A+ Exam
- Thread starter Skepticx
- Start date
I did mine in 1998 and its always been two exams. Hardware & Software.
Fair one, was sure mine was one exam! Might have been thinking of my N+ though.. Shows how much I remember about it!
Walk in the park really if you've got some sort of common sense!
I would not take it out of fear of being patronised by the questions.
I just did a quick online test to look at a few questions, and although I know a fair bit about computers I don't think I could pass (although I may come close). For example one of the questions was what CPUs can use socket 370, another was when booting what is the memory location the BIOS runs to start POST, another one was what uses IRQ 3.
Some of that stuff was a bit before I realy got into computers, the only time I dealt with IRQ stuff is when I installed some realy old games and had to configure the soundblaster settings to get audio. Someone who used to build PCs a decade ago may still remember the socket question but that was before I started building them. And the BIOS POST question I had to just take a guess at.
Some of that stuff was a bit before I realy got into computers, the only time I dealt with IRQ stuff is when I installed some realy old games and had to configure the soundblaster settings to get audio. Someone who used to build PCs a decade ago may still remember the socket question but that was before I started building them. And the BIOS POST question I had to just take a guess at.
It's a prime example of the sort of silly crap the exam requires.
Fact of the matter is you will never need to know off the top of your head what CPUs fit in socket 370, it would infact be foolish to second guess what would seeing as the board the socket is present on might not support that CPU.
As for IRQ3, when did you last see a serial port on a consumer system? Even if you did do you really care what IRQ it is on? In modern computing will you need to know? Unlikely.
As for the BIOS question Google sez FFFF:0000. Do I need to know that? 20 years ago, maybe.
Being able to parrot stuff like this might be impressive as pub talk but practically means nothing.
Fact of the matter is you will never need to know off the top of your head what CPUs fit in socket 370, it would infact be foolish to second guess what would seeing as the board the socket is present on might not support that CPU.
As for IRQ3, when did you last see a serial port on a consumer system? Even if you did do you really care what IRQ it is on? In modern computing will you need to know? Unlikely.
As for the BIOS question Google sez FFFF:0000. Do I need to know that? 20 years ago, maybe.
Being able to parrot stuff like this might be impressive as pub talk but practically means nothing.
Agree with the above that the A+ seems pretty outdated and not very useful, however I guess it's value is that you've got it on your cv to help you break into that first IT role. Hopefully it's the thing that sets you part from the chap next to you going for the job if otherwise you are about equal.
N+ and Sec+ are probably more current to be honest, the introduction to networking would be good, and everyone likes security right?
N+ and Sec+ are probably more current to be honest, the introduction to networking would be good, and everyone likes security right?
N+ and Sec+ are probably more current to be honest, the introduction to networking would be good, and everyone likes security right?
I did my N+ the year they updated it. Was annoyed because I'd bought one book, studying it from that then found out it had all changed!
I think they've updated the A+ exam now too so there isn't anything to do with IRQs and older tech!