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A Certification for Dummies, Second Editionby Ron Gilster ISBN: 0764508121Hungry Minds 2001 , 567 pagesYour fun and easy guide to Exams 220-201 and 220-202!A Certification For Dummiesby Ron GilsterPublished by Hungry Minds, Inc.909 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022www.hungryminds.comwww.dummies.comCopyright 2001 Hungry Minds, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book, including interiordesign, cover design, and icons, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means(electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.Library of Congress Control Number: 2001086260ISBN: 0-7645-0812-1Printed in the United States of America10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 12O/RY/QU/QR/INDistributed in the United States by Hungry Minds, Inc.Distributed by CDG Books Canada Inc. for Canada; by Transworld Publishers Limited in the UnitedKingdom; by IDG Norge Books for Norway; by IDG Sweden Books for Sweden; by IDG BooksAustralia Publishing Corporation Pty. Ltd. for Australia and New Zealand; by TransQuest Publishers PteLtd. for Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Hong Kong; by Gotop Information Inc. forTaiwan; by ICG Muse, Inc. for Japan; by Intersoft for South Africa; by Eyrolles for France; byInternational Thomson Publishing for Germany, Austria and Switzerland; by Distribuidora Cuspide forArgentina; by LR International for Brazil; by Galileo Libros for Chile; by Ediciones ZETA S.C.R. Ltda.for Peru; by WS Computer Publishing Corporation, Inc., for the Philippines; by Contemporanea deEdiciones for Venezuela; by Express Computer Distributors for the Caribbean and West Indies; byMicronesia Media Distributor, Inc. for Micronesia; by Chips Computadoras S.A. de C.V. for Mexico; byEditorial Norma de Panama S.A. for Panama; by American Bookshops for Finland.For general information on Hungry Minds' products and services please contact our Customer CareDepartment within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993 or fax 317-572-4002.

For sales inquiries and reseller information, including discounts, premium and bulk quantity sales, andforeign-language translations, please contact our Customer Care Department at 800-434-3422, fax 317572-4002, or write to Hungry Minds, Inc., Attn: Customer Care Department, 10475 CrosspointBoulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46256.For information on licensing foreign or domestic rights, please contact our Sub-Rights Customer CareDepartment at 650-653-7098.For information on using Hungry Minds' products and services in the classroom or for orderingexamination copies, please contact our Educational Sales Department at 800-434-2086 or fax 317-5724005.Please contact our Public Relations Department at 212-884-5163 for press review copies or 212-8845000 for author interviews and other publicity information or fax 212-884-5400.For authorization to photocopy items for corporate, personal, or educational use, please contactCopyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, or fax 978-750-4470.LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY : THE PUBLISHER AND AUTHORHAVE USED THEIR BEST EFFORTS IN PREPARING THIS BOOK. THE PUBLISHER ANDAUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THEACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOK ANDSPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY ORFITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES THATEXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS PARAGRAPH. NOWARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES REPRESENTATIVES ORWRITTEN SALES MATERIALS. THE ACCURACY AND COMPLETENESS OF THEINFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN AND THE OPINIONS STATED HEREIN ARE NOTGUARANTEED OR WARRANTED TO PRODUCE ANY PARTICULAR RESULTS, AND THEADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERYINDIVIDUAL. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANYLOSS OF PROFIT OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOTLIMITED TO SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGES.Trademarks: For Dummies, Dummies Man, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way,Dummies Daily, and related trade dress are registered trademarks or trademarks of Hungry Minds, Inc.in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All othertrademarks are the property of their respective owners. Hungry Minds, Inc. is not associated with anyproduct or vendor mentioned in this book.Hungry Minds is a trademark of Hungry Minds, Inc.About the AuthorRon Gilster (A [1998, 2001], Network , i-Net , Server , CCSE, CCNA, MBA, and AAGG) has beenoperating, programming, and repairing computers for more than 30 years. Ron has extensive experiencetraining, teaching, and consulting in computer-related areas, including working on mainframes,minicomputers, and virtually every type of personal computer and operating system that exists. Inaddition to a wide range of positions that have included college instructor, Customer Service Manager,Data Processing Manager, Management Information Systems Director, and Vice President of Operations

in major corporations, Ron has been a management consultant with an international auditing firm andhas operated his own computer systems consulting firm.Ron has authored a number of certification books, including Network Certification For Dummies, INet Certification For Dummies , Server Certification For Dummies , CCNA For Dummies , andCisco Networking For Dummies , as well as several books on computer and information literacy,applications programming, and computer hardware topics.DedicationTo my loving, patient, and understanding wife, Diane, and Mimi and Kirstie, who just want Daddy tocome play.Author's AcknowledgmentsI would like to thank the virtual "cast of thousands" at Hungry Minds who helped to get this bookpublished, especially Judy Brief, Katie Feltman, Amy Pettinella, James Sample, Robert Shimonski,Laura Moss, Jeanne Criswell, Laura Carpenter, Candace Nicholson, and a special thanks to MicaJohnson, who was on my side all the way.Publisher's AcknowledgmentsWe're proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Online Registration Form locatedat www.dummies.com .Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media DevelopmentProject Editor: Mica JohnsonAcquisitions Editors: Judy Brief, Katie FeltmanCopy Editor: Amy PettinellaTechnical Editor: James Sample, Robert ShimonskiPermissions Editor: Laura MossMedia Development Specialist: Travis SilversMedia Development Coordinator: Marisa PearmanEditorial Manager: Leah CameronMedia Development Manager: Laura CarpenterMedia Development Supervisor: Richard GravesEditorial Assistant: Candace Nicholson

ProductionProject Coordinator: Nancee ReevesLayout and Graphics: Kristin Pickett, Heather Pope, Jacque Schneider, Brian Torwelle, JeremeyUngerProofreaders : Laura Albert, John Bitter, Nancy Price, Charles Spencer, York Production Services, Inc.Indexer: York Production Services, Inc.Special Help Mary SeRine, Christine Berman, Rebekah Mancilla, Sheri ReplinGeneral and AdministrativeHungry Minds, Inc.: John Kilcullen, CEO; Bill Barry, President and COO; John Ball, Executive VP,Operations & Administration; John Harris, CFOHungry Minds Technology Publishing Group: Richard Swadley, Senior Vice President andPublisher; Mary Bednarek, Vice President and Publisher, Networking and Certification; Walter R. BruceIII, Vice President and Publisher, General User and Design Professional; Joseph Wikert, Vice Presidentand Publisher, Programming; Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director, Branded Technology Editorial; AndyCummings, Publishing Director, General User and Design Professional; Barry Pruett, PublishingDirector, VisualHungry Minds Manufacturing: Ivor Parker, Vice President, ManufacturingHungry Minds Marketing: John Helmus, Assistant Vice President, Director of MarketingHungry Minds Online Management: Brenda McLaughlin, Executive Vice President, Chief InternetOfficerHungry Minds Production for Branded Press: Debbie Stailey, Production DirectorHungry Minds Sales: Roland Elgey, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing; Michael Violano,Vice President, International Sales and Sub RightsThe publisher would like to give special thanks to Patrick J. McGovern, without whom this book wouldnot have been possible.IntroductionIf you have bought or are considering buying this book, you probably fit one of the following categories:lllYou know how valuable A Certification is to a professional personal computer (PC) technician'scareer and advancement.You're wondering just what A Certification is all about.You think that reading this book may be a fun, entertaining way to learn about computer hardwaremaintenance and repair.

llYou love all For Dummies books and wait impatiently for each new one to come out.You're a big fan of mine and can't wait to read all of my new books.Well, if you fit any of the first four scenarios, this is the book for you! However, I'm not certified in theappropriate medical areas to help you if you are in the last category!If you're already aware of the A Certified Computer Technician program and are just looking for anexcellent study aid, you can skip the next few sections of this introduction because your search is over.However, if you don't have the foggiest idea of what A Certification is, how it can benefit you, or howto prepare for it, read on!Why Use This Book?With over 20 years and layer upon layer of microcomputer hardware and software technology to study,even the most knowledgeable technician needs help getting ready for the A exams. This book isintended to shorten your preparation time for the A exams.This book is a no-nonsense reference and study guide for the A Core Hardware exam (test #220-201)and the OS (Operating Systems) Technologies exam (test #220-202). It focuses on the areas likely to beon the exam, plus it provides background information to help you understand some of the more complexconcepts and technologies. The concepts, processes, and applications on the exams are presented in thisbook in step-by-step lists, tables, and figures without long explanations. The focus is on preparing youfor the A exams, not on my obviously extensive and impressive knowledge of computer technology(nor on my modesty, I might add). This book will not provide you with an in-depth background on PChardware and software. It will, however, prepare you to take the A Core Hardware and OSTechnologies exams. In developing this book, I made two assumptions:llYou have knowledge of electronics, computers, software, networking, troubleshooting procedures,and customer relations, and need a study guide for the exams.You have limited knowledge of electronics, computer hardware, and the processes used to repair,maintain, and upgrade PCs and could use a little refresher on the basics along with a review andstudy guide for the exams.If my assumptions in either case suit your needs, then this book is for you.How This Book Is OrganizedThis book is organized so that you can study a specific area without wading through stuff you mayalready know. I recommend that you skim the whole book at least once, noting the points raised at theicons. Each part and chapter of the book is independent, and can be studied in any order, which shouldbe helpful for your last-minute-cram before the exam. The following sections tell you what I includebetween the covers of this book.Part I: First, Some FundamentalsPart I begins with an overview of what to study for the A exam and other general information abouttaking the exam. It also presents background information on the concepts of electricity, electronics, andnumbering systems. And finally, Part I covers the tools used in computer maintenance with an emphasison electrostatic discharge protection and prevention.