A+: Hardware                                    A+ Hardware Flash Cards for Rev      Jeopardy Review

Links to Websites referenced in the book click here

                                                          

                                                                                                                                      

History Quiz                                    

 

 

 


Module by Module links

 

Module 1: Introduction to Desktop Computers

History of the PC  A PowerPoint presentation

PC World 25 Moments that Mattered

A history of Personal Computing

Microprocessor Evolution

Abacus Online Museum

Brief history of the abacus

Binary numbering system

number converter

Binary quiz

Methods for converting to binary

Binary and hex

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Module 2: Safety

Understanding Ohm's Law

Ohm's Law

How to use a Multimeter

Mutlimeter uses fro a computer

Computer Interfacing Tools FAQ

Electrostatic Discharge

Static:  your computer's worst enemy

Dangers of Electrostatic Discharge

Novell Guidelines:  Performing Preventative Maintenance Tasks e.g. ESD

Electrostatic Discharge Association:  ESD Standards

US Department of Labor OSHA website

Sample Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

Exposure limits and LASER classification

All you ever wanted to know about fire extinguishers

Fire Extinguisher training

Why used computers are a concern

EPA Regulations for Computer Disposal

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Module 3: System Components

AC/DC Voltage conversion

Standard Voltage Outputs for a PC

American Power Conversion homepage 

POST

Extreme Tech POST

Nice PPT Overview of ROM and RAM

BIOS Components and features

BIOS FAQ (@PHOENIX)

BIOS POST TONE error codes

Everything you wanted to know about BIOS

How to determine the Motherboard with an Arad BIOS

Motherboard Basics: CPU

Intel Hall of Fame

CISC vs. RISC

Cisk vs. RISK 2

EPIC Technology moves forward

The System Board

The basics of UPS Technology

How computer memory works

CNET Guide to Buying RAM

RAM explained on CNET

KINGSTON ULTIMATE MEMORY GUIDE

DIFFERENT KINDS OF MEMORY DESCRIBED

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Module 4: Bus Architecture

Buses Explained

Information about the computer bus

Nice BUS expansion overview

System Bus Types

A plethora of links about all types of Buses

Micro Channel explained

Plug and Play...how does it work?

Plug and Play Overview (Windows 2000)

How does plug and Play work...a slide show

Detailed Plug and play overview

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Module 5:  Ports, Connections, and Cables

Parallel and Serial transmission explained

Parallel Communications Explained

Waht is UART?

How to check your PC's UART in 95/98

Why you need a 16550 or greater UART?

Understanding Modem Protocols

PowerPoint Overview of Ports and connections

USB Explained  more

How USB Ports work

Firewire defined by its maker APPLE

Apple Developper Firewire info

How firewire works

IEEE 1394b  new support for gigabit signaling

Device Bay info at INTEL

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Module 6:  Expansion Boards

Disk Drive Interfaces:  A brief Explanation and History

Excellent SCSI Chart Comparison

How to add a new hard drive: CNET

ST-506/ST-412 at Hardware Central explained

How IDE Controllers work  many more links on this page

Learnthat.com Hard Drives

Hard Disk Interfaces and Configuration

The SCSI Library

SCSI and IDE Comparison

ATA-ATAPI.COM

Ultra ATA and UDMA FAQ

PC Video Acronyms

How sound cards work

Modems.com  see the technical reference infobase

ITU Modem Standards

iSCSI

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Module 7:  Storage Systems

A+ Powerpoint overview about Hard Drives

How Hard Drives work

Hard drive geometry

DISK GEOMETRY

UNDERSTANDING DISK DRIVE TERMINOLOGY

BIOS Enhanced Drive Specifications:  Phoenix PDF  ultra techy!!!

Hard Disk Interfaces and Configuration

Induction and Inductance

What is an inductor

Manually entering drive geometry parameters

Cluster Size and Windows operating systems

How CD's Work

How computer CD's work

Tape Backup overview

 

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Module 8:  Peripheral Devices

Gateway:  Troubleshooting PC Keyboards

Troubleshooting Guide for 9X:  Maintaining your PC.  Input Devices

Troubleshooting Keyboard Problems

Thomas Cooks Troubleshooting Tips  see links on left

Troubleshooting Computer Systems:  Nice Powerpoint overview

Computer notes on keyboards

How a LASER Printer works

How a laser printer works and troubleshooting tips

Printer Maintenance from HP

The Laser Guys:  General HP Printer Troubleshooting

TV Test pictures

Video Monitor Test Patterns

 

 

Module 9: Portable Computing

Notebook Components: Intel

APM: Microsoft

ACPI.info

 

ACPI Power Technology

ACPI:  Phoenix

 

 

Module 10: Networking

WINDOWS HISTORY