Supplementing Meyers

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Ok folks, I have amazon all unfolded and glittery with its rows of books, I've settled on the A+ All-in-one exam guide from one Mike Meyers as my main tome, now what do you lot suggest as excellent supplementary books?

The A+ Passport book looks a likely first pick, but what about, say, the Sybex A+ Complete Lab Manual? I'm building a lab comp specifically to torture/learn from so the exercises in one of those could prove very useful indeed (I'm sure I've seen one by Meyers but I'm damned if I can find it again )

Any suggestions? My wallet and poor fragile little mind are at your mercy

 

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Hi,

Just sent you a PM M8

 

You did indeed, I'm certainly considering it, looks highly useful.
I'm still very open to suggestions though

 

No Probs. Let us know.
The whole package is only in the cupboard.
I used to play them on the tely as well via my DVD player!

 

Meyers more than covers all you need. I understand your desire for more than one book however. If you really feel you need more than the Meyers book, you might want to look at the Sybex book. It is not nearly as interesting or fun to read as Meyers, but they do have it nicely set up to see what sections to read for each of CompTIA's objectives.

Good luck on the exams, and make sure you get discount vouchers for them, so you do not have to pay the full price. If you get your vouchers from GetCertified4less , you will also get some additional study materials.

 

I have to disagree slightly here, Mary - whilst Meyers covers the entire syllabus for the exam, all of us being indivduals, we may not all take in every aspect of how he conveys each area to us. I certainly could not have done the exam without supplementary reading from the net, and from Cramsessions.

I'm sure I'm not alone here - most Members post of using one main text then supplementary reading to solidify the grounding of information required.

Just my humble 2€ here ...

 

I agree with Gav.
I find that the more books you read on the subject the more you understand the topic.
It isn't that one author doesn't cover everything but more of people portray things differently.

 

Meyers was really the only book I used, but then a lot depends also on background. I had already been breaking and fixing my computer for a few years before really formally studying for the A+. I actually wrote an article on How to Fail an Exam, which sadly is no longer posted at Cramsession, since they have either removed my articles or taken my name off of them, in which I stated that using only one text was a good way to fail.

What I experienced was failing the Network+ first time I tried it after using Meyers' Network+ book, which was way too light and had not been updated when the test had been made harder.

For those who have experience, Meyers' book should suffice, but if you can afford other books, then by all means, utilize them. I was just considering the fact that Dark Designs is on a limited budget.

I picked up a lot of info by hanging out at places like this that you will not get in a book, but reading real world problems and solutions is a great way to suppliment book learning. Also hands on really is a great help for A+.

 

The tech school I went to started using the the all in 1 with the passport books for the computer part of the class. Of course they follow along in the book and did all hands on. It was enough for them to pass the exam. But I can't stress the hands on part enough. I think if you get these 2 books with stuff you can find online for free you will be fine. Don't forget to download the objectives from comptia. If the books you have don't cover a certain subject deep enough for you google it and get your free information from there.

 

Right, thanks everyone, I will answer properly when I've been asleep
It's a little bit late at the sec and I'd much rather give considered suggestions a considered answer than a slightly frazzled one...

I could just wait till then to post but didn't want to leave the thread sat there for too long, seemed rather rude
cheers all,
Nick

 

And for some supplimental reading, I found this page of well known port numbers, number 0 through 65,000-ish.


See also RFC 1700.

 

Gah! I am so, so sorry, I completely fell behind on this

Ok, sorry Boyce, kind offer but my cash has gone on the Meyers books and new kit to fiddle with, good books and hands on work seem to be the best way forward.
I will be hanging around here for tips and info, certainly, as well as backing up my study with frequent raids elsewhere on the weird and wonderful intarweb for more information.

I'll also be nudging my local comp shops to see if anyone wants an eager teaboy/comp monkey when I'm more confident, if I score there it adds up to a truckload of hands on experience alongside fully kitted out techs.

Thanks for the help and suggestions, and sorry again for being enough of a goober to forget to come back here ><;;