A+ Guide to IT Technical Support (Hardware and Software) 9th Edition

Book Preface

CompTIA A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, Ninth Edition was written to be the very best tool on the market today to prepare you to support desktop and laptop computers as well as mobile devices. Previously titled, A+ Guide to Mangaging and Maintaining Your PC for eight editions, the text has been updated to include the most current hardware and software technologies, this book takes you from the just-a-user level to the I-can-fix-this level for hardware and software matters. It achieves its goals with an unusually effective combination of tools that powerfully reinforce both concepts and hands-on, real-world experiences. It also provides thorough preparation for the content on the new CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Certification exams. Competency in using a computer is a prerequisite to using this book. No background knowledge of electronics is assumed. An appropriate prerequisite course for this book would be a general course in computer applications.

This book includes:

• Several in-depth, hands-on projects are spaced throughout each chapter that invite you to immediately apply and reinforce critical thinking and troubleshooting skills and are designed to make certain that you not only understand the material, but also execute procedures and make decisions on your own.
• Comprehensive review and practice end-of-chapter material, including a chapter summary, key terms, review questions that focus on A+ content, critical thinking questions, and real-world problems to solve.
• Step-by-step instructions on installation, maintenance, optimization of system performance, and troubleshooting.
• A wide array of photos, drawings, and screen shots support the text, displaying in detail the exact software and hardware features you will need to understand to set up, maintain, and troubleshoot personal computers and small networks.

In addition, the carefully structured, clearly written text is accompanied by graphics that provide the visual input essential to learning and to help students master difficult subject matter. For instructors using the book in a classroom, instructor resources are available online.

Coverage is balanced—while focusing on new hardware and software, the text also covers the real work of an IT support technician, where some older technology remains in widespread use and still needs support. For example, the book covers how to use a 64-bit operating system to support the latest processors, but also addresses how to get the most out of a 32-bit OS with limited hardware resources. At the time of writing this text, Windows 8 and Windows 7 are the most popular Microsoft operating systems used on desktop and laptop computers. The text focuses on supporting Windows 8/7 systems, while also including light coverage of Windows Vista where knowledge of Vista is necessary for the CompTIA A+ 900 series exams. The text also has light coverage of Linux and Mac OS X operating systems for desktops and laptops and Android, iOS, and Windows Phone operating systems for mobile devices. Other new technologies covered include virtualization, cloud computing, UEFI firmware, GPT partitioning systems, and support for mobile device hardware.

This book provides thorough preparation for CompTIA’s A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Certification examinations. This certification credential’s popularity among employers is growing exponentially, and obtaining certification increases your ability to gain employment and improve your salary. To get more information on CompTIA’s A+ certification and its sponsoring organization, the Computing Technology Industry Association, see their website at www.comptia.org.