Ok, so I'm very confident that I know *almost* everything about hardware, but I hear there's also an Operating System portion of this exam. Anyone that has already taken this exam, can you please let me know some examples of the difficulty of the questions? Whether or not you thought it was hard/easy, and how advanced you consider yourself? I'd like to take it, but I want to make sure I'm totally ready (so I don't waste my $$$).
Who has taken the A+ certification exam?
- Thread starter MrEgo
- Start date
Schadenfroh
Elite Member
- Mar 8, 2003
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- Aug 22, 2001
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I took the test many years ago and it was much like the practice tests John linked. You have to pick the best answer sometimes because none of them are really right E.G. Which is not a valid AMD CPU? The "correct" answer was K8
you have to realize these tests are always outdated so even though there is a K8 there wasn't when they wrote it 
Another question on those practice tests was about what can happen when the power goes out without a UPS, but the answer doesn't consider that the system might be on just a surge strip so the "correct" answer is damage to the system. Just think logically and pick the best answer of those given since some have that type of limited perspective or outdated data Good luck and post back once you've aced it, which you will :beer:
Oh, the best part was taking it on a computer *no #2 pencil* and getting your score immediately.
Another question on those practice tests was about what can happen when the power goes out without a UPS, but the answer doesn't consider that the system might be on just a surge strip so the "correct" answer is damage to the system. Just think logically and pick the best answer of those given since some have that type of limited perspective or outdated data Good luck and post back once you've aced it, which you will :beer: Oh, the best part was taking it on a computer *no #2 pencil
* and getting your score immediately.
Both parts are extremely easy. Go over a study guide to make sure nothing catches you by surprise, but I thought the test was a joke. I paid $300 for a test (both parts) I finish in 20mins. That test should be prices at <$50 for both parts. :|
Where can one take the A+ exam? Ive been looking everywhere but the only thing im finding is the pre-exam classes and practice tests.
I passed the A+ YEARS ago. its a joke of an examination and wont really help you on the job market unless you want to be a "Memory Upgrade Artist" at best buy.
Go into it blind.
If you pass, you know your good or atleast ok.
This is by far the simplist compared to the other tests out there.
If you fail, consider a different career.
Ive taken and passed
A+
network +
Mcse 2000 track
Mcsa 2000 track
CCIA
CCEA
CNE
Go into it blind.
If you pass, you know your good or atleast ok.
This is by far the simplist compared to the other tests out there.
If you fail, consider a different career.
Ive taken and passed
A+
network +
Mcse 2000 track
Mcsa 2000 track
CCIA
CCEA
CNE
1sikbITCH
Diamond Member
- Jan 3, 2001
- 4,194
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I am studying to take the test also.
Prometrics is the company that administers the tests.
TechExams.net seems to be a great place to read articles, take practice tests, and find other links to resources. It covers all the certs (Cisco, Comptia, MS, etc.) and also has forums to ask questions and get help.
I will also hit the link posted up top and see how I do.
Prometrics is the company that administers the tests.
TechExams.net seems to be a great place to read articles, take practice tests, and find other links to resources. It covers all the certs (Cisco, Comptia, MS, etc.) and also has forums to ask questions and get help.
I will also hit the link posted up top and see how I do.
are there that many people here that have not taken the test?? the site seems to be getting hammered. Or something is wrong with my connection, cause i cant get the site to load!
beatle
Diamond Member
- Apr 2, 2001
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I just tried the first one.
Some A+ tests are weird... I'll ace some tests and get 60% right on some. They ask a lot of questions about systems that you really don't see anymore. I found I needed to brush up on printers (I knew almost nothing) IRQ, memory addresses, DMA, and Win9x. Since a lot of these problems don't apply to NEW systems, some parts were completely foreign to me. I finally took the test after studying for a while and did well.
A lot of people will tell you that the cert is useless, which is partially true. When shooting for a systems engineer position, certs don't matter much unless you have some of the harder ones to get. But if you're trying to get your foot in the door, a lot of entry level positions require certs like A+, especially if you don't already have experience in the field.
Some A+ tests are weird... I'll ace some tests and get 60% right on some. They ask a lot of questions about systems that you really don't see anymore. I found I needed to brush up on printers (I knew almost nothing) IRQ, memory addresses, DMA, and Win9x. Since a lot of these problems don't apply to NEW systems, some parts were completely foreign to me. I finally took the test after studying for a while and did well.
A lot of people will tell you that the cert is useless, which is partially true. When shooting for a systems engineer position, certs don't matter much unless you have some of the harder ones to get. But if you're trying to get your foot in the door, a lot of entry level positions require certs like A+, especially if you don't already have experience in the field.
Jeff7
Lifer
- Jan 4, 2001
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Originally posted by: virtualgames0
got 14/15
i died on the one that asked, which irq cascades to #9, and was given the answers: 0, 1, 2, 3
Geez, and I consider myself to be very good with computers. Just got a 9/15.
Got the lights flickering wrong, I know nothing about the workings of laser printers, and I couldn't diagnose a network problem. Oops. And I evidently don't know a thing about SCSI. Termination?
I failed my CCNA by a single question (1000 points possible, 849 to pass, I got 847), so that's $125 blown away for nothing. I'm pretty wary now of these pricey tests. Having horribly outdated exams doesn't help much either.
Those tests are not without fault it seems.
"IP subnetting provides the ability to: (Choose the best answers.)"
4 choices. Answers implies more than one possible solution. Nope. Just one.
+---->To Schadenfroh... tell me hardware is not harder than software when you learn how to design at the silicon level... take a couple of VLSI classes and maybe get an electrical engineering degree and work in industry before you say that... I don't take anything away from software, it's hard as hell... I work in both... i'm a Computer/Electronics Engineer... you're comparing IT level of understanding hardware to Computer Science, not the Electronic/Computer Engineering level to the Computer Science level... I don't mean to attack but know the difference before you judge what's harder...
Now as for the thread... at least A+ certification is a must if you plan to work AND GET AHEAD in an IT or computer technology career... there is also a test offered by SYSCO that's pretty good for certification, but it's geared more for networking... I think there's also a NETWORK+ test similar to the SYSCO test... I have taken and passed the A+ and SYSCO systems certifications... I worked in the IT department at my university for five years and got a raise a short time after each certification... my former boss there pushed me to take the exams in the event I would stay on full time... but I graduated and now those certifications look real nice on my resume... as for the exam... just pick up a study guide at any bookstore and follow it... if you know a good portion about hardware... then just study what's unfamiliar to you and review what you already know... the tests aren't that hard and worth your while... you should do fine but I recommend you review what you know before your fork over the $$$$...
Now as for the thread... at least A+ certification is a must if you plan to work AND GET AHEAD in an IT or computer technology career... there is also a test offered by SYSCO that's pretty good for certification, but it's geared more for networking... I think there's also a NETWORK+ test similar to the SYSCO test... I have taken and passed the A+ and SYSCO systems certifications... I worked in the IT department at my university for five years and got a raise a short time after each certification... my former boss there pushed me to take the exams in the event I would stay on full time... but I graduated and now those certifications look real nice on my resume... as for the exam... just pick up a study guide at any bookstore and follow it... if you know a good portion about hardware... then just study what's unfamiliar to you and review what you already know... the tests aren't that hard and worth your while... you should do fine but I recommend you review what you know before your fork over the $$$$...
I got my A+ in April 2003 and since then I have gotten a few contract field tech jobs and some interviews that I would not have been considered for otherwise. Like someone else said, it is good for getting your foot in the door and build experience that looks great on a resume.
CZroe
Lifer
- Jun 24, 2001
- 24,195
- 857
- 126
Originally posted by: virtualgames0
got 14/15
i died on the one that asked, which irq cascades to #9, and was given the answers: 0, 1, 2, 3
I did great on my A+ years ago. Usually did well on the practice exams, but I got nearly perfect on the real thing. Do practice exams err on the side of greater difficulty when trying to accurately simulate the A+? Seems to for both my brother and myself. As for the IRQ question, I would've gotten that one if I had been given it
i took two of those practice tests and averaged 14/15...i am a freshmen CS student, they arent anything to worry about...
thaotherweirdkid
thaotherweirdkid
Agreed.
When I took mine, there were a lot of people there who seemed overwhelmed and probably didn't pass...guess they thought it would be easy and didn't bother to prepare.
I took a pretest back when I was about 15 and almost passed back then(I hadn't even built my first rig from scratch yet). The biggest problem is that there is a lot of older stuff that someone my age(im 21 now) has never run into and probably never will.
No it's not. Knowledge and experience are a hell of a lot better. I've never taken any computer classes/certs/etc worth mentioning, yet at 19 I got a job programming because I showed that I knew what I was doing. The job even came to me.
Hahaha give me a break, you don't even know how to spell it. People like you are half the reason that the tech industry sucks ass. Too many people that are all talk and no real knowledge.
Just took it two weeks ago. Hardware extremely simple, OS somewhat more difficult. On the OS exam there are quite a few questions on Win 2k. They are changing the test again sometime later this month.
Good Luck!!
Good Luck!!
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