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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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 Posted - 10/30/2008 : 13:15:32
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Well my next class has me preparing for the A+ Essentials exam. Looks like my school is setting me up with some online resources from LearnKey and I think I already got a book from them.
They recommend I get a book from McGraw-HilL Osborne Media, "A+ Certification All-In-One Exam Guide, Sixth Ed."
I was kind of hoping that if I need a second book, that I'd find one off Books24x7 to use so I can just read from online whether I'm at work or home or wherever else. If anyone has any recommendations, please share the book title, author and/or ISBN  I'll gladly look into any recommended books.
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BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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BosonMichael
USA
199 Posts
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Posted - 10/30/2008 : 14:02:46
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Despite its massive size, the Meyers AIO 6th is exactly the book you need. If you need A+ labs, I'd recommend PC Technician Street Smarts by James Pyles... but other than those two books, I really wouldn't recommend anything else, to be honest.
If you want something to read online, the Meyers AIO contains an electronic version of the book on the CD. What more could you need? :) |
BosonMichael
MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCDST, MCDBA, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
Served proudly, US Army, 98C Intelligence Analyst, '89-'92 |
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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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Posted - 10/31/2008 : 09:22:20
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| yea I got some 12 session course online (through Learkey/OnlineExpert) that is taught by Mr. Meyers. I'm about to hop on there and check it out. |
BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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CertGuard
USA
1218 Posts
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Posted - 10/31/2008 : 12:21:02
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I like the sig change (BobDBA - CIW Associate)...just a few more and you'll be right there with BM.  |
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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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Posted - 10/31/2008 : 13:18:24
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| yea maybe in a few years |
BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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Posted - 11/03/2008 : 08:24:11
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Learnkey (at onlineexpert.com = safe) has a nice set up for this A+ training. I mentioned before about the Meyers book AOI 6th ed... well, on my account at Learnkey, they have 12 in-depth videos from Meyers himself talking about everything covered in his book. It's divided up into 12 sessions. I sat through the first session yesterday.
In addition to the video, there's a book from Learnkey with a bunch of fill in the blank pages so as you follow along and watch/listen, you fill in key words included in the video tutorial. Afterwards, you can test yourself with some lab questions and practice test covering the material just discussed.
I don't own nor have I read the AOI book but I saw the breakdown between its chapters and these sessions and apparently he took the time to turn his book into this online video tutorial.
So for anyone else looking to get their A+ and need to study up on their Essentials exam - if you prefer to watch/listen over reading, then Learnkey has an excellent resource for you. However, if you prefer to just read on your own, then definitely go get the book.
As for me, I'm going to make use of the video, at least for now. I do enjoy reading but if his video version does the job I need it to do, then great.
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BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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CG001
USA
205 Posts
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Posted - 11/05/2008 : 00:19:47
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A+ is one of those tests that I think you should just go take due to the simplistic nature of what you're doing and dealing with.
Grats on your CIW Associates, btw. |
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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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Posted - 11/05/2008 : 07:54:17
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Well I did pass the pre-assessment I took for the A+ back in Sept. But I would still like to go through the study material anways. I just feel more comfortable that way. I thought I read somewhere though that I must take one of the other 3 exams within 90 days of passing the Essentials exam.
I am going to do the 602 IT Technician exam, but that probably won't happen until late Feb or early March. So hopefully I don't shoot myself in the foot.
After this essentials exam I'm taking the CIW Site Designer exam, so I am going to be in-between the two.
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BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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Posted - 11/06/2008 : 12:25:48
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quote:
Originally posted by BobDBA
I thought I read somewhere though that I must take one of the other 3 exams within 90 days of passing the Essentials exam.
I remember where I read that comment at and wanted to give an update to that statement. The other day, one of the community leaders at school posted a msg of some of the A+ related books available off of Books24x7. One such book, entitled "CompTIA A+ Complete Fast Pass" said in it's introduction the following:
"You don’t have to take the Essentials exam and the technician exam at the same time; you have 90 days from the time you pass one exam to pass the second test."
That apparently is not true (or at least not true anymore). I brought this up with my mentor and she visited the CompTIA website and apparently there is no such time table between the time you must complete the 2nd exam and the time you completed the first exam. Which is good to know seeing as how I have a completely separate exam in between that I am scheduled to do.
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BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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BosonMichael
USA
199 Posts
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Posted - 11/06/2008 : 14:58:18
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| No - there is no longer any time requirement. I don't think there's been one since before 2003! |
BosonMichael
MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCDST, MCDBA, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
Served proudly, US Army, 98C Intelligence Analyst, '89-'92 |
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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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Posted - 11/09/2008 : 13:06:37
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Well I've decided the learning resources through LearnKey aren't really working out for me. They got these videos (12 of them) from Mike Meyers. And they really are great. I enjoy them. But they give you this book with a bunch of fill-in-the-blank pages. I find it rather distracting watching the videos and listening for keywords, vs listening to everything that is being said.
So I have decided to simply read a book. The one I mentioned in a previous post from Books24x7 is the one I'm now reading. I figure I'll go through that and should time allow I'll go back to LearnKey to watch the videos instead of filling in a bunch of lines. And then I'll use some practice exams from LearnKey and Measureup. I hope to take the Essentials exam before Thanksgiving. So I've got a lot of ground to cover but that's my intent.
A lot of this stuff really is common sense and a good portion of it I know just from experience. But I must admit there's some really geeky stuff here I never bothered to learn about So in a sense, it's nice to go through all this instead of just shooting through the exam from the hip.
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BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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Posted - 11/17/2008 : 10:46:18
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I just submitted my request through school for a voucher so I can schedule my test appointment with Prometric. I finished the book I was reading and now I'm going back through the Mike Meyers videos on LearnKey and have also begun my practice exams on MeasureUp.
I hope to be ready to test next Tuesday morning (on the 25th). They are opened that day next week and I'm off all week next week so that would work good for me.
I suppose by the end of this week if I don't feel I'm ready, I'll push it back another week but I think I'll do ok. |
BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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CertGuard
USA
1218 Posts
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Posted - 11/17/2008 : 11:10:42
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Good thing you're off next week, that should really help. (I know it does with me anyways)
Good Luck! |
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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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Posted - 11/29/2008 : 09:39:16
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They didn't have an open slots on Tuesday for me to test. So I had to set the appt for next Friday instead (the 5th). Kinda urks me but, oh well. I've kept using the MeasureUp and LearnKey practice exams and doing pretty well. My mentor sent me the Measureup Practice exam for the IT Technician which I'll give a go. Sounds like I may just be able to knock both of them out and be done with it. Guess it'll depend on how that one is set up.
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BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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CertGuard
USA
1218 Posts
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Posted - 11/29/2008 : 10:31:16
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| What a bummer. Is it a small testing center? Or are they just getting alot of certificants because of the Holidays? |
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BobDBA
USA
117 Posts
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Posted - 12/01/2008 : 10:45:11
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well I have never used any other testing centers so I don't know what its compared like. They have both Pearson Vue and Prometric there. But my voucher was for Prometric and I think they got 8 or 10 booths... something like that. The PV is much smaller I'm told. So my guess is people were smart enough to schedule the exam before all the holiday buzz. I just didn't get to it in time!
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BobDBA - CIW Professional |
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A+ Essentials here I come....
