Comptia A+ Certification All-In-One Exam Guide, 8th Edition (Exams 220-801 & 220-802)

First off I have never reviewed anything I have ever purchased. This will be the first time and I have made hundreds if not thousands of purchases online. So that has to count for something. If I am taking the time too. This is the real deal here. The book was about $40 at the time I picked it up. My tip take the CD and install the practice trial test. Take the first one right off the bat and see what you score. Now the trial says you need an 85% to pass I had an 80%. The real test you need a 70%. I believe this extra 15% is to give you lean way for passing. This is a great technique to use for studying. Second I read the book cover to cover. Taking the chapter review test without cheating. I answered them on paper and then went to answers. The answers provide a breakdown as to why the answers are right and not right. Which helps a lot. Again this will only be good if you are honest and don't cheat. This is a really easy book to read. Very well written and with humor involved. It's far from dry and I have read some bad ones. I read it cover to cover in a weekend. There are a lot of pictures which make the 400ish pgs go by super fast. Lastly after all the chapters are read and tests done. Take the 2nd practice exam it has different questions and see how you score.I hit a 95% on that one. After the book. I also went to comptia.org and asked for some practice questions. I aced those and figured it was time for the real test. I just took it today and got a 97% It was pain free and easy to do. You could probably wing a 70% if you are familiar with IT World. However at roughly 100 bucks for the test would you rather spend $140 and pass or risk losing $100 instead if you fail. Some believe this test to be completely pointless. I don't know about that I learned a few new details I didnt before and in my opinion it shows two things. First it helps break you into the testing environment with a lot lower stress. It's an easy test and I rather take my first test on an easy setting then having to do it on super hard right out of the gate. It allows you to discover how to buy a voucher, redeem it sch your test, find your testing center which my gps was off by 10 miles and I was almost late. Secondly, It shows drive and initiative. It shows that you are willing to put in the extra time to study and take the time out of your life to achieve your goal you set no matter what that goal is. Those are my thoughts feel feel to chime in with you.

If you're studying for the 801 and/or 802, this book will get you through it. The author, Michael Meyers, has a very reader-friendly, easy-to-understand method of teaching. The author also puts a little personality into the text that keeps the text from being so dry. Here's what you get: - Perfectly suitable explanations, instructions, advice, and material that will teach you what you need to know to pass the exams - 10 practice questions at the end of each chapter with answers and a one- or two-sentence explanation - A CD-ROM that includes additional content as well as two free practice exams Here's what you should know: Physically this book is thick. There are plenty of photos, diagrams, charts, and other graphical content but it is all rendered in grayscale. The pages are just weighty enough that you can highlight terms and important passages, make notes, and flip back-and-forth-and-back-again without easily ripping or wrinkling the pages. I tend to use and abuse my study materials so the quality did not go unnoticed by me. Finally, for the price, I can't think of one reason not to get this book. If you're willing to spend a little more, I might consider a supplemental text with more practice questions or workbook-type material. Although I can't really complain for what I paid for this book (I had plenty of college textbooks cost 5x the price of this book or more), I did assume it would include more questions, answers, and practice exams. Enjoy, and for anyone reading this, best of luck on the exams!

I really liked this text and I used it as my only source to pass the CompTIA A+ 801-802 exams. That being said, I will mention that I am not a total beginner at working with computers. I have been using Windows since Windows 95, have built PCs and even worked in an IT department for a year back in 2000. Not as a tech, but I did learn some things. After reading a few chapters, I decided to test my own knowledge and experience and took the practice exams, which come with this book's CD. I failed with a score of 60 out of 100 on each. This gave me an idea on my weak points, mainly what to do when Windows breaks (before a reinstall), the command line, networking, printers, security and a few other more technical details having to do with components. This book helped me fill in the blanks in a clever, well written, well organized way. The book is written, in a style that will keep you awake and interested, especially with the "Exam Tips" and the overall tone of the writing being less of a technical manual and more conversational. The first five chapters or so are an intro on proper personal tact, dress and safety (known on the exam objectives as Operational Procedures), the overall PC, Windows and networks. These chapters are not to be ignored though as they do give you a good foundation of info needed for the exams and how the rest of the book will go. After those initial chapters the book delves into a close breakdown of PC components and their drivers, then working with Windows and what to do with it when it fails. The final chapters cover networking, Mobile PCs and devices, printers, security, virtualization and more on operational procedures and troubleshooting methods. The number of photos and screenshots throughout every chapter is phenomenal and relevant to the topics discussed. Is this book for a beginner? I would recommend you at least have a working knowledge of how to get around in Windows XP, and Vista/7 Definitely follow along whenever you can in Windows, the command line and anything else you can to prep for the exam's simulations. The practice exams on the CD are all multiple choice questions. The real exams are a mixture of simulations, giving you a scenario and setting you to work running commands or changing settings, and then multiple choice questions. So be ready! Some complaints that the author is condescending are overly sensitive. He's not condescending. He makes several funny comments and geek references throughout the book. It's meant to be humorous to keep you from slipping into a technical coma. If you watch the intro video on the CD you will see that the author is that type of person, energetic and eager to pass on what he knows. Also, he is teaching what will/could be on the exams. I do instructing for law enforcement and you have to teach the material or your class is no good. If you are looking for a book that will help you pass the CompTIA A+ exams and/or expand your PC knowledge, this is a great one. It did both for me. Read it, take notes, and practice. Good luck!

Getting back into the IT world, I wanted my skills to be as relevant as possible. Pursuant to that, I picked up this book in particular and scheduled the 801 and 802, even though the 701 and 702 were available to me and supposedly easier...I wanted a stronger Windows 7 and mobile devices focus. The book is 1400 pages because it is more than a test prep; it's really enough to give someone with almost no computer experience enough knowledge to not only pass the tests but be a tech. Because of how thorough it is, it would be overkill for the experienced tech looking for an overview of the objectives to go get their cert; I'm assuming the "Passport" version of this guide is more appropriate there. However, this book will also serve as a reference for the on-the-job tech for many years, as it covers a lot of what/how/why ground that a tech will use but won't necessarily be tested on. I easily passed the exams before I finished studying the book in earnest; I set too aggressive of a time table and was only about half through. Rather than rescheduling it I briefly flipped through the remaining chapters in a pre-test cram session. I had a decent amount of professional and amateur hands-on experience with computer hardware and software going in to this but I still think the tests are probably too easy; the great thing about the book is that the chapter review questions are actually harder than the multiple choice questions on the real thing! All in all, this is a great book for the learner who's looking for a lot of in-depth material on the subject matter.

I may not represent the "typical" target for this book as I purchased it strictly to review CompTIA's Windows troubleshooting protocols; I'm sure my mindset of "let's nuke the entire site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure" when a computer encounters any moderately complex problem is probably not the most conventional (at my job I've found it more practical to keep a backup image on the network). Despite that, I've ended up reading it (mostly) cover to cover; no small feat considering it clocks in at 1150+ pages, and I think I've walked away with more than I expected. Mike Meyers takes a "let's start at the bottom" approach that I find ideal since I think it's easier to understand a complex subject when I get the building blocks first. I'd say the first quarter to third of the book is focused on the overview of the PC, its basic technology, and the evolution that brought us to the present day. Every chapter begins with a section titled "Historical/Conceptual" in which he will review the basic concepts of how the technology works, then become more concrete. For example, over the course of a few chapters the book covers the basis of computer language (the binary system) and how the processor physically communicates with the rest of the computer. He then applies this to describe the Intel 8088 processor, an old and very influential design, then explains how that design evolved over time to incorporate new innovations and discoveries to bring the reader to the present day's Intel Core series. The middle of the book moves into bringing the fundamentals together, and towards the end circles back to advanced/esoteric hardware implementation and networking. Some of the material in these sections may seem to have little bearing on the A+ exam, but it's critical to really knowing the basics of computers and how they work; after all, you can't fix something you don't understand. Generally, beyond Historical/Conceptual comes "Practical Application" which will delve into implementing and troubleshooting. I found the tone throughout well balanced, with the right amount of technical detail mixed with analogies where necessary to promote understanding, and enough humor keep a reader awake. There are also a fair amount of Windows screencaps and diagrams when discussing muddy or dense subjects. Every chapter wraps up with a brief quiz to ensure you've picked up the essentials, and closes with a section titled "Beyond A+" to further expand on relevant topics or suggest continued reading or practice. Later chapters move into what you would expect - Windows internals, hard-drives, LANs, networking, mostly with the same thoroughness as earlier chapters, though at times it does feel like the author is simply rattling off information from a list - I found the section on Windows Group Policies especially tedious, but that's Group Policies for you. Some of the analogies I thought might seem belaboured to a novice; the CPU as a man in a box flipping switches I thought was possibly confusing (like, so simple it's actually kind of obtuse) to someone who doesn't already know a bit about binary and electronics. If you're considering purchasing this book as a beginner looking to pass the A+ exams, I wouldn't think twice. I think this alone would be enough to pass the exams, provided you spend the time needed to actually practice what you can. The specifics the book gets into about troubleshooting particular problems (and the decent index) would also make this an ok reference to have lying around a shop, though not my first choice. I know when you're first starting out, it's hard to be patient, especially when you're making your way through a tome as hefty as this, but don't skim and don't think this book is "beneath you" (my mistake initially) and you'll have a good amount of knowledge under your belt by the time you hit the end. A+ is probably your first step, it's important that you get your first step right. Beyond A+ comes the brunt of computing today - networking. This same author's "Network+" guide book, written with the same attention to detail, would seem to be a natural starting point but it might also be beneficial to go hands on first and try "Computer Networking: Internet Protocols in Action"; it comes with a CD containing packet traces you'll be following with an analyzing program called Wireshark. I'd also suggest a classic, "TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 1" if you really want to get how networking works. You'd also do well to check out the catalog of No Starch Press, and bookmark them; you'll be coming back to their heavy stuff in a year or two.

First off, I am A+ Certified, and I owe much of that to this book. I attended a $4000 training course, which used a lesser book, and I felt my passing grades (actually a 96%, and 85 %) had more to do with the content in Mr. Meyers book than the course I took. I have read this book 3 times cover to cover, and feel that much smarter for it. In addition, it comes with two free practice exams, which were very useful in studying. Meyers has a very fun way of explaining things. He is passionate about his field, and it shows in his writing. Granted his jokes are horribly cornball, but they do get the point across. I have actually procrastinated on getting my certification for several years, and tried several "cheaper" texts. Save some money, and spend the extra money on this one. As silly as this may sound, the book is extremely well made - it followed me everywhere for about 3 months, and is still in one piece!. I attribute that to a very strong hard cover, and thick spine- something you want in a 1000+ page book! On a final note, I am not an academic. I hated school, and dreaded this certification. Meyers book really helped me stay interested enough to read it all the way through - several times. I have also read his Network + text (Also certified in that) and this book makes an excellent segway into that certification if that is the route you are going. Good Luck!

The book itself is pretty good. Probably compatible to others on the market for reading and gaining information. It is a well structured book and easy to understand. The take away is that there really isn't much after the reading material. It does come with about 220 questions (110 per exam sections). Not enough to help. The questions are way to easy. Of course the point in this is to get one to purchase more questions at a outrageous price. When looking for more question materials you are taken to a site where it costs $125 per exam section for more questions. This is no different with the supposed free videos. You have to pay get actually get what would benefit you. I believe the book and content is rated too high for what you don't get. This is by no means a book that will get you to the promise land in my opinion. I believe those that rated this book and content high and stated this book is responsible for their passing is doing nothing but taking away from their own ability and knowledge they posed already. If I was a real novice, I would have not passed the exam just depending on this material. What I end up doing. Like I said, the book itself is pretty informative. Realizing the accompanying material was very insufficient, I bout two question/answer study guilds. Those is conjunction with this book was all I needed to successfully pass the test. The two other books I purchased were the CompTIA A+ Certification Practice Exams, Second Edition (Exams 220-801 & 220-802) and CompTIA A+ 220-801 220-802 Q&A. Between the two books, I had an additional 2000 Q&As paying less than $25 for the two not the $250 this book requires. Also beware that the new exam has simulations on it. This is new for the 801/802 exams. The 801 sims were pretty easy but the 802 requires some command prompt requirements if you get them. I don't think any of the 801/802 materials have sims as it's new.

Great book, learned a lot quickly. Teaching you some history of the parts also.

Excellent book. Very informative and great for the exam.

Excellent book. To be a newbie or already working as a IT tech this book bring a depth knowledge of what you will implement in your daily work.

Ho acquistato questo prodotto certificato Comptia per sostenere l'esame di certificazione Comptia A+. Essendo un manuale all-in-one contiene tutto il necessario quindi non mi sono munito di altri mezzi di studio. Il testo copre tutte le aree dell'esame eccetto (ovviamente) l'applicazione pratica dei concetti (tipologia prevalente dei quesiti dell'esame stesso). Se avete un minimo di dimestichezza con la lingua inglese questo è il prodotto per voi; ad un prezzo irrisorio rispetto ai corsi proposti dai vari centri di formazione avrete una preparazione adeguata al superamento di entrambi gli esami (a patto di metterci la testa).

For both personal and professional reasons I've been reacquainting myself with the various Windows operating systems recently and I chose Mike Meyers' tome for no other reason than it offered broad coverage of XP, Vista, and 7. However, this book proved to be far more than a Windows instruction manual and it has become one of the few books that, when I finished it, I immediately started re-reading! I have previously been guilty of complaining that computer books are over-priced but this is clearly an exception. With a rrp of £40.99, each page (excluding Appendices & index) costs just 2.8 pence. Given the information density, illustration quality, and the fact that you are unlikely to pay the list price, this represents superb value for money. Myers keeps the language accessible and eschews the gratuitous use of intensifiers that can make reading (and understanding) technical literature such a chore. This makes this an enjoyable (yes, enjoyable) read! Criticism is limited to Myers occasionally forgetting that the world stretches beyond the borders of the USA and a little too much advertising for his Company. Nonetheless, even if you have no intention of taking the CompTIA A+ exams, this an outstanding introduction to computing for aspiring techs or enthusiastic amateurs alike and I have no hesitation in rating it a five star publication.

I have bought an earlier version of this book and thought it was great. This is my second time buying this book. The author's style of writing actually makes reading fun, and is easy to understand.