A+ Books, Videos, and Practice Exams?

I'm new to the forum and looking for a little assistance with which books would be most beneficial to helping me study for the exams. I just picked up the Exam Cram Fourth Edition form the local library, but wondering since they don't have the Fifth Edition if I should go buy it? Or will the Fourth be enough? I've read a lot of people posting about Professor Messer's videos and Transcender practice exams. Wondering if I need anything else. Want to study try and study and pass sooner rather than later as I'm planning on studying for other certs after. Any info would be grately appreciated.

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halaakajan

ProfessorMesser videos are good, Try CBTNuggets too. Build your own computers. Put an advertisement on local ad boards that you fix computers.

mjnk77

I've actually fixed computers for a while when I was "in between" jobs after having my data center job outsourced. I never needed certs before, but probably should have gone for them anyway, but better late than never. The first three I want to get are the + trio (A+, N+ and Sec+). I see Transcender has a multi pack that has practice exams and flash cards:
Cert-220-701 CompCert: A+ Essentials
Cert-220-702
CompCert: A+ Practical Application
Cert-N10-004
CompCert: Network+ 2009 Edition (Retires August 31, 2012)
Cert-SY0-301
CompCert: Security+

Is this worth the $470 they charge if I want to go for all 3? Or is there somewhere I can get similar training material for free?

Plantwiz

For at least the A+ and Net+ you will find the objectives and experience will carry you. So I would start there, but add at least Meyers A-I-O book for A+ and/or the Sybex texts for Net+ and Sec+.

Set yourself up a lab (if you don't have one already) and get your hands on as many different pieces as you can so you really know the hardware and how to use the software.

If you need a video (though usually for A+ and Net+ experience is a better teacher) TrainSignal has some decent videos and I believe they have some you can demo to see if that fits your learning style.

For Comptia, the objectives should be your guide.

(and no, I personally would not put out $500 on something I can get from my experience and a couple decent texts ($150 approximately for the trio or go with used) and an Internet connection to look up terms or examples that might be a mystery.)

mjnk77

Thanks!

paulgswanson

I would say yes to Transcender at least for the A+ I didn't read a single page in any book and I passed it solely off the practoce exams. Having not yet taken my N+ or S+ I can't speak for those. Siffice to say though what works for one exam will problably help for the others.

mjnk77

Thanks Paul. Did you purchase the Transcender practice exam, or is there somewhere I can download it for free? Let me know how you make out with the N+ & S+ as they are the next two I'm going for. Then I want to definitely get my CCNA, and then decide voice or security. Leaning Security now, but I am familiar with Voip, but that's a little down the road.

paulgswanson

I just paid for them, sometime they come packed with other study material and a voucher. In my case I just bought the exam multipack:
Transcender CompTIA A+ Certification Training | Practice Exams | Online Training

Theres a demo on the site you can use to see if you like the setup.

mjnk77

Paul, did you get the:

Multipak - Pak for CompTIA Certification (2011 Edition)

Or

Multipak - A+ Pak (2009 Edition)

paulgswanson

I grabbed the 2009 edition.

mjnk77

Paul, How long ago did you take the exam? I've heard they've put more Win7 questions on it and wondering if the 2009 pak would be enough. Thanks!

paulgswanson

I took it last year, and there was only 1 Win7 question. It wanted to know what which versions of Windows allows you to subscribe to events.

mjnk77

ok, thanks!