9780137675944

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Trust the best-selling Cert Guide series from Pearson IT Certification to help you learn, prepare, and practice for exam success. They are built with the objective of providing assessment, review, and practice to help ensure you are fully prepared for your certification exam.

CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) Cert Guide presents you with an organized test preparation routine using proven series elements and techniques. “Do I Know This Already?” quizzes open each chapter and enable you to decide how much time you need to spend on each section. Exam topic lists make referencing easy. Chapter-ending exam preparation tasks help you drill on key concepts you must know thoroughly.

Understand and apply CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) exam topics
Assess your knowledge with chapter-opening quizzes
Review key concepts with exam preparation tasks
Practice with realistic exam questions in the practice test software

CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) Cert Guide focuses specifically on the objectives for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) exams. Leading instructor Rick McDonald shares preparation hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills. Material is presented in a concise manner, focusing on increasing your understanding and retention of exam topics.

This complete study package includes

A test-preparation routine proven to help you pass the exams
Do I Know This Already? quizzes, which enable you to decide how much time you need to spend on each section
Chapter-ending exercises, which help you drill on key concepts you must know thoroughly
An online interactive Flash Cards application to help you drill on key terms by chapter
The powerful Pearson Test Prep Practice Test software, with four full exams comprised of well-reviewed, exam-realistic questions, customization options, and detailed performance reports
A final preparation chapter, which guides you through tools and resources to help you craft your review and test-taking strategies
Study plan suggestions and templates to help you organize and optimize your study time

Well regarded for its level of detail, study plans, assessment features, and challenging review questions and exercises, this study guide helps you understand the concepts and apply the techniques you need to ensure your exam success.

This study guide helps you learn all the topics on the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) exams, deepening your knowledge of

Configuring laptops and mobile devices
Configuring wired and wireless networks
Installing hardware: RAM, storage drives, power supplies, motherboards, CPUs, and printers
Understanding common cloud models and virtualization
Troubleshooting hardware and network issues
Performing operating system installations and upgrades
Managing and configuring security settings
Troubleshooting Windows, PC security issues, and common mobile OS and application issues
Implementing workstation backup and recovery methods

Companion Website:

The companion website contains four full practice exams, an interactive Flash Cards application, Study Planner, Glossary, review exercises, and more.

Includes Exclusive Offers for Up to 80% Off Video Training, Practice Tests, and more

Rick McDonald is a professor in the IT Specialist program at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, Alaska. He holds degrees and certificates from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and University of Illinois Springfield. After several years in the airline industry, he returned to full-time teaching in North Carolina and then in Ketchikan and Fairbanks, Alaska. Previous publication projects include CCNA Companion Guides and technical editing of various certification textbooks. He is currently teaching A+, CCNA, and AWS certification classes in Fairbanks and on the Web.

Introduction

Part I: Core 1

Chapter 1 Mobile Devices

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 3

Foundation Topics 6

Installing and Configuring Laptop Hardware and Components 6

Laptop Access 6

Keyboard 9

Hard Drive Storage 11

HDD/SSD Migration 14

Memory 14

Mini PCIe 17

Wireless Card 18

USB Travel Routers and Wireless WAN Cards 20

Battery 20

Physical Privacy and Security Components 22

Display Components of Mobile Devices 23

Display Components 23

Screens 23

Wi-Fi Antenna Connector/Placement 25

Webcam 25

Microphone 26

Inverter 26

Touchscreen/Digitizer 26

Setting Up and Configuring Accessories and Ports of Mobile Devices 27

Connection Methods: Wired 27

Connection Types: Wireless 29

Accessories 30

Docking Station 31

Port Replicator 33

Configuring Basic Mobile Device Network Connectivity and Application Support 33

Wireless/Cellular Data Network Connectivity for Mobile Devices 33

Bluetooth 40

GPS and Cellular Location Services 44

Mobile Device Management (MDM) 45

Mobile Application Management (MAM) 45

Mobile Device Synchronization 45

Exam Preparation Tasks 48

Chapter 2 Networking 55

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 55

Foundation Topics 60

TCP and UDP Ports, Protocols, and Their Purposes 60

FTP 61

SSH 62

Telnet 62

SMTP 63

DNS 63

DHCP 63

HTTP/HTTPS 64

POP3 64

NetBIOS/NetBT 64

IMAP 65

SNMP 65

LDAP 65

SMB/CIFS 65

RDP 66

TCP vs. UDP 66

Networking Hardware 67

Router 67

Switch 68

Wireless Access Point 69

Patch Panel 70

Firewall 70

Power over Ethernet 70

Hub 71

Modems: Cable and DSL 71

Optical Network Terminal (ONT) 72

Network Interface Card 72

Software-Defined Networking 72

Compare and Contrast Wireless Networking Protocols 73

Frequencies 73

Channels 75

Bluetooth 76

Wi-Fi Standards 78

Long-Range Fixed Wireless 80

NFC 81

RFID 81

Services Provided by Networked Hosts 82

DNS Server 82

DHCP Server 82

File Server 82

Print Server 83

Mail Server 83

Syslog Server 83

Web Server 83

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) Server 84

Internet Appliances 84

Legacy and Embedded Systems 86

Internet of Things (IoT) Devices 87

Install and Configure a Basic Wired/Wireless SOHO Network 89

IP Addressing 89

IP Addressing 99

NIC Configuration 100

End-User Device Configuration 101

Cable/DSL Modem 101

Network Configuration Concepts 101

DNS 101

DHCP 102

VLAN 103

VPN 103

Internet Connection Types, Network Types, and Their Features 104

Internet Connection Types 104

Network Types 112

Using Networking Tools 114

Cutting Tool 114

Cable Stripper 115

Crimper 115

Punchdown Tool 116

Multimeter 116

Toner Probe 117

Cable Tester 118

Loopback Plug 119

Wi-Fi Analyzer 119

Network Tap 120

Exam Preparation Tasks 121

Chapter 3 Hardware 131

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 131

Foundation Topics 136

Basic Cable Types 136

Network Cables 136

Video Cables 145

Peripheral Cables 150

Peripheral Cables: Serial 160

Hard Drive Cables 161

Adapters 163

Connector Types 165

Installing RAM Types 166

Virtual RAM 168

SODIMM Memory 169

DDR3 SDRAM 170

DDR4 SDRAM 170

DDR5 SDRAM: The Current Standard 170

Single Channel 172

Dual Channel 172

Triple Channel 173

Quad Channel 173

Parity vs. Nonparity 173

Installing Memory 175

Installing Storage Devices 178

Optical Drives 179

Hard Drives 182

Magnetic Hard Disk Drives 188

Hybrid Drives 190

Flash Drives/Memory Cards 190

Storage Device Configurations 194

Installing Motherboards, CPUs, and Add-on Cards 201

Motherboard Form Factors 201

Motherboard Connector Types 205

Motherboard Compatibility 210

Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)/Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Settings 218

Encryption 235

CPU Architecture 237

CPU Cores: Single Core and Multicore 238

Multithreading 239

Virtualization Support 240

CPU Speeds 240

Expansion Cards 241

Cooling Mechanisms 255

Power Supplies 259

Power Supply Ratings 261

Input 115V vs. 220V Multivoltage Power Supplies 263

20-Pin-to-24-Pin Motherboard Adapter 265

Output 3.3V vs. 5V vs. 12V 267

Redundant Power Supply 268

Modular Power Supply 269

Multifunction Devices/Printers and Settings 271

Unboxing a Device/Setup Location Considerations 272

Appropriate Drivers for the Office Environment 272

Configuration Settings 272

Public/Shared Devices 273

Using Public and Shared Devices 277

Network Scan Services 279

Print Technologies 280

Laser Printers 280

Inkjet Printers 288

Thermal Printers 295

Impact Printers 298

3D Printers 302

Exam Preparation Tasks 305

Chapter 4 Virtualization and Cloud Computing 323

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 324

Foundation Topics 327

Common Cloud Models 327

IaaS 327

SaaS 327

PaaS 329

Public vs. Private vs. Hybrid vs. Community 329

Cloud Characteristics 330

Desktop Virtualization 333

Client-Side Virtualization Overview 334

Host/Guest Virtualization 335

Purpose of Virtual Machines 336

Resource Requirements 338

Security Requirements 339

Exam Preparation Tasks 341

Chapter 5 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting 347

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 347

Foundation Topics 353

Troubleshooting Methodology 353

Troubleshooting Motherboard, RAM, CPU, and Power Issues 355

POST Code Beeps 355

Proprietary Crash Screens (BSOD/Pinwheel) 357

Black Screen 361

No Power 364

Overheating 364

No Power 370

Sluggish Performance 371

Overheating 372

Burning Smells 372

Intermittent Shutdown 375

Application Crashes 376

Grinding Noise 378

Capacitor Swelling 378

Inaccurate System Date/Time 379

Troubleshooting Storage Drives and RAID Arrays 381

Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Status Indicators 381

Read/Write Failure 382

Slow Performance 382

Grinding and Clicking Noises 384

Failure to Boot 385

Bootable Device Not Found 385

Data Loss/Corruption 387

RAID Failure 388

S.M.A.R.T. Failure 388

Extended Read/Write Times 389

Input/Output Operations per Second (IOPS) 390

Missing Drives in OS 390

Troubleshooting Video, Projector, and Display Issues 392

Incorrect Data Source 392

Physical Cabling Issues 393

Burned-Out Bulb 393

Intermittent Projector Shutdown 394

Dead Pixels 394

Incorrect Color Display 395

Dim Image 395

Flashing Screen 396

Fuzzy or Distorted Image 396

Display Burn-in 397

Audio Issues 398

Mobile Device Troubleshooting 398

Poor Battery Health and Improper Charging 399

Swollen Battery 400

Broken Screen 400

Poor/No Connectivity 401

Liquid Damage 401

Overheating 402

Digitizer Issues 403

Nonresponsive Touchscreen 403

Physically Damaged Ports 403

Malware 404

Cursor Drift/Touch Calibration 404

Printer Troubleshooting 404

Lines Down the Printed Pages 405

Faded Prints 406

Double/Echo Images on the Print 407

Toner Not Fusing to the Paper 407

Incorrect Paper Size 407

Paper Not Feeding 408

Paper Jams 408

Multipage Misfeed 409

Garbled Print 409

Vertical Lines on Page 410

Multiple Prints Pending in a Queue 410

Speckling on Printed Pages 411

Incorrect Chroma Display 412

Grinding Noise 413

Finishing Issues 414

Incorrect Page Orientation 414

Print Logs 415

Network Troubleshooting 417

No Connectivity 417

External Interference and Intermittent Wireless Connectivity 417

Slow Network Speeds 418

Limited Connectivity 418

Latency and Jitter 419

Poor Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Quality 420

Port Flapping 420

Exam Preparation Tasks 421

Part II: Core 2

Chapter 6 Operating Systems 431

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 431

Foundation Topics 435

Basic Features of Microsoft Windows Editions 435

Windows 10 Editions 435

Feature Differences 436

Microsoft Command-Line Tools 438

Starting a Command Prompt Session with Windows PowerShell 438

Commands Available with Standard Privileges vs. Administrative Privileges 439

Windows Command-Line Commands 440

Microsoft Windows 10 Operating System (OS) Features and Tools 451

Task Manager 451

Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Snap-in 452

Additional Tools 463

Windows 10 Control Panel Utilities 471

Starting Control Panel 471

Internet Options 471

User Accounts 473

Device Manager 474

Indexing Options 474

Administrative Tools 474

File Explorer Options 474

Power Options 476

Ease of Access 479

Windows Settings 480

Time and Language 481

Update and Security 481

Personalization 481

Apps 482

Privacy 482

System 482

Devices 483

Network and Internet 483

Gaming 483

Accounts 484

Microsoft Windows Networking Features on a Client/Desktop 484

Workgroup vs. Domain Setup 484

Printer Sharing vs. Network Printer Mapping 489

Local OS Firewall Settings 489

Client Network Configuration 491

Establish Networking Connections 494

Proxy Settings 497

Public Network vs. Private Network 498

File Explorer Navigation: Network Paths 499

Metered Connections and Limitations 500

Installation and Configuration Concepts 500

System Requirements for Applications 501

OS Requirements for Applications 506

Distribution Methods 507

Other Considerations for New Applications 507

Understanding Common OS Types 508

Workstation OSs 509

Cellphone/Tablet Operating Systems 511

Various File System Types 514

Vendor Life-Cycle Limitations 517

Vendor-Specific Limitations/Compatibility Concerns Between OSs 518

OS Installations and Upgrades in a Diverse OS Environment 518

Boot Methods 518

Types of Installations 520

Partitioning Methods 527

Formatting 530

Upgrade Considerations 530

Common Features and Tools of the macOS/Desktop OS 534

Installation and Uninstallation of Applications 534

Apple ID and Corporate Restrictions 536

Best Practices 536

System Preferences 540

Features 542

Disk Utility 544

FileVault 545

Terminal 545

Force Quit 545

Common Features and Tools of the Linux Client/Desktop OS 546

Common Linux Commands 546

Best Practices 553

Tools 555

Exam Preparation Tasks 557

Chapter 7 Security 569

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 570

Foundation Topics 573

Security Measures 573

Physical Security 573

Physical Security for Staff 576

Privacy Screen 578

Logical Security Concepts 578

Mobile Device Management 580

Active Directory 581

Wireless Security Protocols and Authentication 582

Protocols and Encryption 582

Authentication 583

Malware Removal and Prevention 584

Malware 584

Tools and Methods 587

Social Engineering Threats and Vulnerabilities 590

Social Engineering 590

Threats 593

Vulnerabilities 596

Microsoft Windows OS Security Settings 597

Defender Antivirus 597

Firewall 597

Access Control 600

Security Best Practices to Secure a Workstation 608

Data-at-Rest Encryption 608

Password Best Practices 608

End-User Best Practices 611

Account Management 612

Changing Default Usernames and Passwords 612

Disabling Autorun/AutoPlay 612

Securing Mobile Devices 615

Screen Locks 615

Remote Wipes 617

Locator Applications 617

Remote Backup Applications 617

Failed Login Attempts Restrictions 618

Antivirus/Anti-malware 618

Patches and OS Updates 618

Biometric Authentication 619

Full-Device Encryption 619

Firewalls 619

Policies and Procedures 619

Data Destruction and Disposal 621

Physical Destruction Methods 621

Recycling or Repurposing Best Practices 622

Outsourcing Concepts 623

Configuring Security on SOHO Networks 623

Home Router Settings 623

Wireless-Specific Security 626

Firewall Settings 628

Port Forwarding/Mapping 629

Disabling Ports 630

Configuring Browser and Relevant Security Settings 630

Browser Download and Installation 630

Extensions and Plug-ins 632

Password Managers 633

Secure Connection/Sites—Valid Certificates 633

Settings 634

Exam Preparation Tasks 639

Chapter 8 Software Troubleshooting 647

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 647

Foundation Topics 650

Troubleshooting Common Windows OS Problems 650

Common Symptoms 650

Common Troubleshooting Steps 662

Troubleshooting Common PC Security Issues 664

Common Symptoms 664

Browser-Related Symptoms 666

Best Practice Procedures for Malware Removal 667

Troubleshoot Common Mobile OS and Application Issues 668

Troubleshoot Common Mobile OS and Application Security Issues 670

Security Concerns 670

Common Symptoms 672

Exam Preparation Tasks 675

Chapter 9 Operational Procedures 681

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz 681

Foundation Topics 686

Best Practices and Documentation 686

Ticketing Systems 686

Asset Management 688

Types of Documents 689

Knowledge Base and Articles 692

Change Management 693

Documented Business Processes and Practices 693

Change Management 694

Change Board Approvals 696

Workstation Backup and Recovery Methods 697

Backup and Recovery 697

Backup Testing 698

Account Recovery Options 698

Backup Rotation Schemes 700

Explain Common Safety Procedures 704

Equipment Grounding/Proper Power Handling 705

Proper Component Handling and Storage 707

Compliance with Local Government Regulations 712

Personal Safety 713

Environmental Impacts and Appropriate Controls 715

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) 715

Toxic Waste Handling/Disposal 717

Temperature and Humidity Level Awareness and Proper Ventilation 718

Power Surges, Under-voltage Events, and Power Failures 719

Addressing Prohibited Content/Activity and Privacy, Licensing, and Policy Concepts 721

Incident Response 722

Licensing/Digital Rights Management (DRM)/End-User License Agreement (EULA) 723

DRM 724

EULA 724

Understanding Open Source and Commercial Licenses 724

Personal vs. Enterprise Licenses 725

Valid Licenses and Non-expired Licenses 726

Regulated Data 726

Communication Techniques and Professionalism 727

Professional Appearance and Attire 727

Use Proper Language and Avoid Jargon, Acronyms, and Slang When Applicable 728

Maintain a Positive Attitude/Project Confidence 728

Actively Listen, Take Notes, and Avoid Interrupting the Customer 728

Be Culturally Sensitive 728

Be on Time 729

Avoid Distractions 729

Dealing with Difficult Customers or Situations 729

Set and Meet Expectations/Timeline and Communicate Status with the Customer 730

Dealing Appropriately with Customers’ Confidential and Private Materials 730

Scripting Basics 730

Script File Types 731

Use Cases for Scripting 732

Other Scripting Considerations 733

Remote Access Technologies 734

Methods/Tools 734

RDP 735

VPN 735

Virtual Network Computing 736

SSH 736

Remote Monitoring and Management 736

Microsoft Remote Assistance 736

Third-Party Tools 736

Security Considerations of Each Access Method 738

Exam Preparation Tasks 739

Part III: Final Preparation

Chapter 10 Final Preparation 747

Exam Information 748

Core 1 (220-1101) Exam Domains and Objectives 750

Core 2 (220-1102) Exam Domains and Objectives 750

Getting Ready 750

Tools for Final Preparation 751

Pearson Cert Practice Test Engine and Questions on the Website 752

Customizing Your Exams 753

Updating Your Exams 754

Memory Tables 755

Chapter-Ending Review Tools 756

Suggested Plan for Final Review/Study 756

Summary 756

Appendix A Answers to the “Do I Know This Already?” Quizzes and Review Questions 757

Appendix BCompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) Cert Guide Exam Updates 783

Glossary 785

Online Only Elements

Appendix C Memory Tables

Appendix D Memory Tables Answer Key

Appendix E Study Planner

Glossary

9780137675944 TOC 8/18/2022

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The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

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CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) Cert Guide

CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) Cert Guide

0137675941

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials