A+ advice

Discussion in 'A+' started by jasper, Jul 9, 2008.

  1. jasper

    jasper New Member

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    Hi

    I am new to this forum. I have recently brought the sixth edition Mike Meyers book to help me pass the A+ qualification.

    Has anyone passed the A+ by just useing the information from the book or is it better to do a course. I have a basic understanding of computers. I have build and repaired a couple of PCs and am quite good at the networking side of computers but still have allot to learn. Also how long does it take before you are prepared for the exams. I am hopeing to read the book a couple of times over the next three months then take both exams.

    I would also like to know if any one has any experiance with the learnkey video training by Mike Meyers. It sounds like a good way to learn to me. I have seen one of the demos and am quite impressed with the content.

    Thanks

    Jeremy
     
  2. videoman

    videoman Bit Poster

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    Hi Jeremy and welcome to the forum. I am just in the process of ordering the Mike Meyers book to start my A+ studies but I will be going down the self study route.
     
    Certifications: ECDL
    WIP: A+
  3. greenbrucelee
    Highly Decorated Member Award

    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    You will find quite a lot of people just used the books on here with practicing the methods themselves (i.e building computers, doing upgrades). There is absolutely no need in a course.

    I haven't any experience in the learnkey videos, the books were enough for me. The best books to get are compTIA A+ all in one exam guide by Mike Meyers and PC Technician street smarts by James Pyles.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  4. Gingerdave

    Gingerdave Megabyte Poster

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    I found the Mike Meyers book to be the base of my studies as the one I got through my training provider was utter rubbish. As GBL said mix that with some practicals of your own, see if you can get a cheap machine from somewhere and try and break it in imaginitive ways and then fix it.

    Good luck with the exam.
     
    Certifications: A+,MCP, MCDST, VCP5 /VCP-DV 5, MCTS AD+ Net Inf 2008, MCSA 2008
    WIP: MCSA 2012
  5. postman

    postman Byte Poster

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    Just give it to my wife and she'll break any computer in record time and then stare blankly whenever I ask what she's done.:rolleyes: but at least now I've a lot more understanding on how to troubleshoot some problems (but not all of them yet) and it's mostly from Mike Meyers book.
     
    WIP: A+
  6. del_port

    del_port Byte Poster

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    the A+ only gives you enough advice to solve a few computer problems,i think without repair experience it's okay having the certificate but not much use in the real world.
    Say you are employed straight away after passing your A+ ,but have done next to nothing in terms of gaining your own experience,do you then start practicing in your employers time?giving out bad advice some days,and good advice on other days,it would be an experimental phase.
    I think you will have a tough time answering 300 or more helpline questions every week without any proper experience.
    And an even tougher time as a technician doing all the repairs yourself in a workshop when they barely teach how to assemble a pc in the A+ .
    A+ effectively focusses on getting the customer to give you enough clues to fix the computer themselves.
    I'd say put in plenty of practice to go along with the certificate,even a few years.
    Mistakes caused by inexperience can cost money,if you look at a problem,and the motherboard is the only faulty hardware and you buy a new video card,new memory or a new hard drive to try and solve it then realise that you needn't have bought any of the three items and a motherboard is what you should have bought, who then pays for all the extra hardware?
    That is the point i'm trying to get at,someone doing just the A+ by itself may have wasted money and time in that scenario,someone with experience would be less likely to make that mistake.
     
    Certifications: A+ and MCDST 70-271
    WIP: mcdst 272
  7. greenbrucelee
    Highly Decorated Member Award

    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    I agree with del-port but if you go with a company that gives you good training then there shouldn't be an issue.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  8. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    You can learn everything on your own... no need to get an expensive course. :)

    Welcome!
     
    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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