Datasheet

70 Chapter 1
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Hardware
Exam Essentials
Know the different types of PCMCIA cards. PCMCIA cards are the expansion cards
for notebook PCs. Most notebook PCs have a PCMCIA bay that can accept one Type III
device or two Type I or Type II devices.
Know the different monitor resolutions. The exam expects you to know four different
types: XGA, SXGA+, UXGA, and WUXGA. Know the resolution for each of them.
Know the purpose of the Fn key. You should know that the Function (Fn) key on a lap-
top is typically combined with the function keys and a few other special keys to enable
the laptop to perform tasks not present on a desktop.
Know the peripherals discussed. You should be familiar with docking stations and under-
stand the principle reasons for their use.
Know about autoswitching and fixed-input power supplies. You should understand that
autoswitching allows the power supply to be used in other countries without making manual
adjustments.
Know what hot-swappable means. PC Card devices are hot-swappable, meaning you can
remove and insert them while the computer is running. So are USB and FireWire devices.
However, if you need to remove a drive, add or remove RAM, or connect or disconnect a
monitor or a parallel or serial device, you must shut down the laptop.
Know where to look for the battery and for RAM expansion slots. Batteries are usually
accessed either from the sides of a laptop or from under the keyboard. RAM is usually
accessed on the bottom of the laptop. There will also be some RAM built into the mother-
board that can’t be removed.
Installation and Configuration of Printers
This objective tests your knowledge of how printers work and how they connect to
computers. Although the A+ exam has traditionally focused heavily on laser printers,
you may also see questions about other printer types. Scanners have also been added to
this iteration of the exam, and you should know their basic characteristics as well.
Critical Information
The three major areas of study for this objective are printer technologies, printer interfaces,
and scanners. The printer technologies include laser, ink-jet (sometimes called ink disper-
sion), dot matrix, solid ink, thermal, and dye sublimation. The printer interfaces include
parallel, network, and Universal Serial Bus (USB), among others.
With regard to scanners, you’re expected to know the different types of
connections, which are—for the most part—identical to those for printers.
Therefore, most of the focus here will be on printers.
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