Is this for real...?

Discussion in 'A+' started by Gav, Aug 20, 2008.

  1. Gav

    Gav Kilobyte Poster

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    Hello All!

    I'm wondering if someone can help me out here. I'm meant to be sitting the A+ Essentials exam on Friday. Somebody just bought me the 'A+ Certification for Dummies' book. Ah, that's nice. I have been preparing for the exam by looking at the objectives, and making sure I have a thorough knowledge of each topic. Due to various reasons, I've actually had very little time to revise for this exam (I booked it, hoping to do a month of non-stop cramming). I know this isn't particularly smart, but I figured I had a pretty good knowledge, and a heck of a lot of experience about the topics the exam covered.

    However, looking through this book, there seems to be a lot of 'surprising' topics. Is it really necessary for the A+ Essentials exam to know things like how many instruction pipelines a pentium pro has (hello, wrong century?!)? or to know the exact specifications of every bus architecture going as far back as ISA?

    Could somebody shed some light on what is actually in the A+ exam, and how much of this information I don't actually need to know?

    Thanks in advance,

    Gav
     
  2. Kitkatninja
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    Kitkatninja aka me, myself & I Moderator

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    That book you got, have you checked which version of the A+ it's actually for?

    -ken
     
    Certifications: MSc, PGDip, PGCert, BSc, HNC, LCGI, MBCS CITP, MCP, MCSA, MCSE, MCE, A+, N+, S+, Server+
    WIP: MSc Cyber Security
  3. Toasty

    Toasty Byte Poster

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    We have one company which has a server running Windows server 2000 in a work group as they also have 6 pc's running Windows 98.

    Try telling them (hello, wrong century?!) we have one of their computers on the work bench now trying to bring life back into it with parts from another old computer they had. They will do anything not to spend money on new pc's.
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+, MCDST, MCSA
    WIP: MCSE, CCNA
  4. Gav

    Gav Kilobyte Poster

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    wagnerk, it's meant to be for the 2006 revision.

    Toasty, I see what you're saying, but still, is it necessary to know that sort of information for the exam?

    Thanks :)
     
  5. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Mmm... I've heard bad things about the A+ for Dummies book. Had a co-worker use it for the old version (2003) of the exam, and she failed... twice. Scared her so much that she didn't try again. When I met her, I told her she should go after it again... this time, after studying the A+ All-in-One Exam Guide by Meyers. Encouraged, she did... and passed! I asked her if it was because of the book, and she said that it made ALL the difference in the world.

    Therefore, I'd recommend that you invest in your IT career and purchase the A+ All-in-One Exam Guide Sixth Edition. It's worth every penny.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  6. Gav

    Gav Kilobyte Poster

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    I just borrowed the Sybex CD from a friend, and I got 80% in both the mock exams. I think I'll scrap this book, and stick to the Sybex one. Unless the Sybex tests are too easy, I think the For Dummies one has been giving me a LOT of useless information that I don't need.

    Also Michael, your list of certifications looks very nice, I must say!!
     
  7. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Thank you, but it is a "necessary hazard" of my current job. Although my last job was as a senior network admin, I currently develop practice exam content for IT certifications. :)
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  8. Markyboyt

    Markyboyt Kilobyte Poster

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    Were you going to just take it with no books then? or did you already have the Sybex book?
    I know for me personally I dont want to take it until I am happy with the vast majority of the AIO book, because it would just be a waste of my time, money and effort to take it not fully prepared.

    I think you maybe want to study a bit more until your hitting pass rates over the 90% mark to give yourself the best chance
     
    WIP: A+
  9. Gav

    Gav Kilobyte Poster

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    Bit of a bump here, but I thought I'd update the thread.

    In the end, I canceled the exam, and studied for another two or three weeks with the Sybex book, and I've been getting 90-95% on average in various different Mock Exams.

    Admittedly, I did jump the gun a bit by booking the exam before doing any proper studying for it and judging the entire exam just by looking at the objectives. The reasoning was, if I'd booked the exam, I'd have an inventive to study :p

    Anyway, I figure I'm pretty much up to A+ standard now, I've just yet to sit the exam. It's been a busy couple of weeks, so let's just hope I don't forget everything by the time I do go to sit it! :biggrin

    Gav
     
  10. Stuka

    Stuka Nibble Poster

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    Gav, I've got my exam this friday, and to be honest, I'm starting to wonder if I've jumped in head first and booked it too early. I've been revising for a couple of months now, plus I've been an IT tech for nearly 2 years now, so my current knowledge should help me.

    I came to the conclusion the other day that its virtually impossible to remember everything for the A+ exams. I think I've got to the stage where I'm that sick of staring at my A+ book, I'm just going to swallow my pride and hope for the best when I sit the exam.
     
    Certifications: IT 2:1 Degree, A+, N+, MCDST
    WIP: MCITP
  11. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    don't do what I did and over study, I read the Mike Meyers book 3 times and burnt myself out, I only just passed the 601 but aced the 602. If your doing well in practice exams then you should be ok.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  12. Stuka

    Stuka Nibble Poster

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    Yeah, thats partly my problem, greenbrucelee, I over study due to fear of forgetting stuff I've learnt. I'm a persistant git and I more or less become obsessed with studying whenever I do a course like this. That said, I still have a life, lol.

    I've been doing 50-80 question mock exams, getting roughly 85% - 92% each time.

    Mind you, I don't think I could bring myself to read a hefty book 3 times over, lol.
     
    Certifications: IT 2:1 Degree, A+, N+, MCDST
    WIP: MCITP
  13. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    what practice exams are you using?
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  14. Stuka

    Stuka Nibble Poster

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    Just freebies on the net mate. Stuff like Proprofs and I found a couple of Cybex ones somewhere. I also found a big pdf document with about 100 questions in it.
     
    Certifications: IT 2:1 Degree, A+, N+, MCDST
    WIP: MCITP
  15. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    not all free ones are legit like proprofs, some of them can be braindumps use the certguard website to verify their status).

    I would suggest purchasing some up to date proper practices exams from Transcender or preplogic and Boson although I don't think Bosons are available yet. They are expensive but they will guage your knowledge better. Also use the ones on the CD that comes with the Mike Meyers AIO.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  16. Fanatical

    Fanatical Byte Poster

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    I'd just like to say in all the exams I've taken (A+ and MCDST) I have only ever gotten over 80% about 3 times on my practice questions and yet I aced almost all of them (apart from the A+ 602 but there you go!). Practice exams are a guideline of how well your are NOT the be all and end all of your ability to pass an exam.

    However Meyers All-in-One is he best tool I used to pass the A+ as long as you study the bits I tells you are for the examsd and read the "other2 bits just to broaden your knowledge.
     
    Certifications: A+, MCDST
    WIP: MCITP: SA
  17. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    The A+ Essentials exam is available, and the A+ IT Tech one is written and currently being edited.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!

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