Covers full all the new exam objectives and items in the following areas: Windows 98, Windows 2000 Windows NT, version 4.0, and Linux - baseline information. Contains a complete practice test in the book with answers and explanations, in addition to the practice exams on the CD-ROM. Features an exclusive Self-Assessment section that will help the reader evaluate their knowledge base against the requirements for A+ certification under both ideal and real circumstances. Includes practice exams that are created specifically to cover the new A+ exam scheduled to launch in December 2000.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
If you're looking for a book that really gets you in-depth technical info--and not just the surface scum that passes for "tech" you'll find in most other guides--the A+ Exam Prep is an excellent place to start.
You see, previous editions of the A+ Exam Prep were utterly packed to the brim with technological wizardry that you wouldn't find anywhere else--but that was their downfall. They were packed with so much technology that you couldn't separate the testable gold from the "nice to know, but CompTIA doesn't care" chaff--resulting in a book that was a fine reference but not at all useful for those taking the test. But Coriolis has put a hard day's work into this edition, rearranging everything so that the testable facts stand out like the guys with the glowing sticks at the end of the runway, waving you on to a passing grade, yet still handing out many of the advanced facts that will ultimately help you in your techie career.
The book is written in a journeyman's style: it's readable and it gets the points across nicely, but it's nothing to write home about. Concepts are explained adequately and the evolution of the various PC advances are detailed with enough care that the reader should be able to get it--but unfortunately, the book is very light on illustrations and charts. The illustrations it does include tend to be simple line drawings and not photographs, which may ultimately hurt book-learning techies, who can read all about AGP cards in this tome without ever seeing what an actual card looks like. A few more charts would be nice to clarify the many lists of numbers and computer parts that make up the more tedious sections of A+ preparation.
The real strength of the book, though, is its depth of format, going beyond the pale to cover never-tested topics like the pinouts for DTE connectors and the topologies of uninterruptible power supplies; very few topics on the A+ aren't covered in solid depth. What is left out seems odd, however: the section on hard drives, for example, seems sparse when it comes to methods of interleaving and sector translations, both of which have been known to pop up once in awhile on previous versions of the A+. The A+ Exam Prep has some nice sections to make up for such strange losses, however, including troubleshooting flow charts and--a very handy feature--suggested real-world projects that the test-taker can do to prepare both for the exam and for real-world issues.
Each chapter ends with a set of twenty review questions, which are fairly simple and not anywhere near what you can expect to see on the exam ("What type of printer can print on multipart forms?"). And the answers to the questions, sadly, aren't up to the quality of Coriolis's Exam Crams, where they not only give the correct answers but also explain why the other answers were wrong. If you're the sort who prepares by obsessing over reams of sample questions, you may need a supplement.
In short, this weighty tome is a solid reference that will help you prepare for the exam, but it will also come in handy long after the exams are over. A solid value. --William A. Steinmetz
About the Author
Scott Reeves (Gettysburg, PA) is a CNE, MCNE, MCP, and Compaq Accredited Systems Engineer. He is currently the Vice President of operations at MicroAge Computer Centers in York, PA. Kalinda Reeves (Gettysburg, PA) has 13 years experience in research, technical, and engineering writing. She has written over 53 manuals on equipment such as tandem and single systems and circuit boards, as well as documentation for government and military communications systems.
Steve Weese is an instructor and consultant for Enterprise Technology Group, Inc. based out of Vienna, VA. He is now certified to instruct over a dozen courses including those in the areas of Windows NT, Windows 2000, Visual Basic, and Web Technology.
Christopher S. Geyer (Reston, VA) owns a consulting firm that specializes in Internet application development. Chris has started two Internet companies and has been instrumental in developing the Internet presence of a third, positioning it for sale to a larger company. Prior to developing Internet applications, Chris was a computer instructor in the hardware installation and configuration and networking disciplines.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Is this a joke?,
By A Customer
This review is from: A+ Exam Prep, Third Edition (Exam: 220-201, 220-202) (Hardcover)
This book doesn't even get close to being complete or useful. First off it is for the new A+ exams, the Core Hardware Exam 220-201 and the Operating Systems Technologies exam 220-202. It is NOT for the Core Exam or the Windows/DOS exams as the editorial review states, those are the old exams and are being retired March 31. Nor does this book cover Windows 3.1 in any detail as another reviewer states, that OS is no longer part of the A+ exams. There is an older book with the exact same title as this book (written by Andrews) and the comments by other reviewers appear to be for that book. This 3rd edition of Reeves et al. A+ Exam Prep is little more than the old book with a few sections dropped and a few paragraphs added to cover some new material. There are new sections covering Windows 2000 but in general the book appears to have been written without any knowledge of what the new exams would cover. The new exams are much harder than the old and this book takes a very superficial approach and does not provide the detail that you will need to know to pass the exam. To make matters worse, the practice exams on the CD ROM that comes with this book appear to be for the old exam, they in no way prepare you for the type of questions you will see on the new exams. I ordered some more of these books for my next class but I will return them. They will in no way help me prepare my students for the exams.
19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Coriolis gets better everytime.,
By Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: A+ Exam Prep, Third Edition (Exam: 220-201, 220-202) (Hardcover)
When I read the A+ Exam Prep 2nd edition from Coriolis I knew they were serious about making sure you have the need information to pass the exams. Now with the 3rd edition, which is updated for the newest exams, Coriolis is once again taking the lead in the certifications and you are the ones reaping the benefits.The 840 plus page book starts off by putting the exam objective in the very front of the book, making sure you know what is ahead of you. The authors take every opportunity to give you more than enough information to pass both exams on the first try. The first part of the book is the coverage of the Core Hardware, which includes topics like Safety, system boards, CPUs, memory, PC Busses, storage systems, peripherals, printers including the laser printer process, networking hardware and troubleshooting. The second part, Operating Systems Technologies, goes over the boot sequence, DOS, Windows 3.X, Windows 9.X, NT Workstation, 2000 Professional, installation and configuration, file management, memory management, networking and troubleshooting.
There are review questions and projects with each chapter, a sample test for both Core Hardware and Operating Systems and all answers are included in the book. Also included is a cd-rom with over 150 questions in several testing formats.
Overall an excellent value for the money and once again Coriolis is the name in the certification world.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The only book you will need for A+,
By A Customer
This review is from: A+ Exam Prep, Third Edition (Exam: 220-201, 220-202) (Hardcover)
This book doesn't waste any time covering items not on the A+ exam like alot of other resources. I et you could pass the A+ exam with zero PC experience and just this book. If your going to be taking the A+ exam soon, don't listen to any of the hype and just buy this excellent resource now. many thanx to the Coriolis group for putting out a book that focuses on PASSING THE EXAM and not learning a bunch of useless facts, or tips and tricks, that are nowhere on the real test.
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