Essential Skills for On-the-Job Success

Mike Meyers, one of the premier computer and network skills trainers, has developed a learning system designed to teach A+ PC technician skills in an easy-to-understand way that will prepare you for an IT career. Mike gives you helpful tips throughout the book, end-of-chapter practice questions, and hundreds of photographs and illustrations. Completely up to date for the new CompTIA A+ standards, this comprehensive guide will help you pass the A+ certification exams and become an expert hardware technician.

Inside this book, you will learn how to:

* Configure CMOS and BIOS settings
* Identify expansion bus slots and install expansion cards
* Work with motherboards, CPUs, and RAM
* Provide proper power and cooling
* Install, partition, and format hard drives
* Install and troubleshoot floppy, CD, and DVD drives
* Install and upgrade Windows 9x/Me, Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP
* Create SCSI chains
* Install sound and video cards
* Work with portable PCs, PDAs, and wireless technologies
* Manage printers and connect to networks

The CD-ROM features:

* Three full practice exams with hundreds of questions for both the Operating Systems and Core Hardware requirements. Available in Practice or Final Mode.
* One hour of LearnKey video training featuring Michael Meyers teaching key A+ topics (online registration required)
* Useful tools and utilities for PC technicians

Each chapter includes:

* Learning Objectives
* Many Figures and Illustrations
* Real-World Examples
* Try This! and Cross Check Exercises
* Tech Tip Sidebars
* Helpful Notes and Warnings
* End-of-Chapter Quizzes and Lab Projects