Certainly you have heard of CompTIA’s ubiquitous industry-standard computer technician certification - the famed CompTIA A+ Core and Operating System certification. Although it is seen as the lowest level of credentials one can possess, it is nonetheless essential in scoring any type of lower level (i.e. basic hardware repair or diagnostic) position at a computer repair shop, small business, or even a large corporation. Without the base of an A+ certification, you are essentially at a lesser standing with your colleagues in the world of computer diagnostics.

There are also a number of places of business which put a particular weight or emphasis in the actual hiring process on an applicant’s certifications, including the A+ one. This is why there are literally hundreds of books, classes, and online resources dedicated to the passing of the A+ exam.

I am here to tell you that you need not purchase these books, or pay exorbitant amounts of money to attend these classes. Although, both of the above enrich the learning experience and provide a large base of applications, they are not necessary in passing the A+ exam. In fact, all you really need to pay for is the fee for the exam itself - the rest of what you need to know can be found in these guides and in the resources referenced by these guides.

That is not to say it is completely simple to pass the exam. Although I had no problem passing it, there are some that learn by alternative methods or means and thus may find difficulty in passing this exam using my method. I do not really require much hands-on experience to learn, but I also believe that my experience did in fact help me with some of the exam questions. If you lack an experience base, I recommend simply taking your computer apart and reassembling it to get familiar with all of the hardware components of a computer. If you are a very textual learner, this guide will simplify many key areas for you and provide you with a “no frills” learning experience that will definitely allow you to pass this exam.

Now, I will not ever use “actual previous exam questions” in this guide. I believe that cheats the value of the certification and thus lowers the bar overall for those holding it. However, I will provide you with example questions that are very similar in nature to those on the test itself. I will also provide you with strategies for taking the test in general and in optimizing each response to each question you are meant to answer. I will now go on to explain some more specifics about the test itself.