hello and a question!

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Hello peeps,
new to the forum, looks really helpfull so far and have a few questions..


At the moment i am learning A+ and only started about 2 months ago and only a little bit into the course, i think it should take about a year to do, is it worthwhile still to learn when 09 is out in june time?

Can you do the 2 exams, one at 06 and other at 09? or both at the same?

and a question about content now, you will probarly get a few in the next year hehe.
is Addressable RAM and Branch Prediction linked?

 

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Hi Robin and welcome to CF, in terms of your questions quite certain it can be done but if in doubt check on Comptia's web site. Cheerio

 

you can take the exams whenever you want BUT they must be of the same version.

the 2006 version of the A+ changes soon (after summer) to the new one 2009 version so both exams must be the same version.

There will be some overlap between the 2006 and 2009 version but not sure for how long.

 

Branch prediction is when the CPU tries to predetermine what you are going to use next. It's like if you open Micro$oft Word, the CPU will use branch prediction to determine that you are wanting a new file opened, so it is going to be standing by to do that. This isn't exactly how it works but it illustrates the process I think.

 

It isn't so much guessing the user interaction, it is predicting the next instruction.

Source..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_prediction

 

Bluerinse is correct, I was just shooting for a decent way to explain in dumbed down terms.

 

Branch prediction:
Computer programs are full of choices, just like real life.
For example: IF Tomorrow=DayOff (HaveBeer) ELSE (QuietNightIn)
Branch prediction tries guess whether to fetch the instructions for the HaveBeer branch or the QuietNightIn branch.
Say you get home on a Thursday night, while you're executing the
TakeOffJacket;
KissWifeAndKids;
MoanAboutBoss;
instructions the CPU has a quick look ahead, sees there's a choice to be made depending on what day tomorrow is and thinks "Tomorrow's Friday, I'd better tell the RAM to give me the QuietNightIn instructions".
Normally that's fine, but if you happen to have the Friday off you've got to wait a little bit longer for your beer while the CPU goes "D'oh! Quick RAM, send me the HaveBeer instructions. Day off tomorrow. Whoopee!"

Addressable RAM:
All RAM that your computer can use is addressable, it couldn't work otherwise. I could put 8GB of RAM in my computer but I would only have 4GB of addressable RAM because my mobo doesn't know how to access any more.

 

Whilst I'm not saying it wouldn't be handy to know facts like that, I think that sort of knowledge is above the A+ Certification.

You're not, by any chance, using the A+ For Dummies book are you? The majority of the stuff in there has little or no relevance to the 2006 objectives.

 

Yes, this type of higher end knowledge is most likely not going to be covered on the test. But it never hurts to have MORE knowledge.

 

Although I agree branch prediction is outwith the scope of the A+ knowing how RAM works certainly isn't.
Anyway, the OP asked nicely and, as Pheonicks said, there's no harm in having more knowledge.
It's also much harder to unlearn something wrong than learn it right the first time.

 

Thank you for all the replys, been helpful. What i probarly do is just keep plugging along and learn as much as i can and if i dont have time to finish the 06 one, i can have a bit of a headstart on the 09 one, thanks again.