CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202) Full Course & Practice Exam

Explore the evolution of Windows, focusing on desktop versions Windows 10 and Windows 11, server versions 2012–2022, and the Core 2 emphasis on end-user support.

Explore the Linux open-source ecosystem, major distributions and forks, open vs proprietary models, and lifecycle options like long-term support and rolling releases used in servers and desktops.

Discover the Android operating system, its open source Linux base, and how manufacturers customize versions while maintaining core Android features. Note market share, dessert codenames, and short lifecycles.

Google builds ChromeOS as a proprietary, Linux-based OS for Chromebooks and Chromeboxes, focusing on web applications and cloud work, while offering offline Android apps, sandboxing, and rapid updates.

Explore macOS, the Apple hardware–only desktop OS built on Darwin and Unix. See how Apple's licensing confines installs to Mac devices, ensuring stability, updates, and proprietary nature of software.

Explore how iOS and iPadOS, developed by Apple for iPhone and iPad, share a Unix-based code base and differ with iPadOS supporting multitasking and Apple Pencil.

Compare major file systems—NTFS, ReFS, FAT32, exFAT, ext4, XFS, and APFS—and learn how structure, journaling, encryption, and OS compatibility shape storage across Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.

Explore a hands-on tour of major operating systems including Windows 10/11, Linux variants like Ubuntu and Kali, Android, ChromeOS, macOS Monterey, and iOS/iPadOS, highlighting interfaces and key features.

Explore hardware, software, and network compatibility when upgrading operating systems, including TPM 2 requirements, memory limits, legacy drivers, cross-platform app compatibility, and user training needs.

Explore 32-bit vs 64-bit Windows, Windows 10/11 editions (Home, Pro, Pro for Workstations, Enterprise), and Windows Server variants (2019, 2022, 2025), plus upgrade paths for a+ technicians.

Compare 64-bit and 32-bit Windows versions, noting Windows 11 uses a 64-bit main version and that 64-bit supports memory beyond four gigabytes while remaining backward compatible with 32-bit programs.

Explore the Windows home edition's home-focused features, its missing business features like BitLocker and Windows Information Protection, and licensing options including OEM and retail.

Explore Windows pro edition across Windows 10 and 11, featuring remote desktop, BitLocker, Group Policy Editor, and Windows Information Protection. Compare with home, licensing, and domain integration.

Learn about Windows enterprise and education editions, including App-V, UEV, DirectAccess, Credential Guard, and Windows To Go, with volume licensing and education variants.

Explore Windows N editions that comply with EU antitrust rules by removing multimedia features. Learn how to restore multimedia with the media feature pack or third-party apps for institutions.

Learn how to upgrade Windows via in-place upgrades and installation media, verify requirements with the PC Health Check, and choose full, keep data only, clean, or edition upgrades.

Perform an in-place upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 by verifying requirements with PC Health Check, then keep personal files and apps and verify Windows 11 Pro edition.

Learn to install and upgrade Windows and other OSes, including hardware requirements (TPM), storage partitioning (MBR and GPT), file systems (NTFS, APFS, ext4), BIOS/UEFI boot, and attended or unattended installations.

Explore four installation types for Windows: clean installation, in-place upgrade, attended and unattended installations, and learn how unattended.xml, image deployments, and remote network installations automate scalable deployments.

Evaluate upgrade considerations by verifying hardware compatibility and driver support, using pc health check, backing up data, and ensuring third-party drivers for peripherals like raid controllers and network adapters.

Examine the product lifecycle of operating systems, including mainstream and extended support and end of life. Learn how upgrades and retirement dates affect security.

Explore boot methods including optical media, USB drives, network boot via PXE, internet-based boot, and internal recovery partitions; configure BIOS/UEFI boot order and create bootable installation media.

Master partitioning storage devices with MBR and GPT, create active boot partitions, manage primary and logical drives, and select compatible file systems for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Explore recovering and resetting Windows via the recovery partition, including repair and full recovery options, key boot methods, and practical limitations like data loss and hardware changes.

Learn to boot into the Windows recovery partition to reset and reinstall Windows, choosing local or cloud install, and set up a new account with privacy settings.

Explore application installation and configuration concepts, including system requirements, OS compatibility, 32- vs 64-bit considerations, an external hardware token, distribution methods, and the business impacts of installing or upgrading software.

Explain application requirements across memory, processing power, storage, and graphics, including 32-bit vs 64-bit CPUs, Program Files and Program Files x86 directories, VRAM, and external hardware tokens.

Explore application distribution methods, including app stores, physical media, and downloadable software, and learn how verification, security prompts, ISO mounting, and digital certificates ensure safe installs.

Discuss licensing, support, and training implications when installing new applications. Explain single-user, multi-user, family, and enterprise licensing models.

Assess operational impacts of deploying new applications across single systems to large networks, and compare manual installs with automated network deployment using GPOs, Windows Deployment Service, and Apple Business Manager.

Assess how installing applications impacts device resources, including memory, processor, and storage. Test new software against a baseline to prevent slowdowns from memory intensive or disk hogging apps.

Understand how a new application's network activity can bottleneck the network and cause a denial of service. Limit uploads to 100 megabits per second and stagger deployments to minimize impact.

Install applications across Windows, Mac, and Linux using the Microsoft Store, direct installers, and app stores, with examples like GIMP and Open Office.

Configure Windows networking features for wired, wireless wide area network, and VPN connections. Set IPv4 addresses, subnet masks, gateways, DNS servers, and proxy settings for intranet and internet access.

Explore wired connections for Windows systems, including copper and fiber networks, cat6/7 utp, device manager, and Wake-on-LAN, with emphasis on gigabit ethernet and IPv4/DNS settings.

Configure and verify a Windows wireless adapter and 802.11n networks, then manage known networks, privacy settings, DHCP, and WPA2 security on 2.4 GHz connections.

Explore wireless wide area network connections with cellular modems and hotspots. Learn how data plans, caps, throttling, overage fees, and Windows metered connections regulate data usage.

Discover how to set up a Windows VPN to securely tunnel from public networks to a private office network, configure VPN types and sign-in, and verify your IP.

Learn how to configure network clients with IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS settings, using DHCP or manual IPv4/IPv6 options.

Discover how network location prompts switch between public and private networks to control device discovery and firewall rules, including port 80 web access.

Configure and understand proxy settings to route client traffic through a proxy server, enabling logging, content filtering, and caching while managing site exemptions.

Explore the Windows control panel applets and utilities, learn their configuration purposes—from account settings to ease of access—and how they map to Windows 10 and 11 settings for exams.

Learn to manage user accounts in the control panel and settings, covering administrator, standard, and guest types, profiles, local versus roaming, and credential management for Windows.

Explore how to use Programs and Features in the Control Panel to uninstall software, view updates, and enable or disable Windows features like Hyper-V for system hardening.

Master the devices and printers area in the control panel to add and configure devices and printers, connect network printers, view print queues, install drivers, and explore properties and security.

Explore how the Network and Sharing Center shows adapter status and basic network information, and adjust public or private network settings, dhcp, dns, and media streaming options.

Explore how Windows Defender Firewall blocks or allows apps, protocols, and ports on private and public networks using an allow-list approach, with inbound and outbound rules.

Use the mail applet in the control panel to create Outlook profiles and configure accounts. Manage data files and OST files for offline access and support multiple email setups.

Configure input and output devices via the sound applet in the control panel. Set defaults, test setups, and adjust playback, recording, enhancements, and spatial sound for Windows audio.

Explore system settings in Windows, from advanced system properties like performance, memory, and DEP, to system protection and remote assistance and remote connections, with emphasis on security and restore points.

Explore the device manager in the control panel and view and edit hardware properties. Update drivers, roll back or uninstall devices, and browse categories and device tabs.

Explore the administrative tools in Windows control panel to access tools like component services, computer management, and registry editor, enabling deeper system configuration and troubleshooting.

Configure how search works in file explorer using indexing options, selecting included locations like users and program files, and adjusting advanced settings to speed up file retrieval.

Explore file explorer options in Windows 10, including quick access, This PC, and drive navigation. Configure general, view, and search settings, show hidden files, and choose single or double click.

Explore how the Power Options applet in Control Panel manages energy with balanced, power saver, and high performance plans, including advanced settings and ACPI states S0–S5.

Explore the ease of access center to tailor input and output options for vision, hearing, and cognitive or physical impairments; configure narration, high contrast, alternative input, and magnifier.

Explore the Windows settings applets, including accounts, system settings, update and security, network and internet, devices and printers, privacy, time and language, personalization, apps, and gaming, with exam-focused guidance.

Explore how to manage accounts in Windows Settings, including your info, email and accounts, sign-in options, and sync your settings across devices.

Explore the Windows system settings applet to configure display, sound, notifications, power, and more. Review the About section for device specs, Windows version and build, and rename your PC.

Learn how the update and security applet in Windows settings manages updates, security protections, backups, troubleshooting, recovery, activation, device tracking, developer options, and insider program settings.

Open Windows network and internet settings to view network status and monitor data usage. Configure IP and DNS, manage adapters, and explore Ethernet, mobile hotspot, VPN, proxy, and airplane mode.

Explore the Windows settings devices applet to manage Bluetooth, printers, scanners, USB, and other peripherals, and configure mouse, typing, pen and Windows Ink.

Explore the Windows privacy app in Settings and learn to control data for the OS and apps, including advertising IDs, language, app launches, speech, diagnostics, activity history, and per-app permissions.

Explore the time & language applet in Windows settings, configuring date and time, time zone, regional formats, language options, and speech voices, with sign out to apply changes.

Explore window personalization settings to customize background, colors, lock screen, themes, fonts, start menu, and taskbar, creating a look and feel tailored to you.

Explore the apps applet in Windows settings to view, uninstall, and manage apps and features, optional features, default apps, video playback, offline maps, apps for websites, and startup items.

Configure the Windows gaming applet to optimize game performance by enabling game mode. Use the Xbox Game Bar, Captures, and Xbox Networking to record, stream, and improve latency.

Explore essential Windows tools for configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting systems, including Task Manager, Disk Management, Event Viewer, Performance Monitor, Registry Editor, and MMC, aligned with exam objective 1.4.

Use the Task Manager to monitor CPU, memory, disk, and network usage, inspect processes and services, and end tasks to troubleshoot performance on Windows.

Explore how to use Device Manager to view, edit, and troubleshoot system hardware and peripherals, update drivers, and manage events, with hands-on examples of printers and webcams.

Master the Disk Management console to initialize disks, create and format partitions, configure GPT or MBR, and build striped and mirrored RAID volumes in Windows.

Explore disk maintenance tools that tackle fragmentation, capacity, and damage. Learn how disk defragmenter and disk cleanup optimize hard disk drives and solid state drives while preserving data and performance.

Learn how to automate tasks with the Windows task scheduler, configuring triggers, actions, conditions, and history to run scripts like defrag or file copies on a schedule.

Explore the Windows Event Viewer to view application, security, setup, and system logs, understand event severities from information to critical, and inspect details in friendly versus XML view.

Explore Windows Performance Monitor to view real-time system resource metrics, including processor time, memory, disk, and network, using counters and trace logs for long-term analysis and troubleshooting.

Master local users and groups in computer management to create and manage accounts, set passwords, adjust group memberships, and map home drives; emphasize group-based permissions for domain vs local environments.

Configure local password policies with the Windows group policy editor, including history, age, length, and complexity, and learn how domain policy can push settings across many machines.

Learn how to use the Windows certificate manager to view, request, and import digital certificates. Explore personal, trusted root authorities, and third-party root certificates, and how to install government roots.

Discover the system information tool msinfo32.exe and generate a comprehensive Windows report, including OS name, version, build, hardware resources, components, software environment, and startup programs.

Explore the resource monitor in Windows, compare it with task manager, and learn to analyze CPU, memory, disk, and network usage with detailed process, handles, and modules data.

Learn to use the system configuration tool (MSConfig) in Windows to manage boot options, services, startup items, and tools, configure normal/diagnostic/selective startup, and edit the boot configuration data.

Explore RegEdit, the Windows registry with hives and keys like HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER, and learn to block USB mass storage by setting USBSTOR Start from 3 to 4.

Create a customized Microsoft Management Console (MMC) by adding snap-ins such as Computer Management, Device Manager, Disk Manager, Event Manager, and Group Policy Editor to manage a local computer.

Explore windows command line tools in the command prompt, including navigational, copying, disk, network, and policy commands like ipconfig, nslookup, and gpupdate.

Explore how the graphical user interface functions across operating systems and learn to navigate Windows with the Start menu, File Explorer, This PC, and basic file management tasks.

Learn to use the Windows command prompt and administrative prompt, understanding syntax, options, and commands like netstat and xcopy, with practical tips on navigation, tab completion, and directory structure.

Learn how the whoami command in Windows reveals the current user's username, and with switches like /groups, /priv, and /logonid, shows group memberships and privileges for troubleshooting and scripting.

Master command prompt navigation with cd, dir, md, and rmdir; view files with type; clear screen with cls; and switch drives, handling spaces with quotes.

Explore copying and moving files with copy, move, xcopy, and robocopy, learn syntax, attributes like /a and /m, and how robocopy handles network drives, long ntfs names, and backups.

Use DiskPart to list and select disks, manage partitions, and change drive letters; format to NTFS or FAT32, then run CHKDSK to scan and repair.

Master the shutdown command to shut down, restart, log off, or hibernate using scripts and timed tasks. Use options like /s, /r, /h, /l, /t, and /a for flexible control.

Learn to use the system file checker (sfc) from an administrative command prompt to verify Windows files, protect system files, and replace corrupted items from the cache using hashes.

Discover how to find the Windows version from the command prompt with winver, and use systeminfo with a pipe for detailed build, install date, owner, and hot fixes.

Master ipconfig, ipconfig /all, ping, traceroute (tracert), and path ping to analyze IP configuration, DHCP leases, DNS cache, and network paths from local host to the internet.

Discover how to use hostname to identify machine names on a LAN and how nslookup resolves domain names to IPs, including A and MX records in interactive and noninteractive modes.

Explore the netstat command to identify open ports and listening connections on Windows. Master options -a, -b, -n, and -o to view connections, executables, and process IDs for malware troubleshooting.

Explore group policy commands, including gpupdate and gpresult, to apply and verify account lockout policies (threshold 3, 30 minutes duration, reset after 30 minutes) across local and domain environments.