/DVD drive (these can be swappable in a single drive bay, or separate components); at least one PC card slot; a mini-PCI card bay; and an empty memory slot.
• All computers should be 300 Mhz Pentium systems or higher.
• All computers should have 8 GB hard disks or larger.
• All computers should have 128 MB of RAM or more.
• All computers should have a keyboard and mouse.
• All computers should have a 800x600-capable display adapter and monitor.
• Laptop computers should have a docking station or port replicator to support the standard peripherals (keyboard, mouse, monitor).
• All computers should have network adapters and appropriate network cabling.
• Provide printing devices of your choice. You might wish to have different printer types, such as laser printers and inkjet printers, if available.
• The instructor's computer should have a projection system so the students can follow activities and demonstrations and so the instructor can display the course slide presentation.
• Provide two floppy disks for each student and the instructor.
• Each student should have a basic computer toolkit including an anti-static wrist strap, screwdrivers, tweezers and other small tools, and a multimeter. You may wish to provide other sample tools to the students, such as a power supply tester, as well as masking tape and pens. (Some of these items are included in the basic toolkit that is provided with the full courseware kit.)
• Each lab station should have a cleaning kit that includes monitor cleaning wipes, keyboard cleaning wipes, lint-free cloths, rubbing alcohol, cotton swabs, lens cloth, window cleaner, toothpicks, paint brush, compressed air canister, and computer vacuum.
• A classroom Internet connection.
• Each PC should contain the following internal devices that students can remove and reinstall, examine for troubleshooting purposes, or use to perform maintenance techniques: a hard disk; memory modules; power supply; one or more adapter cards; cooling systems.
• If the computers do not have integrated sound support, install sound cards.
• Provide a second, compatible hard drive and a cable that will enable a second hard drive to be added to student computers.
• Provide a multimedia device of some type for students to install.
• Provide the appropriate cabling for all devices.
• Provide as many other samples of different types of computer components as possible to display for the students. This can include adapter cards for various bus types, SCSI, PATA, and SATA storage devices, a variety of ports and cables, USB devices or hubs, multimedia devices such as digital cameras or microphones, gaming devices such as joysticks, various network cables and connectors, different display device types, different printer types, internal or external modems, examples of different motherboards, CPUs, and chipsets, and so on. Although you cannot work hands-on with every conceivable type of PC component within the confines of the classroom, the more different component types students can see and handle, the more beneficial their learning experience will be.
• Some activities and labs might require or suggest additional materials, so be sure to review the activity-specific setup requirements throughout the course prior to teaching this class.

Platform Requirements

• Windows

Software Requirements

The following software is required for this course:

• Windows XP Professional with appropriate licenses. This will be installed during initial classroom setup, and students will install it again during class. Provide as many copies of the installation CD-ROM as possible. You might also wish to provide a separate classroom server computer, and copy the installation source files to a shared folder on the server.
• Windows XP Home with appropriate licenses. (If you prefer, you may substitute Windows 2000 Professional.) Students will install this operating system in class, so you should provide as many copies of the installation CD-ROM as possible. You might also wish to provide a separate classroom server computer, and copy the installation source files to a shared folder on the server.
• Classroom Internet access. Please configure Internet access and TCP/IP settings as appropriate for your classroom environment.
• Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 or later and all current security patches. The setup instructions and classroom activities assume that you will obtain these through an Internet connection. Otherwise, you must download all current Windows XP Professional critical updates to installation CD-ROMs and have those available to the students to complete operating system setup.
• Device drivers and software manuals for each device the students will install. You should be able to obtain this live from the Internet during class; if not, you can download the drivers and burn them to a CD-ROM or place them on a network share, or provide the manufacturers' original disks.

Performance-Based Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• identify the components of standard desktop personal computers.
• identify fundamental components and functions of personal computer operating systems.
• identify best practices followed by professional personal computer technicians.
• install and configure computer components.
• install and configure system components.
• maintain and troubleshoot peripheral components.
• troubleshoot system components.
• install and configure operating systems.
• maintain and troubleshoot installations of Microsoft Windows.
• identify network technologies.
• install and manage network connections.
• support laptops and portable computing devices.
• support printers and scanners.
• identify personal computer security concepts.
• support personal computer security.

Course Content

Lesson 1: Personal Computer Components

Topic 1A: Personal Computer Components

Topic 1B: System Unit Components

Topic 1C: Storage Devices

Topic 1D: Personal Computer Connection Methods

Lesson 2: Operating System Fundamentals

Topic 2A: Personal Computer Operating Systems

Topic 2B: Windows User Interface Components

Topic 2C: Windows File System Management

Topic 2D: Windows System Management Tools

Lesson 3: PC Technician Professional Best Practices

Topic 3A: Tools of the Trade

Topic 3B: Electrical Safety

Topic 3C: Environmental Safety and Materials Handling

Topic 3D: Perform Preventative Maintenance

Topic 3E: Diagnostics and Troubleshooting

Topic 3F: Professionalism and Communication

Lesson 4: Installing and Configuring Peripheral Components

Topic 4A: Install and Configure Display Devices

Topic 4B: Install and Configure Input Devices

Topic 4C: Install and Configure Adapter Cards

Topic 4D: Install and Configure Multimedia Devices

Lesson 5: Installing and Configuring System Components

Topic 5A: Install and Configure Storage Devices

Topic 5B: Install and Configure Power Supplies

Topic 5C: Install and Configure Memory

Topic 5D: Install and Configure CPUs

Topic 5E: Install and Configure System Boards

Lesson 6: Maintaining and Troubleshooting Peripheral Components

Topic 6A: Troubleshoot Display Devices

Topic 6B: Maintain and Troubleshoot Input Devices

Topic 6C: Troubleshoot Adapter Cards

Topic 6D: Troubleshoot Multimedia Devices

Lesson 7: Troubleshooting System Components

Topic 7A: Troubleshoot Storage Devices

Topic 7B: Troubleshoot Power Supplies

Topic 7C: Troubleshoot Memory

Topic 7D: Troubleshoot CPUs

Topic 7E: Troubleshoot System Boards

Lesson 8: Installing and Configuring Operating Systems

Topic 8A: Install Microsoft Windows

Topic 8B: Upgrade Windows

Topic 8C: Add Devices to Windows

Topic 8D: Optimize Windows

Lesson 9: Maintaining and Troubleshooting Microsoft Windows

Topic 9A: Operating System Utilities

Topic 9B: Maintain Microsoft Windows

Topic 9C: Troubleshoot Microsoft Windows

Topic 9D: Recover Microsoft Windows

Lesson 10: Network Technologies

Topic 10A: Network Concepts

Topic 10B: Network Communications

Topic 10C: Network Connectivity

Topic 10D: Internet Technologies

Lesson 11: Installing and Managing Network Connections

Topic 11A: Create Network Connections

Topic 11B: Install and Configure Web Browsers

Topic 11C: Maintain and Troubleshoot Network Connections

Lesson 12: Supporting Laptops and Portable Computing Devices

Topic 12A: Laptop and Portable Computing Device Components

Topic 12B: Install and Configure Laptops and Portable Computing Devices

Topic 12C: Maintain and Troubleshoot Laptops and Portable Computing Devices

Lesson 13: Supporting Printers and Scanners

Topic 13A: Printer and Scanner Technologies

Topic 13B: Printer and Scanner Components

Topic 13C: Printer and Scanner Processes

Topic 13D: Install and Configure Printers and Scanners

Topic 13E: Maintain and Troubleshoot Printers and Scanners

Lesson 14: Personal Computer Security Concepts

Topic 14A: Security Fundamentals

Topic 14B: Security Protection Measures

Topic 14C: Data and Physical Security

Topic 14D: Wireless Security

Topic 14E: Social Engineering

Lesson 15: Supporting Personal Computer Security

Topic 15A: Install and Configure Security Measures

Topic 15B: Maintain and Troubleshoot Security Measures

Appendix A: Mapping Course Content to the CompTIA A+ Essentials 220-601 Exam Objectives

Appendix B: Mapping Course Content to the CompTIA A+ IT Technician 220-602 Exam Objectives

Appendix C: Mapping Course Content to the CompTIA A+ Remote Technician 220-603 Exam Objectives

Appendix D: Mapping Course Content to the CompTIA A+ Depot Technician 220-604 Exam Objectives

Appendix E: A Brief History of Personal Computers

Appendix F: CompTIA A+ Acronyms