Professor Messer's Free CompTIA A+ Certification Training Course
Written by Professor Messer
Sunday, 16 March 2008
This is the complete index to our entire series of free CompTIA A+ training course videos. All of our CompTIA A+ training videos are completely free; there's nothing to buy. As we complete each video, they're indexed and added to this page. We've also marked each video with the associated CompTIA A+ exam objective.
Each video includes a comment link that will connect you to our community forums. Leave a message, and let us know what you like, what you'd change, or leave a CompTIA A+ tip for others. Don't forget to add your favorite study materials to our CompTIA A+ Study Guide wiki!
In this introductory module, you'll learn about Professor Messer, the format of the training course, and our goal for building a community of A+ certified professionals.
What is the CompTIA A+ certification? In this module, you値l learn about the history of CompTIA, the advantages of an A+ certification, the exam categories, and best practices to use when taking the CompTIA A+ certification exam at your testing center.
Soft Skills
"Soft skill" requirements are new to the latest CompTIA A+ exam objectives. These skills may be considered relatively non-technical, but they comprise a set of capabilities that are important to the organizations that employ technical professionals.
One of the most important aspects of the CompTIA A+ certification is the constant focus on resolving almost any technical issue. In this module, you値l learn the five steps of troubleshooting theory and how each step is an important part of the process towards resolving problems.
Some troubleshooting techniques have universal appeal. In this module of Professor Messer's Free CompTIA A+ Certification Training, you'll learn the troubleshooting best practices used by IT professionals every day to solve difficult problems on some of the world's largest computing environments.
If you thought the CompTIA A+ certification was only about all-things-technical, then you might be surprised at the latest exam objectives that focus on communication skills. In this video, you値l learn about three techniques that will allow you to communicate better with customers, fellow technicians, and even people outside of your work environment.
As technology has become more pervasive, there's been an increased emphasis across the IT industry on providing a professional work environment. In this CompTIA A+ video training module, we'll provide you with seven essential skills that will help you maintain the highest levels of professionalism at every stage of your career.
Safety and Tools
One of the most important foundational elements of the CompTIA A+ certification involves the safety of computer professionals and those around them. In these videos, you'll discover how to protect yourself when working around today's high-voltage electrical environments and how the proper tools can be the difference when tackling big problems.
Static electricity can cause serious damage electronic components. Fortunately, there are some products and techniques that can help prevent electrostatic discharge. In this CompTIA A+ training module, we値l learn about electrostatic discharge and discuss some products that can be used in your work environment to help prevent the buildup and discharge of static electricity. We値l also compare ESD to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and show how troubleshoot and eliminate sources of EMI.
Every CompTIA A+ technology professional needs a tool bag with the right mix of diagnostic tools, specialty tools, and cleaning products. In this video, we'll walk you through the must-have tools that you'll need for everyday troubleshooting and preventive maintenance.
Preventive maintenance of your computers is an essential component of the CompTIA A+ certification. In this module, we'll show you how to clean both the outside and the inside of your computer, including the monitor, fan intakes, motherboard components, and connector contacts.
CompTIA A+ certified professionals need more than screwdrivers and multimeters to properly troubleshoot and maintain computing systems. To provide the best troubleshooting and preventive maintenance, they must also have the right software tools. In this module, we値l discuss the primary categories of software tools and show you where to download some free software compilations that will make your job much easier.
As technology professionals, we occasionally have to operate in environments where safety hazards may exist. In this module, we値l show you how to avoid problems with high voltage computer equipment and environmental hazards, and we値l discuss the best ways to dispose of hazardous materials. More importantly, we値l show you how to handle accident situations that might occur when working in our high-tech environments.
If you致e ever wanted to make sense of the jumble of chips, cables, and fans inside of a computer, this training module is for you! We値l start the module with a tour of the outside of the computer, and then we値l take off the cover and show you exactly what components you can expect to find on the inside of a computer. We値l finish up the module with a primer on the operation of computer systems.
Motherboards
The motherboard is the heart of any personal computer. Every piece of a computer touches the motherboard, and the overall performance is directly related to the technologies embedded in the motherboard. In these videos you'll learn how a motherboard works, how to instantly identify the major components of a motherboard, and how to solve motherboard problems when they occur.
Every CompTIA A+ professional needs to have a complete understanding of motherboards and the components that reside on today痴 PC motherboard technology. In this video, we値l provide you with the information you need to instantly identify the most important motherboard features, and you値l learn how chipset architectures relate to real-world motherboard configurations.
The internal bus and expansion bus on a personal computer is a major factor in the overall speed an operation of the system. In this module, we値l discuss computer buses, PC expansion buses, and methods to calculate the speed and throughput of a computer bus.
The expansion slots are the most modular part of the PC motherboard, but what are all of these different standards? This module will walk you through the most popular expansion slot bus types, such as PCI, PCIe, and AGP. Some older technologies, such as AMR and CNR will also be detailed.
All motherboards have input and output ports on the back, but what do all those connections mean? In this module, we値l turn the PC around and show you exactly how each port works and how to instantly recognize the most common input and output connections.
The storage subsystem is an important part of any computer system. In this module, we値l provide you with the details of motherboard connections for floppy drives, EIDE/PATA drives, SATA drives, and SCSI technology.
There are a number of different form factors to consider when replacing or upgrading a motherboard. This module provides an overview of many motherboard types, and provides some helpful tips for easily identifying ATX, NLX, microATX, BTX, microBTX, and picoBTX motherboard form factors.
Installing a motherboard in your personal computer is easier than you may think. In this CompTIA A+ training module, we値l step through every step you値l need to know to successfully install a PC motherboard. You値l learn about the selection process, the pre-installation steps, some useful installation tips, and the things you値l want to check after everything is installed.
What痴 the best way to troubleshoot a PC motherboard? In this module, we値l show you how to troubleshooting motherboard problems such as heat, BIOS incompatibilities and failing hardware.
Processors and CPUs
The CPU is the center of the personal computer universe, and these videos will help you understand everything you'll need to pass the CompTIA A+ exams.
The CPU is the heart and soul of the personal computer, but how does it really work? In this module, we値l outline the basic structure of the central processing unit, and you値l learn how the front side bus and system clock work together to enable the raw processing power of the CPU.
Modern technological advancements in CPU manufacturing have resulted in amazing increases in processing speed, but they致e also introduced more complex computing architectures. In this module, we値l discuss advanced features and technologies that have been integrated into today痴 most popular CPUs.
The configurations of CPUs onto a motherboard consist of a diverse set of slots, sockets, and connections. In this video, we値l highlight some of these sockets types and show how a pin grid array processor fits into the zero insertion force sockets of today痴 motherboards.
The history of the modern CPU is a mix of technical prognostication, very smart people, and a drive to expand on our vision of the future. In this module, we値l follow the path of CPU technology from the origin of the Pentium through the latest in processing technologies from Intel and AMD.
A CompTIA A+ professional is required to understand the details behind selecting, installing, and troubleshooting a personal computer CPU. In this module, we値l discuss the decision making process for CPU selection, CPU installation techniques, and some tips and tricks for troubleshooting potential CPU problems.
We know that memory is one of the most critical resources in our computer, but how does it really work? In this video, we値l look at the fundamentals of memory operation and learn about memory transfer rates, throughput speeds, latency, read-only memory, and the differences between single-sided and double-sided memory.
The CompTIA A+ certification requires extensive knowledge of memory packages, pin counts, and memory functions. In this module, we値l step through each memory package and describe the progression of the different memory types through the years. We値l discuss packages such as DIMM, RIMM, SODIMM, and MicroDIMM, and we値l also detail memory types such as SRAM, SDRAM, RDRAM, DDR, and DDR2.
The process of installing or upgrading a computer system痴 memory is easy to accomplish if you have the right procedures in place. In this video, we値l walk you through every step of memory installation. You値l learn how to select the correct memory modules, how to physically install the new memory, and how you can check your work after the installation is complete.
The memory installation process is relatively simple, but what options do you have if your installed memory isn稚 working as expected? In this module, we値l show you how some simple physical troubleshooting and software-based memory diagnostics can help get your system up and running quickly.
What really happens when you start your computer? In this video, we値l show you how the BIOS handles the most basic operations of your personal computer and how the CMOS stores all of your important configuration information. We値l also show you how to use VMware Player or Microsoft Virtual PC to create a test lab on your computer where you can test BIOS changes without modifying your PC settings.
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BIOS and CMOS OverviewWednesday, 23 July 2008 | Professor MesserWhat really happens when you start your computer? In this video, we値l show you how the BIOS handles the most basic operations of your personal computer and how the CMOS stores all of your important... + Full Story
Troubleshooting Memory ProblemsWednesday, 07 May 2008 | Professor MesserThe memory installation process is relatively simple, but what options do you have if your installed memory isn稚 working as expected? In this module, we値l show you how some simple physical... + Full Story
Installing and Upgrading MemoryWednesday, 07 May 2008 | Professor MesserThe process of installing or upgrading a computer system痴 memory is easy to accomplish if you have the right procedures in place. In this video, we値l walk you through every step of memory... + Full Story
