Applications software may get all the glory, but it's the hardware and operating systems that do the heavy lifting in any computer system. Technicians who have earned CompTIA's A+ certification are recognized as qualified to solve complicated hardware and OS problems and can earn a good living doing so. A+ Complete Study Guide aims to prepare you for the two exams that you have to pass in order to become A+ certified, and it does a good job of communicating facts (like the function of a printer's corona wire and the differences among different Microsoft Windows filesystems) and procedures (such as how to install Microsoft Windows 2000 and how to examine a printer queue in Microsoft Windows XP). Though author David Groth uses the published outline of exam topics as a guide, he shares lots of other wisdom, so readers put this book down ready to work, not just pass the test.

Groth's teaching style combines explanatory text — which he writes clearly — with screen shots and procedures. He also makes use of brief sidebars for factoids, and tables for such data as command-prompt commands. Lots of readers will like his inclusion of sample exam questions at the end of each chapter, which come complete with annotated answers. A companion CD-ROM includes test simulator software, as well as a (searchable) copy of the book in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. — David Wall

Topics covered: Those subjects that CompTIA says you must understand in order to pass the Core Hardware (220-301) and Operating System Technologies (220-302). Essentially, this book is all about Microsoft Windows and the Intel-compatible hardware on which it runs.