How to remember ? ? ?

nel

hello,

im studying for the a+. i am wondering if there is anyone who knows a way of memorising the different types of scsi and their features and also the same for CPU types, sockets, pins and fsb's etc?

i am having real difficulty in remembering these two elements?

could anyone please help?

do they appear on the exam? or are they not very common?

Plantwiz

THe more you work with the devices the easier it becomes.

Sorry, I don't know of any shortcuts to learning those things. Using them is the best method I know of.

nel

well ive worked with quite a few some more than others which i can identify but i dont know how many pins etc. i feel that the scsi side and the cpu specs are the areas i need to concentrate on now bar a few other bits and bobs as im getting 75%ish regularly but i feel if i knew the cpu and scsi stuff it wud bring me up to the eighties and in a much better position!

would it be best to just cram this bit?

Plantwiz

nel wrote:

well ive worked with quite a few some more than others which i can identify but i dont know how many pins etc. i feel that the scsi side and the cpu specs are the areas i need to concentrate on now bar a few other bits and bobs as im getting 75%ish regularly but i feel if i knew the cpu and scsi stuff it wud bring me up to the eighties and in a much better position!

would it be best to just cram this bit?

You tell me? I do not know your study habits, and if working with the material hasn't helped it sink in, then perhaps memorization is the best way. It was stuff I used for years and since I grew up in the industry (compared to kids in HS or College today), I remember the upgrades in technology first-hand...meaning...it's not 'history' to me.

I know people who have about the same time in the industry as I do and rarely touched SCSI due to their position, so I'd bet they'd ahve a tougher time with it.

See if you can find some old hardware to help yourself 'see' the pins better. Otherwise, as I mentioned, I just don't 'know' of a shortcut. Sorry.

Lee H

Hey

think i know what would work. make your own flash cards with diagrams and info like name pins, what year they came, out stuff like that on A5 card print them out and read through them every chance you get, you could even try cuuting the picture out and trying to match them up again like Pairs. This is something that i am considering doing myself when i eventually sit this exam.

If you would like me to knock up an example flash card for you dont hesitate to ask

Lee H

nel

hi,

thanks for the replies.

lee.... yes please, would it be OK to make an example of the flash cards?

also i have been taking practise exams and i am scoring between 70-80% on every practise exam. i have identified the areas i need to improve (hense asking these questions) but do you feel this is adequete enough to sit the test?

Lee H

if your practising the same tests then your just remembering the same questions maybe thats why your getting a high score, try doing a test you have never done before and see what your score is, i dont know the rule on how many you need to get right so i cant help ya with the scoring bit

will pm you when i have a flash card for you

nel

hi,

thanks for that lee mate, much appreciated.

no i am not doing the same practise exams because lets face it there is no point doing the same exam over and over. the maximum number of times (me personally) would do them is twice.

i have used several different practise exams including preplogic premium edition, mcmcse.com practice test (which is very gd i might add). also the ones on here (which is also very gd) and the practice CD i got with the exam cram 2 book. and this is why i am varying between the 70-80% mark.

i have looked and i could book an exam for tomorrow 10 a.m UK time or the one after that is a week tomorrow.

do you think it would be worth waiting the week, do more revision on CPU's etc then do the exam?

Lee H

what harm will 1 more week do, you gotta be aiming for 100%, knowing that you will get 80% is too much of a gamble

sharptech

IMO 70-80% on practice exams- you are def. not ready.

Check out this site: http://www.transcender.com/default.aspx

If you can afford their practice exams I would get them- great simulation. They also have flashcards on their that you can do to test yourself out w/out multiple choice making you think for the answer and knowing it!

Also check out that Mike Meyers book I told you about- keep studying!

Go Bucks

I think that some of the things you are required to "know" for the test are a little silly. Memorizing the number of pins on all but obsolete processors falls into this category. If you do run into a situation where a Pentium 100 needs to be replaced for some odd reason, then you can look it up.

The unfortunate thing for you is that you might not get any of these types of questions or you might get 5 or 6 of them on the actual exam. I wouldn't concentrate too heavily on this one aspect of the test over the next week of studying.

nel

CSRtech --> what would you recommend as you feel the pass marks i am getting is on the low side? i identified items such as scsi types and speeds, CPU types, speeds sockets etc because in every practise test i have taken i have always had 5-7 questions upon these areas. Thats why i have went over these things again because if i do get 5+ questions on these or so then that would easily take me into the high 80's range.

from a personally point of view....i feel i know the material well, not just from books but also practically from my job...a main stumbling block i have been disappointed with is the memorisation of certain aspects . i.e. the no. of CPU pins etc. and also the terminology and presentation of practise questions from countless different companies.

cheers.

sharptech

Nel-

I would say 95%+ on all practice tests is what you should be hitting. I know it can be difficult to memorize the pin # etc.. however just try to do a few at a time- not all at once and you will remember them.

nel

So ..... what would you say are all the things that are required to be memorised?

1. irq's?
2. CPU's?
3. dma channels?

what else?

cheers

sharptech

Nel-

Go here- http://www.comptia.org/certification/A/objectives.aspx

Fill out the information and then download the Hardware objectives for the test- that is everything you should study and know before going into the test!

Hope that helps..

nel

thanks for the help much appreciated.

i was just asking off people with experiance who have taken the exam really.

i looked at the trasncender stuff and downloaded the demo. the demo was quite gd but the fee of $200 is not! i think thats about £140ish which is more than the exam itself!

well i think i'm going to crack on and see how this goes and hopefully i will get thru it ok! its just i am dreading the exam! hope the nerves dont get the better of me!