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PC Support - COMPTia A+ Certification Prep


 

Semester 1

Week 1  Week 2  Week 3   Week 4  Week 5  Week 6  Week 7   Week 8   Week 9   Week 10  

Semester 2

Week 1 11/1 Week 2 11/8 Week 3 11/15 Week 4  11/22 Week 5 11/29 Week 6  12/6 Week 7  12/13 Week 8  1/3 Week 9 1/10 Week 10 1/17


Week 1

Monday

8/23

      

Tuesday

8/24

      

Wednesday

8/25

 Introduction to PC Support   Objectives:

Thursday

8/26

 Duties and Objectives   Objectives:

Friday

8/27

 Ghosting and Imaging Introduction   Objectives:
Week 2

Monday

8/30

 ARD and Landesk Overview Shows how help desk technicians can communicate and fix computers remotely.

Objectives:

Helpdesk Procedures and tools.

Tuesday

8/31

 Windows Tutorials from Atomic Learning website. Atomic learning provides basic tutorials for Windows' operating systems from Windows XP through an introduction to Windows 7.

Objectives:

Review of other resources availabe.

Wednesday

9/1

 A+ Part 1 CompTIA pre-test. Print out a copy of your final score.

Objectives:

To see how much prior knowledge you have.

Thursday

9/2

 A+ Part 1 CompTIA pre-test. Print out a copy of your final score.

Objectives:

To see how much prior knowledge you have.

Friday

9/3

 PowerPoint and Video for Chapter 1 of the A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC textbook.

See link to web page for PowerPoint on Chapter 1 of textbook, and see video on hardware.

Chapter 1 PPT presentation

Objectives:

Introduction or refressh of basic computer Hardware.

Hardware Videos: Chapter 1

  • Examining Back of PC
  • Looking Inside a PC
  • Looking at Motherboards
  • Identifying Drives
  • Identifying Expansion Cards
Week 3

Monday

9/6

 Review test results.  

Objectives:

Tuesday

9/7

 Introduction to Personal Computers; Safety

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Preventing Electrostatic Discharge

Objectives:

A+ Videos: Safety

  • Preventing Electrostatic Discharge

Wednesday

9/8

 The A+ Toolkit Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on A+ Toolkit

Objectives:

A+ Videos

  • Tools

Thursday

9/9

 Keeping Things Clean Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Keeping things Clean

Objectives:

Soft skills; safety and cleaning

Friday

9/10

 Software Tools Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Software Tools

Objectives:

Resources used in the evaluation of computer issues.

Week 4

Monday

9/13

 Managing Safety Hazards Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Managing Safety Hazards

Objectives:

Soft skills; safety and cleaning

Tuesday

9/14

 Preventive Maintenance: Best Practice Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Preventive Maintenance; Best Practice

Objectives:

Soft skills; safety and cleaning

Wednesday

9/15

 Review Day! Review all previous Videos. Objectives:

Thursday

9/16

 Motherboard Overview Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Motherboard Overview

Objectives:

1.2 Explain motherboard components, types and features

  • Form Factor
    • ATX / BTX,
    • micro ATX
  • NLX
  • I/O interfaces
    • Sound
    • Video
    • USB 1.1 and 2.0
    • Serial
    • IEEE 1394 / Firewire
    • Parallel
    • NIC
    • Modem
    • PS/2
  • Memory slots
    • RIMM
    • DIMM
    • SODIMM
    • SIMM

Friday

9/17

 Bus Architectures Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Bus Architectures

Objectives:

Hardware Recognition - Bus Architecture

Bus architecture

  • Bus slots
    o PCI
    o AGP
    o PCIe
    o AMR
    o CNR
    o PCMCIA
Week 5

Monday

9/20

 No School    

Tuesday

9/21

Soft Skills Review

Quiz

The Trouble-shooting Process

Quiz on Trouble-shooting process

A+ Acronyms: Know the Acronym and it's meaning

AC alternating current
ACL access control list
ACPI advanced configuration and power interface
ACT activity
ADSL asymmetrical digital subscriber line
AGP accelerated graphics port
AMD advanced micro devices
APIPA automatic private internet protocol addressing
APM advanced power management
ARP address resolution protocol
ASR automated system recovery
AT advanced technology
ATA advanced technology attachment
ATAPI advanced technology attachment packet interface
ATM asynchronous transfer mode
ATX advanced technology extended

Objectives:

2.0 Troubleshooting, Repair and Maintenance
2.1 Given a scenario, explain the troubleshooting theory

  • Identify the problem
  • Question the user and identify user changes to computer and perform backups
    before making changes
  • Establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious)
  • Test the theory to determine cause
  • Once theory is confirmed determine next steps to resolve problem
  • If theory is not confirmed re-establish new theory or escalate
  • Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution
  • Verify full system functionality and if applicable implement preventative measures
  • Document findings, actions and outcomes

Wednesday

9/22

 Hardware: Expansion Slots

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Expansion Slots

Expansion Slots Review

Objectives:

1.9 Summarize the function and types of adapter cards

  • Video
    o PCI
    o PCIe
    o AGP
  • Multimedia
    o Sound card
    o TV tuner cards
    o Capture cards
  • I/O
    o SCSI
    o Serial
    o USB
    o Parallel
  • Communications
    o NIC
    o Modem

Thursday

9/23

 Hardware: Motherboard I/O connections and Drive connections

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Motherboard I/O Connections and Drive Connections

I/O Slots and Cables Review

Objectives:

I/O
o SCSI
o Serial
o USB
o Parallel

Friday

9/24

 Hardware: Motherboard Form Factors

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Motherboard Form Factors

Form Factor Review

Objectives:

1.2 Explain motherboard components, types and features

  • Form Factor
    o ATX / BTX,
    o micro ATX
    o NLX
Week 6

Monday

9/27

 Hardware: Installing Motherboards

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Installing Motherboards

A+ Acronyms: Know the Acronym and it's meaning

BIOS basic input/output system
BNC Boyonet-Neill-Concelman or British Naval Connector
BTX balanced technology extended
CD compact disc
CD-ROM compact disc read-only-memory
CD-RW compact disc rewritable
CDFS compact disc file system
CFS Central File System, Common File System, Command File System
CMOS complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
COMx communication port (x=port number)
CPU central processing unit
CRT cathode-ray tube
Objectives: 1.2 Explain motherboard components, types and features

Tuesday

9/28

 Hardware: Troubleshooting Motherboards Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Troubleshooting Motherboards Objectives: 1.2 Explain motherboard components, types and features

Wednesday

9/29

Motherboard Review

Quiz

  Objectives:

Thursday

9/30

Processors and CPUs:

Introduction to CPUs

The CPU is the center of the personal computer universe, and these videos will help you understand everything you’ll need to pass the CompTIA A+ exams.

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Introduction to CPUs

Objectives: 1.4 Explain the purpose and characteristics of CPUs and their features

  • Identify CPU types
    o AMD
    o Intel
  • Hyper threading
  • Multi core
    o Dual core
    o Triple core
    o Quad core
  • Onchip cache
    o L1
    o L2
  • Speed (real vs. actual)
  • 32bit vs. 64 bit

Friday

10/1

 CPU Technologies Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on CPU Technologies Objectives: 1.4 Explain the purpose and characteristics of CPUs and their features
Week 7

Monday

10/4

 CPU Sockets Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on CPU Sockets Objectives: 1.4 Explain the purpose and characteristics of CPUs and their features

Tuesday

10/5

 History of CPUs Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on History of CPUs Objectivies: 1.4 Explain the purpose and characteristics of CPUs and their features

Wednesday

10/6

 Selecting, Installing, and Troubleshooting CPUs Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Selecting, Installing, and Troubleshooting CPUs Objectives: 1.4 Explain the purpose and characteristics of CPUs and their features

Thursday

10/7

CPU Review

Quiz

CPU Pins and Sockets  

Friday

10/8

Memory:

Overview of Memory

Memory technology is a mix of form factors, speed ratings, and installation challenges. In this chapter, you’ll learn exactly how to identify, upgrade, and troubleshoot memory in today’s modern personal computers.

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on An Overview of Memory

DAC discretionary access control
DB-25 serial communications D-shell connector, 25 pins
DB-9 9 pin D shell connector
DC direct current
DDOS distributed denial of service
DDR double data-rate
DDR RAM double data-rate random access memory
DDR SDRAM double data-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory
DFS distributed file system
DHCP dynamic host configuration protocol
DIMM dual inline memory module
DIN Deutsche Industrie Norm

Objectives: 1.6 Compare and contrast memory types, characteristics and their purpose

  • Types
    o DRAM
    o SRAM
    o SDRAM
    o DDR / DDR2 / DDR3
    o RAMBUS
  • Parity vs. Non-parity
  • ECC vs. non-ECC
  • Single sided vs. double sided
  • Single channel vs. dual channel
  • Speed
    o PC100
    o PC133
    o PC2700
    o PC3200
    o DDR3-1600
    o DDR2-667
Week 8

Monday

10/11

 Identifying Memory Types Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Identifying Memory Types Objectives: 1.6 Compare and contrast memory types, characteristics and their purpose

Tuesday

10/12

 Installing and Upgrading Memory Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Installing and Upgrading Memory Objectives: 1.6 Compare and contrast memory types, characteristics and their purpose

Wednesday

10/13

 Troubleshooting Memory Problems Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Troubleshooting Memory Problems Objectives: 1.6 Compare and contrast memory types, characteristics and their purpose

Thursday

10/14

Memory Review

Quiz

Review: Memory Form Factors and Types of Memory

Quiz

1.6 Compare and contrast memory types, characteristics and their purpose

Friday

10/15

BIOS and CMOS:

BIOS and CMOS Overview

What really happens when you start your computer? In this chapter, we’ll show you how the BIOS handles the most basic operations of your personal computer and how the CMOS stores all of your important configuration information. We’ll also show you how to use VMware Player or Microsoft Virtual PC to create a test lab on your computer where you can test your BIOS changes without modifying your PC settings.

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on BIOS and CMOS Overview

DIP dual inline package
DLT digital linear tape
DLP digital light processing
DMA direct memory access
DMZ demilitarized zone
DNS domain name service or domain name server
DOS denial of service
DPMS display power management signaling
DRAM dynamic random access memory
DSL digital subscriber line
DVD digital video disc or digital versatile disc
DVD-RAM digital video disc random access memory
DVD-ROM digital video disc read only memory
DVD-R digital video disc recordable
DVD-RW digital video disc rewritable
DVI digital visual interface
Objectives: 1.2 Explain motherboard components, types and features
Week 9

Monday

10/18

 CMOS Settings Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on CMOS Settings Objectives: 1.2 Explain motherboard components, types and features

Tuesday

10/19

 Upgrading and Troubleshooting the BIOS Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on Upgrading and Troubleshooting the BIOS Objectives: 1.2 Explain motherboard components, types and features

Wednesday

10/20

Review

Quiz
ECC error correction code
ECP extended capabilities port
EEPROM electrically erasable programmable read-only memory
EFS encryping file system
EIDE enhanced integrated drive electronics
EMI electormagnetic interference
EMP electromagnetic pulse
EPROM erasable programmable read-only memory
EPP enhanced parallel port
ERD emergency repair disk
ESD electrostatic discharge
EVGA extended video graphics adapter/array
EVDO evolutioin data optimized or evolution data only
 

Thursday

10/21

Personal Computer Power:

Overview

Power is an important part of every computer system in the world, and every CompTIA A+ certified professional should be able to understand, specify, and troubleshoot power problems in any environment.

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on PC Power Overview

Objectives: 1.3 Classify power supplies types and characteristics

  • AC adapter
  • ATX proprietary
  • Voltage, wattage and capacity
  • Voltage selector switch
  • Pins (20, 24)

Friday

10/22

PC Power Installation and Troubleshooting

Follow the link to the Professor Messor A+ Certification Training site and review the video on PC Power Installation and Troubleshooting Objectives: 1.3 Classify power supplies types and characteristics
Week 10

Monday

3/22

 Review For Exam Retake the A+ Practice Test  - Print out the results and put your name on it.  

Tuesday

3/23

 Review For Exam Retake the A+ Practice Test  - Print out the results and put your name on it.  

Wednesday

3/24

 Exam Day Retake the A+ Practice Test  - Print out the results and put your name on it.  

Thursday

3/25

Exam Day

Early Release

Retake the A+ Practice Test  - Print out the results and put your name on it.  

Friday

3/26

 Teacher Planning - No Students    
Semester 2
Week 1

Monday

4/5

 No School    

Tuesday

4/6

 Work on tech issues... Also, review previous videos... you must now score 5 points better than the previous practice test for an A grade, 4 points for a B grade, 3 points for a C grade, 2 points for a D grade and zero for everything else.  

Wednesday

4/7

 Work on tech issues... Also, review previous videos... you must now score 5 points better than the previous practice test for an A grade, 4 points for a B grade, 3 points for a C grade, 2 points for a D grade and zero for everything else.  

Thursday

4/8

Work on tech issues...

Also, review previous videos... you must now score 5 points better than the previous practice test for an A grade, 4 points for a B grade, 3 points for a C grade, 2 points for a D grade and zero for everything else.  

Friday

4/9

 Work on tech issues... Also, review previous videos... you must now score 5 points better than the previous practice test for an A grade, 4 points for a B grade, 3 points for a C grade, 2 points for a D grade and zero for everything else.  

Week 2

Monday

4/12

 Work on tech issues...    

Tuesday

4/13

 Work on tech issues...    

Wednesday

4/14

 Work on tech issues...    

Thursday

4/15

Work on tech issues...

   

Friday

4/16

 Work on tech issues...    

Week 3

Monday

4/19

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Videos:

Introduction to Personal Computers

A personal computer’s combination of chips, circuits, and other components can be an intimidating device. In this module, we’ll deconstruct every piece of the computer and you’ll learn about interfaces, processors, hard drives, and the BIOS.  

Tuesday

4/20

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

1.1 Storage Devices

Storage technology has changed dramatically through the years, from floppy disks through solid state drives. In this video, you’ll learn about the technology behind floppy drives, hard drives, solid state technologies, and optical drives. You’ll also learn about removable storage technologies, tape drives, and external storage options.  

Wednesday

4/21

 No School    

Thursday

4/22

No School

   

Friday

4/23

 No School    

Week 4

Monday

4/26

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

1.2 Motherboard Form Factors

   

Tuesday

4/27

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

1.2 I? Interfaces

   

Wednesday

4/28

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

1.2 Memory Slots

1.2 Processor Sockets

   

Thursday

4/29

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

1.2 bus Architectures and Expansion Slots

   

Friday

4/30

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

1.2 PATA and SATA

   

Week 5

Monday

5/3

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

    

Tuesday

5/4

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

    

Wednesday

5/5

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

    

Thursday

5/6

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

 

    

Friday

5/7

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

    

Week 6

Monday

5/10

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

    

Tuesday

5/11

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

    

Wednesday

5/12

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

    

Thursday

5/13

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

    

Friday

5/14

Professor Messor Site:

CompTIA 220-701 A+ Essentials

Video:

    

Week7

Monday

5/17

 Installing, Configuring, and Upgrading Audio The use of audio in personal computers has evolved dramatically through the years, and the current assortment of audio hardware devices and software is varied enough to keep even the most knowledgeable technicians guessing. In this video, we’ll show you common audio input and output methods, discuss the details of sample rates, examine the differences between audio bit depths, and perform some audio configurations in Windows XP.  

Tuesday

5/18

 Working with Multimedia Devices Our computers are now capable of using many different media types, including digital photos, streaming web video, and high definition video recordings. In this video, we’ll discuss the multimedia devices you’ll need to know for your CompTIA A+ certification and the unique characteristics of each multimedia device.  

Wednesday

5/19

 System Resources: I/O, IRQ, and DMA If you’ve ever looked into the details of the Windows Device Manager, then you’ve probably seen references to I/O addresses, IRQ values, and DMA settings. In this video, we’ll explain what all of these abbreviations mean and show you how the Windows Device Manager can be used to view and modify the system resources in your personal computer.  

Thursday

5/20

Practice Test

(100 pts)

You must now score 5 points better than the previous practice test for an A grade, 4 points for a B grade, 3 points for a C grade, 2 points for a D grade and zero for everything else.  

Friday

5/21

      

Week 8

Monday

5/24

 Introduction to Printers and Scanners What’s the difference between an inkjet printer and a laser printer? How does a thermal printer work? How is a flatbed scanner different than a drum scanner? Get these answers and much more in this CompTIA A+ training video on printers, scanners, and all-in-one devices!  

Tuesday

5/25

 Printing and Scanning: Components, Consumables, and Interfaces What are the major components of your printer, and what do you need to keep it running? In this video, we’ll show you key features of printer drivers, how memory is used by printers, and how printers and scanners feed paper. We’ll also detail printer consumables and methods of connecting to printers and scanners over local and remote interfaces.  

Wednesday

5/26

 Selecting and Installing Printers and Scanners As a CompTIA A+ certified professional, you’ll often be asked to research specifications and make recommendations for new printers and scanners. In this video, we’ll step through the entire process of planning, installing, and upgrading a printer or scanner in your organization.  

Thursday

5/27

 Optimizing Printer and Scanner Performance Once a printer or scanner is installed, there’s no guarantee that the devices will work efficiently. Every printer or scanner must be optimized to provide the highest quality performance. In this video, we’ll show you how to optimize printers through tray switching, print spool settings, device calibration, and more. We’ll also show you how optimizing resolution, file formats, and default settings can impact the quality of scanned documents.  

Friday

5/28

      
Week 9

Monday

5/31

 Troubleshooting Printers and Scanners When the printer or scanner is down, where do you start the troubleshooting process? What tools will you need to solve the problem? In this video, we’ll show you where to start troubleshooting, what tools to bring to the job, and what common problems you can expect to see with printers and scanners.  

Tuesday

6/1

 Printer and Scanner Preventive Maintenance Printers and scanners are mechanical devices that require ongoing preventive maintenance to keep them running at peak efficiency. In this video, we’ll show you how to keep your printer and scanner running perfectly while maintaining a safe work environment.  

Wednesday

6/2

Practice Test

(100 pts)

You must now score 5 points better than the previous practice test for an A grade, 4 points for a B grade, 3 points for a C grade, 2 points for a D grade and zero for everything else.  

Thursday

6/3

      

Friday

6/4

      
Week 10

Monday

6/7

 Prep for exams.    

Tuesday

6/8

 Underclass Exams    

Wednesday

6/9

 Underclass Exams    

Thursday

6/10

Teacher Planning

   

Friday

6/11

 School's Over