starting into A+ soon have a few questions

mark076h

I just passed my Network+ today and few weeks ago i got the 70-620 vista configuration, now i want to attack the A+ and knock it so i can move onto CCNA

i am a bit confused as the A+ has 2 different tests you have to take the essentials and one you have to choose from? how does this work? and how does the A+ compare to the Network+, i have been working with computers/hardware for as long as i can remember but i have read that the A+ still has alot of old stuff you don't really encounter anymore so i would need to study hard on that stuff?

also i plan to get the Mike Myers Book and then practice tests/study notes i find here and other places which is what i did with Network+ except i used the Sybex book but i see that the Mike Meyers book is better for the A+?

wheely

You do have to pick two tests...most people go for the 601 an the 602(IT Technician). The difference between the net+ and the A+ is that the A+ has two tests. In my opinion the A+ and net+ are in the same category...one just focuses on networking and the other focuses on break/fix of the computer.

Chippykiller

Congrats on the Net+!!


I found both the A+ Hardware and the A+ Software to be so inter-twined with one another you will probably want to read both books before you write your certs.

You already have the Net+ under your belt and that takes up about 25% of the A+ software topics as well.

If you are an experienced computer user then you should have no worries with the A+ hardware portion either.

I found the Net+ cert alot harder than the A+ certs.

I read the Jean Myers versions of the A+ Essentials books and found them very nicely laid out.

It seemed alot better to follow than the Net+ book from Tamara Dean 4th edition Network+ Guide to Networks.

And yes you will get questions on the old hardware...at least I know I did on my cert...lol

They seem to be pretty basic compared to the style of questions that I am running into prepping for my 70-290...lol

jscimeca715

Actually, the 601 (Essentials) is required to take. You required to take another test, but you have the option to choose from the 602, 603, and 604 depending on the career type you're looking at. The IT technician (602) is a broad definition and is focused on customer interaction in a corporate environment. The other two, although I'm not quite sure which is which, pertain to depot technicians (sort of like Best Buy Geek Squad) and remote technicians (sort of like Dell help desk). Most people on here take the 602.

As for study material, I used Jean Meyers and Sybex. Sybex is precise and to the point, I'd be careful with Jean Meyers though, there are large portions of her book that aren't geared towards any objectives so it may take longer to sift through what to study. Mike Meyers is a popular resource but I'm not familiar with him.

You definitely have an upperhand being from a software/hardware background, and there may be things that you won't have to study. You really need to be careful with the A+ though because it focuses on a lot of applied stuff like what would you do in this customer service situation that will only be learned by studying different scenarios or real world experience. Do you work for a help desk position?

Anyway, good luck to you and don't stress too much. I took the A+ and was nervous about it but ended up scoring better than I did on the Network+.

mark076h

thanks for the info, i am going to get the Mike Meyers book and just read through it, my goal was to have A+ before July 4th and start CCNA this summer so i have plenty of time,

its just stuff like how many pins are on this kind of connector and i see they go over the old CPU's and things like motherboard/case specifications like ATX/MATX etc and what the differences are etc stuff like that i will need to study up on

jscimeca715

Yeah, those are on there...the best thing to do is make flashcards of specs for every piece of hardware that is mentioned on the objectives. Usually what I do is read the flashcards five times and then try to see if I've memorized it, if not I'll read it another ten times...just me though...good luck.