Course Description:   Provides an introduction to the fundamentals of installing and maintaining microcomputers.  Topics include: identifying components and their functions, safety, installing internal options, installing printers and t-switches, troubleshooting techniques, resolving minor system problems, and preventive maintenance.  

Current Textbook
	A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, 5th Ed. Jean Andrews, Author ISBN: 0-619-21758-8 Thomson Publishers Reference material for this textbook may be found at www.course.com

What to expect:  Caution!! This text is plenty thick, over 1000 pages.   Not shown on this page are a  toolkit (also required) and a multi-meter (highly suggested).  With all of these tools and a text worthy of wheels, you can bet we are going to do something with them.  Each student will build a Intel Pentium based microcomputer from the ground up.  We will start with the power supply and an empty chassis!  When you are finished, your student system will be up and running, connected to the Internet.  I'm sure that you will enjoy the web-cams as well.  I should also mention the "Bucket Brigade".  Each student will come to love and hate the small green laundry basket full of peripheral components.  For a grade, equal in weight with a test grade, you have 6 minutes to identify each card in the bucket, naming both its bus structure and the primary purpose of the peripheral.  No mistakes!  During the course we will reach a point when your system can boot-up successfully.   Let the troubleshooting begin!  Each morning when you and your classmates arrive to class, your systems will be dead-in-the-water!  This misery lasts for about a week as I sabotage your system .... oops, I mean evaluate your troubleshooting skills.  This course covers the principles that are tested in the A+ certification exam.  One of the best ways to prepare for the A+ certification exam are to take several of my tests.  Expect between 6 and 8 of those.  Your goal at the end of the course should be to take and pass the A+ Certification Exam.

Click here to view the current course syllabus.

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last updated on 09/25/2007