Final Study Guide A+

The final will consist of benchmarks (things you must perform and/or identity) and a final test. The benchmarks are 50% of the final. The final test is 40% of the final. The written material is 10% of the final. All parts of the final must be completed to receive a score above incomplete (50%) on the final. In other words, if you blow off the written portion, you will fail the final even if you can do everything else.

The final is based on the requirements for the A+ Essentials Test, the first test of the A+ Certification.

The final is 60% of your semester grade. If you get a 90% on the final and have a 60% going into the final you would end up with approximately a B for the semester. Alternately, doing poorly on the final can take a grade right down. This is an opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned this semester. No late finals are accepted, so if your school doesn’t send a bus you need to make alternative arrangements.

Students who receive a B or above on their semester grade are eligible for 10 college credits through Everett Community College.

You may use ONE 8.5 x 11 page of HAND WRITTEN notes that you create. You may not share these notes, nor may you get notes from another student. Nothing may be printed out.

1. Label a motherboard
1. CPU
2. RAM
3. PCI
4. ISA
5. VESA
6. Speaker
7. Heatsink/cooling system
8. Northbridge
9. Southbridge
10. USB headers
11. FDD connector
12. HDD connector
13. PSU
2. Get the following cables and label them
1. SCSI
2. IDE
3. Floppy
4. Parallel
5. Serial
6. USB
7. Firewire
8. CAT5 cable
9. Molex connector
10. P8
11. Floppy connector (on power supply)
3. Label the back of a computer
1. USB
2. Parallel
3. Serial
4. VGA
5. Mini DIN
6. RJ45
7. Sound port
8. Joystick port
9. RS232
4. Be able to perform the following in DOS
1. Create folders and files
2. Move files
3. Show directory trees
4. Show directories
5. Move throughout a directory tree
6. Show memory available
7. Show file and folder attributes
8. Change file and folder attributes
9. Create a boot floppy with a DOS command

On your lab workstations be able to do the following OS tasks

Use task manager to identify amount of RAM being used

Use task manager to monitor network performance

Use disk management to run drive utilities

Create an emergency repair disk for each OS

Install Virtual PC and three OSes

Create a differencing disk

Install Office 2003

Install virus protection with updates

Install spyware/malware protection with updates

Install sound, video, and network card drivers

Download a disk recovery tool and demonstrate use

Download a diagnostic tool and demonstrate use

Demonstrate installing a driver on Windows NT

Demonstrate installing a driver on Windows 9x

Run Windows Update in each OS

Be able to do the following hardware tasks

Demonstrate proper grounding techniques

Identify all parts of a motherboard (see form)

Identify cables

Identify ports on the back of a computer

Install a second hard drive in your computer and show both

Demonstrate testing a power supply with a PSU tester

Describe the differences between upgrading SIMMs and DIMMs

Using MSConfig, show how to startup in diagnostic mode

Install a printer and print a test page

Create a folder and put two documents thing1 and thing2 in it. Back up that folder using NTBackup

Delete Thing2 and then using NTBackup and your backup file, restore Thing2.

Using device manager, identify system resources assigned to a specific piece of hardware.

Enter the BIOS and follow a list of verbal instructions

I will create a hardware problem (or five) on your computer. You must troubleshoot the problem and return the computer to working order.

Present me with a perfectly working, professionally built computer.

Test part:

Your computer test will consist of 100 problems based on the material from the unit. Take practice tests online and be ready to go! It will cover up to the hard drive unit.