comptia a+ certification all-in-one desk reference for dummies

CompTIA A+ ® Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies ®Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc.. How to become CompTIA certified: This training material can help you prepare for an

CompTIA A+ ® Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies ®

Published by

Wiley Publishing, Inc.

111 River Street Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or

by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600 Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions

permit-Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the

Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission CompTIA A+ is a registered trademark of the Computing Technology Industry Association The CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum logo is a proprietary trademark of CompTIA All rights reserved All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

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OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING,

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006936832 ISBN: 978-0-471-74811-3

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About the Author

Glen E Clarke (MCSE/MCSD/MCDBA/MCT/CIW SA/Security+/Network+/A+)

is an independent trainer and consultant, focusing on network security andsecurity auditing services Glen spends most of his time delivering certifiedcourses on A+, Network+, Windows Server 2003, SQL Server, Exchange Server,Visual Basic NET, and ASP.NET Glen also teaches a number of securityrelated courses covering topics such as vulnerability testing, firewall design,and packet analysis

Glen is an experienced author and technical editor who has worked on nine

certification books Glen designed and coauthored the award nominated A+

as Windows 2000/2003 certification, CIW certification, Network+ certification,and Security+ certification

When he’s not working, Glen loves to spend quality time with his wife, Tanya,and their three children, Sara, Brendon, and Ashlyn He is an active member

of the martial arts community, where he currently holds his first-degree blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do You can visit Glen online at www.gleneclarke.com, orcontact him at glenclarke@accesswave.ca

Ed Tetz graduated in 1990 from Saint Lawrence College in Cornwall, Ontario

with a degree in Business Administration He spent a short time in computersales, which eventually led to a computer support position After severalyears of providing system and LAN support to small and large organizations,

in 1994 he added training to his repertoire He holds certifications for A+, ITILFoundations Certificate in IT Service Management (IT Infrastructure Library),Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer(MCSE), Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA), and ChaunceyGroup’s Certified Technical Trainer (CTT) Since 2002, he has been a full-timeconsultant for a value added reseller in Halifax, Nova Scotia Over his years ofwork experience, he has supported Apple Macintosh, IBM OS/2, Linux, NovellNetWare, and all Microsoft operating systems from MS-DOS to Windows Vista,

as well as hardware from most of the major vendors He welcomes comments from his readers and can be contacted at ed_tetz@hotmail.com, if you are not trapped by the junk mail filters, or info@

edtetz.net

To my beautiful wife, Tanya, who has made all my dreams come true

I cherish every moment we spend together

— Glen E Clarke

I would like to dedicate this book, with love, to my wife, Sharon, and my dren, Emily and Mackenzie They have put up with a lot during the writing ofthis book, especially the loss of my time, which is now gone forever If I oweanyone my gratitude for having this book written, it is them

chil-— Ed Tetz

editing of the chapters — you have made a huge difference in this project —

thank you! I also want to thank Dan DiNicolo for his feedback as the technicaleditor

Over the years I have developed friendships through my work, and one of myfavorite people to work with is Ed Tetz I want to thank him for the long hours

he has dedicated to this book — you have done an amazing job again! I alsowant to thank Dan Lachance, who is always around for a little bit of geek talk!Thanks to Riley, Haley, and Sara for helping me take some of the photos forthe book

A special thank you goes to my three children, Sara, Brendon, and Ashlyn forgiving me the time to sit down and participate in kids play with them — itmakes me realize what is important in life A needed thank you goes to mywife, Tanya, for all her support — without it I would be a different person.Thank you for all that you do!

— Glen E Clarke

I would like to thank Katie Feltman, our acquisitions editor, for inviting me totake on this project, and to both Katie and Blair Pottenger, our project editor,for keeping this book on track, which I am sure was an effort for them, andthanks for that I would like to thank Andy Hollandbeck, our copy editor, forhis tireless work of ensuring that what I wrote made sense, and for making

my words sound better then when I originally wrote them

In addition to them, I would like to thank the rest of the staff at WileyPublishing who worked behind the scenes taking care of many of the detailsthat are required to get this book into print, and I am sure that due to theirhard work, this will be a successful book

— Ed Tetz

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Project Editor: Blair J Pottenger Acquisitions Editor: Katie Feltman Copy Editor: Andy Hollandbeck Technical Editor: Dan DiNicolo Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner Media Development Specialists: Angela Denny,

Kate Jenkins, Steven Kudirka, Kit Malone

Media Development Coordinator:

Laura Atkinson

Media Project Supervisor: Laura Moss Media Development Manager:

Laura VanWinkle

Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth

Sr Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director Mary C Corder, Editorial Director

Publishing for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director

Composition Services Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

The logo of the CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum (CAQC) gram and the status of this or other training materials as “Authorized”under the CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum program signifiesthat, in CompTIA’s opinion, such training material covers the content ofCompTIA’s related certification exam.

pro-The contents of this training material were created for the CompTIA A+Certification exam covering CompTIA certification objectives that werecurrent as of 2006

CompTIA has not reviewed or approved the accuracy of the contents ofthis training material and specifically disclaims any warranties of mer-chantability or fitness for a particular purpose CompTIA makes no guar-antee concerning the success of persons using any such “Authorized” orother training material in order to prepare for any CompTIA certificationexam

How to become CompTIA certified:

This training material can help you prepare for and pass a relatedCompTIA certification exam or exams In order to achieve CompTIA cer-tification, you must register for and pass a CompTIA certification exam

or exams

In order to become CompTIA certified, you must:

1 Select a certification exam provider For more information please

visit http://www.comptia.org/certification/

general_information/exam_locations.aspx

2 Register for and schedule a time to take the CompTIA certification

exam(s) at a convenient location

3 Read and sign the Candidate Agreement, which will be presented at

the time of the exam(s) The text of the Candidate Agreement can befound at http://www.comptia.org/certification/

general_information/candidate_agreement.aspx

4 Take and pass the CompTIA certification exam(s).

For more information about CompTIA’s certifications, such as its try acceptance, benefits, or program news, please visit www.comptia.org/certification

indus-CompTIA is a not-for-profit information technology (IT) trade tion CompTIA’s certifications are designed by subject matter expertsfrom across the IT industry Each CompTIA certification is vendor-neutral, covers multiple technologies, and requires demonstration ofskills and knowledge widely sought after by the IT industry

associa-To contact CompTIA with any questions or comments, please call1-630-678-8300 or email questions@comptia.org

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

How This Book Is Organized 3

Book I: Setting the A+ Groundwork 3

Book II: Inside the Box 3

Book III: Outside the Box 3

Book IV: Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3

Book V: Operating System Basics 3

Book VI: Managing the Operating System 4

Book VII: Recovering Systems 4

Book VIII: Networking 4

Book IX: Securing Systems 4

Appendixes 4

Icons Used in This Book 4

Where to Go from Here 5

Book I: Setting the A+ Groundwork 7

Chapter 1: The New A+ Exams 9

CompTIA A+ Certification and Why You Need It 9

Checking Out the Exams and Their Objectives 10

The CompTIA A+ Essentials Exam 11

CompTIA A+ IT Technician Exam 12

The CompTIA A+ Remote Support Technician Exam 12

The CompTIA A+ Depot Technician Exam 13

Using This Book to Prepare for the Exams 13

Making Arrangements to Take the Exams 14

The Day the Earth Stood Still: Exam Day 14

Arriving at the exam location 14

Taking the exam 15

How does CompTIA set the pass level? 17

Chapter 2: A+ Soft Skills 19

Using Troubleshooting Procedures and Good Practices 19

Identifying the problem 21

Analyzing the problem and potential causes 22

The basic troubleshooting process 22

Evaluate results 25

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Document findings, activities, and outcomes 25

Documentation resources 26

Professionalism and Communication 27

Good communication skills 27

Professional behavior 28

Getting an A+ 31

Chapter 3: Protecting Yourself and Your PC 35

Gathering Tools of the Trade 35

Hardware tools 35

Software tools 38

Avoiding the Dreaded ESD 38

ESD means electrostatic discharge (not extrasensory deprivation) 38

Preventing ESD 39

Watching Out for EMI 40

Recognizing High-Voltage Equipment 40

Power supply unit (PSU) 41

Monitor 41

Disposing of Components 42

Batteries 42

CRTs 43

Toner kits and cartridges 43

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) 43

Exploring Ergonomics 44

Getting an A+ 45

Chapter 4: An Overview of System Components 49

What Is a Computer? 49

Looking Inside the Box 50

Processor/CPU 50

Storage devices 51

Memory 52

System boards 53

Power supply 53

Adapter cards 53

Cooling system and fans 54

Firmware and chipsets 54

BIOS 55

CMOS 55

Checking Outside the Box 56

Casing and form factors 56

Input and output devices 56

Getting an A+ 59

Table of Contents xi

Book II: Inside the Box 63

Chapter 1: Knowing Your Motherboard 65

Finding Out What’s on a Motherboard 66

Processor 66

SIMM/DIMM sockets 68

Cache memory 69

Motherboard chipset 70

BIOS chip 72

Battery 72

Expansion slots 73

Ports and connectors 74

Power connectors 82

Drive connectors 85

Jumpers and DIP switches 88

Identifying the Types of Motherboards 89

Full AT 90

Baby AT 91

LPX/NLX 93

ATX 93

MicroATX and FlexATX 95

Understanding Bus Architectures 96

ISA 97

MCA 97

EISA 98

VESA 100

PCI 101

PCMCIA 102

AGP 103

PCI-X 103

PCI Express 104

AMR and CNR 105

Performance Considerations 106

Getting an A+ 107

Chapter 2: Picking Your Processor 115

Understanding Processor Terminology 115

Processor speed 116

Data bus 116

Address bus 117

Registers 118

Cache memory 118

Math co-processor 119

Real-mode versus protected-mode 120

MMX 120

Hyperthreading 121

Dual core processors 121

Throttling 121

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Overclocking 122

VRM 122

Chip packaging 122

Identifying Socket Types 125

Looking at Popular Intel Processors 127

Pentium 127

Pentium Pro 130

Pentium II 131

Celeron 131

Pentium III 132

Xeon 133

Pentium 4 134

Itanium and Itanium II 134

Pentium “M” 135

Don’t Forget Non-Intel Chips 136

K6 136

K6-2 136

K6-III 136

Athlon 137

Athlon XP 137

Duron 137

Opteron 137

Installing a Processor 138

Will it fit in the socket? 138

CPU voltage and transistor integration 138

Performing the installation 138

Keeping a Processor Cool 141

Heat sinks and CPU fans 142

Installing a heat sink and fan 142

Increasing Performance 143

Getting an A+ 144

Chapter 3: What to Remember about Memory 151

Understanding the Types of Memory 151

Remembering the purpose of memory 151

Read-Only Memory (ROM) 152

Random Access Memory (RAM) 153

Identifying the Types of DRAM 156

Standard DRAM 156

Fast page mode 157

Extended data output 158

Burst Extended Data Output 158

Synchronous DRAM 158

Rambus DRAM 159

DDR 159

DDR2 159

How Would You Like Your Chips Packaged? 160

SIMMs 160

DIMMs 161

Table of Contents xiii

SODIMM 162

MicroDIMM 162

Understanding Error-Checking Memory 163

Parity versus non-parity 163

ECC memory 164

Working with Cache Memory 164

L1 cache 165

L2 cache 165

L3 cache 166

Installing or Upgrading Memory 166

Type of memory 166

Speed 166

Connectors 167

Parity versus non-parity 167

Installing memory on desktop PCs 168

Installing memory on laptop systems 169

Getting an A+ 171

Chapter 4: Telling Your BIOS from Your CMOS 179

The BIOS and Its Purpose 179

Upgrading the System BIOS 181

Performing the BIOS upgrade 181

Potential issues with BIOS upgrading 182

Understanding CMOS 183

Viewing Basic CMOS Settings 185

Hard drive 185

Floppy disk drive 187

Memory 187

Parallel ports 188

Serial ports 190

Date and time 190

Boot sequence 191

Passwords 192

Plug and Play BIOS 193

Viewing Advanced CMOS Settings 194

Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) 194

BIOS date and revision number 194

Universal Serial Bus (USB) 195

Built-in network adapter 196

Virus protection 196

On-board cache 197

Reserve resources 198

Getting an A+ 199

Chapter 5: Working with Storage 207

Understanding Hard Drive Terminology 207

Disk geometry 207

Read/write process 210

Performance 211

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Master Boot Record 212

LBA and ECHS 212

Discovering IDE Devices 213

IDE overview 213

Installing IDE devices 217

Learning How SCSI Works 222

SCSI overview 222

Installing SCSI devices 230

The Serial ATA Hype! 232

Using Removable Storage 233

Floppy disks 233

CD-ROM/CDRW 234

DVD/DVDRW 235

Flash drives 235

USB external drives 235

Zip drives 236

Flash cards 236

Tape 236

Understanding File Systems 237

The FAT file system 237

The FAT32 file system 239

NTFS 240

NTFS 5.0 240

HPFS 241

Managing Partitions and Volumes 241

Primary partition 242

Extended partition 242

Creating partitions and volumes in Windows 2000/XP/2003 244

Formatting partitions and volumes 250

Securing Data with RAID 252

Mirroring/duplexing (RAID level 1) 253

RAID 5 Volume (RAID level 5) 257

Understanding Management Tools 259

Defragmentation utility 260

Check Disk utility 261

Disk Cleanup 262

Getting an A+ 264

Chapter 6: Working with Power 271

Knowing the Basics of Power Terminology 271

Volt 271

Ohm 272

Amp 272

Watt 272

Identifying the Purpose of Power Supply Units 272

Identifying Power Supplies 274

Power Connectors 276

The ATX main power connector 276

The floppy drive connector 277

Table of Contents xv

The peripheral connector 278

The 12-volt power connector 278

The Serial ATA connector 279

Power Supply Form Factors 279

Using AC Adapters 280

Working with UPS and Suppressors 282

Getting an A+ 284

Book III: Outside the Box 289

Chapter 1: Ports, Cables, and Connectors 291

Identifying Common Computer Ports 291

Serial and parallel ports 292

Universal Serial Bus (USB) 293

FireWire (IEEE-1394) 293

Keyboard 294

Monitor 294

Comparing Cable Types 294

Ribbon 295

Twisted pair 295

Thick and thin coax 297

Fiber 297

Cable Orientation 298

Connector Types 299

IBM Type 1 Connector 299

DB-9 300

DB-15 300

DB-25 300

Centronics 36 and 50 302

RJ-11 303

RJ-45 303

BNC 303

PS/2 or Mini-DIN 6 304

Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors 304

IEEE-1394 (FireWire) connectors 305

Standard External Cables 306

Parallel Cable 306

Serial Cable 307

Null Modem Cable 307

Viewing Cable Adapters 308

Barrel connectors 308

Gender changers 308

Null modem 309

Multimedia Connectors 310

Getting an A+ 311

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Chapter 2: Installing and Configuring Input Devices 315

Minding Your Keys and Qs 315

Identifying keyboard types 317

Installing a keyboard 318

Configuring keyboards 318

Catching the Mouse 321

Types of mice 321

Installing a mouse 322

Communicating with Modems and Network Adapters 323

Working with modems 323

Working with network adapters 326

Other Input Devices 329

Getting an A+ 330

Chapter 3: Installing and Configuring Output Devices 335

Understanding Video Adapters 335

Looking at the video standards 336

Video board features 337

Installing a video card 339

Using Your Monitor 339

Types of displays 340

Configuring your display settings 341

Configuring multi-display support 342

The Sound of Computers 343

Types of sound cards 343

Installing a sound card 344

Configuring a sound card 345

Other Output Devices 346

Getting an A+ 347

Chapter 4: Examining System Resources 351

Understanding System Resources 352

I/O addresses 352

Interrupt ReQuest (IRQ) 355

Direct Memory Access (DMA) 360

Memory addresses 363

Working with System Resources 363

Identifying resource conflicts 364

Changing system resources 365

Getting an A+ 371

Chapter 5: Managing Printers 379

Learning about Paper Feeder Mechanisms 379

Continuous form feeders 380

Friction feeders 380

Table of Contents xvii

Understanding Types of Printers 380

Laser printers 380

Inkjet printers 385

Dot matrix printers 386

Thermal printers 387

Viewing Types of Printer Connections and Configurations 387

Parallel connections 387

Serial cable connections 388

Network cable connections 388

Universal Serial Bus (USB) 389

Infrared 390

FireWire and SCSI 390

Upgrading Printer Hardware 391

Upgrading memory 391

Adding a disk drive 391

Upgrading the firmware 391

Installing a Printer in Windows 392

Installing a printer 392

Configuring a printer 394

Connecting to the shared printer 396

Troubleshooting Printer Problems 397

Check the simple stuff first 397

Paper jams 398

Garbled or corrupted output 398

Spots or smudging on the printout 398

Slow printing 398

Spooling service problems 399

Dot matrix problems 400

Inkjet problems 401

Laser printer problems 401

Understanding Safety and Preventative Maintenance 402

Safety precautions 402

Preventative maintenance 402

Getting an A+ 403

Chapter 6: Working with Multimedia Devices 407

Understanding Scanners 407

Scanning process 409

Connecting a scanner 409

Scanning an image 409

Using Digital and Web Cameras 411

Digital cameras 411

Uploading pictures to the computer 413

Web and digital video cameras 413

Looking at Other Multimedia Devices 416

Microphones 416

MIDI 416

Getting an A+ 417

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Chapter 7: Dealing with Portable Computers 421

Identifying Portable Computer Components 421

Looking at Laptop Batteries 423

Different types of batteries 423

Handling batteries 424

Maximizing battery performance 424

Changing batteries 425

Power management features 426

Understanding AC Adapters 426

AC adapter problems 427

AC adapter troubleshooting and repair 427

Learning about LCD Panels 427

Handling LCD panels 428

Connecting an LCD panel to a computer 429

Understanding Laptop Input Devices 429

Laptop keyboard 429

Touch pad and the rubber mouse ball 430

Laptop Communication Components 432

Network card and modem 432

Wireless network card 432

Other communications ports 432

Port Replicators and Docking Stations 433

Expanding on a Laptop 434

Adding a PC card 435

Removing a PC Card 435

Upgrading Your Laptop 436

Upgrading memory 436

Adding hard disk space 437

Understanding Handheld Devices 438

Getting an A+ 439

Book IV: Maintenance and Troubleshooting 445

Chapter 1: Performing Preventative Maintenance 447

Preventative Maintenance 101 447

Using Preventative Maintenance Tools 449

Materials and equipment 449

Software utilities 450

Maintaining Environmental Controls 450

Ventilation and airflow 450

Humidity and liquids 454

ESD 454

Dirt and dust 455

EMI 455

Power, UPS, and suppressors 456

Table of Contents xix

Completing Maintenance Tasks 457

Case and components 457

Power supplies 458

Monitors 458

Keyboards and mice .459

Drives 459

Storage media 461

Laptops 461

Printers and scanners 462

Getting an A+ 463

Chapter 2: Troubleshooting Procedures and Guidelines 467

Identifying Troubleshooting Tools 467

Hardware tools 467

Diagnostic software 473

The Art of Troubleshooting 474

Troubleshooting basics 475

Physical environment 475

Audio and visual troubleshooting 475

CMOS and BIOS 476

Motherboard 477

Processor/memory 477

Floppy drive 478

Hard drives 478

CD/DVD-ROM 480

Keyboard and mouse 481

Sound card/audio 482

Monitor/video 482

Modem 484

Serial and parallel ports 484

USB 485

Power supplies and batteries 487

Laptops 489

Getting an A+ 493

Book V: Operating System Basics 497

Chapter 1: Comparison of Major Operating Systems 499

What Is an Operating System? 499

Looking at the Windows OS 500

Comparing versions of Windows 500

Typical system requirements 501

Identifying GUI elements 502

Welcome to the Linux World 503

Comparing versions of Linux 503

Typical system requirements 505

Identifying GUI elements 506

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Understanding the Macintosh OS 507

Comparing versions of Mac OS 507

Typical system requirements 508

Identifying GUI elements 508

Getting an A+ 509

Chapter 2: Operating System Functions 513

Identifying Major Operating System Functions 513

Understanding memory management 514

Checking the OS version 514

Understanding Major Operating System Components 517

Getting into the architecture 517

Paging your memory 518

Choosing your file systems 520

Registry 522

Navigating Your Computer 523

My Computer 524

Windows Explorer 525

My Network Places 526

Command line 527

Using Tools and Configuration Utilities 527

Control panel applets 527

Microsoft Management Console 529

Taskbar and Notification Area 530

Start menu 530

Remote Desktop Connection 530

Remote Assistance 531

Getting an A+ 533

Chapter 3: Installing and Upgrading Windows 537

Understanding Installation Methods 537

Boot floppy 537

Bootable CD 538

Network installation 539

Drive imaging 539

Preparing for Installation 540

Hardware requirements 540

Computer name 541

Workgroup/domain 541

Partitions 542

File systems 543

Other preparation steps 543

Performing Attended Installations of Windows 544

Performing a Windows 2000 attended installation 545

Performing a Windows XP attended installation 556

Performing Unattended Installations of Windows 561

Verifying and Troubleshooting the Installation 564

Table of Contents xxi

Upgrading Windows 565

Preparing to upgrade 565

Upgrading to Windows 2000 Professional 566

Upgrading to Windows XP 567

Installing Additional Windows Components 568

Understanding How to Dual Boot Windows 570

Updating Installation Files 571

Restoring User Data Files 572

Saving a computer’s state 572

Restoring a computer’s state 574

Getting an A+ 574

Chapter 4: Managing Files and Directories 579

Identifying File-Naming Conventions 579

Long and short filenames 581

Creating file associations 583

Understanding file extensions 589

Understanding File Attributes 594

How attributes are stored 595

The basic attributes 596

Windows 2000 and Windows XP extended attributes 597

Setting basic attributes 603

Getting an A+ 607

Chapter 5: Command Prompt Procedures 613

Using command.com and cmd.exe 613

Managing Directories 615

dir 615

mkdir 619

chdir 619

rmdir 620

Copying and Moving Files 620

copy 620

xcopy 621

move 621

del 621

ren 622

Making Comparisons 622

diskcopy.com and diskcomp.com 622

fc.exe 622

Performing Diagnostics and Tuning Performance 623

defrag.exe 623

chkdsk.exe 624

mem.exe 624

Working with the Rest 625

attrib.exe 625

diskpart.exe 625

format.com 626

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sys.com 627

ver 627

help 627

Working with the edit Command 628

Opening files 628

Saving files 629

Searching and replacing 630

Closing the editor 630

Batch File Basics 631

Starting your file 631

Getting your directions 632

Working with parameters or starting arguments 632

Making batch files make decisions 633

Looping 636

Locating a command 637

Putting it together 638

Getting an A+ 638

Chapter 6: Working with System Files and the Boot Process 645

Power-On Self-Test (POST) Process 646

Standard Boot Process for Windows XP 646

ntldr 647

ntbootdd.sys 648

boot.ini 648

ntdetect.com 650

ntoskrnl.exe 650

The device load process 651

The service load process 652

Loading the shell 652

Understanding the Boot Process for MS-DOS and Windows 9x 653

io.sys 653

msdos.sys 654

config.sys 656

command.com 658

autoexec.bat 659

win.com and vmm32 660

Loading the shell 662

Managing Memory 662

Conventional memory 662

Expanded memory 663

Extended memory 663

High memory 664

Upper memory 664

Virtual memory 664

himem.sys 667

emm386.exe 667

Examining Other Boot Process Files 669

smartdrv.exe 669

system.ini 671

Table of Contents xxiii

win.ini 672sysedit.exe 673Getting an A+ 674

Book VI: Managing the Operating System 679

Chapter 1: Loading and Configuring Device Drivers 681

Loading and Removing Device Drivers 681Changing Device Settings 687Updating Drivers 688Signed and Unsigned Drivers 689Working with Plug and Play 690Permissions to Install Drivers 693Verifying Driver Installation 694Device Driver Failure 694Getting an A+ 696

Chapter 2: Working with Applications 699

Installing and Removing Applications 699Installing an application 700Removing an application 703Getting the Most out of Multitasking 704Cooperative multitasking 705Preemptive multitasking 705Running 32-Bit Windows Applications 706Benefiting from 32-bit applications 706

Executing in the Windows 9x environment 707

Executing in the Windows 2000 and Windows XP environments 708Running 16-Bit Windows Applications 710

Executing in the Windows 9x environment 711

Executing in the Windows 2000 and Windows XP environments 712Encountering incompatibilities 715Running MS-DOS-Based Applications 716Program Information File (PIF) settings 717Understanding incompatibilities 727Windows XP Compatibility Modes 728Application Install, Start, and Load Errors 729Getting an A+ 730

Chapter 3: Optimizing the Windows Environment 735

Identifying Areas of System Bottlenecks 735Using Monitoring Tools 736Task Manager 736Performance 741

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Optimization Best Practices 746Virtual memory 746Hard drive 748Printers 748Scanners 749Temporary files 749Services 750Startup 754Getting an A+ 755

Chapter 4: Using Windows-Based Troubleshooting Utilities 759

Understanding Operating System Utilities for Disk Maintenance 759fdisk.exe and Disk Management 759defrag.exe and dfrg.msc 762chkdsk.exe (Check Disk) 764Configuration Utilities 766System Configuration Utility 766regedit.exe 767regedt32.exe 772Device Manager 774Computer Management 774Getting a Handle on Diagnostic Utilities 776The System Information Tool 776Event Viewer 777Network Diagnostics 780

Dr Watson 780System File Checker 781Miscellaneous Utilities 782Task Scheduler 782Windows Script Host 783edit.com 784expand.exe 784Getting an A+ 785

Book VII: Recovering Systems 791

Chapter 1: Managing Error Codes and Startup Messages 793

MS-DOS and Windows 9x Boot Errors 793

Error in config.sys line XX 794Bad or missing command.com 794

No operating system found 795Windows XP Boot Files and Boot Errors 795SCSI issues 796

No operating system found 796Missing boot files 796

Table of Contents xxv

Device related errors 799

A device referenced in system.ini, win.ini, or Registry is not found 800Registry corruption 800Safe Mode 801Other Errors 801Paging file or Swap file errors 801Failure to start GUI 802Error Diagnostic Tools 803

Dr Watson 803Windows Error Reporting 803Event Viewer 805Getting an A+ 806

Chapter 2: Managing Common Problems 811

Solving Windows-Specific Printing Problems 811Dealing with a stalled print spooler 812Incorrect/incompatible driver for printing 813Incorrect parameters 814Solving Boot Errors and Errors Requiring Restarting 815Auto-restart errors 815Blue-screen errors 817System lockup 819Resolving Device Driver Errors 821Application Install, Start, and Load Failures 821Corrupted shortcuts 821Damaged PIF 822Corrupted memory space 822Applications will not install 823Solving Other Problems 823General protection faults 824Illegal operation 824Invalid working directory 824Optional device will not function 825Terminate Stay Resident (TSR) programs and viruses 826Getting an A+ 827

Chapter 3: Preparing for Disasters with Disaster Recovery 831

Working with Boot Disks 831

Boot disks for Windows 9x 831

Windows XP 835Using F8 Options during Boot-up 836Booting into Safe Mode 836Tracking the boot with a bootlog 838Using the Last Known Good Configuration 839Other Windows 2000 and Windows XP boot options 840Entering MS-DOS Mode 840

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Emergency Repair 841Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) 841Emergency Repair Process 841Recovery Console 843Understanding Backup and Restore 844Backing up your computer 845Restoring files from a backup 849Restore points in Windows XP 850ASR in Windows XP 853Recovery and Rescue Methods 856Recovery CDs and Recovery Partitions 856Rescue CDs 856Rescue Partitions or Rescue Installations 860Getting an A+ 861

Book VIII: Networking 865

Chapter 1: Down to the Networking Basics 867

Identifying the Types of Networks 867Peer-to-peer networks 867Server-based (client-server) networks 869Additional networking terminology 871Understanding Network Topologies 871Bus 871Star 873Ring 874Hybrid 874Wireless 875Connecting with Network Cabling 876Twisted pair 876Coaxial 878Fiber optic 882Troubleshooting Networking Cables 884Examining Network Access Methods 884CSMA/CD 884CSMA/CA 885Token passing 885Piecing Together the Network Architectures 886Ethernet 886Token Ring 888FDDI 889Understanding Network Protocols 889IEEE Standards 889Voice over IP (VoIP) 891Working with Network Devices 891Network interface card (NIC) 891Repeater 892

Table of Contents xxvii

Bridge 893Router 894Gateway 895Hub 896Switch 896Wireless access point (WAP) 897Understanding Communication Methods 898Ways to Network a Computer 898Network card 899Serial and parallel ports 899Infrared port 900Getting an A+ 900

Chapter 2: Understanding Common Wireless Communications 907

Understanding Infrared Devices 907Working with Wireless Networks 908Components of a wireless network 908Connecting to a network 910Wireless standards 910Securing wireless networks 914Other Wireless 919Bluetooth 919WAN cellular 920Increasing Wireless Network Performance 920Troubleshooting Issues 921Getting an A+ 922

Chapter 3: Networking the Operating System 927

Understanding Networking Components 927Network adapter driver 928Network client 932Protocols 935Services 938The TCP/IP Protocol 939

IP address 940Subnet mask 942Default gateway 943Configuring TCP/IP in Windows 2000/XP/2003 944Configuring TCP/IP en masse using DHCP 945Automatic Private IP Addressing 946Understanding Name Resolution 947NetBIOS names 947Fully qualified domain names (FQDN) 950Troubleshooting with TCP/IP Utilities 954IPCONFIG 955PING 955TRACERT 956NBTSTAT 957

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NETSTAT 958PATHPING 958NSLOOKUP 958Sharing File System Resources 959Share-level access control 959User-level access control 960Enabling File and Printer Sharing in Windows 2000/XP/2003 960Creating shared folders 961Hidden shares 966Multiple shares 966Connecting to shares 966Sharing Printer Resources 968Sharing a printer in Windows 2000/XP/2003 968Installing a network printer in Windows 2000/XP/2003 968Installing a network printer by using Point and Print 969Understanding Windows Services 970Restarting a Windows service 970Server service 970Workstation service 971DHCP Server service 971Print Spooler service 971Messenger service 971Browser service 972Getting an A+ 973

Chapter 4: Configuring Internet Access 981

Understanding the Internet 981Using an ISP 983Working with an ASP 985Understanding Internet Protocols 985TCP/IP 986E-mail 987HyperText Transport Protocol 989File Transfer Protocol 992Command shells 993Installing and Configuring Browsers 994Configuring General settings 995Configuring Security settings 995Configuring Privacy settings 996Configuring Content settings 997Configuring Connections settings 997Configuring Programs settings 998Working with Advanced settings 998Using the Internet 998Access methods 999Domain names and Web sites 1000Ways to Access the Internet 1002Dial-up 1002Cable 1002

Table of Contents xxix

ADSL 1002ISDN 1003T1/T3 1003Satellite 1003Wireless 1004Firewalls and Home Routers 1004Getting an A+ 1005

Book IX: Securing Systems 1011

Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Security 1013

Identifying Types of Attacks 1013Social engineering attacks 1014Network-based attacks 1015Software-based attacks 1019Understanding Physical Security 1020Understanding Authentication and Authorization 1023Authentication 1023Authorization 1025Methods of Securing Transmissions 1027Don’t Forget about Data Protection 1028Destroying data 1029Backing up data 1029Implementing RAID solutions 1031Getting an A+ 1032

Chapter 2: Implementing Security 1039

Securing Systems through BIOS 1039Implementing Users and Groups 1040Creating user accounts 1040Creating groups 1043Implementing Permissions and Rights 1045Rights 1046Permissions 1048Implementing Auditing 1051Enabling auditing 1051Reviewing the Security Log 1053Implementing Firewalls 1054How a firewall works 1054Creating a DMz 1056Implementing Security Best Practices 1057Hardening a system 1057Patching systems 1057Firewalls 1057Password policies 1058Auditing 1058Use switches instead of hubs 1059

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Use anti-virus software 1059Securing wireless 1059Getting an A+ 1060

Chapter 3: Viruses and Malicious Software 1065

My Computer Has a Virus! 1065Types of viruses 1065Protection from viruses 1067Using virus-protection software 1068Updating virus definitions 1070Understanding Malicious Software 1071Trojan horses 1071Worms 1072Spyware and adware 1072Identifying Hoaxes 1073Preventing Problems by Staying Up to Date 1074Windows Update 1074SUS and WSUS 1074Antivirus 1076Other security software 1076Getting an A+ 1078

Appendix A: About the CD 1083 Appendix B: CompTIA A+ Exam Reference Matrix 1087 Index 1099

The A+ Certified Professional certification is a well-recognized certification

and will serve as a basic foundation for a number of other certificationsthat you may eventually pursue The certification exam tests your knowl-edge of both hardware and software used in today’s computer world and thecertification is one of the most popular certifications that IT professionalsattain to prove their hardware and software knowledge

About This Book

The A+ Certification All-In-One Desk Reference For Dummies is designed to be

a hands-on, practical guide to help you pass the A+ certification exam Thisbook is written in a way that helps you understand complex technical con-tent and prepares you to apply that knowledge to real-world scenarios

We, the authors of this book, understand the value of a book that covers thepoints needed to pass the exam, but we also understand the value of ensur-ing that the information helps you perform IT-related tasks when you’re onthe job That is what this book offers you — key points to pass the examcombined with practical information to help you in the real world, whichmeans that this book can be used in more than one way:

✦ As an exam preparation tool: This book’s key focus is to help you pass

the A+ exam, and as a result is packed with exam-specific information.You should understand everything that is in this book before taking the

exam, but to help identify key points that you must know, we use the For

preparation for the A+ exam

✦ As a reference: We have extensive experience in the IT industry and

know the importance of ensuring that you not only can pass the exambut also can perform common computer-related tasks on the job — this

is where this book’s value as a reference tool shines through

Conventions Used in This Book

Each chapter in this book has different elements that help you prepare foryour A+ exam The following sections can be found in each chapter:

Foolish Assumptions

2

✦ Labs: Throughout the chapters, lab exercises offer the opportunity to

get your hands dirty with a particular topic The labs are designed togive you real-world experience performing specific tasks The labs forthe chapters are located on the CD-ROM in a file called Labs.pdfin theAuthor directory

✦ Icons: There are a number of different icons that are used in each

chap-ter that draw your attention to information that is needed for the exam

or in the real world For more details on the icons used in each chaptercheck out “Icons Used in This Book.”

✦ Getting an A+: Found at the end of each chapter, “Getting an A+” covers

key points you should remember for the exam

✦ Prep Test: After the “Getting an A+” section, you are presented with

example questions that help prepare you for the A+ exam These tions are designed to be at the same level of difficulty as the A+ examitself

ques-Foolish Assumptions

We make a few assumptions about you as a reader and have written thisbook with these assumptions in mind:

✦ You are interested in obtaining the A+ Certification: As mentioned

pre-viously, the key focus of this book is passing the exam

✦ You have a computer to work on: In order to perform the labs that are

located on the CD-ROM, you need a computer that you can take apartand install a copy of Windows on

✦ You have some experience using the computer: As a prerequisite to the

A+ certification, you should already feel comfortable with the computer.For example, you should know how to use the mouse and should knowthe difference between a left-click and a right-click You should alsoknow your way around Windows a little For example you should knowthat the Start button is where different programs can be started These

are examples of tasks we consider “using the computer.”

✦ You will study hard and do as much hands-on work as possible: There

is a lot of content on the A+ exam — you will most likely need to readover the information a few times to ensure that you understand the con-tent You should also experiment as much as possible after you read aparticular topic For example, after you read about how to add a harddrive to the computer, you should get a second hard drive and add it toyour computer

How This Book Is Organized 3

How This Book Is Organized

As with all of the All-In-One For Dummies books, the chapters are organized

into minibooks The chapters in each minibook are related by a specifictheme or topic For example, Book IX is called “Securing Systems” and con-tains all security-related content needed to pass the A+ exam

The following sections outline what you can find in each minibook:

Book I: Setting the A+ Groundwork

In this book, you discover what A+ certification is all about and what youwill be tested on when taking the exam You also find out some basic safetyguidelines and general “soft skills,” such as how to communicate with customers

Book II: Inside the Box

In Book II, you find out about the inside of a computer and what makes ittick You venture into the innards of your computer, such as motherboards,memory, and processors, and learn how to install and upgrade these components

Book III: Outside the Box

Book III discusses topics related to what goes on outside the computer Forexample, you find out about the different ports on the back of the computerand how to install devices such as video cards, sound cards, and networkcards that give you output such as sound and video

Book IV: Maintenance and Troubleshooting

The maintenance and troubleshooting minibook discusses how you care forthe computer in order to prevent problems or hardware failure This mini-book also discusses how to troubleshoot different hardware componentsand how to diagnose the problem

Book V: Operating System Basics

Book V is a special minibook because it makes the transition from hardwaretopics to operating system topics In this minibook, you find out the purpose

of an operating system and which major files an OS needs in order to run.You also discover how to install and upgrade Windows

Icons Used in This Book

4

Book VI: Managing the Operating System

In this minibook, we discuss and demonstrate in a hands-on way how tomanage aspects of the Windows operating systems You find out how to loaddrivers and how to install and support applications and start using a number

of troubleshooting tools available within Windows

Book VII: Recovering Systems

In this minibook, you discover which core files are needed to start up aWindows computer and how to fix computers that fail to boot up You alsofind topics related to system recovery, such as how to back up the systemand perform a restore operation

Book VIII: Networking

The A+ exam tests your knowledge of basic networking concepts andensures that you know how to network two computers This minibook givesyou the networking background you need to pass the A+ exam You discoverthe basics of networking technologies and figure out how to troubleshootsystems on a TCP/IP network

Book IX: Securing Systems

This final minibook covers topics related to securing your environment Inthis minibook, you go through the fundamental terms related to networksecurity and how to perform tasks such as creating user accounts, settingpermissions, performing virus scans, and updating Windows

Appendixes

Appendix A gives you an overview of what you can find on the CD-ROM thataccompanies the book Please have a look at this section as there are valu-able resources on the CD-ROM — such as lab exercises!

Appendix B is an exam objective mapping table that lets you know where inthe book each of the exam objectives can be found This is very useful whenyou are preparing for the exam and want to make sure you know each of thepoints in the objectives

Icons Used in This Book

We use a number of icons in this book to draw your attention to pieces ofuseful information:

Where to Go from Here 5

This icon gives you a heads-up on information you should absolutely knowfor the certification exam

Information that would be helpful to you in the real world is indicated with aTip icon Expect to find shortcuts and timesavers here

This icon is used to flag information that may be useful to remember on the job

Information that could cause problems to you or to the computer are cated with a Warning icon If you see a Warning icon, make sure you read it.The computer you save may be your own

indi-Detailed information that is not needed for the exam or that is a step abovethe knowledge you absolutely need to know for the exam is indicated with aTechnical Stuff icon

This icon lets you know when you can find accompanying information orsupporting documents on the CD-ROM For example, there are a number oflab exercises written for the book — when a topic has a related lab, it is indi-cated with this icon

Where to Go from Here

The A+ Certification is the most popular certification for individuals new tothe IT industry and the certification world After you have passed the A+exam, you may want to continue your certification path by studying for thefollowing certifications:

✦ CompTIA’s Network+ certification: Network+ is a vendor-neutral

certifi-cation that ensures the candidate understands networking technologies

✦ CompTIA’s Security+ certification: After passing the Network+

certifica-tion, you may want to continue on the network topic with a certificationthat proves your network security knowledge

A+ Certification All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies

6

Book I

Setting the A+ Groundwork

Contents at a Glance

Chapter 1: The New A+ Exams 9 Chapter 2: A+ Soft Skills 19 Chapter 3: Protecting Yourself and Your PC 35 Chapter 4: An Overview of System Components 49

Chapter 1: The New A+ Exams

In This Chapter

Understanding A+ Certification and its benefits

Looking at the exams and their objectives

Preparing for the exams

Arranging to take the exams

Test day

So you are interested in taking the CompTIA A+ Certification exams? Thischapter introduces you to the exams and gives you a good idea of whatyou can expect when you go to take them Knowing what to expect in regard

to the exam procedures and format will remove that uncertainty from you,which can weigh on your mind Read through the procedures here; then youwill be able to focus on the exam facts, which will help you breeze throughthe exam

Hopefully, this chapter will remove some of that normal fear of the unknownyou may experience by giving you information about the actual test-takingprocess It also helps you develop good test-taking skills

CompTIA A+ Certification and Why You Need It

What is the benefit of the CompTIA A+ Certification? It is proof to whomeveryou meet that you know and have validated the hardware and softwareknowledge that is necessary to support the troubleshooting and repair ofcomputers The CompTIA A+ Certification can be presented to employersand clients alike as proof of competency and skill in this area This certifica-tion never expires

CompTIA is a 22-year-old company that is focused on providing research,networking and partnering opportunities to its 19,000 members in 89 coun-tries In 1993, in response to the need for vendor-neutral, entry-level PC cer-tification, the company created the A+ Certification Prior to CompTIAcreating the A+ Certification, there were many places a person could gethardware and software certifications; but this was often very expensive, dif-ficult to get training, and not designed for accessibility for most people

Checking Out the Exams and Their Objectives

10

Microsoft, Novell, IBM, and other software companies offered software fications, but these were specifically focused on teaching high-level supportskills for these products, difficult for average users or support people toattain, and lacked relevance for most day-to-day work IBM, HP, Compaq,SUN, and other hardware companies offered hardware repair and mainte-nance certifications, but again, these were specifically focused on their hardware and more on the peculiarities of their own platforms, and did notalways cover the basics of configuration and maintenance CompTIAstepped in to fill the gap that a majority of users fell into, which is a hard-ware and software neutral certification that covered all of the basics that arerequired by a support person This certification can then be followed byvendor-based certifications, if desired; but the A+ Certification by itselfproves a firm grasp of the basics

certi-An A+ Certification gives employers confidence that existing employees or

new recruits have a level of knowledge that will allow them to do their jobsefficiently It also gives employers a yardstick against which recruits and

employees can be measured A+ Certification also allows clients to rest

assured that the person they hire to fix their computers has the knowledge

to do so without blowing up equipment or deleting valuable data This vides clients with peace of mind and increases repeat business In the end,with the CompTIA A+ Certification on your side, you have more opportuni-ties open to you in your career path

pro-Checking Out the Exams and Their Objectives

You have to take two exams to get your CompTIA A+ Certification You haveone required exam and one elective exam The required exam is the CompTIAA+ Essentials exam, which focuses on the terminology and concepts The elective exams are technician exams, each of which focuses on knowledgerequired to work in different IT environments The technician exams have avery similar core, with differences based on the exams’ particular focus.The revised exams for CompTIA A+ were released in 2006 You will have 90minutes to complete each exam and Table 1-1 contains the number of ques-tions and passing score for each exam CompTIA is releasing the exams as

linear format exams or standard timed exams which are taken on a computer.

After they have gathered grading statistics, they may re-release the exams asadaptive exams, which is what CompTIA has done in the past; but there are

no current plans by CompTIA to do so If the exam you take is adaptive, then

these limits will change, as adaptive exams ask a minimal number of

ques-tions (usually about 15), and then ask additional quesques-tions based on anyincorrect answers The exam adapts to your wrong answers by choosingadditional questions for you from the area where you are weaker

Book I Chapter 1

Exam Number of Questions Minimum Passing Score

The CompTIA A+ Essentials Exam

The CompTIA A+ Essentials Exam (220-601) covers the basics of computer

maintenance and support across the CompTIA A+ domains, or exam areas.

Table 1-2 provides a breakdown of the exam areas that are covered on theCompTIA A+ Essentials Exam This exam puts heavy emphasis on personalcomputer components and operating systems

Domain Percentage of Examination

1.0 Personal Computer Components 21%

2.0 Laptop and Portable Devices 11%

4.0 Printers and Scanners 9%

7.0 Safety and Environmental Issues 10%

8.0 Communication and Professionalism 5%

In addition to the CompTIA A+ Essentials Exam, you will have to take oneelective exam You can choose from these three other exams to completeyour CompTIA A+ Certification: