A+ Certification and PC Repair Handbook

With so many study guides to choose from, how are you to figure out which one will truly help you on the road to certification? Well, reading this is a good start. The A+ Certification and PC Repair Handbook is a terrific book to purchase. It contains a common-sense approach to learning how to repair and maintain a PC.

Overall
The general impression I get from this book is that is is a very practical and useful way to study for your A+ exams. It covers all of the basics without delving into the conceptual mire of how computers work. You can really think of this as two books in one. The first half focuses entirely on PC Repair, while the second half is designed specifically to prepare you for both A+ exams. Once you have completed your exams, this book will likely remain in your library as a reference tool. I certainly do not plan to let it leave my desk for a while.

Content
The writing style used by the authors is very clear, concise, and helpful. There is little extraneous information and a lot of good advice. A paper clip is listed as a legitimate PC repair tool (we have all used one!) and I can only applaud this approach to learning how to maintain computers. Most of the PC repair material is presented in a step-by-step format, which is what creates a useful reference once the exams are passed. Troubleshooting and "what not to do" scenarios make up a big part of the learning process.
For those studying for your exams, the test information retains the clear writing style but loses the practical approach and focuses on delivering the information covered on the exams. A section in each chapter titled "Test Tips" does a commendable job of reviewing the information you will need to know. You'll find plenty of practice questions in the book and on CD.

Layout
The A+ Certification and PC Repair Handbook makes good use of screen shots and photos to enforce the textual information. If you still need some visual reinforcement, the CD offers video tutorials that do a good job of illustrating the more physical aspects of computer maintenance. Tips, notes, and step-by-step tutorials are clearly marked and helpful. You get plenty of review questions in the PC Repair half of the book and lots of great practice questions in the exam prep half.