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CompTIAA+® CompleteReview Guide

Second Edition

CompTIAA+® CompleteReview Guide

Second Edition

Emmett Dulaney

Troy McMillan

Senior Acquisitions Editor: Jeff KellumDevelopment Editor: Dick MargulisTechnical Editors: Robin Abernathy, Ian SeatonProduction Editor: Rebecca AndersonCopy Editor: Elizabeth WelchEditorial Manager: Pete GaughanProduction Manager: Tim TateVice President and Executive Group Publisher: Richard SwadleyVice President and Publisher: Neil EddeMedia Project Manager 1: Laura Moss-HollisterMedia Associate Producer: Doug KuhnMedia Quality Assurance: Shawn PatrickBook Designer: Happenstance Type-O-RamaCompositor: Craig Woods, Happenstance Type-O-RamaProofreader: Rebecca RiderIndexer: Robert SwansonProject Coordinator, Cover: Katherine CrockerCover Designer: Ryan SneedCover Image: © Jeremy Woodhouse / Photodisc / Getty Images

Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

ISBN: 978-1-118-32408-0

ISBN: 978-1-118-46386-4 (ebk.)

ISBN: 978-1-118-42187-1 (ebk.)

ISBN: 978-1-118-43406-2 (ebk.)

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permit-ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copy-right Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or war-ranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Fur-ther, readers should be aware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at (877) 762-2974, outside the U.S. at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.Library of Congress Control Number: 2012944685TRADEMARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. CompTIA A+ is a registered trademark of the Computing Technology Industry Association, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dear Reader,

Thank you for choosing CompTIA A+ Complete Review Guide, Second Edition. This book is part of a family of premium-quality Sybex books, all of which are written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching.

Sybex was founded in 1976. More than 30 years later, we’re still committed to producing consistently exceptional books. With each of our titles, we’re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on, to the authors we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available.

I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I’d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we’re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an email at nedde@wiley.com. If you think you’ve found a technical error in this book, please visit http://sybex.custhelp.com. Customer feed-back is critical to our efforts at Sybex.

Best regards,

Neil Edde Vice President and Publisher Sybex, an Imprint of Wiley

For Jim and Linda: thank you for always being there.

—Emmett Dulaney

For my dear father, who has always supported me no matter what.

—Troy McMillan

AcknowledgmentsThere are a great many people without whom this book would not be possible. Among them is Jeff Kellum, who does his job as an acquisitions editor extremely well and pulls you along with him. Thanks must also go to Faithe Wempen and David Groth for their work on earlier editions of this book.

—Emmett Dulaney

Special thanks go out to Jeff Kellum as always, and to Robin Abernathy, who did an incredible job on the technical edit. I also would like thank Dick Margulis, the development editor, who ensured that we kept everything on track and met our deadlines. Finally, thanks to Emmett, who was a pleasure to work with.

—Troy McMillan

About the AuthorsEmmett Dulaney holds or has held 18 vendor certifications and is the author of over 30 books. An associate professor at Anderson University, he is the former director of training for Mercury Technical Solutions. He specializes in certification and cross-platform integra-tion, and is a columnist for CertCities and Campus Technology. Emmett can be reached at eadulaney@comcast.net.

Troy McMillan writes practice tests and study guides for Kaplan Cert Prep, while also running his own training and consulting company. Holding over 30 industry certifications in Cisco, CompTIA, Microsoft, and wireless technologies, Troy is also a Cisco Certified trainer, MCT, and author of a number of books on technology-related subjects. Troy can be reached at mcmillantroy@hotmail.com.

Contents at a Glance

Introduction xxvii

Part I CompTIA A+ 220-801 1

Chapter 1 PC Hardware 3

Chapter 2 Networking 113

Chapter 3 Laptops 157

Chapter 4 Printers 177

Chapter 5 Operational Procedures 203

Part II CompTIA A+ 220-802 229

Chapter 6 Operating Systems 231

Chapter 7 Security 325

Chapter 8 Mobile Devices 361

Chapter 9 Troubleshooting 379

Appendix A Answers to Review Questions 451

Appendix B About the Additional Study Tools 457

Index 461

Contents

Introduction xxvii

Part I CompTIA A+ 220-801 1

Chapter 1 PC Hardware 3

1.1 Configure and apply BIOS settings. 14Install firmware upgrades—flash BIOS 14BIOS component information 15BIOS configurations 16Use built-in diagnostics 19Monitoring 20Exam Essentials 22

1.2 Differentiate between motherboard components, their purposes, and properties. 23

Sizes 24Expansion Slots 25RAM slots 27CPU sockets 29Chipsets 31Jumpers 32Power connections and types 33Fan connections 34Front Panel connectors 34Exam Essentials 36

1.3 Compare and contrast RAM types and features. 37Types 37RAM compatibility and speed 40Exam Essentials 41

1.4 Install and configure expansion cards. 41Sound cards 41Video cards 42Network cards 42Serial and parallel cards 43USB cards 43FireWire cards 43Storage cards 44Modem cards 44Wireless/cellular cards 44TV tuner cards 45Video capture cards 45

Contents

Introduction

3

1.1 Configure and apply BIOS settings

and features

purpose

uration, to meet customer specifications or needs

871.11 Identify connector types and associated cables

113

2.1 Identify types of network cables and connectors connectors and cabling

pose

xvi Contents

Riser cards 45Exam Essentials 45

1.5 Install and configure storage devices and use appropriate media. 47

Optical drives 47Combo drives and burners 48Connection types 49Hard drives 54Solid-state/flash drives 56RAID types 58Floppy drive 59Tape drive 60Media capacity 60Exam Essentials 61

1.6 Differentiate among various CPU types and features and select the appropriate cooling method. 62

Socket types 63Characteristics 63Cooling 66Exam Essentials 67

1.7 Compare and contrast various connection interfaces and explain their purpose. 67

Physical connections 67Speeds, distances, and frequencies of wireless device connections 75Exam Essentials 76

1.8 Install an appropriate power supply based on a given scenario. 76

Connector types and their voltages 77Specifications 78Dual-voltage options 79Exam Essentials 79

1.9 Evaluate and select appropriate components for a custom configuration, to meet customer specifications or needs. 79

Graphic/CAD/CAM design workstation 80Audio/Video editing workstation 80Virtualization workstation 81Gaming PC 82Home Theater PC 83Standard thick client 85Thin client 85Home Server PC 86Exam Essentials 87

Contents xvii

1.10 Given a scenario, evaluate types and features of display devices. 87

Types 87Refresh rates 90Resolution 90Native resolution 90Brightness/lumens 91Analog vs. digital 91Privacy/antiglare filters 91Multiple displays 91Exam Essentials 92

1.11 Identify connector types and associated cables. 92Display connector types 92Display cable types 96Device connectors and various connector pin-outs 97Device cable types 102Exam Essentials 105

1.12 Install and configure various peripheral devices. 105Input devices 105Multimedia devices 108Output devices 109Exam Essentials 110

Review Questions 111

Chapter 2 Networking 113

2.1 Identify types of network cables and connectors. 117Fiber 117Twisted Pair 118Coaxial 120Exam Essentials 124

2.2 Categorize characteristics of connectors and cabling. 125Fiber 125Twisted Pair 126Coaxial 128Exam Essentials 129

2.3 Explain properties and characteristics of TCP/IP. 129IP Class 130IPv4 vs. IPv6 131Public vs. Private vs. APIPA 131Static vs. dynamic 132Client-side DNS 132DHCP 133Subnet mask 133Exam Essentials 134

xviii Contents

2.4 Explain common TCP and UDP ports, protocols, and their purpose. 135

Ports 135Protocols 136TCP vs. UDP 136Exam Essentials 137

2.5 Compare and contrast wireless network standards and encryption types. 137

Standards 137Encryption Types 139Exam Essentials 140

2.6 Install, configure, and deploy a SOHO wireless/wired router using appropriate settings. 140

MAC filtering 140Channels (1–11) 141SSID broadcast (on/off) 141Wireless encryption 141Firewalls and Port Forwarding/Triggering 141DHCP (on/off) 142DMZ 142NAT 143WPS 144Basic QoS 144Exam Essentials 144

2.7 Compare and contrast Internet connection types and features. 145

Cable 145DSL 145Dial-up 146Fiber 146Satellite 146ISDN 147Cellular (mobile hotspot) 147Line of sight wireless internet service 147WiMAX 147Exam Essentials 147

2.8 Identify various types of networks. 148LAN 148WAN 148PAN 149MAN 149Topologies 149Exam Essentials 150

Contents xix

2.9 Compare and contrast network devices and their functions and features. 151

Hub 151Switch 151Router 151Access point 152Bridge 152Modem 152NAS 152Firewall 153VoIP phones 153Internet appliance 153Exam Essentials 153

2.10 Given a scenario, use appropriate networking tools. 153Crimper 154Multimeter 154Toner probe 154Cable tester 154Loopback plug 155Punchdown tool 155Exam Essentials 155

Review Questions 156

Chapter 3 Laptops 157

3.1 Install and configure laptop hardware and components. 159Expansion options 159Hardware/device replacement 163Exam Essentials 168

3.2 Compare and contrast the components within the display of a laptop. 168

Types 168Wi-Fi antenna connector/placement 169Inverter and its function 170Backlight 170Exam Essentials 170

3.3 Compare and contrast laptop features. 170Special function keys 171Docking station vs. port replicator 172Physical laptop lock and cable lock 173Exam Essentials 174

Review Questions 175

xx Contents

Chapter 4 Printers 177

4.1 Explain the differences between the various printer types and summarize the associated imaging process. 179

Laser 180Inkjet 188Thermal 188Impact 189

Exam Essentials 1904.2 Given a scenario, install and configure printers. 191

Use appropriate printer drivers for a given operating system 191Print Device Sharing 192Printer sharing 194Exam Essentials 195

4.3 Given a scenario, perform printer maintenance. 196Laser 197Thermal 199Impact 200Exam Essentials 200

Review Questions 202

Chapter 5 Operational Procedures 203

5.1 Given a scenario, use appropriate safety procedures. 206ESD straps 207ESD mats 208Self-grounding 208Equipment grounding 209Personal safety 209Compliance with local government regulations 211Exam Essentials 212

5.2 Explain environmental impacts and the purpose of environmental controls. 212

MSDS documentation for handling and disposal 212Temperature, humidity level awareness, and proper ventilation 213Power surges, brownouts, blackouts 214Protection from airborne particles 216Dust and debris 216Handling and Protecting Components 218Complying with Regulations 218Exam Essentials 219

5.3 Given a scenario, demonstrate proper communication and professionalism. 219

Use proper language—avoid jargon, acronyms, slang when applicable 220

Contents xxi

Maintain a positive attitude 220Listen and do not interrupt the customer 220Be culturally sensitive 220Be on time (if late contact the customer) 221Avoid distractions 221Dealing with difficult customer or situation 222Set and meet expectations/timeline and communicate status with the customer 223Deal appropriately with customers confidential materials 224Exam Essentials 224

5.4 Explain the fundamentals of dealing with prohibited content/activity. 225

First response 225Use of documentation/documentation changes 226Chain of custody 226Exam Essentials 227

Review Questions 228

Part II CompTIA A+ 220-802 229

Chapter 6 Operating Systems 231

1.1 Compare and contrast the features and requirements of various Microsoft Operating Systems. 240

Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Media Center, Windows XP 64-bit Professional 240Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows Vista Enterprise 241Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Enterprise 242Features 244Upgrade paths—differences between in place upgrades, compatibility tools, Windows upgrade OS advisor 249Exam Essentials 257

1.2 Given a scenario, install and configure the operating system using the most appropriate method. 258

Boot methods 258Types of installations 259Partitioning 262File system types/formatting 263Load alternate third party drivers when necessary 265Time/date/region language settings 265

xxii Contents

Other Concerns 265Exam Essentials 265

1.3 Given a scenario, use appropriate command line tools. 266Networking 266OS 271Recovery console 278Exam Essentials 280

1.4 Given a scenario, use appropriate operating system features and tools. 281

MSCONFIG 284Task Manager 284Disk Management 287Other (User State Migration tool (USMT), File and Settings Transfer Wizard, Windows Easy Transfer) 289Run line utilities 289Exam Essentials 291

1.5 Given a scenario, use Control Panel utilities. 291Common to all Microsoft Operating Systems 291Unique to Windows XP 295Unique to Vista 296Unique to Windows 7 298Exam Essentials 299

1.6 Setup and configure Windows networking on a client/desktop. 299

HomeGroup, file/print sharing 300Workgroup vs. domain setup 300Network shares/mapping drives 300Establish networking connections 301Proxy settings 302Remote desktop 303Home vs. Work vs. Public network settings 303Firewall settings 303Configuring an alternative IP address in Windows 304Network card properties 304Exam Essentials 305

1.7 Perform preventive maintenance procedures using appropriate tools. 306

Best practices 306Tools 309Exam Essentials 312

1.8 Explain the differences among basic OS security settings. 312User and groups 312NTFS vs. Share permissions 314Shared files and folders 316

Contents xxiii

System files and folders 319User authentication 319Exam Essentials 320

1.9 Explain the basics of client-side virtualization. 320Purpose of Virtual Machines 320Resource requirements 321Emulator requirements 321Security requirements 321Network requirements 322Hypervisor 322Exam Essentials 322

Review Questions 323

Chapter 7 Security 325

2.1 Apply and use common prevention methods. 328Physical security 328Digital security 331User education 336Principle of least privilege 336Exam Essentials 337

2.2 Compare and contrast common security threats. 337Social engineering 337Malware 338Rootkits 338Phishing 338Shoulder surfing 339Spyware 339Viruses 340Exam Essentials 346

2.3 Implement security best practices to secure a workstation. 346Setting strong passwords 347Requiring passwords 348Restricting user permissions 348Changing default usernames 348Disabling guest account 348Screensaver required password 348Disable AutoRun 348Exam Essentials 349

2.4 Given a scenario, use the appropriate data destruction/disposal method. 349

Low level format vs. standard format 350Hard drive sanitation and sanitation methods 350Physical destruction 351Exam Essentials 352

xxiv Contents

2.5 Given a scenario, secure a SOHO wireless network. 352Change default usernames and passwords 353Changing SSID 353Setting encryption 354Disabling SSID broadcast 354Enable MAC Filtering 354Antenna and access point placement 354Radio power levels 355Assign static IP addresses 355Exam Essentials 355

2.6 Given a scenario, secure a SOHO wired network. 355Change default usernames and passwords 356Assign static IP addresses 356Disabling ports 356Physical security 357Exam Essentials 358

Review Questions 359

Chapter 8 Mobile Devices 361

3.1 Explain the basic features of mobile operating systems. 363Android vs. iOS 363Exam Essentials 364

3.2 Establish basic network connectivity and configure email. 365Wireless/cellular data network (enable/disable) 365Bluetooth 366Email configuration 367Exam Essentials 370

3.3 Compare and contrast methods for securing mobile devices. 370Passcode locks 370Remote wipes 371Locator applications 371Remote backup applications 371Failed login attempts restrictions 371Antivirus 372Patching/OS updates 372Exam Essentials 372

3.4 Compare and contrast hardware differences in regards to tablets and laptops. 372

No field serviceable parts 373Typically not upgradeable 373Touch interface 373Solid state drives 374Exam Essentials 374

Contents xxv

3.5 Execute and configure mobile device synchronization. 374Types of data to synchronize 374Software requirements to install the application on the PC 375Connection types to enable synchronization 376Exam Essentials 376

Review Questions 377

Chapter 9 Troubleshooting 379

4.1 Given a scenario, explain the troubleshooting theory. 387Identify the problem 387Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious) 388Test the theory to determine cause 388Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution 389Verify full system functionality and if applicable implement preventive measures 389Document findings, actions and outcomes 389Exam Essentials 389

4.2 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common problems related to motherboards, RAM, CPU and power with appropriate tools. 390

Common symptoms 390Tools 396Exam Essentials 396

4.3 Given a scenario, troubleshoot hard drives and RAID arrays with appropriate tools. 397

Common symptoms 397Tools 400Exam Essentials 402

4.4 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common video and display issues. 402

Common symptoms 403Exam Essentials 406

4.5 Given a scenario, troubleshoot wired and wireless networks with appropriate tools. 406

Common symptoms 406Tools 410Exam Essentials 415

4.6 Given a scenario, troubleshoot operating system problems with appropriate tools. 416

Common symptoms 416Tools 424Exam Essentials 429

xxvi Contents

4.7 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common security issues with appropriate tools and best practices. 429

Common symptoms 430Tools 433Best practices for malware removal 435Exam Essentials 436

4.8 Given a scenario, troubleshoot, and repair common laptop issues while adhering to the appropriate procedures. 437

Common symptoms 437Disassembling processes for proper re-assembly 440Exam Essentials 441

4.9 Given a scenario, troubleshoot printers with appropriate tools. 441

Common symptoms 442Tools 447Exam Essentials 448

Review Questions 449

Appendix A Answers to Review Questions 451

Chapter 1: PC Hardware 452Chapter 2: Networking 452Chapter 3: Laptops 453Chapter 4: Printers 453Chapter 5: Operational Procedures 454Chapter 6: Operating Systems 454Chapter 7: Security 455Chapter 8: Mobile Devices 456Chapter 9: Troubleshooting 456

Appendix B About the Additional Study Tools 457

Additional Study Tools 458Sybex Test Engine 458Electronic Flashcards 458PDF of Glossary of Terms 458Adobe Reader 458

System Requirements 459Using the Study Tools 459Troubleshooting 459

Customer Care 460

Index 461

IntroductionThe A+ certification program was developed by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) to provide an industry-wide means of certifying the competency of computer service technicians. The A+ certification, which is granted to those who have attained the level of knowledge and troubleshooting skills that are needed to provide capable support in the field of personal computers, is similar to other certifications in the computer industry. The theory behind these certifications is that if you needed to have service per-formed on any of their products, you would sooner call a technician who has been certified in one of the appropriate programs than you would just call the first so-called “expert” in the phone book.

CompTIA’s A+ exam objectives are periodically updated to keep the certification appli-cable to the most recent hardware and software. This is necessary because a technician must be able to work on the latest equipment. The most recent revisions to the objectives—and to the whole program—were introduced in 2012 and are reflected in this book.

This book and the Sybex CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide (both the Standard and Deluxe Editions) are tools to help you prepare for this certification—and for the new areas of focus of a modern computer technician’s job.

What Is A+ Certification?The A+ certification program was created to offer a wide-ranging certification, in the sense that it’s intended to certify competence with personal computers from many different makers and vendors. Everyone must take and pass two exams: 220-801 and 220-802.

Note that for the new exams, CompTIA did away with the user-friendly nam-ing that existed with previous editions: Essentials and Practical Applications.

You don’t have to take the 220-801 exam and the 220-802 exam at the same time. However, the A+ certification isn’t awarded until you’ve passed both tests.

For the latest pricing on the exams and updates to the registration procedures, call Pearson VUE at (877) 551-7587. You can also go to www.pearsonvue.com for additional information or to register online. If you have further questions about the scope of the exams or related CompTIA programs, refer to the CompTIA website at www.comptia.org.

Who Should Buy This Book?If you want to acquire a solid foundation in personal computer basics, and your goal is to prepare for the exams by filling in any gaps in your knowledge, this book is for you. You’ll find clear explanations of the concepts you need to grasp and plenty of help to achieve the high level of professional competency you need in order to succeed in your chosen field.