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A+ Core

1. • September 12^{th, 2003 CompTIA A+ exams in English will continue to test against the 2001 objectives in a conventional (linear, non-adaptive) format and will incorporate items against the 2003 objectives that do not count against the final score.}
2. • ^{November 26, 2003 A+ exams in English test against the 2003 objectives and the 2001 objectives are retired.}
3. • This examination blueprint for the A+ Core Hardware examination includes the weighting, test objectives, and example content. Example topics and concepts are included to clarify the test objectives and should not be construed as a comprehensive listing of all the content of this examination.

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 1 of 13 CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 2 of 13

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 3 of 13

1. o Wireless

1. 1.3 Identify basic procedures for adding and removing field- replaceable modules for portable systems. Given a replacement scenario, choose the appropriate sequences.

Portable components:

1. o Storage devices
1. o FDD
2. o HDD
3. o CD/CDRW
4. o DVD/DVDRW
5. o Removable storage
2. o Power sources
1. o AC adapter
2. o DC adapter
3. o Battery
3. o Memory
4. o Input devices
1. o Keyboard
2. o Mouse/pointer devices
3. o Touch screen
5. o PCMCIA/Mini PCI Adapters
1. o Network Interface Card (NIC)
2. o Modem
3. o SCSI
4. o IEEE 1394/Firewire
5. o USB
6. o Storage (memory and hard drive)
6. o Docking station/port replicators
7. o LCD panel
8. o Wireless
1. o Adapter/controller
2. o Antennae

1. 1.4 Identify typical IRQs, DMAs, and I/O addresses, and procedures for altering these settings when installing and configuring devices. Choose the appropriate installation or configuration steps in a given scenario.

Content may include the following:

1. o Legacy devices (e.g., ISA sound card)
2. o Specialized devices (e.g., CAD/CAM)
3. o Internal modems
4. o Floppy drive controllers
5. o Hard drive controllers
6. o Multimedia devices
7. o NICs
8. o I/O ports
1. o Serial
2. o Parallel
3. o USB ports
4. o IEEE 1394/Firewire
5. o Infrared

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 4 of 13

1. 1.5 Identify the names, purposes, and performance characteristics, of standardized/common peripheral ports, associated cabling, and their connectors. Recognize ports, cabling, and connectors, by sight.

Content may include the following:

1. o Port types
1. o Serial
2. o Parallel
3. o USB ports
4. o IEEE 1394/Firewire
5. o Infrared
2. o Cable types
1. o Serial (Straight through vs. null modem)
2. o Parallel
3. o USB
3. o Connector types
1. o Serial
2. ? DB-9
3. ? DB-25
4. ? RJ-11
5. ? RJ-45
6. o Parallel
7. ? DB-25
8. ? Centronics (mini, 36)
9. o PS2/MINI-DIN
10. o USB
11. o IEEE 1394

1. 1.6 Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring common IDE devices. Choose the appropriate installation or configuration sequences in given scenarios. Recognize the associated cables.

Content may include the following:

1. o IDE Interface Types
1. o EIDE
2. o ATA/ATAPI
3. o Serial ATA
4. o PIO
2. o RAID (0, 1 and 5)
3. o Master/Slave/cable select
4. o Devices per channel
5. o Primary/Secondary
6. o Cable orientation/requirements

1. 1.7 Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring common SCSI devices. Choose the appropriate installation or configuration sequences in given scenarios. Recognize the associated cables.

Content may include the following:

1. o SCSI Interface Types
1. o Narrow
2. o Fast

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 5 of 13

1. o Wide
2. o Ultra-wide
3. o LVD
4. o HVD

1. o Internal versus external
2. o SCSI IDs
1. o Jumper block/DIP switch settings (binary equivalents)
2. o Resolving ID conflicts
3. o RAID (0, 1 and 5)
4. o Cabling
1. o Length
2. o Type
3. o Termination requirements (active, passive, auto)

1. 1.8 Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring common peripheral devices. Choose the appropriate installation or configuration sequences in given scenarios.

Content may include the following:

1. o Modems and transceivers (dial-up, cable, DSL, ISDN)
2. o External storage
3. o Digital cameras
4. o PDAs
5. o Wireless access points
6. o Infrared devices
7. o Printers
8. o UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) and suppressors
9. o Monitors
1. 1.9 Identify procedures to optimize PC operations in specific situations. Predict the effects of specific procedures under given scenarios.

Topics may include:

1. o Cooling systems
1. o Liquid
2. o Air
3. o Heat sink
4. o Thermal compound
2. o Disk subsystem enhancements
1. o Hard drives
2. o Controller cards (e.g., RAID, ATA-100, etc.)
3. o Cables
3. o NICs
4. o Specialized video cards
5. o Memory
6. o Additional processors

1. 1.10 Determine the issues that must be considered when upgrading a PC. In a given scenario, determine when and how to upgrade system components.

Issues may include:

1. o Drivers for legacy devices

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 6 of 13

1. Domain 2 Diagnosing and Troubleshooting
1. 2.1 Recognize common problems associated with each module and their symptoms, and identify steps to isolate and troubleshoot the problems. Given a problem situation, interpret the symptoms and infer the most likely cause.

Content may include the following:

1. o I/O ports and cables
1. o Serial
2. o Parallel
3. o USB ports
4. o IEEE 1394/Firewire
5. o Infrared
6. o SCSI
2. o Motherboards
1. o CMOS/ BIOS settings
2. o POST audible/visual error codes
3. o Peripherals
4. o Computer case
1. o Power supply
2. o Slot covers
3. o Front cover alignment
5. o Storage devices and cables
1. o FDD
2. o HDD
3. o CD/CDRW
4. o DVD/DVDRW
5. o Tape drive
6. o Removable storage
6. o Cooling systems
1. o Fans
2. o Heat sinks
3. o Liquid cooling
4. o Temperature sensors
7. o Processor /CPU
8. o Memory
9. o Display device
10. o Input devices
1. o Keyboard
2. o Mouse/pointer devices
3. o Touch screen
11. o Adapters
1. o Network Interface Card (NIC)
2. o Sound card
3. o Video card
4. o Modem
5. o SCSI
6. o IEEE 1394/Firewire
7. o USB
12. o Portable Systems
1. o PCMCIA
2. o Batteries

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 8 of 13

1. o Docking Stations/Port Replicators
2. o Portable unique storage

1. 2.2 Identify basic troubleshooting procedures and tools, and how to elicit problem symptoms from customers. Justify asking particular questions in a given scenario.

Content may include the following:

1. o Troubleshooting/isolation/problem determination procedures
2. o Determining whether a hardware or software problem
3. o Gathering information from user
1. o Customer Environment
2. o Symptoms/Error Codes
3. o Situation when the problem occurred

1. Domain 3 PC Preventive Maintenance, Safety, and Environmental Issues
1. 3.1 Identify the various types of preventive maintenance measures, products and procedures and when and how to use them.

Content may include the following:

1. o Liquid cleaning compounds
2. o Types of materials to clean contacts and connections
3. o Non-static vacuums (chassis, power supplies, fans)
4. o Cleaning monitors
5. o Cleaning removable media devices
6. o Ventilation, dust and moisture control on the PC hardware interior.
7. o Hard disk maintenance (defragging, scan disk, CHKDSK)
8. o Verifying UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) and suppressors
1. 3.2 Identify various safety measures and procedures, and when/how to use them. Content may include the following:
2. 3.3 Identify environmental protection measures and procedures, and when/how to use them.
9. o ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) precautions and procedures
10. o What ESD can do, how it may be apparent, or hidden
11. o Common ESD protection devices
12. o Situations that could present a danger or hazard
13. o Potential hazards and proper safety procedures relating to
14. o High-voltage equipment
15. o Power supply
16. o CRTs

Content may include the following:

1. o Special disposal procedures that comply with environmental guidelines.

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 9 of 13

1. o Batteries
2. o CRTs
3. o Chemical solvents and cans
4. o MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)

1. Domain 4 Motherboard/Processors/Memory
1. 4.1 Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in terms of their basic characteristics.

Content may include the following:

1. o Popular CPU chips (Pentium class compatible)
2. o Voltage
3. o Speeds (actual vs. advertised)
4. o Cache level I, II, III
5. o Sockets/slots
6. o VRM(s)

1. 4.2 Identify the types of RAM (Random Access Memory), form factors, and operational characteristics. Determine banking and speed requirements under given scenarios.

Content may include the following:

1. o Types
2. o EDO RAM (Extended Data Output RAM)
3. o DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)
4. o SRAM (Static RAM)
5. o VRAM (Video RAM)
6. o SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
7. o DDR (Double Data Rate)
8. o RAMBUS
9. o Form factors (including pin count)
10. o SIMM (Single In-line Memory Module)
11. o DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module)
12. o SoDIMM (Small outline DIMM)
13. o MicroDIMM
14. o RIMM
15. o Operational characteristics
16. o Memory chips (8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit)
17. o Parity chips versus non-parity chips
18. o ECC vs. non-ECC
19. o Single-sided vs. double sided
1. 4.3 Identify the most popular types of motherboards, their components, and their architecture (bus structures).

Content may include the following:

1. o Types of motherboards:
2. o AT
3. o ATX
4. o Components:
5. o Communication ports

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 10 of 13

1. o Serial
2. o USB
3. o Parallel
4. o IEEE 1394/Firewire
5. o Infrared

1. o Memory
1. o SIMM
2. o DIMM
3. o RIMM
4. o SoDIMM
5. o MicroDIMM
2. o Processor sockets
1. o Slot 1
2. o Slot 2
3. o Slot A
4. o Socket A
5. o Socket 7
6. o Socket 8
7. o Socket 423
8. o Socket 478
9. o Socket 370
3. o External cache memory (Level 2)
4. o Bus Architecture
5. o ISA
6. o PCI
1. o PCI 32-bit
2. o PCI 64-bit
7. o AGP
1. o 2X
2. o 4X
3. o 8X (Pro)
8. o USB (Universal Serial Bus)
9. o AMR (audio modem riser) slots
10. o CNR (communication network riser) slots
11. o Basic compatibility guidelines
12. o IDE (ATA, ATAPI, ULTRA-DMA, EIDE)
13. o SCSI (Narrow, Wide, Fast, Ultra, HVD, LVD(Low Voltage Differential))
14. o Chipsets

1. 4.4 Identify the purpose of CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) memory, what it contains, and how and when to change its parameters. Given a scenario involving CMOS, choose the appropriate course of action.

CMOS Settings:

1. o Default settings
2. o CPU settings
3. o Printer parallel port—Uni., bi-directional, disable/enable, ECP, EPP
4. o COM/serial port—memory address, interrupt request, disable
5. o Floppy drive—enable/disable drive or boot, speed, density
6. o Hard drive—size and drive type
7. o Memory—speed, parity, non-parity
8. o Boot sequence
9. o Date/Time
10. o Passwords

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 11 of 13

1. o Plug & Play BIOS
2. o Disabling on-board devices
3. o Disabling virus protection
4. o Power management
5. o Infrared

1. Domain 5 Printers
1. 5.1 Identify printer technologies, interfaces, and options/upgrades.

Technologies include:

1. o Laser
2. o Ink Dispersion
3. o Dot Matrix
4. o Solid ink
5. o Thermal
6. o Dye sublimation

Interfaces include:

1. o Parallel
2. o Network
3. o SCSI
4. o USB
5. o Infrared
6. o Serial
7. o IEEE 1394/Firewire
8. o Wireless

Options/Upgrades include:

1. o Memory
2. o Hard drives
3. o NICs
4. o Trays and feeders
5. o Finishers (e.g., stapling, etc.)
6. o Scanners/fax/copier
1. 5.2 Recognize common printer problems and techniques used to resolve them.

Content may include the following:

1. o Printer drivers
2. o Firmware updates
3. o Paper feed and output
4. o Calibrations
5. o Printing test pages
6. o Errors (printed or displayed)
7. o Memory
8. o Configuration
9. o Network connections
10. o Connections
11. o Paper jam
12. o Print quality

CompTIA A+ Core Hardware Objectives 8/1/03 Page 12 of 13

1. o Safety precautions
2. o Preventive maintenance
3. o Consumables
4. o Environment

1. Domain 6 Basic Networking
1. 6.1 Identify the common types of network cables, their characteristics and connectors.

Cable types include:

1. o Coaxial
2. o RG6
3. o RG8
4. o RG58
5. o RG59
6. o Plenum/PVC
7. o UTP
8. o CAT3
9. o CAT5/e
10. o CAT6
11. o STP
12. o Fiber
13. o Single-mode
14. o Multi-mode

Connector types include:

1. o BNC
2. o RJ-45
3. o AUI
4. o ST/SC
5. o IDC/UDC
1. 6.2 Identify basic networking concepts including how a network works.

Concepts include:

1. o Installing and configuring network cards
2. o Addressing
3. o Bandwidth
4. o Status indicators
5. o Protocols
6. o TCP/IP
7. o IPX/SPX (NWLINK)
8. o AppleTalk
9. o NETBEUI/NETBIOS
10. o Full-duplex, half-duplex
11. o Cabling—Twisted Pair, Coaxial, Fiber Optic, RS-232
12. o Networking models
13. o Peer-to-peer
14. o Client/server
15. o Infrared

A Plus Guide

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Last modified: July 07, 2011