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is comptia a+ a good course to do if interested in repairing computers

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  • 18-06-2014 10:21am
    #1
    emho14
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭


    I'm interested in repairing laptops/pc's on the side as I already have a full time job. was looking at different courses, which there aren't too many of, and any I saw are very expensive and also I need to do night classes or online because of my job.came across comptia a+ with fas which is 120e it sounds good but would it be a good course to do for repairing computers?
    Thanks for any responses!


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    #2
    STEINBERG
    Registered Users Posts: 248 ✭✭STEINBERG


    Honestly if you have a full time job doing it then im pretty sure the course wont teach you anything new. How long have you been doing it in your current

    Go to the Comptia website and download the exam objectives and you will see what you can possible be tested on during the day.. The exam is easy enough to be fair.. i would just buy a good reference book and try some exam dumps to see how you get on...


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    #3
    emho14
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭emho14


    STEINBERG wrote: »
    Honestly if you have a full time job doing it then im pretty sure the course wont teach you anything new. How long have you been doing it in your current

    Go to the Comptia website and download the exam objectives and you will see what you can possible be tested on during the day.. The exam is easy enough to be fair.. i would just buy a good reference book and try some exam dumps to see how you get on...

    No sorry I mean I have a full time job, not computer related!I'm looking to do this on the side and then maybe eventually change jobs!


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    #4
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,305 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    Yeah its a good course. Covers the Windows operating systems and is definitely a good starting point for PC assembly and understanding how a PC works. There's no substitute for messing around with computers yourself though, so get a PC to practice on and take it apart and reassemble it. Thats how I learnt most of the relevant stuff that you need to know.


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    #5
    Laviski
    Registered Users Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭Laviski


    you want to check the fine print with FAS
    there is no way you get the official comptia A+ for €120
    these are two exams and would expect to be around 300 mark from an authorized vendor if not more.


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    #6
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,305 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    The course could well be 120 but the exams would be separate I'd have thought. I paid 150 for each exam I think.


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    #7
    emho14
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭emho14


    Laviski wrote: »
    you want to check the fine print with FAS
    there is no way you get the official comptia A+ for €120
    these are two exams and would expect to be around 300 mark from an authorized vendor if not more.

    Yeah that's just the course the exams are separate!but fas are definitely the cheapest


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    #8
    emho14
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭emho14


    PropJoe10 wrote: »
    Yeah its a good course. Covers the Windows operating systems and is definitely a good starting point for PC assembly and understanding how a PC works. There's no substitute for messing around with computers yourself though, so get a PC to practice on and take it apart and reassemble it. Thats how I learnt most of the relevant stuff that you need to know.

    That's good to know.Yeah I have an old pc that I've been taking apart and I'll be getting a new laptop soon so will use my old laptop to take apart and reassemble! Did you do the a+ ?


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    #9
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,305 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    emho14 wrote: »
    That's good to know.Yeah I have an old pc that I've been taking apart and I'll be getting a new laptop soon so will use my old laptop to take apart and reassemble! Did you do the a+ ?

    Yeah I enjoyed it I must say. Its a good starter course for a career in IT. Make sure you spend time on the practical side though. The exams are multiple choice, there's no actual practical work involved. So its important to take the time to learn practical stuff yourself. Makes some of the theory make a lot more sense when you see the stuff in action!


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    #10
    emho14
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭emho14


    PropJoe10 wrote: »
    Yeah I enjoyed it I must say. Its a good starter course for a career in IT. Make sure you spend time on the practical side though. The exams are multiple choice, there's no actual practical work involved. So its important to take the time to learn practical stuff yourself. Makes some of the theory make a lot more sense when you see the stuff in action!

    What might the practical questions involve?so do you think this would be a good start if I was looking to repair computers myself?


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    #11
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,305 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    emho14 wrote: »
    What might the practical questions involve?so do you think this would be a good start if I was looking to repair computers myself?

    Yeah its definitely a good course if you want to get into PC repair. The best thing to do would be to have a look at some sample questions on the CompTIA website to see what they look for.

    http://certification.comptia.org/getCertified/certifications/a.aspx


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    #12
    Lu Tze
    Registered Users Posts: 3,495 ✭✭✭Lu Tze


    You could get the Mike Meyers Book and self study instead. Comes with some sample exams (or the version i got did anyway). Not sure if things have moved on since (2011)


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    #13
    emho14
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭emho14


    Lu Tze wrote: »
    You could get the Mike Meyers Book and self study instead. Comes with some sample exams (or the version i got did anyway). Not sure if things have moved on since (2011)

    Yeah I saw the book and study guide online.and do you mean get those aswel as do the course yeah?


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    #14
    emho14
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭emho14


    PropJoe10 wrote: »
    Yeah its definitely a good course if you want to get into PC repair. The best thing to do would be to have a look at some sample questions on the CompTIA website to see what they look

    Would you recommend anything to do after I complete the course and exam?or would passing the exam and then getting hands on experience be enough?


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    #15
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,305 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    emho14 wrote: »
    Would you recommend anything to do after I complete the course and exam?or would passing the exam and then getting hands on experience be enough?

    Well it depends on what you want to do really, do you just want to be able to repair computers as in set up a business doing that, or do you want to branch out into areas such as networking?


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    #16
    emho14
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭emho14


    PropJoe10 wrote: »
    Well it depends on what you want to do really, do you just want to be able to repair computers as in set up a business doing that, or do you want to branch out into areas such as networking?

    Well at the moment I just want to repair computers in my spare time for extra cash on top of my normal wage then seeing how things go think about starting up my own business!


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    #17
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,305 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    emho14 wrote: »
    Well at the moment I just want to repair computers in my spare time for extra cash on top of my normal wage then seeing how things go think about starting up my own business!

    Yep then the A+ would be a very good course for you. If you enjoy that and want to go further, maybe check out the Network+ or a Cisco qualification. But really, the A+ is the best if you just want to do repairs.


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    #18
    emho14
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭emho14


    PropJoe10 wrote: »
    Yep then the A+ would be a very good course for you. If you enjoy that and want to go further, maybe check out the Network+ or a Cisco qualification. But really, the A+ is the best if you just want to do repairs.

    Ok so.hey thanks a lot for answering my questions.I've been unsure wether I was doing the right course for what I wanted to do but you're after clearing things up for me.sound man


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    #19
    jos22
    Registered Users Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭jos22


    the time I did the A+ I just use the mike myers book and watch a couple of these free videos https://www.youtube.com/user/professormesser


    and use this site for some practice exams there study guide not bad either.


    But you can't go wrong with Mikes book


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    #20
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,305 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    emho14 wrote: »
    Ok so.hey thanks a lot for answering my questions.I've been unsure wether I was doing the right course for what I wanted to do but you're after clearing things up for me.sound man

    No hassles at all dude. Good luck with it :)


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    #21
    Laviski
    Registered Users Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭Laviski


    instead of paying fas i would go with
    http://www.measureup.com/

    very good practice tests if you do these to 100% you will walk through the exam.

    there are other free ones but i found that site to be very helpful.

    and as mentioned already
    mike myers book
    and professor messer videos.


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    #22
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,305 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    CBT Nuggets videos are also good.


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    #23
    yawhat!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 970 ✭✭✭yawhat!


    90% of what you need to cover related to fixing computers and problems you won't find in a book!

    List below should cover your average home user!

    Learn about testing ram, hard drives, video cards, motherboards etc.
    Learn about removing viruses.
    Learn how to put a PC and laptop together.
    Learn about formatting and re installing windows

    Wallah your there basically!

    Doing it for businesses is a different story altogether and would need a lot lot lot more knowledge!


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