Study materials

What books do you recommend do study for A+ from scratch?
(I have Network+ and CCENT as a background).

Also, I hear there are simulation-based type questions on the new exam.
How would you prepare against that?

Lastly, if I start now, shall I take the newer exam?

Thanks.

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Comments

Darril

There are many books available. You can go to Amazon and search on A+ Training Kit or something similar to get a listing of available books. You'll find with your Network+ and CCENT experience, you have a lot of knowledge that will directly apply to the A+ topics making it a lot easier for you.

As long as you can finish prior to August 31, 2013 you can take the 700 series exams and most employers don't really care. However, I've noticed that many of the Network+ topics have migrated backward into the A+ 800 series exams. With that in mind, you might find that the 800 series would be easier for you.

As long as you have the knowledge related to the objectives, the performance based questions for the A+ exam are relatively easy. CompTIA released a lengthy video about these and talked about using the command prompt to execute commands making this sound a lot harder than it is. Many people report them as being quite a bit easier but just a little different than traditional multiple choice questions. For example, instead of picking one of four possible answers, you might need to match names with pictures.

Hope this helps.

sendalot

So having Net+ and CCENT, A+'s 800 series exam might be easier for me?

Thanks.

FloOz

I used Mike Meyers All In One and the free Professor Messer videos. Should be all you need

sendalot

What does everyone think about PearsonIT's "CompTIA A+ 220-801 and 220-802 Simulator by Robin Graham, Elizabeth Smith" ?

For performance based questions.

Thanks.

DoubleNNs

Personally, I loved Mike Meyer's Net+ AIO but couldn't stomach his A+ AIO. Instead I went with the A+ Exam Cram + Professor Messer's videos. I used VLC player and played all his videos on 1.5 - 2.25 x speed.

I took the 70x version of the exam. As long as you can finish before the end of August I' suggest taking the 70x exam, simply because there is a TON more resources available for the 70x than the 80x.

Good luck in your studies.

Darril

sendalot wrote: »

So having Net+ and CCENT, A+'s 800 series exam might be easier for me?

That's what I see. I agree with DoubleNNs that there are many more materials out on the 700 series exams, but you probably won't need much to knock out these two exams. For example, 27 percent of the 801 is Networking and you probably won't need much more than a cursory review of these topics. On the 802, 22 percent is on Security and 36 percent is on Troubleshooting and a good chunk of these domains also covers domains.

linuxlover

1.Watch Professor Messer's A+ videos
2.Read a book and take notes as you read
3.Overview your notes a few times
4.Take free online tests

Don't complicate things with multiple study sources. Pick two, no more no less. A+ is so entry level that you need to pass it without problems if you call yourself tech-savvy. I only read MS Press A+ once and took the exam (801&802) few days after and passed (but I do play with computers since forever). There's a lot of topics to cover, but they're all very basic.

sendalot

Thank you very much everyone for the helpful info.

aleynes0627

Yes, thank you very much for the tip.

chastainml

Thanks for all the info...

halfdemon

This info is helpful to me too...I took the 701 exam today and failed it, but I need study tools to help me prepare to take it again...

DoubleNNs

Was it a close fail halfdemon?

What resources have you used to study for the 701 thus far?

Darril

@halfdemon, sorry to hear you dropped it but good to see you're not letting it stop you. Get the right study tools and with some time, you'll be able to pass and get certified. Get luck.

halfdemon

yea it was a close one..638 when i needed a 675..

aleynes0627

Hello Guys, what about the skillsoft training for A+, did anyone ever used it?, by the way, thanks for all the tips and advice.

snunez889

I agree to what somebody above has already stated. Use two sources to study from, I used professor Messers videos and a Mike Meyers A+ book. Shouldn't be to difficult to you since you are already familiar with Comptia exams.