CompTIA A+ study guide
CompTIA A+ · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
CompTIA A+ is CompTIA's entry-level certification for people beginning a career in information technology support. CompTIA describes it as covering "core IT support and troubleshooting" - the day-to-day work of keeping end-user devices, networks, and user accounts running. The CompTIA A+ study guide has 5 sections and about 1,728 words.
01Mobile Devices
Laptops and mobile devices pack many components into one chassis, so questions usually hinge on knowing which part is field-replaceable and which parts are compatible. Laptop RAM is SO-DIMM (or soldered in thin-and-light models) and must match the DDR generation; DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5 are not interchangeable because the notch position and voltage differ.
350 words, about 2 min02Networking
Networking questions reward fluency with addressing and ports. Memorize private ranges (10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, 192.168.0.0/16), the loopback 127.0.0.1, and APIPA 169.254.0.0/16.
329 words, about 2 min03Hardware
Hardware questions test compatibility and capacity math. CPUs must match the socket (LGA vs PGA/AM4) and chipset; RAM must match generation, form factor, and speed, and motherboards have a maximum capacity and channel configuration.
363 words, about 2 min04Virtualization and Cloud Computing
Virtualization lets one physical host run many isolated guests. A Type 1 hypervisor runs directly on hardware (VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V Server, Proxmox) and is used in data centers; a Type 2 hypervisor runs as an application on a desktop OS (VirtualBox, VMware Workstation, Parallels).
341 words, about 2 min05Hardware and Network Troubleshooting
The exam expects a repeatable method: identify the problem and gather information (back up before changing anything), establish a theory of probable cause (question the obvious), test the theory, establish a plan of action and implement it, verify full system functionality and implement preventive measures, then document. Change one variable at a time, and escalate when the fix is beyond your scope.
345 words, about 2 min