Introduction

31 Days Before Your CompTIA A+ Certification Exam is a powerful tool to use as a link between all the preparation work you have done so far and taking the CompTIA A+ exams. It will take you through each objective and make certain that you have learned all the material. Every day for the next 31 days, you will cover from one to three objectives. This strategy will help you focus on a topic and not be overwhelmed with the amount of tested material.

However, you might be reading this book at the beginning of your studies. If this is the case, then this book will provide you with an excellent overview of the material you will be studying. Working with this book and some of the additional resources provided here will prepare you to pass the exams. In either case, when you are well prepared for the exam, your stress level is greatly reduced, which makes for a better exam experience.

This book counts down starting from Day 31 until you reach Day 1. The first 17 days (Day 31 through Day 15) are dedicated to the 220-901 exam. The last 14 days are dedicated to the 220-902 exam. After the first 17 days, you might want to take the 220-901 and then complete the second half of the book. This strategy can help you break up the amount of knowledge and study necessary for both exams.

CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Cert Guide, Fourth Edition (ISBN 9780789756527) by Mark Edward Soper is another excellent resource. This book has a great deal of content and provides key topics along the way to help facilitate your understanding. It also provides memory tables at the end that provide an easy way to memorize content.

Cisco Networking Academy offers an introductory course called IT Essentials that covers computer hardware and software, as well as operating systems, networking concepts, mobile devices, IT security, and troubleshooting. All CompTIA A+ exam objectives from both exams are covered. The IT Essentials version 6 books that support this course are published by Cisco Press/Pearson and are referenced as a primary resource within this study guide for those of you who might have taken that course: IT Essentials v6 Companion Guide (ISBN 9781587133558) and IT Essentials v6 Lab Manual (ISBN 9781587133541).

Finally, the Complete CompTIA A+ Guide to IT Hardware and Software, Seventh Edition (ISBN 9780789756459) by Cheryl A. Schmidt is an academic approach to the material that includes exercises, activities, labs, and review questions.

So, which resources should you buy? That question is largely up to how deep your pockets are or how much you like books. If you are on a budget, then choose one of the primary study resources and one of the supplemental resources, such as the Cert Guide and the CompTIA A+ 901 and 902 Complete Video Course library. Whatever you choose, you will be in good hands. Any or all of these authors will serve you well.

A title for the day that concisely states the overall topic

A list of the CompTIA A+ objectives being covered

A Key Topics section to introduce the review material and quickly orient you to the day’s focus

An extensive review section consisting of short paragraphs, lists, tables, examples, and graphics

Activities that match the material being covered throughout the chapter

A Study Resources section to provide you a quick reference for locating more in-depth treatment of the day’s topics

A Check Your Understanding quiz covering the content

The book counts down starting with Day 31 and continues through exam day to provide post-test information. Please note that the first 17 days (Day 31 through Day 15) are dedicated to the 220-901 exam. The last 14 days are dedicated to the 220-902 exam. After the first 17 days, you might want to take the 220-901 exam and then complete the second half of the book. This strategy can help you break up the amount of knowledge and study necessary for both exams. If you do, read “Exam Day” before each exam. You will also find a calendar and checklist inside the book that you can tear out and use during your exam preparation.

Use the calendar to enter each actual date beside the countdown day and the exact day, time, and location of each of your CompTIA A+ exams. The calendar provides a visual for the time you can dedicate to each exam topic.

The checklist highlights important tasks and deadlines leading up to your exam. Use it to help map out your studies.

The CompTIA A+ 220-901 exam covers PC hardware and peripherals, mobile device hardware, and network connectivity issues. The CompTIA A+ 220-902 exam covers installing and configuring operating systems, including Windows, iOS, Android, Apple OS X, and Linux. It also addresses security, cloud computing, and operational procedures.

The exam has a maximum of 90 multiple-choice (single- and multiple-response), drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions. You will have 90 minutes to complete them. For the 220-901 exam, a passing score is 675 out of a possible 900 points. A passing score for the 220-902 exam is 700 out of a possible 900 points.

If you’ve never taken a certification exam before with Pearson VUE, a video titled What to Expect in a Pearson VUE Test Center nicely summarizes the experience (it is 2 minutes and 45 seconds long). You can search for it on YouTube.

When you get to the testing center and check in, the proctor will verify your identity, give you some general instructions, and then take you into a quiet room containing testing stations with computers. When you’re at the PC, you have a few things to do before the timer starts on your exam. For instance, you can take the tutorial to get accustomed to the PC and the testing engine. Even if you are familiar with how the test engine works, taking the tutorial can help settle your nerves and get focused. Anyone who has user-level skills in getting around a PC should have no problems with the testing environment.

Table I-1 A+ 220-901 Exam Domains and Weightings

Table I-2 summarizes the five domains of the A+ 220-902 exam.

Table I-2 A+ 220-902 Exam Domains and Weightings

Legal name

Social Security or passport number

Company name

Valid email address

Method of payment

You can schedule your exam at any time by visiting http://www.pearsonvue.com/comptia/. We recommend you schedule it now for 31 days from today, or if you want to take the first exam when you are done with the 901 material, schedule the first exam for 17 days from today. The process and available test times will vary based on the local testing center you choose.

Read the complete text of the book on any web browser that supports HTML5—including mobile.

Reinforce key concepts with more than 50 dynamic and interactive hands-on exercises, and see the results with the click of a button.

Test your understanding of the material at the end of each day with more than 350 fully interactive online quiz questions, PLUS a full-length final quiz for each exam of 90 questions each that mimic the type you will see in the CompTIA A+ certification exam.

Throughout this book there are references to the Digital Study Guide enhancements that look like this:

When you are at these points in the Digital Study Guide, you can start the enhancement. You can take the Practice Exams at the end of Day 1 at any time.