[...]... individual computer components as well as in installing, upgrading, and configuring them You must also have hands-on experience in optimizing performance, using appropriate tools to diagnose problems, and performing preventive maintenance The approximate percentage of each section in Exams 22 0-6 02, 22 0-6 03, and 220604 is given in Table 1-1 3 Table 1-1 A+ Essentials exam domains and percentage of coverage... configuration (e.g., install and upload device drivers) — Verification of installation • Identify procedures for upgrading operating systems, including: — Upgrade considerations (e.g., hardware and application and/or network compatibility) — Implementation (e.g., back up data and install additional Windows components) • Install/add a device, including loading and adding device drivers and required software,... keypad issues — Antenna wires • 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 and operating environments, including temperature and air quality, storage, and transportation and shipping • Identify procedures for installing... filtering, change the default username and password, update firmware, and firewall) Identify names, purposes, and characteristics of data and physical security— for example: — Data access (basic local security policy) — Encryption technologies — Backups — Data migration — Data/remnant removal — Password management — Locking workstation (e.g., hardware and operating system) Describe importance and process... but you may find that features have changed (or even that I have made mistakes!) To make this book better, please let me know about any errors you find, as well as your suggestions for future editions, by writing to: O’Reilly Media, Inc 1005 Gravenstein Highway North Sebastopol, CA 95472 80 0-9 9 8-9 938 (in the United States or Canada) 70 7-8 2 9-0 515 (international/local) 70 7-8 2 9-0 104 (fax) You can also send... is mainly used to enhance the built -in capabilities of the motherboard by installing additional components Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) ISA is the oldest type of expansion slot on motherboards This black-colored slot is long in shape and has two parts: one small and the other long ISA slots are hardly visible in modern motherboards You might find that some old motherboards have both ISA and... hours of actual active experience with computer hardware, either in the field or in a lab It is a good idea to have studied an A+ certification exam self-paced study guide or attended a training course before you attempt to write any of the A+ exams If you have, you should be ready to use this section of the book as your final exam preparation A+ Essentials is the first of the two required exams to complete... otherwise installed as separate adapter cards on expansion slots The major advantage of this type of motherboard is that all major functions are handled by a single circuit board On the other hand, the drawback is that if one of the components fails, you might need to replace the entire motherboard Most of the new motherboards fall into this category Non-integrated motherboards Non-integrated motherboards do... not have all components on them but are installed as adapter cards on expansion slots These components include video cards, disk controllers, network adapters, and audio circuitry The main advantage is that if an individual component fails, it can be replaced easily The disadvantage is that the inside of the computer is full of adapters and wires Most of the motherboards on older computers fall into... (e.g., username, password, biometrics, and smart cards) — Malicious software protection (e.g., viruses, Trojans, worms, spam, spyware, adware, and grayware) Areas of Study for the A+ Essentials Exam | 13 A+ Essentials Overview • — Full-duplex or half-duplex — Cabling (e.g., twisted pair, coaxial cable, fiber optic, and RS-232) — Networking models, including peer-to-peer and client/server Identify names, . NUTSHELL Pawan K. Bhardwaj Beijing • Cambridge • Farnham • Köln • Paris • Sebastopol • Taipei • Tokyo A+ , Network+, Security+ Exams in a Nutshell by Pawan K. Bhardwaj Copyright © 2007 Pawan K. Bhardwaj time. A wide variety of CompTIA certification study guides, training classes, and learning resources are available. Also, a large number of practice tests and exam simulations are available for. logo are registered trademarks of O’Reilly Media, Inc. The In a Nutshell series designations, A+ , Network+, Security+ Exams in a Nutshell, the image of a Goliath beetle, and related trade dress are trademarks