Comp TIA A+ Study

[Diddi]

Hi everyone,

this is my first post on this forum - may I say it is a fine looking site ! Anyway, I am just away to embark on a COMP TIA A+ course. Anyone know any good (and value for money) distance-learning courses avilable for doing this or perhaps did anyone do it as self-study just using books?

Thanks

Diddi

[hbroomhall]

Hi and welcome to CF!

I passed A+ with self study. *Much* cheaper than a course!

You'll find that many here will advocate self-study. And in this section many will suggest Mike Meyers All-In-One guide as one of the best books to get.

Harry.

[Markyboyt]

Welcome to CF

I am doing a self study A+ and I would advise you try it.
Also may i refer you to this thread by zimbos regarding self study as i found it very useful.
http://www.certforums.co.uk/forums/thread11894.html

Do you have any experience with computers or are you a total beginner?
I am finding the Mike Meyers All In One 6th edition A+ book to be very good, and rumour has it that a book called PC Technician: Street Smarts by James Pyles is very good for hands on excercises to allow you to experience the techniques required. Amazon will gladly sell you both books at a very reasonable price

[Diddi]

Hi guys,

thank you for your replies. I was thinking of doing self-study to start of with and then seeing how it goes. Certainly if it has been done before this way then I suppose there is no reaosn why I can't try it. If I need more help I can always take up a course. I am a bit of a beginner when it comes to computer hardware stuff but I have heard that the book PC technician:Street Smarts is meant to be good so I'll try reading through that (as well as trying to get my hands on an older PC that I can take apart). Thanks for your help guys

Thanks

Diddi

[greenbrucelee]

if you need more help then there is this place, people on here will gladly help you understand things you may have trouble with.

Best books to buy are compTIA A+ all in one exam guide 6th edition by Mike Meyers and PC Technician street smarts by James Pyles. I used them to pass my A+ a few weeks back

[Markyboyt]

Originally Posted by Diddi

Hi guys,

thank you for your replies. I was thinking of doing self-study to start of with and then seeing how it goes. Certainly if it has been done before this way then I suppose there is no reaosn why I can't try it. If I need more help I can always take up a course. I am a bit of a beginner when it comes to computer hardware stuff but I have heard that the book PC technician:Street Smarts is meant to be good so I'll try reading through that (as well as trying to get my hands on an older PC that I can take apart). Thanks for your help guys

Thanks

Diddi

I would class myself as quite a beginner-ish, have done a few plug in jobs, sound card and various other pci cards, fans, heatsink fans, RAM, actually did a motherboard at work (not your average run of the mill job for a mechanic at a main car dealer ) still only plug in but it didnt work because it required a special BIOS flash but it was worth a try.
You should just get your hands in their and have a tinker, if you cant afford to get an old PC then buy James' book and just dismantle your main PC brave move i know lol.

[BosonMichael]

Yet another vote for self-study.

Welcome!

[Diddi]

Thanks everyone for their advice and willingness to help - I am sure I will make use of this forum if I come up against something I don't understand. Don't know if I am brave enough to dismantly my own PC so I'll try to get my hands on an older machine in the meantime.

Thanks everyone

Diddi

[Markyboyt]

Originally Posted by Diddi

Thanks everyone for their advice and willingness to help - I am sure I will make use of this forum if I come up against something I don't understand. Don't know if I am brave enough to dismantly my own PC so I'll try to get my hands on an older machine in the meantime.

Thanks everyone

Diddi

One advantage of using another machine is if you get stuck you can still get on here to ask for advice. If you buy that James Pyles book and follow them exercises im sure they will teach you a lot, plus if you get stuck the author is on this forum and i would imagine he would be glad to assist.

The other thing obviously is that a distance learning course will offer you a tutor who you can ask questions if you get stuck, but this forum has a lot of folks who are either doing A+ or have done and all will offer impartial advice and help where they can

[asam.shan]

Welcome to the site and definitely self study sybex books are also good, you can get complete kit including the james pyle book and a summary book from amazon just search "COMPLETE A+ CERTIFICATION KIT" i got mine for £36 for the lot.

[Diddi]

Hi asam.shan,

thanks for the tip. Certainly seems value for money for a complete A+ kit!

Cheers

Diddi