A+ Certification/Exam Objectives

The full list of exam objectives is freely available from CompTIA.org, and is copyright material. The information provided here is a general breakdown intended to help navigate the book and meet the objectives

/Life as a Tech/

 * Safety and Protection
 * Personal
 * Equipment
 * Environmental
 * Regulations
 * Customer Service and the Tech World
 * Prohibited Content and Activities
 * What to do first
 * Proper Documentation
 * Evidence Handling

/Hardware/

 * Basics
 * BIOS
 * Motherboards
 * Types
 * Architecture
 * Northbridge
 * Southbridge
 * Cooling System
 * Processors
 * Interrupt Requests
 * RAM
 * Storage
 * Hard Disk Drive
 * DMA
 * Optical disc drive
 * Floppy Disk Drive
 * Expansion Cards
 * Power Supplies
 * Display Devices
 * Input Devices
 * Common Connection Interfaces
 * Cables
 * Putting it Together
 * Types of Hardware Configurations
 * Selecting the Right Part
 * PC Assembly and Disassembly

Networking

 * Hardware
 * Cabling
 * Devices
 * Networks
 * Ethernet - IEEE 802.3 protocol that controls how data is transmitted over a LAN and most widely used local area network technology.
 * Bluetooth - A wireless personal area network that uses radio communication technology to enable low-power, short distance wireless networking between phones, computers and other network devices.
 * Cellular
 * Networking Protocols
 * TCP/IP
 * Common TCP/IP Ports and Services
 * Types of Networks
 * LAN - Local Area Network.
 * WAN - Wide Area Network.
 * WLAN - Wireless Local Area Network.
 * MAN - Metropolitan Area Network.
 * SAN - Storage Area Network, System Area Network, Server Area Network, or sometimes Small Area Network
 * Internet
 * Networking Devices
 * Hub
 * Switch
 * Modem
 * Router
 * Bridge
 * Repeater
 * Tools
 * Putting it together

Mobile Devices

 * Laptops
 * Differences Between a PC and a Laptop
 * Laptop-Specific Hardware
 * Laptop Disassembly and Reassembly
 * Smartphones
 * Differences Between a Smartphone and a Feature Phone
 * OS Differences
 * Basic Smartphone Hardware

Printers

 * Basic Printer Information
 * Impact Printers
 * Inkjet Printers
 * Laser Printers
 * Thermal Printers
 * Drivers and the OS
 * Printer Sharing

/Operating Systems/

 * /DOS/
 * /Windows/
 * /Windows XP/
 * /Windows Vista/
 * /Windows 7/
 * Windows 8
 * Windows 10
 * Windows Upgrades
 * Unix and Unix-like
 * Unix
 * Linux
 * Mac OS
 * Other Operating Systems

/Installing Operating Systems/

 * Before you start
 * Installation Media
 * OS Deployment
 * Drive partitioning and strategies
 * Formatting a partition with a File System
 * Third-party drivers
 * Post-Install tasks
 * Network settings
 * Time and Language settings
 * Additional Drivers
 * Windows Update
 * Recovery disks and partitions

/Working in Windows/

 * Windows Desktop
 * Sidebars and Gadgets
 * The Start Menu
 * Windows Explorer
 * Control Panel
 * Action Center
 * Vista Problem Reports and Solutions
 * Administrative Tools
 * AutoPlay
 * Backup and Restore
 * Biometric Devices
 * Color Management
 * Credential Manager
 * Date and Time
 * Default Programs
 * Desktop Gadgets
 * Device Manager
 * Devices and Printers
 * XP Printers and Faxes
 * Vista Printers
 * Display
 * Ease of Access Center
 * Folder Options
 * Fonts
 * Getting Started
 * HomeGroup
 * Indexing Options
 * Internet Options
 * Keyboard
 * Locations and Other Sensors
 * Mail
 * Mouse
 * Networking and Sharing Center
 * XP Network Connections
 * XP Network Setup Wizard
 * Notification Area Icons
 * Performance Information and Tools
 * Personalization
 * Phone and Modem
 * Power Options
 * Programs and Features
 * XP Add/remove programs
 * Recovery
 * Region and Language
 * RemoteApp and Desktop Connections
 * Sound
 * Speech Recognition
 * Sync Center
 * Vista Offline Files
 * System
 * Taskbar and Start Menu
 * Troubleshooting
 * User Accounts
 * Windows CardSpace
 * Windows Defender
 * Windows Firewall
 * Windows Mobility Center
 * Windows Update
 * XP Automatic Updates
 * Vista Pen and Input Devices
 * Vista Tablet PC Settings
 * Task Manager
 * User and Data migration tools
 * Windows Configuration
 * Network Configuraiton
 * Network cards
 * TCP/IP settings
 * Firewall
 * Proxy
 * Network shares
 * File/print sharing
 * Homegroups
 * Workgroups and Domains
 * Network settings
 * Networking Tools
 * Network connections
 * Remote Desktop
 * Other Networking Tools
 * Windows Command Line
 * OS
 * Networking
 * Recovery
 * Utilities

/Windows Maintenance, security, and recovery/

 * Managing Windows
 * Backups
 * OS and disk health
 * Updates and Maintenance
 * Antivirus
 * Third party driver and software updates
 * Windows Security Settings
 * Users and Groups
 * User Authentication and SSO
 * NTFS and network Share permissions
 * System Files and Folders
 * Shared Files and Folders

/Mobile Devices/

 * Mobile Operating Systems
 * Open Source and licensing
 * Installing Apps
 * Screen calibration and orientation
 * Wireless signals
 * Cellular
 * GPS
 * Bluetooth
 * Email
 * Security
 * Phones, Tablets, and laptops
 * Data Synchronization

/Security/

 * Common Security Threats
 * Implementing Security
 * Principle of Least Privilege
 * Physical Security
 * Controlling physical access
 * Biometrics and access tokens
 * Privacy at the desk
 * Digital Security
 * Password security
 * Active Directory
 * Firewalls
 * Anti-Malware
 * SOHO Security
 * Wireless SOHO Security
 * Educating Users
 * Data Destruction

/Troubleshooting/

 * Troubleshooting
 * Motherboard, RAM, processor, and power supply Issues
 * Hard drive Issues
 * Video Issues
 * Network Issues
 * OS Issues
 * Security Issues
 * Laptop Issues
 * Printer Issues

/Hardware/

 * Configure settings and use BIOS/UEFI tools on a PC
 * Firmware upgrades
 * BIOS Components
 * RAM
 * Hard Drive Disks
 * Optical Drives
 * CPU
 * BIOS Configuration
 * Boot Sequence
 * Enabling and Disabling Devices
 * Date and Time
 * Clock Speeds
 * Virtualization Support
 * BIOS Security
 * Built-in Diagnostics
 * Monitoring
 * Temperature Monitoring
 * Fan Speeds
 * Intrusion Detection and Notification
 * Voltage
 * Clock
 * Bus Speed
 * Explain motherboard components, their purpose and properties
 * Form Factors
 * ATX
 * Mini-ATX
 * ITX
 * Mini-ITX
 * Expansion Slots
 * PCI
 * PCI-X
 * PCIe
 * miniPCI
 * RAM Slots
 * CPU Sockets
 * LGA
 * PGA
 * Chipsets
 * Northbridge
 * Southbridge
 * CMOS Battery
 * Power Connections and Types
 * Fan Connectors
 * Front and Top Panel Connectors
 * USB
 * Audio
 * Power
 * Lights
 * Reset Button
 * Bus Speeds

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