IT Essentials PC Hardware and Software Labs and Study Guide

467 Pages·2007·12.74 MB·English

by  Patrick Regan

IT Essentials:
PC Hardware and Software
Labs and Study Guide Third Edition
Patrick Regan
Cisco Press
800 East 96th Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46240 USA
ii IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Labs and Study Guide
Publisher
IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software
Paul Boger
Labs and Study Guide, Third Edition Instructor’s Edition
Associate Publisher
Patrick Regan Dave Dusthimer
Copyright© 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco Representative
Anthony Wolfenden
Cisco Press logo is a trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc.
Cisco Press Program Manager
Published by: Jeff Brady
Cisco Press
Executive Editor
800 East 96th Street Mary Beth Ray
Indianapolis, IN 46240 USA
Managing Editor
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form Patrick Kanouse
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
Development Editor
information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher, Andrew Cupp
except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Senior Project Editor
Printed in the United States of America Tonya Simpson
First Printing January 2008 Copy Editor
Barbara Hacha
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Technical Editors
Mayfield Fayose
Matt Newell
ISBN-13: 978-1-58713-198-1
Editorial Assistant
ISBN-10: 1-58713-198-6 Vanessa Evans
Book and Cover Designer
Warning and Disclaimer Louisa Adair
This book is designed to provide information about taking and passing the CompTIA A+ Composition
Louisa Adair
exam and about how to be a successful PC technician. Every effort has been made to
make this book as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is Proofreader
implied. Williams Woods Publishing
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The opinions expressed in this book belong to the author and are not necessarily those of
Cisco Systems, Inc.
iii
Trademark Acknowledgments
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iv IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Labs and Study Guide
About the Author
Patrick Regan has been a PC technician, network administrator/engineer, design architect, and security
analyst for the past 16 years after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of
Akron. He has taught many computer and network classes at Sacramento local colleges (Heald College
and MTI College) and has participated in and led many projects (Heald College, Intel Corporation,
Miles Consulting Corporation, and Pacific Coast Companies). For his teaching accomplishments, he
received the Teacher of the Year award from Heald College, and he has received several recognition
awards from Intel. Previously, he worked as a product support engineer for the Intel Corporation
Customer Service, a senior network engineer for Virtual Alert supporting the BioTerrorism Readiness
suite, and as a senior design architect/engineer and training coordinator for Miles Consulting Corp (MCC),
a premiere Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and consulting firm. He is currently a senior network
engineer at Pacific Coast Companies, supporting a large enterprise network. He holds many certifications,
including the Microsoft MCSE, MCSA, MCT; the CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Linux+, Security+,
and CTT+; the Cisco CCNA; and the Novell CNE and CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator
(CWNA).
Over the past several years, he has written several textbooks for Prentice Hall, including Troubleshooting
the PC, Networking with Windows 2000 and 2003, Linux, Local Area Networks, Wide Area Networks,
and the Acing series (Acing the A+, Acing the Network+, Acing the Security+, and Acing the Linux+).
He also coauthored Exam Cram 70-290 MCSA/MCSE Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows
Server 2003 Environment, Second Edition.
v
About the Technical Reviewers
Mayfield Fayose has been teaching and working with computer technology since 1995 and has also
been a consultant for large international corporations. He is currently working as a systems administrator
and computer technology instructor. For the past eight years, Mayfield has been teaching A+ and Network+
certification programs, as well as MCP and CCNA classes. Mayfield has certifications in MCSE NT 4.0,
CCNA, and A+.
Matt Newell has been with the Ohio CATC (TRECA) since 2000, serving as an IT instructor and systems
administrator in its data center. At the Ohio CATC, Matt teaches instructor-level courses in IT Essentials,
CCNA, Wireless, and PNIE. He has extensive experience with LAN/WAN hardware, structured cabling,
and multiplatform server and desktop hardware. Over the years, Matt has gathered various IT certifications
from Cisco, Microsoft, and CompTIA, and he is TRECA’s technical contact for its Microsoft Certified
Partner Program.
vi IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Labs and Study Guide
Dedications
To Jessica, my best friend and confidante. She is always there for me.
vii
Contents at a Glance
Chapter 1 Introduction to the Personal Computer 1
Chapter 2 Safe Lab Procedures and Tool Use 23
Chapter 3 Computer Assembly—Step by Step 37
Chapter 4 Basics of Preventive Maintenance and Troubleshooting 57
Chapter 5 Fundamental Operating Systems 63
Chapter 6 Fundamental Laptops and Portable Devices 131
Chapter 7 Fundamental Printers and Scanners 143
Chapter 8 Fundamental Networks 155
Chapter 9 Fundamental Security 175
Chapter 10 Communication Skills 187
Chapter 11 Advanced Personal Computers 195
Chapter 12 Advanced Operating Systems 253
Chapter 13 Advanced Laptops and Portable Devices 347
Chapter 14 Advanced Printers and Scanners 359
Chapter 15 Advanced Networks 381
Chapter 16 Advanced Security 421
viii IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Labs and Study Guide
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction to the Personal Computer 1
Defining a Computer 2
Vocabulary Exercise: Matching 3
Processors 4
Vocabulary Exercise: Completion 4
Motherboards 4
Concept Questions 6
RAM 7
Vocabulary Exercise: Completion 7
Ports 7
Identify Ports and Connectors 8
Expansion Slots and Boards 9
Vocabulary Exercise: Completion 10
Cases 10
Concept Questions 10
Power Supplies 10
Hard Drive 11
Concept Questions 11
Vocabulary Exercise: Completion 11
Video Systems 12
Vocabulary Exercise: Matching 13
Concept Questions 13
Study Questions 14
Worksheet 1.1.2: Job Opportunities 17
Worksheet 1.4.7: Research Computer Components 18
Chapter 2 Safe Lab Procedures and Tool Use 23
Electrostatic Discharge 24
Concept Questions 24
PC Maintenance 25
Concept Questions 25
Power Fluctuations 26
Vocabulary Exercise: Matching 26
Concept Questions 27
Fires and Fire Extinguishers 27
Concept Questions 27
Material Safety and Data Sheets and Component Disposal 27
Vocabulary Exercise: Completion 28
Concept Questions 28
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Maintenance Safety 28
Concept Questions 29
Tools of the Trade 29
Concept Questions 29
Study Questions 29
Worksheet 2.2.2: Diagnostic Software 32
Lab 2.3.4: Computer Disassembly 32
Step 1 33
Step 2 33
Step 3 33
Step 4 34
Step 5 34
Step 6 34
Step 7 34
Step 8 34
Step 9 35
Step 10 35
Step 11 35
Step 12 35
Step 13 35
Step 14 36
Step 15 36
Chapter 3 Computer Assembly—Step by Step 37
Installing a Processor 38
Concept Questions 38
Installing RAM 39
Concept Questions 39
Installing the Motherboard 39
Concept Questions 39
Installing a Power Supply 40
Concept Questions 40
Installing Optical Drives 41
Concept Questions 41
Installing Floppy Disk Drives 41
Concept Questions 41
Installing a Hard Drive 42
Vocabulary Exercise: Completion 42
BIOS and the BIOS Setup Program 43
Concept Questions 43
Study Questions 44
Lab 3.2.0: Install the Power Supply 47