HW & SW Experience

Hardware & Software

Hardware & Software Experience

2008 Computer System Build

Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Pro

Case: Antec SX830 Workstation

Power Supply: SilverStone Strider ST75F 750W

UPS: CyberPower 1200AVR 720 W

Motherboard: ASUS M2N32-SLI DWE

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ 2.8GHz

Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5

Heatsink & Fan: ZEROtherm Nirvana NV120

Memory: OCZ Platinum 2GB DDR2 1066 DC

Video: EVGA GeForce 8800 GTS (G92)

Audio: SB X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro

Hard Drives: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 160GB

DVD/R-RW Drive: SAMSUNG 20X SATA

Monitor: LG Flatron W2452T LCD

Keyboard: Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000

Mouse: Logitech G5 Laser

Modem: Linksys Wireless-G Cable Gateway

2001 Computer System Build

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 98/XP

Case: Antec SX830 Workstation

Power Supply: Antec TruePower 350 W

UPS: APC 400VA (230 W)

Motherboard: ASUS A7M266

Processor: AMD Athlon 1.2 GHz

Memory: Crucial 512 MB DDR PC2100

Video: ELSA GLADIAC GeForce2 ULTRA 64 MB

Audio: Sound Blaster Live! X-Gamer 5.1

Hard Drives: Western Digital 160 GB 7200RPM EIDE

CD-RW Drive: Lite-On 52x 24x 52x

DVD Drive: Pioneer DVD-106S ATAPI 40x/16x

Modem: Diamond MM SupraExpress 56K

Monitor: LG FLATRON 915FT PLUS 19"

Keyboard: Microsoft Ergonomic

Mouse: Logitech Optical Laser

Scanner: Epson Perfection 1240U

1996 Computer System Build

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 95/98

Case: Generic w/ 230 W power supply

UPS: APC 400VA (230 W)

Motherboard: ASUS P55T2P4

Processor: Intel Pentium MMX 200 MHz

Memory: 32 MB EDO Memory

Video: Diamond MM Viper 330 4 MB

3Dfx Video: Canopus Pure 3D

Audio: Sound Blaster AWE 32

Hard Drive: Western Digital 1.6 GB IDE

CD Drive: Plextor 8X SCSI

SCSI Card: Buslogic KT-930

Floppy Drive: Teac 1.44 MB

Modem: Diamond MM SupraExpress 56Kflex

Monitor: Princeton Ultra 17+ 17"

Keyboard: Microsoft Ergonomic

Mouse: Microsoft Ergonomic

Printer: HP LaserJet 6P Printer

Researched, Bought, Received, & Setup

	Dell OptiPlex 320 - Family friend with data transfer
	Dell Dimension 5150/E510 - For family member
	Dell Inspiron 9400/E1705 - For family member

PC Maintenance & Troubleshooting Work

	Next door neighbor's Dell computer
	Brother's computer built for him in 1999

1st Computer Build Research (1996)

PCs for Dummies
by Dan Rathbone

Paperback: 432 pages

Published: January 1, 1996

Publisher: IDG Books

How Computers Work, 5th ed
by Ron White
Paperback: 421 pages

Published: September 1999
Publisher: Que

How to Buy a Computer, or Upgrade What You Have
by Myles White
Paperback: 256 pages

Published: November 11, 1995
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart

PC Magazine 1996 Computer Buyer's Guide
by John C. Dvorak

Paperback: 522 pages

Published: November 1995

Publisher: Ziff Davis Press

Build Your Own Pentium Processor PC & Save a Bundle
by Aubrey Pilgrim

Paperback: 396 pages

Published: October 1995

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies

Magazine Articles: Computer Gaming Word, PC Computing, PC World, etc.

Computer System Building & Upgrades

The Upgrade Strategy That’s Right For You - Loyd Case CGW Dec `95
Popular Hot Rodding For Computer Gamers - Loyd Case CGW Jan `96
The Ultimate Game Machine - Loyd Case CGW Feb `96

Motherboards

Mother, What A Board - Paul C. Schuytema CGW Dec `95
Under The Hood: Motherboard Upgrades - Loyd Case CGW Dec `95
All About Motherboards and RAM - MicroComputer Jrnl Mar/April `96

Video Cards

Speeding Down Highway 95 - PC World June `96
Screaming Fast Video - PC Computing April `96
3-D Comes Alive - PC Magazine June `96
Gaming In The Next Dimension - Loyd Case CGW June `96
When Speed Is What You Need - Loyd Case CGW Oct `95

Sound Cards

Making A Sound Decision - Loyd Case CGW June `96
The Sound And The Fury - Mike Weksler CGW Dec `95

SCSI Technology

Interface Wars: IDE vs SCSI - Loyd Case CGW Dec `95

The Need For Speed: SCSI - Loyd Case CGW Feb `96
Buslogic’s Flashpoint LT SCSI Card - Loyd Case CGW June `96

CD-ROM Drives ( SCSI Based )

The Third Generation: 6X CD-ROM Drives - PC Magazine Jan 23 `96
Plextor 8X Review - PC World July `96
AdvanSCSI Card Review - PC World Feb `96
Adaptec EZ - SCSI 4.0 Software Review - PC Magazine Feb 6 `96

Operating Systems, Office Suites, Software, & Utilities

(Click on a box or link for more information)

Microsoft Windows XP Pro - Registry Editor

Microsoft Windows XP Pro - Veritas Backup Utility

Microsoft Windows XP Pro - System Configuration Utility

Norton Ghost - Hard Drive Imaging, Backup, & Cloning Tool

Norton SystemWorks Utilities - OS & HD Optimizer

Norton Antivirus - Virus, Worm, Trojan Protection

Webroot Antivirus with Antispyware Protection

Auslogics Registry Defrag and Compact Program

Seagate SeaTools Hard Drive Diagnostic (Windows/DOS)

FileZilla - FTP Client Program for File Upload/Download

Active@ File Recovery Program

Active@ Partition Recovery Program

CCleaner Registry & System Cleaning Tool

Silicon Image SATARaid5 Manager

Nvidia MediaShield RAID Manager

Linksys Wireless-G Cable Gateway Utility

REALTEK RTL8187 Wireless LAN Utility

WinRAR File Compression Program

Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

TCPOptimizer - Windows Registry TCP/IP Tool

Fastconv - Files & Settings Transfer Recovery Tool

CompTIA A+ Certification Prep-Course:

Credit by Evaluation

While in DeVry's A+ certification prep-course "COMP128 PC Systems & Networks", I received an 82% score on a 100 question preliminary PC knowledge test. It was a gauge as to whether a student needed to take the course. Along with receiving the highest score in the class, a "Computer Knowledge & Resources" document created years earlier for PC novices, and presented to the ECT program dean, helped me test out of the course Because of my previous computer research and experience, I also received Credit by Evaluation for Glendale Community College's A+ certification Prep-Course "BPC170 - Computer Maintenance I: A+ Prep".

CompTIA's A+ Certification Exam

Much of what I've read, learned, and experienced over the past 10+ years is directly related to what the CompTIA A+ certification certifies:

“Hands-on experience or equivalent knowledge includes installing, building, upgrading, repairing, configuring, troubleshooting, optimizing, diagnosing, and performing preventive maintenance of basic personal computer hardware and operating systems.” - CompTIA A+ Essentials (See PDF)

The CompTIA 2007 A+ Exam Objectives, consisting of a primary and secondary exam for certification, cover the following categories:

Personal Computer Components	Communication & Professionalism
Computer Operating Systems	Laptop & Portable Devices
Safety & Environmental Issues	Printers & Scanners
LAN & WAN Networks	Security Principles

Primary Core Exam

CompTIA A+ Essentials - Measures entry-level professional IT knowledge equivalent to 500 hours of hands-on experience.

Secondary Exam Specialization

CompTIA A+ 220-602 - Enterprise technician, IT administrator, field service technician, PC technician, etc.

CompTIA A+ 220-603 - Remote support, help desk, call center technician, specialist, representative, etc.

CompTIA A+ 220-604 - Depot technician, bench technician, etc.

Lately, I've been reading this A+ cert prep book because a $336 certification seems to trump 10+ years of building, troubleshooting, and maintaining PCs and peripherals totaling thousands of dollars.

CompTIA A+ Exam Prep
(Exams A+ Essentials, 220-602, 220-603, 220-604)

by Charles J. Brooks Paperback: 1464 pages

Published: May 28, 2008 Publisher: Exam Cram

Much of what this book covers I learned years ago by reading the above list of books and magazine articles. Also, I've kept up to date on current computer technology by reading articles from ExtremeTech, Anandtech, and Tom's Hardware. So, I'm essentially reading material I already know or about technology that is ancient. For example, see the historical minutiae covered in Chapter 1 "CompTIA A+ Exam Prep: Microprocessors" (Intel 486 cpus, Pentiums, etc).

If you're an IT hiring manager, HR personnel, or an IT staff agency recruiter trying to determine whether I would be a good hiring choice based on my lack of having the A+ certification, consider these facts about working in the IT field:

If you want or need to know something about a particular piece of hardware, software, or IT related concept, you read the user manual or consult the manufacture's/developer's website.

If you're having difficulty troubleshooting a particular piece of hardware or software, you consult the user manual, the manufacturer's or developer's website, and any relevant forums with posts that pertain to the same or similar problem.

You won't know everything under the sun, nor should you be expected to, but you should make an effort to be familiar and competent with IT matters at your place of employment and current best known methods.

Aside from reasonable expectations of IT related knowledge and experience; and because books can only teach so much; employers will only get as good of an IT person desired based on the amount, frequency, and quality of training provided.