A comprehensive study guide for both hardware and software technologies that are non-vendor specific and includes coverage of the general "core" concepts module, DOS/Windows module, plus key Macintosh topics, and printer and monitor topics. Features real-world examples, interactive activities, and over 100 hands-on projects that reinforce key concepts and help prepare for the exam. Content developed by Course Technology, a publisher specializing in technical content development for adult education. Presents a unique content and study approach.
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A+ Exam Prep is a book that is woefully marketed. As a guide for prospective technicians who really want to make it in the outside world, this book is exhaustive and far-reaching, revealing in minute detail what it would take to be a PC repairman in a real-world situation. But if this is your only guide for the A+ exam, you might consider using this book as your main introduction--and then buying another book to keep your focus on the facts.
The A+ Exam Prep gives equal weight to all facts, emphasising none--and given that the A+ is about knowing certain concepts, this can be a major drawback. It's not designed in the least to help you study for the A+; the tests at the end of the chapters are fill-in-the-blanks 90 per cent of the time, not the multiple-choice questions you'll see on the actual exam. Don't expect to study the Core and the DOS/Windows exams separately, as they're mixed together in the book without regard to test sectioning. And worst of all, the obvious test questions aren't stressed at all, but presented once in passing--or mentioned, almost misleadingly, as a sideline.
For example, the two chapters that deal with disk drives implies that most sdrives need low-level formatting except for modern drives and autodetection is a newfangled technology that you might come in contact with. ("Modern" and "newfangled" drives being almost any drive made since 1996.) Likewise, it mentions that one drive on an IDE connection must be configured as a master drive only once; says once that the SCSI controller counts as a slot towards the eight-device limit on SCSI chains; doesn't even mention at all that the usual SCSI boot ID is zero; focuses in on old disk-encoding methods; and doesn't say that some system boards have on-board disk controllers. In general, the text leaves the reader swimming through a mass of facts, with the test worthy facts camouflaged neatly among the sea of otherwise vital but untestable topics.
It's not that the information isn't here: all of the left-out topics mentioned above are addressed eventually. As stated, it's very comprehensive, going so far as to provide extensive details on topics that are barely touched on in the actual exam, like Windows NT. But the nature of the book's writing makes this an all-or-nothing gambit: If you're willing to read through it diligently and study every last word and concept, you will not only have an easy time passing your A+, but will be well-schooled in many methods of repair that the A+ doesn't cover. However, if you skim the book and don't pay attention to the right subjects, you could easily fail. This is a book that depends heavily on commitment.
The A+ Exam Prep has some valuable features that no other exam book offers: the "Projects" section is a commendable addition, for one thing. By giving you hands-on, real-world Things To Do, like opening up your PC to identify card slots or creating Emergency Boot Disks, the Exam Prep both expands your knowledge and gets you more comfortable with the technology. Likewise, there is much wisdom to be found here on the frequently misunderstood Debug command. (If there is a minor flaw to be had with the Projects section, it's that it pretty much assumes you already own Norton Utilities--but then again, anyone who's serious about PC troubleshooting should probably have a copy anyway.)
The tests at the end of the chapters are tough if not in the A+ exam format, and the two sample tests at the end of the chapter are real teeth grinders. In addition, the tests presented on disk are plentiful--over 150 questions--a nice change from the usual meagre array of questions found on most bundled CDs.
To sum up, this is a great book if you really want to know everything about PCs; the information here is clear and understandable with a bit of effort. It will also serve you very well as a reference in your post-exam career. But if you're not willing to give this book the attention it deserves, you may need to buy another book to tell you exactly what parts you need to focus on for the actual exam. --William Steinmetz, Amazon.com
