PC Technician Street Smarts: A Real World Guide to CompTIA A+ Skills (Paperback)

by James Pyles (Author)
Key Phrases: damaging electrical components, online port scanner, drive bay cover, Control Panel, Active Directory, Security Group (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Develop the skills you need in the real world

Hit the ground running with the street-smart training you'll find in this practical book. Using a "year in the life" approach, it gives you an inside look at the common responsibilities of PC Technicians, with key information organized around the actual day-to-day tasks, scenarios, and challenges you'll face in the field. This valuable training tool is loaded with hands-on, step-by-step exercises covering all phases of a PC Technician's job, including:

• Installing hardware and software
• Maintaining hardware and software
• Installing and upgrading operating systems and networks
• Installing and upgrading security systems

An invaluable study tool

This no-nonsense book also covers the common tasks that CompTIA expects all of its A+ certification candidates to know how to perform. So whether you're preparing for certification or seeking practical skills to break into the field, you'll find the instruction you need, including:

• Installing or replacing a power supply
• Installing or replacing a laptop hard drive
• Upgrading Windows(r) 2000 to Windows(r) XP
• Scanning for and removing viruses
• Installing printer drivers
• Troubleshooting your network

The Street Smarts series is designed to help current or aspiring IT professionals put their certification to work for them. Full of practical, real world scenarios, each book features actual tasks from the field and then offers step-by-step exercises that teach the skills necessary to complete those tasks. And because the exercises are based upon exam objectives from leading technology certifications, each Street Smarts book can be used as a lab manual for certification prep.

From the Back Cover
Develop the skills you need in the real world

Hit the ground running with the street-smart training you'll find in this practical book. Using a "year in the life" approach, it gives you an inside look at the common responsibilities of PC Technicians, with key information organized around the actual day-to-day tasks, scenarios, and challenges you'll face in the field. This valuable training tool is loaded with hands-on, step-by-step exercises covering all phases of a PC Technician's job, including:

• Installing hardware and software
• Maintaining hardware and software
• Installing and upgrading operating systems and networks
• Installing and upgrading security systems

An invaluable study tool

This no-nonsense book also covers the common tasks that CompTIA expects all of its A+ certification candidates to know how to perform. So whether you're preparing for certification or seeking practical skills to break into the field, you'll find the instruction you need, including:

• Installing or replacing a power supply
• Installing or replacing a laptop hard drive
• Upgrading Windows® 2000 to Windows® XP
• Scanning for and removing viruses
• Installing printer drivers
• Troubleshooting your network

The Street Smarts series is designed to help current or aspiring IT professionals put their certification to work for them. Full of practical, real world scenarios, each book features actual tasks from the field and then offers step-by-step exercises that teach the skills necessary to complete those tasks. And because the exercises are based upon exam objectives from leading technology certifications, each Street Smarts book can be used as a lab manual for certification prep.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Sybex (November 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470084588
• ISBN-13: 978-0470084588
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,115 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #13 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Certification Central > Exams > A+
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beginners guide to PC repair., August 28, 2007

By	Sequim PC "Making the World a Better Place On... (Sequim, WA USA) - See all my reviews

I agree with the previous reviewer, James' style is easy to follow. The book is divided up by simple tasks to harder task as you progress through the book. If you are a noob to the PC repair and upgrade workplace and want a book that will walk you through the normal day to day jobs that makes up "A day in the life of a PC Tech", then this book is right up your alley.

I don't reccomend this for people who have been working in the field and just found themselves wanting or needing the A+ certificate. It would not provide much more than a basic review and your money could be spent better on an exam cram or fast pass guide.

Good luck on the Exam!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For hands-on labs for the A+ exam, get this book!, August 9, 2007

By	Michael D. Aldridge "BosonMichael" (Spring Hill, TN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you need some hands-on practice for the A+ exams, you really ought to invest a little in your career and buy this book. After all, most of us learn by doing... and in my opinion, there are no better hands-on practice scenarios than the labs included in this book. The step-by-step directions for each lab are clear, and Pyles' writing style is interesting and easy to understand. The book is also filled with helpful notes, tips, and warnings, many of which are critical for you to know for the A+ exams.

In short, I highly recommend this book to anyone studying for the A+ certification. Not only will it help you pass the exams, but more importantly, it will also make you a much better tech.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Practical Guide On The Basics, August 15, 2008

By	M. Garcia (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Giving this book a bad review also shows how you can encounter or work with technically ignorant "professionals" that can't replace a sound card, swap-out memory or re-install windows, because they dwell on theory and attend technical seminars just to hear people talk. This guide is actually a step-by-step hands-on learning, real world scenarios, teaching Tech Support Specialist how to actually perform those tasks that arises frequently on the job, common responsibilities of a PC Technician, based upon exam objectives.

This book is merely saying that you can use it as a Lab Manual for certification prep, along side another resources, therefore, is not the go to source for passing the A+ CompTia Test alone, I've been an A+ Technician for 7 years now, and worked with individuals with all kinds of certifications that couldn't handle the most basic of tasks on the job.

The IT Field is littered with Know-it-all types, instead, this is the very beginning point and should be recommended to better understand more advance systems and technologies down the road.

If you're studying for the test, add this to your resources of learning, you won't be disappointed and soon you too will start noticing individuals that negatively review the basics but can't replace a Hardrive, Troubleshoot a Network, Install a Printer or Add User accounts to a Windows Server Domain, among other tasks.

Hope This Review Helps You, Good Luck