Introduction -- Technician Essentials And PC Anatomy: -- Essential parts of any computer -- Front and rear views of a desktop PC -- All around a notebook (laptop) computer -- Quick reference to PC components -- Hardware, software, and firmware -- Hardware -- Software -- Firmware -- Why hardware, software, and firmware are important to understand -- Points of failure -- Points of failure on a desktop computer -- Points of failure on a notebook computer -- CompTIA six-step troubleshooting process -- PC tools -- Basic tools for assembly/disassembly of computers -- ESD protection -- System and electrical testing tools -- Network installation and configuration tools -- Printer maintenance tools -- Important websites -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on labs -- Lab 1-1: Determine the external equipment available on a desktop or laptop computer -- Lab 1-2: Determine the tool(s) to use for performing specified service on a PC -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on labs -- Lab1-1: Determine the external equipment available on a desktop or laptop computer -- Lab 1-2: Determine the tool(s) to use for performing specified service on a PC -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- Motherboards And Processors: -- Motherboards and their components -- Form factors -- Integrated I/O ports -- Memory slots -- Expansion slots -- Chipset components -- Jumpers and jumper blocks -- Fan connectors -- Audio connectors -- Front-panel connectors -- Installing motherboards -- Step-by-step motherboard removal -- Preparing the motherboard for installation -- Step-by-step motherboard installation -- Troubleshooting motherboards -- Unexpected shutdowns -- Continuous reboots (power supply and BSOD problems) -- BIOS time and settings resets -- System lockups -- POST code beeps at startup -- Blank screen on bootup -- Smoke or burning smells -- System will not start -- Processors and CPUs -- Overview of processor differences -- Intel processors -- AMD processors -- CPU technologies -- Hyperthreading (HT technology) -- Multicore -- Cache -- Bus speeds -- Overclocking -- 32-bit versus 64-bit architecture -- Virualization support -- Integrated GPU -- CPU cooling -- Passive and active heat sinks -- Liquid cooling systems -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on lab -- Lab 2-1: Determine available USB ports, locations, and types -- Lab 2-2: Determine smallest form factor suitable for a new PC -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on lab -- Lab 2-1: Determine available USB ports, locations, and types -- Lab 2-2: Determine smallest form factor suitable for a new PC -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- BIOS: -- Understanding BIOS, CMOS, and firmware -- Configuring the system BIOS -- Accessing the BIOS setup program -- UEFI and traditional BIOS -- BIOS settings overview -- Automatic configuration of BIOS/CMOS settings -- Main menu -- Standard features/setting -- System information -- Boot settings and boot sequence -- Integrated ports and peripherals -- Power management -- PnP/PCI configurations -- Hardware monitor -- Processor and memory configuration -- Virualization support -- Security features -- Exiting the BIOS and saving/discarding changes -- Power-on self test (POST) and error reporting -- Beep codes -- POST error messages -- POST hex codes -- BIOS updates -- Flash BIOS update -- BIOS chip replacement -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on labs -- Lab 3-1: Disable onboard audio -- Lab: 3-2: Check fan and voltage levels -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hand-on labs -- Lab 3-1: Disable onboard audio -- Lab 3-2: Check fan and voltage levels -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- Power Supplies And System Cooling: -- Power supplies -- Power supply ratings -- Multivoltage power supplies -- Power supply form factors and connectors -- Removing and replacing the power supply -- Troubleshooting power supplies -- Overloaded power supplies-symptoms and solutions -- Loud noises from the power supply -- Finding solutions to a "dead" system -- Overheating -- Fans turn but system doesn't start -- Testing power supplies and other devices with a multimeter -- Avoiding power supply hazards -- Power protection types -- Surge suppressors -- Battery backup units (UPS and SPS) -- Buying the correct-sized battery backup system -- Power-conditioning devices -- System cooling -- Northbridge and Southbridge chips and voltage regulators -- Video card cooling -- Case fans -- Thermal compound -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on lab -- Lab 4-1: Check power supply voltages -- Lab 4-2: Check for airflow problems inside the system -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on lab -- Lab 4-1: Check power supply voltages -- Lab 4-2: Check for airflow problems inside the system -- Answers and explanations to review questions --
RAM: -- RAM basics -- Memory modules -- DRAM -- SRAM -- SDRAM -- DDR SDRAM -- DDR2 SDRAM -- DDR3 SDRAM -- Rambus -- Operational characteristics -- Comparison of memory modules -- Memory module width -- Parity and non-parity memory -- ECC and Non-ECC memory -- Registered and unbuffered memory -- Single-sided and double-sided memory -- Installing memory modules -- Troubleshooting memory -- Verifying RAM compatibility -- Overclocking can lead to system instability -- Use caution when mismatching RAM speeds -- Parity error-system halted message -- RAM-sizing errors at bootup -- Determining whether cache RAM is the source of a memory problem -- Other methods for RAM testing -- Preventative maintenance for memory -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on labs -- Lab 5-1: Select and install the correct RAM -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on labs -- Lab 5-1: Select and install the correct RAM -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- I/O And Input Ports And Devices: -- Introduction to I/O ports -- USB -- USB port types, speeds, and technical details -- Adding USB ports -- Troubleshooting USB ports and devices -- IEEE-1394 (firewire) -- IEE 1394 ports and cables -- IEEE 1394-compatible devices -- Installing and IEEE 1374 card -- Troubleshooting IEEE 1394 ports and devices -- SCSI -- Multiple device support with SCSI host adapters -- Jumper block and DIP switch settings for device IDs -- SCSI standards -- SCSI cables -- SCSI signaling types -- Daisy-chaining SCSI devices -- SCSI host adapter card installation -- SCSI daisy-chain maximum length -- SCSI termination methods -- COM (serial) -- Serial port pinouts -- Types of serial cables -- How to configure or disable serial ports -- Serial port software configuration -- Adding additional serial ports -- Troubleshooting serial ports and devices -- LPT (parallel) -- Parallel port configuration -- Types of parallel cables -- How to configure or disable parallel ports -- Adding parallel ports -- Troubleshooting parallel (LPT) ports, devices, and switchboxes -- Testing parallel and serial ports -- PS/2 mouse and keyboard -- Audio -- Analog audio mini-jacks -- SPDIF digital audio -- Mouse -- Mouse hardware resource use -- Troubleshooting mice and pointing devices -- Maintaining mice and pointing devices -- Keyboard -- Troubleshooting keyboards -- Maintaining keyboards -- Bar code reader -- Touch screen -- Touch screen interfacing to the computer -- Installing a touch screen -- Troubleshooting a touch screen -- KVM switch -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on lab -- Lab 6-1: Check USB device power usage -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on lab -- Lab 6-1: Check USB device power usage -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- Video Displays And Video Cards: -- Video card types -- Video card cooling -- Display types -- CRT monitor -- LCD monitor -- LED monitor -- Plasma -- Data projector -- OLED -- Installing a video card -- BIOS configuration -- Video card physical and driver installation -- Video connector types -- VGA -- DVI -- HDMI -- DisplayPort -- Component/RGB -- S-video -- Composite -- Installing a monitor -- Video display settings -- Resolution -- Color quality (color depth) -- Refresh rates -- Troubleshooting displays and video cards -- Troubleshooting picture quality problems with OSD -- Using advanced display properties for troubleshooting -- Troubleshooting video hardware -- Preventative maintenance for displays -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on labs -- Lab 7-1: Select the appropriate video connectors -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on labs -- Lab 7-1: Select the appropriate video connectors -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- Customized PCs And Multimedia Devices: -- Customized PC configurations -- Graphic/CAD/CAM design workstation -- Audio/video editing workstation -- Virualization workstation -- Gaming PC -- Home theater PC -- Standard thick client -- Thin client -- Home server PC -- Evaluating onboard components -- General system information -- Processor information and hardware-assisted virtualization readiness -- Installing and configuring multimedia devices -- Webcams -- Digital cameras -- Sound cards -- Installing a MIDI enabled device -- Microphone -- Video capture and TV tuner cards -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists form memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on labs -- Lab 8-1: Evaluate a computer's suitability for various tasks -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on labs -- Lab 8-1: Evaluate a computer's suitability for various tasks -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- Laptop And Notebook Computers: -- Laptop expansion options -- PCMCIA (PC card, cardbus) -- Express Card -- Memory -- Connecting USB drives to your laptop -- Flash memory cards -- Best practices for laptop disassembly -- Hardware device replacement -- Removing and replacing the battery -- Replacing a laptop keyboard or pointing device -- Replacing speakers -- Replacing a laptop hard drive -- Performing a memory upgrade -- Replacing an optical drive -- Removing a wireless card (mini-PCI or mini-PCIe) -- Replacing the screen -- Replacing the fan, heat sink, and CPU -- Laptop displays -- LCD displays -- LED displays -- OLED displays -- Plasma displays -- Display resolutions and viewing quality considerations -- Inverter and backlight components -- Wi-Fi antenna components -- Laptop features -- Special laptop function keys -- Working with dual displays -- Working with port replicators and docking stations -- Physically securing a laptop computer -- Troubleshooting laptop problems -- Troubleshooting display problems -- Power problems -- Keyboard problems -- Network problems -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on lab -- Lab 9-1: Locate laptop hard drive and memory -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on lab -- Lab 9-1: Locate laptop hard drive and memory -- Answers and explanations to review questions --
Mobile Devices: -- Mobile device hardware -- Examples of mobile device hardware -- Differences between tablets and laptops -- Tablet and laptop similarities -- Upgrading and replacing the memory card and the battery in a smartphone -- Hardware wrap-up -- Mobile hardware wrap-up -- Mobile operating systems -- Android versus iOS -- Where and how to get applications -- Adjusting the display -- GPs and geotracking -- Mobile OS wrap-up -- Mobile network connectivity -- GSM cellular connectivity -- Wi-Fi network connectivity -- Wi-Fi troubleshooting -- Bluetooth configuration -- Email configurations -- Mobile network connectivity wrap-up -- Mobile synchronization -- Synchronizing and android device to a PC -- Synchronizing an iPad2 to a PC -- Synchronizing other devices -- Mobile sync wrap-up -- Mobile security -- Protecting against stolen or lost devices -- Protecting against compromised or damaged devices -- Turning off applications and resets -- Security wrap-up -- Review all the key topics -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on labs -- Lab 10-1: Troubleshoot a mobile Wi-Fi connection -- Lab 10-2: Secure a mobile device -- Answer to review questions -- Answers to hands-on labs -- Lab 10-1: Troubleshoot a mobile Wi-Fi connection -- Lab 10-2: Secure a mobile device -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- Printers: -- Laser printers -- Toner cartridges -- Laser printing (EP) process -- Color laser printing differences -- Inkjet printers -- Ink cartridges -- Calibrating the printer -- Thermal printers -- Thermal print processes -- Thermal printer ribbons -- Thermal printer paper -- Impact printers -- Impact Dot Matrix print process -- Impact dot-Matrix printheads -- Impact printer ribbons -- Impact printer paper and media -- Printer installation and configuration -- Installing a printer -- Installing RAM -- Upgrading firmware -- Printer interface types -- Printer sharing in windows -- Configuring options and device settings -- Printing a test page -- Working with the print spooler -- Printer maintenance -- Laser printer maintenance -- Inkjet printer maintenance -- Thermal printer maintenance -- Impact printer maintenance -- Printer troubleshooting -- Streaks and smudges -- Faded prints -- Ghost images -- Toner not fused to paper -- Creased paper -- Paper not feeding -- Paper jam -- No connectivity -- Garbled characters on paper -- Vertical lines on a page -- Backed up print queue -- Low memory errors -- Access denied -- Printer won't print -- Color output in wrong print colors -- Unable to install printer -- Error codes -- Review all the key topics -- Define key terms -- Compete the hands-on lab -- Lab 11-1: Solve inkjet printing problems -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on lab -- Lab 11-1: Solve inkjet printing problems -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- Storage Devices: -- Drive interface types -- External and internal drive interfaces -- PATA and SATA performance characteristics -- PATA cabling, configuration, and setup -- SATA configuration and cabling -- SCSI IDs -- Hot-swappable drive interfaces -- Hard disk drives -- Performance factors for SATA and PATA hard disks -- Internal hard disk drive installation -- eSATA drives -- SSD and flash drives -- Flash memory cards -- Flash card reader -- USB flash memory drives -- SSD -- RAID -- Creating and ATA or SATA RAID array -- Optical drives -- Comparing CD, DVD, and Blu-ray drives and media -- DVD media types -- Blu-ray media types -- Drive speed ratings -- Recording files to optical discs -- Floppy drives -- Floppy drive capacities -- Floppy disk drive hardware configuration -- Maintaining floppy disks, data, and drives -- Tape drives -- Troubleshooting hard drives, SSDs, and RAID arrays -- Read/write failures -- Slow performance -- Noises coming from hard disk -- Boot failure -- Drive not recognized -- Operating system not found -- RAID not found -- RAID failure -- Disk surface and data recovery tools -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on lab -- Lab 12-1: Configure SATA ports -- Lab 12-2: Configure PATA jumper blocks -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hand-on lab -- Lab 12-1: Configure SATA ports -- Lab 12-2: Configure PATA jumper blocks -- Answers and explanations to review questions -- Installing And Upgrading Windows: -- Installing Windows -- Minimum and recommended hardware requirements -- Boot methods -- Types of installation -- Time/date/language/region settings -- Partitioning -- File system types and formatting -- Loading alternative third-party disk drivers -- Workgroup versus domain setup -- Transferring user data -- Windows easy transfer -- User state migration tool -- Updating Windows -- Using Windows update and Microsoft update -- Installing service packs manually -- Setting up recovery partitions and discs -- Review all the key topics -- Complete the tables and lists from memory -- Define key terms -- Complete hands-on lab -- Lab 13-1: Selecting installation options for Windows7 -- Answer review questions -- Answers to hands-on lab -- Lab 13-1: Selecting installation options for Windows7 -- Answers and explanations to review questions --
Using And Managing Windows:
Windows versions and editions
Windows desktop (aero, aero glass, sidebar, gadgets)
Starting a command-prompt session with CMD.EXE
Internal commands overview
Using wildcards to specify a range of files
MKDIR, CHDIR, and RMDIR 9(MD, CD, and RAD)
Computer management (MMC)
Performance monitor/system monitor
Mount points and mounting a drive
MSInfo32 (system information)
DXDiag (directX diagnostics)
Shortcuts to control panel functions
Add/remove programs (Windows XP)
Programs and features (Windows Vista/7)
Automatic updates (Windows XP)
Tablet PC settings (Windows Vista/7)
Pen and input devices (Windows Vista)
Problems reports and solutions (Windows Vista, and 7)
Action center (Windows 7)
Client-side virtualization
Host/guest virtualization
Features and benefits of virtual machines
Review all the key topics
Complete the tables and list from memory
Lab 14-1: Open and use the command prompt
Lab 14-2: Using Microsoft management console
Lab 14-1: Open and use the command prompt
Lab 14-2: Using Microsoft management console
Answers and explanations to review questions
Troubleshooting And Maintaining Windows:
STOP (blue screen of death) errors
Researching causes and solutions
BSOD and spontaneous shutdown and restart
Windows 7/Vista boot errors
Missing operating system error
Missing graphical interface
Windows diagnostic and repair tools
Using system file checker (SFC)
Using safe mode and other advanced boot options
Using Windows XP recovery console
Using automated system recovery to restore a Windows XP installation
Using Windows recovery environment
Using Windows backup for XP
Using Windows Vista's backup and restore center
Using Windows 7's backup and restore
System restore and restore points
Review all the key topics
Complete the tables and lists from memory
Lab 15-1: Check system protection settings
Lab 15-2: Using event viewer
Lab 15-3: Using device manager
Lab 15-1: Check system protection settings
Lab 15-2: Using event viewer
Lab 15-3: Using device manager
Answers to review questions
Client/server versus peer-to-peer
Internet connectivity technologies
Modems and dial-up internet connectivity
ISDN internet connectivity
Broadband internet services (DSL, cable, satellite)
LANs and internet connectivity
Cable and connector types
Wireless network standards
Building a small office/home office network
Installing network interface cards
Configuring network interface cards
Setting up shared resources
Setting up the network client
Browser installation and configuration
Multifunction network device configurations
Using network command-line tools
Network and internet troubleshooting
Can't access network resources
Significant drops in network performance
Unattended PC drops its network connection
All users lose network connection
Users can access some shared resources but not others
Can't print to a network printer
Ping and Tracert work, but user can't display web pages with browser
Overview of creating small office/home office network
Review all the key topics
Complete the tables and lists from memory
Lab 16-1: Select the appropriate type of cable
Lab 16-2: Select the appropriate IP networks
Lab 16-3: Select the network option and appropriate ports
Lab 16-4: Install an appropriate wireless network
Lab 16-1: Select the appropriate type of cable
Lab 16-2: Select the appropriate IP networks
Lab 16-3: Select the network option and appropriate ports
Lab 16-4: Install an appropriate wireless network
Answers and explanations to review questions
Secure and insecure file systems
Authentication technologies
Protection against viruses and malware
Data and physical security
Data access local security policy
Data and data remnant removal
Securing wireless networks
Access point configuration for maximum security
Access control purposes and principles
Operating system access control
Data destruction/disposal techniques
Installing, configuring, and troubleshooting security features
Wireless network configuration
Unused wireless connections
File systems (converting from FAT32 to NTFS)
Malicious software protection
Review all the key topics
Lab 17-1: Hard drive security and disposal
Lab 17-2: Secure a customer's wireless network
Lab 17-1: Hard drive security and disposal
Lab 17-2: Secure a customer's wireless network
Answers and explanations to review questions
Operational Procedures And Communications Methods:
Temperature, humidity, and air
Material safety data sheet (MSDS)
Incident response and documentation
Communication methods and professionalism
How to interact with to customers
How to treat customer's property
Review all the key topics
Complete the tables and lists from memory
Lab 18-1: Select the appropriate power protection equipment
Lab 18-1: Select the appropriate power protection equipment
Answers and explanations to review questions
Master list of key topics
Appendix A: Memory tables
Appendix B: Memory tables answer key.
