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  • 1.0 Personal Computer Components:
    • 1.1 Identify the fundamental principles of using personal computers:
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of storage devices:
        • FDD
        • HDD
        • CD / DVD / RW (e.g. drive speeds, media types)
        • Removable storage (e.g. tape drive, solid state such as thumb drive, flash and SD cards, USB, external CD-RW and hard drive).
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of motherboards:
        • Form Factor (e.g. ATX / BTX, micro ATX / NLX)
        • Components:
          • Integrated I/Os (e.g. sound, video, USB, serial, IEEE 1394 / firewire, parallel, NIC, modem)
          • Memory slots (e.g. RIMM, DIMM)
          • Processor sockets
          • External cache memory
          • Bus architecture
          • Bus slots (e.g. PCI, AGP, PCIe, AMR, CNR)
          • EIDE / PATA
          • SATA
          • SCSI Technology
        • Chipsets
        • BIOS / CMOS / Firmware
        • Riser card / daughter board
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of power supplies, for example: AC adapter, ATX, proprietary, voltage.
      • Identify the names purposes and characteristics of processor / CPUs:
        • CPU chips (e.g. AMD, Intel)
        • CPU technologies:
          • Hyperthreading
          • Dual core
          • Throttling
          • Micro code (MMX)
          • Overclocking
          • Cache
          • VRM
          • Speed (real vs. actual)
          • 32 vs. 64 bity
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of memory:
        • Types of memory (e.g. DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, DDR / DDR2, RAMBUS)
        • Operational characteristics:
          • Memory chips (8, 16, 32)
          • Parity versus non-parity
          • ECC vs. non-ECC
          • Single-sided vs. double-sided
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of display devices, for example: projectors, CRT and LCD:
        • Connector types (e.g. VGA, DVI / HDMi, S-Video, Component / RGB)
        • Settings (e.g. V-hold, refresh rate, resolution)
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of input devices for example: mouse, keyboard, bar code reader, multimedia (e.g. web and digital cameras, MIDI, microphones), biometric devices, touch screen.
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of adapter cards:
        • Video including PCI / PCIe and AGP
        • Multimedia
        • I / O (SCSI, serial, USB, Parallel)
        • Communications including network and modem
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of ports and cables for example: USB 1.1 and 2.0, parallel, serial, IEEE 1394 / firewire, RJ45 and RJ11, PS2 / Mini-DIN, centronics (e.g. mini, 36) multimedia (e.g. 1 / 8 connector, MIDI Coaxial, SPDIF).
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of cooling systems for example heat sinks, CPU and case fans, liquid cooling systems, thermal compound.
    • 1.2 Install, configure, optimize and upgrade personal computer components:
      • Add, remove and configure internal and external storage devices:
        • Drive preparation of internal storage devices including format / file systems and
          imaging technology.
      • Install display devices
      • Add, remove and configure basic input and multimedia devices
    • 1.3 Identify tools, diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for personal computer components:
      • Recognize the basic aspects of troubleshooting theory for example:
        • Perform backups before making changes
        • Assess a problem systematically and divide large problems into smaller components to be analyzed individually
        • Verify even the obvious, determine whether the problem is something simple and make no assumptions
        • Research ideas and establish priorities
        • Document findings, actions and outcomes.
      • Identify and apply basic diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for example:
        • Identify the problem including questioning user and identifying user changes to computer
        • Analyze the problem including potential causes and make an initial determination of software and / or hardware problems
        • Test related components including inspection, connections, hardware / software configurations, device manager and consult vendor documentation
        • Evaluate results and take additional steps if needed such as consultation, use of alternate resources, manuals
        • Document activities and outcomes.
      • Recognize and isolate issues with display, power, basic input devices, storage, memory, thermal, POST errors (e.g. BIOS, hardware).
      • Apply basic troubleshooting techniques to check for problems (e.g. thermal issues, error codes, power, connections including cables and / or pins, compatibility, functionality, software / drivers ) with components for example:
        • Motherboards
        • Power supply
        • Processor / CPUs
        • Memory
        • Display devices
        • Input devices
        • Adapter cards
      • Recognize the names, purposes, characteristics and appropriate application of tools for example: BIOS, self-test, hard drive self-test and software diagnostics test.
    • 1.4 Perform preventive maintenance on personal computer components:
      • Identify and apply basic aspects of preventive maintenance theory for example:
        • Visual / audio inspection
        • Driver / firmware updates
        • Scheduling preventive maintenance
        • Use of appropriate repair tools and cleaning materials
        • Ensuring proper environment
      • Identify and apply common preventive maintenance techniques for devices such as input devices and batteries
  • 2.0 Laptops and Portable Devices:
    • 2.1 Identify the fundamental principles of using laptops and portable devices:
      • Identify names, purposes and characteristics of laptop-specific:
        • Form factors such as memory and hard drives
        • Peripherals (e.g. docking station, port replicator and media / accessory bay)
        • Expansion slots (e.g. PCMCIA I, II and III, card and express bus)
        • Ports (e.g. mini PCI slot)
        • Communication connections (e.g. Bluetooth, infrared, cellular WAN, Ethernet)
        • Power and electrical input devices (e.g. auto-switching and fixed-input power
          supplies, batteries)
        • LCD technologies (e.g. active and passive matrix, resolution such as XGA, SXGA+, UXGA, WUXGA, contrast ratio, native resolution)
        • Input devices (e.g. stylus / digitizer, function (Fn) keys and pointing devices such as touch pad, point stick / track point).
      • Identify and distinguish between mobile and desktop motherboards and processors including throttling, power management and WiFi.
    • 2.2 Install, configure, optimize and upgrade laptops and portable devices:
      • Configure power management:
        • Identify the features of BIOS-ACPI
        • Identify the difference between suspend, hibernate and standby
      • Demonstrate safe removal of laptop-specific hardware such as peripherals, hot-swappable devices and non-hot-swappable devices.
    • 2.3 Identify tools, basic diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for laptops and portable devices:
      • Use procedures and techniques to diagnose power conditions, video, keyboard, pointer and wireless card issues, for example:
        • Verify AC power (e.g. LEDs, swap AC adapter)
        • Verify DC power
        • Remove unneeded peripherals
        • Plug in external monitor
        • Toggle Fn keys
        • Check LCD cutoff switch
        • Verify backlight functionality and pixilation
        • Stylus issues (e.g. digitizer problems)
        • Unique laptop keypad issues
        • Antenna wires.
    • 2.4 Perform preventive maintenance on laptops and portable devices:
      • Identify and apply common preventive maintenance techniques for laptops and portable devices, for example: cooling devices, hardware and video cleaning materials, operating environments including temperature and air quality, storage, transportation and shipping.
  • 3.0 Operating Systems – unless otherwise noted, operating systems referred to within include Microsoft Windows 2000, XP Professional, XP Home and Media Center:
    • 3.1 Identify the fundamentals of using operating systems:
      • Identify differences between operating systems (e.g. Mac, Windows, Linux) and describe operating system revision levels including GUI, system requirements, application and
        hardware compatibility.
      • Identify names, purposes and characteristics of the primary operating system components including registry, virtual memory and file system.
      • Describe features of operating system interfaces, for example:
        • Windows Explorer
        • My Computer
        • Control Panel
        • Command Prompt
        • My Network Places
        • Task bar / systray
        • Start Menu.
      • Identify the names, locations, purposes and characteristics of operating system files for example:
        • BOOT.INI
        • NTLDR
        • NTDETECT.COM
        • NTBOOTDD.SYS
        • Registry data files.
      • AIdentify concepts and procedures for creating, viewing, managing disks, directories and files in operating systems for example:
        • Disks (e.g. active, primary, extended and logical partitions)
        • File systems (e.g. FAT 32, NTFS)
        • Directory structures (e.g. create folders, navigate directory structures)
        • Files (e.g. creation, extensions, attributes, permissions).
    • 3.2 Install, configure, optimize and upgrade operating systems – references to upgrading from Windows 95 and NT may be made:
      • Identify procedures for installing operating systems including:
        • Verification of hardware compatibility and minimum requirements
        • Installation methods (e.g. boot media such as CD, floppy or USB, network installation, drive imaging)
        • Operating system installation options (e.g. attended / unattended, file system type, network configuration)
        • Disk preparation order (e.g. start installation, partition and format drive)
        • Device driver configuration (e.g. install and upload device drivers)
        • Verification of installation.
      • Identify procedures for upgrading operating systems including:
        • Upgrade considerations (e.g. hardware, application and / or network compatibility)
        • Implementation (e.g. backup data, install additional Windows components).
      • Install / add a device including loading, adding device drivers and required software including:
        • Determine whether permissions are adequate for performing the task
        • Device driver installation (e.g. automated and / or manual search and installation of device drivers)
        • Using unsigned drivers (e.g. driver signing)
        • Verify installation of the driver (e.g. device manager and functionality).
      • Identify procedures and utilities used to optimize operating systems for example, virtual memory, hard drives, temporary files, service, startup and applications:
    • 3.3 Identify tools, diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for operating systems:
      • Identify basic boot sequences, methods and utilities for recovering operating systems:
        • Boot methods (e.g. safe mode, recovery console, boot to restore point)
        • Automated System Recovery (ASR) (e.g. Emergency Repair Disk (ERD)).
      • Identify and apply diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for example:
        • Identify the problem by questioning the user and identifying user changes to the computer
        • Analyze problem including potential causes and initial determination of software and / or hardware problem
        • Test related components including connections, hardware / software configurations, device manager and consulting vendor documentation
        • Evaluate results and take additional steps if needed such as consultation, alternate resources and manuals
        • Document activities and outcomes.
      • Recognize and resolve common operational issues such as bluescreen, system lock-up, input / output device, application install, start or load and Windows-specific printing problems (e.g. print spool stalled, incorrect / incompatible driver for print).
      • Explain common error messages and codes for example:
        • Boot (e.g. invalid boot disk, inaccessible boot drive, missing NTLDR)
        • Startup (e.g. device / service failed to start, device / program in registry not found)
        • Event Viewer
        • Registry
        • Windows reporting.
      • Identify the names, locations, purposes and characteristics of operating system utilities for example:
        • System management tools (e.g. device and task manager, MSCONFIG.EXE)
        • File management tools (e.g. Windows Explorer, ATTRIB.EXE).
    • 3.4 Perform preventive maintenance on operating systems:
      • Describe common utilities for performing preventive maintenance on operating systems for example, software and Windows updates (e.g. service packs), scheduled backups / restore, restore points.
  • 4.0 Printers and Scanners:
    • 4.1 Identify the fundamental principles of using printers and scanners:
      • Identify differences between types of printer and scanner technologies (e.g. laser, inkjet, thermal, solid ink, impact).
      • Identify names, purposes and characteristics of printer and scanner components (e.g. memory, driver, firmware) and consumables (e.g. toner, ink cartridge, paper).
      • Identify the names, purposes and characteristics of interfaces used by printers and scanners including port and cable types for example:
        • Parallel
        • Network (e.g. NIC, print servers)
        • USB
        • Serial
        • IEEE 1394 / firewire
        • Wireless (e.g. Bluetooth, 802.11, infrared
        • SCSI
    • 4.2 Identify basic concepts of installing, configuring, optimizing and upgrading printers and scanners:
      • Install and configure printers / scanners:
        • Power and connect the device using local or network port
        • Install and update device driver and calibrate the device
        • Configure options and default settings
        • Print a test page.
      • Optimize printer performance for example, printer settings such as tray switching, print spool settings, device calibration, media types and paper orientation.
    • 4.3 Identify tools, basic diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for printers and scanners:
      • Gather information about printer / scanner problems:
        • Identify symptom
        • Review device error codes, computer error messages and history (e.g. event log, user reports)
        • Print or scan test page
        • Use appropriate generic or vendor-specific diagnostic tools including web-based utilities.
      • Review and analyze collected data:
        • Establish probable causes
        • Review service documentation
        • Review knowledge base and define and isolate the problem (e.g. software vs. hardware, driver, connectivity, printer).
      • Identify solutions to identified printer / scanner problems:
        • Define specific cause and apply fix
        • Replace consumables as needed
        • Verify functionality and get user acceptance of problem fix.
  • 5.0 Networks:
    • 5.1 Identify the fundamental principles of networks:
      • Describe basic networking concepts:
        • Addressing
        • Bandwidth
        • Status indicators
        • Protocols (e.g. TCP / IP including IP, classful subnet, IPX / SPX including NWLINK, NETBEUI / NETBIOS)
        • Full-duplex, half-duplex
        • Cabling (e.g. twisted pair, coaxial cable, fiber optic, RS-232, USB, IEEE 1394 / Firewire)
        • Networking models including peer-to-peer and client / server.
      • Identify names, purposes and characteristics of the common network cables:
        • Plenum / PVC
        • UTP (e.g. CAT3, CAT5 / 5e, CAT6)
        • STP
        • Fiber (e.g. single-mode and multi-mode).
      • AIdentify names, purposes and characteristics of network connectors (e.g. RJ45 and RJ11, ST / SC / LC, MT-RJ).
      • Identify names, purposes and characteristics (e.g. definition, speed and connections) of technologies for establishing connectivity for example:
        • LAN / WAN
        • ISDN
        • Broadband (e.g. DSL, cable, satellite).
        • Dial-up
        • Wireless (all 802.11)
        • Infrared
        • Bluetooth
        • Cellular
        • VoIP
    • 5.2 Install, configure, optimize and upgrade networks:
      • Install and configure network cards (physical address
      • Install, identify and obtain wired and wireless connection:
    • 5.3 Identify tools, diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for networks:
      • Explain status indicators, for example speed, connection and activity lights and wireless signal strength.
  • 6.0 Security:
    • 6.1 Identify the fundamental principles of security:
      • Identify names, purposes and characteristics of hardware and software security for example:
        • Hardware deconstruction / recycling
        • Smart cards / biometrics (e.g. key fobs, cards, chips and scans)
        • Authentication technologies (e.g. user name, password, biometrics, smart cards)
        • Malicious software protection (e.g. viruses, Trojans, worms, spam, spyware, adware, grayware)
        • Software firewalls
        • File system security (e.g. FAT32 and NTFS).
      • Identify names, purposes and characteristics of wireless security for example:
        • Wireless encryption (e.g. WEP.x and WPA.x) and client configuration
        • Access points (e.g. disable DHCP / use static IP, change SSID from default, disable SSID broadcast, MAC filtering, change default username and password, update firmware, firewall).
      • Identify names, purposes and characteristics of data and physical security:
        • Data access (basic local security policy)
        • Encryption technologies
        • Backups
        • Data migration
        • Data / remnant removal
        • Password management
        • Locking workstation (e.g. hardware, operating system).
      • Describe importance and process of incident reporting.
      • Recognize and respond appropriately to social engineering situations.
    • 6.2 Install, configure, upgrade and optimize security:
      • Install, configure, upgrade and optimize hardware, software and data security for example:
        • BIOS
        • Smart cards
        • Authentication technologies
        • Malicious software protection
        • Data access (basic local security policy)
        • Backup procedures and access to backups
        • Data migration
        • Data / remnant removal.
    • 6.3 Identify tool, diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for security:
      • Diagnose and troubleshoot hardware, software and data security issues for example:
        • BIOS
        • Smart cards, biometrics
        • Authentication technologies
        • Malicious software
        • File system (e.g. FAT32, NTFS)
        • Data access (e.g. basic local security policy)
        • Backup
        • Data migration.
    • 6.4 Perform preventive maintenance for computer security:
      • Implement software security preventive maintenance techniques such as installing service packs and patches and training users about malicious software prevention technologies.
  • 7.0 Safety and Environmental Issues:
    • 7.1 Describe the aspects and importance of safety and environmental issues:
      • Identify potential safety hazards and take preventive action
      • Use Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or equivalent documentation and appropriate equipment documentation
      • Use appropriate repair tools
      • Describe methods to handle environmental and human (e.g. electrical, chemical, physical) accidents including incident reporting:
    • 7.2 Identify potential hazards and implement proper safety procedures including ESD precautions and procedures, safe work environment and equipment handling.
    • 7.3 Identify proper disposal procedures for batteries, display devices and chemical solvents
      and cans.
  • 8.0 Communication and Professionalism:
    • 8.1 Use good communication skills including listening and tact / discretion, when communicating with customers and colleagues:
      • Use clear, concise and direct statements
      • Allow the customer to complete statements – avoid interrupting
      • Clarify customer statements – ask pertinent questions
      • Avoid using jargon, abbreviations and acronyms
      • Listen to customers
    • 8.2 Use job-related professional behavior including notation of privacy, confidentiality and respect for the customer and customers’ property:
      • Behavior:
        • Maintain a positive attitude and tone of voice
        • Avoid arguing with customers and / or becoming defensive
        • Do not minimize customers’ problems
        • Avoid being judgmental and / or insulting or calling the customer names
        • Avoid distractions and / or interruptions when talking with customers.
      • Property:
        • Telephone, laptop, desktop computer, printer, monitor, etc.
 

CompTIA A+® Certification