System board - Power supply - Processor/CPU - Memory - Storage devices - Monitor - Modem - Input devices - Output devices - BIOS CMOS

1.2
Identify basic procedures for adding and removing field replaceable modules.

System board - Power supply - Processor/CPU - Memory - Storage devices - Monitor - Modem - Input devices - Output devices

1.3
Identify available IRQS, DMAs, and I/0 addresses and procedures for configuring them for device installation, including identifying switch and jumper settings.

Standard IRQ settings - Differences between jumpers and switches - Locating and setting switches/jumpers - Modems Sound Cards - Network Cards

1.4
Identify common peripheral ports, associated cabling, and their connectors.

Cable types - Cable orientation - Cable and connector location - internal/external - Serial versus parallel - Pin connections - Cable handling/routing - Examples of types of connectors. DB9 - DB25 - RJ11 - RJ14 - RJ45 - PS2/MINI-DIN

1.5
Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring IDE/EIDE devices.

Master/slave - Devices per channel

1.6
Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring SCSI devices. Address/Termination conflicts Cabling Types (example: regular, wide, ultra-wide) - Power supply Internal versus external - Switch and jumper settings

1.7
Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring peripheral devices.

Monitor/Video Card - Modem - Storage devices - Associated drivers

1.8
Recognize the functions and effective use of common hand tools.

Chip-puller - Torx bit - Regular bit - Multimeter

1.9
Identify procedures for upgrading BIOS.

Upgrade system BIOS (flash or replace) - Upgrade system hardware

1.10
Identify hardware methods of system optimization and when to use them.

This domain requires the ability to apply knowledge relating to diagnosing and troubleshooting common module problems and system malfunctions. This includes knowledge of the symptoms relating to common problems.

2.1
Identify common symptoms & problems associated with each module and how to troubleshoot and isolate the problems.

Processor/Memory symptoms - Keyboards/Mouse/Track Ball/Pen/Microphones/Touch Pad - Floppy drive failures - Parallel Ports/scanners/tape drives - Hard Drives - Sound Card/Audio Monitor/Video - Modems - BIOS - Power supply - Device drivers - POST - Audio/visual error codes

2.2
Identify basic troubleshooting procedures and good practices for eliciting problem symptoms from customers.

Troubleshooting determination procedures - Determine whether hardware or software problem - Gather information from user regarding, e.g., Customer Environment - Symptoms/Error Codes - Situation when the problem occurred.

This domain requires the knowledge of safety and preventive maintenance. With regard to safety, it includes the potential hazards to personnel and equipment when working with lasers, high voltage equipment, ESD and items that require special disposal procedures that comply with environmental guidelines. With regard to preventive maintenance, this includes knowledge of preventive maintenance products, procedures, environmental hazards, and precautions when working on microcomputer systems.

3.1
Identify the purpose of various types of preventive maintenance products and procedures, and when to use/perform them.

Liquid cleaning compounds - Types of materials to clean contacts and connections - Types of tools used for cleaning floppy drives: Head cleaning disk - Manufacturer guidelines - Observations: identify wear and tear to determine need for maintenance - Vacuum out systems, power supplies, fans - Industry standards, normal use versus heavy use or environmental considerations

3.2
Identify procedures and devices for protecting against environmental hazards.

UPS (uninterruptible power supply), suppressors, noise filters, and plug strips - Determining the signs of power issues - Proper methods of storage of components for future use.

3.3
Identify the potential hazards and proper safety procedures relating to lasers and high voltage equipment.

Lasers ran cause blindness - High voltage equipment can cause electrocution, e.g., Power supply - CRT.

3.4
Identify Items that require special disposal procedures to comply with environmental guidelines.

Batteries - Toner kits/cartridges Computers - Chemical solvents and cans - CRTs - MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).

3.5
Identify ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) precautions and procedures, including the use of ESD protection devices.

What ESD can do, how it may be apparent, or hidden - Common ESD protection devices - Situations that could present a danger or hazard.

This domain requires knowledge of specific terminology, facts, ways and means of dealing with classifications categories and principles of motherboards, processors, and memory in microcomputer systems.

4.1
Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in terms of their basic characteristics.

Popular CPU chips:
386- 486 - 586 - 686
Characteristics:
Physical size - Voltage - Speeds - Heat sink and cooling fan requirements - On board cache or not - Sockets - Number of pins.

4.2
Identify the categories of RAM (Random Access Memory) terminology, their locations, and physical characteristics.

Terminology:
EDO RAM (Extended Data Output RAM) - DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) - SRAM (Static RAM) -VRAM (Video RAM) - WRAM (Windows Accelerator Card RAM)
Locations and physical characteristics:
Memory bank - Memory chips (8, 16, and 32 bit) - SIMMS (Single In-line Memory Module) - DIMMS (Dual In- line Memory Module) Parity chips versus non-parity chips.

4.3
Identify the most popular type of motherboards, their components, and their architecture (e.g., bus structures and power supplies).

Types of motherboards:
-AT (Full and Baby) - ATX
Components:
Communication ports - CMOS, SIMM AND DIMM Processor Sockets - External Cache Memory (Level 2) - ROM - Bus Architecture - ISA - EISA - PCI - VESA local bus (VL-BUS) - PC Card (PCMCIA) Basic compatibility guidelines.

4.4
Identify the purpose of CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor), what it contains and how to change Its basic parameters.

Example Basic CMOS Settings:
Printer parallel port - Uni/bi-directional, disable/enable, ECP, EPP com/serial port - memory address, interrupt request, disable hard drive - size and drive type - floppy drive enable/disable drive or boot, speed, density - boot sequence - memory parity, non-parity - network interface card - date/time - passwords.

This domain requires knowledge of basic types of printers, basic concepts, printer components, how they work, how they print onto a page, paper path, care and service techniques, and common problems.

5.1
Identify basic concepts, printer operations, printer components, and field replaceable units in primary printer types.

Types of Printers:
Laser - Inkjet - Dot Matrix - Paper feeder mechanisms - Common Field Replaceable Units (FRUs) for printers include:
- Primary Power Supply Boards or Assemblies - High Voltage Power Supplies System (or Main Logic) Boards - Sub Logic Boards - Motors (main drive, paper feed, transport, etc.) - Fusers - Rollers - Sensors Switches - Cables - Printheads/laser devices - ROM SIMMs - EPROMs - Operator Panels - Gear Packs.

5.2
Identify care and service techniques and common problems with primary printer types.

Feed and output - Paper jam, Print quality.

5.3
Identify the types of printer connections and configurations.

Parallel - Serial - Network

This domain requires knowledge of portable computers and their unique components and problems.

6.1
Identify the unique components of portable systems and their unique problems.

Battery - LCD - AC adapter - docking stations - Hard Drive - Types I, II, III cards - Network cards - Memory

This domain requires knowledge of basic network concepts and terminology, ability to determine whether a computer is networked, knowledge of procedures for swapping and configuring network interface cards, and knowledge of the ramifications of repairs when a computer is networked.

7.1
Identify basic networking concepts, including how a network works.

Network access, Protocol Network Interface Cards - Cabling - Twisted Pair, Coaxial, Fiber Optic - Ways to network a PC.

7.2
Identify procedures for swapping and configuring network interface cards.

7.3
Identify ramifications of repairs on the network.

Reduced bandwidth - Loss of data Network slowdown

This domain requires knowledge of (and sensitivity around) - those behaviors that contribute to satisfying customers. More specifically, these behaviors include such things as; the quality of technician-customer personal interactions, the way a technician conducts him or herself professionally within the customer's business setting, the credibility and confidence projected by the technician which, in turn, engenders customer confidence, the resilience, friendliness, and efficiency that can unexpectedly delight the customer above and beyond the solving of a technical problem.

8.1
Differentiate effective from ineffective behaviors as these contribute to the maintenance or achievement of customer satisfaction.

Some of the customer satisfaction behaviors and factors addressed include:

Communicating and listening (face-to-face or over the phone) Interpreting verbal and non-verbal cues - Responding appropriately to the customers technical level - Establishing personal rapport with the customer - Professional conduct - Conflict avoidance and resolution

Domain 1.0 Function, Structure, Operation and File Management

This domain requires knowledge of DOS, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95 operating systems in terms of its functions and structure, for managing files and directories, and running programs. It also includes navigating through the operating system from DOS command line prompts and Windows procedures for accessing and retrieving Information.

1.1
Identify the operating system's functions, structure, and major system files.

Functions of DOS, Windows 3.x and Windows 95 - Major components of DOS, Windows 3.x and Windows 95 - Contrasts between Windows 3.x and Windows 95 - Major system files, what they are, where they are located and how they are used: System, Configuration, and User Interface files - DOS - Autoexec.bat - Config.sys IO.sys - Ansi.sys - Msdos.sys - Emm386.exe - Command.com - Windows 3.x - Win.ini - System.ini - User.exe - Gdi.exe - Win.com - Krnlxxx.exe - Windows 95 - IO.sys - Msdos.sys - Command.com - Win.ini - Program.ini - System.dat - User.dat

1.2
Identify ways to navigate the operating system and how to get to needed technical information.

Procedures (e.g., menu or icon driven) for navigating through DOS to perform such things as locating, accessing and retrieving information - Procedures for navigating through the Windows 3.x/Windows 95 operating system, accessing, and retrieving information - How DOS organizes and structures files in directories - Root directories - Folders and subfolders.

1.3
Identify basic concepts and procedures for creating and managing files and directories in DOS/Windows.

File naming conventions - File types - File formats - Command syntax.

1.4
Identify the procedures for viewing files and changing file attributes, and the ramifications of changes (e.g., security issues).

Use Attrib.exe - Read Only, Hidden System, and Archive attributes - View Menu and using tabs.

1.5
Identify the procedures for basic disk management.

Using disk management utilities - Backing up - Formatting - Partitioning - Defragmenting - Scandisk.

1.6
Identify how the operating system stores information on the hard drive in file allocation tables.

Virtual File Allocation Table (VFAT) FAT32

Domain 2.0 Memory Management

This domain requires knowledge of the types of memory used by DOS and Windows, and the potential for memory address conflicts.

2.1
Differentiate between types of memory.

Conventional - Extended/upper memory - High memory - Expanded memory - Virtual memory.

2.2
Identify typical memory conflict problems and how to optimize memory use.

What a memory conflict is - How it happens - When to employ utilities - Illegal operations occurrences - Conflicts with 16-bit applications/Windows 95 operations MemMaker or other optimization utilities - Himem.sys - Use of expanded memory blocks (using Emm386.exe)

Domain 3.0 Installation, Configuration and Upgrading

This domain requires knowledge of installing, configuring and upgrading DOS, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95. This includes knowledge of system boot sequences.

3.1
Identify the procedures for installing DOS, Windows 3.x and Windows 95, and bringing the software to a basic operational level.

Partition - Format drive - Run appropriate set up utility - Loading drivers.

3.2
Identify steps to perform an operating system upgrade.

Upgrading from DOS to Win95 - Upgrading from Win 3.x to Win95; Loading drivers.

3.3
Identify the basic system boot sequences for DOS, Windows 3.x and Windows 95, and alternative ways to boot the system software.

Booting a system from floppy, hard drive Strategies to be used - Safe mode DOS mode - Mufti-boot configurations

3.4
Identify how Windows 95 uses plug and play, and how it functions.

BIOS/OS recognizes peripherals and loads appropriate drivers and assigns system resources - When working properly-when not working properly.

3.5
Interpret instructions and identify the procedures for loading/adding device drivers and the necessary software for certain devices.

DOS - Some devices will contain an install utility which should install drivers automatically. Some devices will only supply a driver file which must be manually installed by editing the Config.sys and/or Autoexec.bat - Windows 3.x, Windows 95 procedures.

3.6
Identify the procedures for changing options, configuring, and using the Windows printing subsystem.

3.7
Identify the procedures for installing and launching typical Windows and non-Windows applications.

3.8
Identify the procedures for editing AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files.

Domain 4.0 Diagnosing and Troubleshooting

This domain requires the ability to apply knowledge to diagnose and troubleshoot common problems relating to DOS, Windows 3.x and Windows 95. This includes understanding normal operation and symptoms relating to common problems.

4.1
Recognize and interpret the meaning of common error codes, startup messages, and icons from the boot sequence for DOS, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95.

DOS - Incorrect DOS version - Error in CONFIG.SYS line XX - Bad or missing Command.com - Windows 3.x - Himem..sys not loaded - Unable to initialize display adapter - Swapfile corrupt - A device referenced in Win.ini could not be found - Windows Splash Screen is displayed - Bad or missing - Command.com - Windows 95 - Missing or corrupt Himem.sys - No operating system found - Safe Mode - VFAT initialization failure - Bad or missing Command.com

4.2
Identify the steps required to correct a startup or boot problem.

4.3
Identify the steps to create an emergency boot disk with utilities installed.

4.4
Recognize Windows-specific printing problems and identify the procedures for correcting them.

Print spool is stalled - Driver is set for bi-directional printing, but user is using a unidirectional cable - Incorrect/incompatible driver for print - Printer port is not set up correctly in device manager (ECP, EPP, Standard) - Printer not set up to print to correct port.

4.5
Recognize and categorize common problems and identify what could cause them.

General Protection Faults - System lock up - Operating system will not boot - Option will not function, Application will not start or load - Cannot log on to network.

4.6
Identify the purpose of and procedures for using various DOS and Windows-based utilities and commands/switches to diagnose and troubleshoot problems.

DOS - MSDOS - Scandisk - Defrag.exe - Mem.exe - Edit.com - Fdisk.exe - Attrib.exe - Windows-based tools - Scandisk - Defrag.exe - Device manager - Conflict troubleshooter - Sysedit.exe - Control Panel

4.7
Identify the procedures to install and configure DOS applications, and potential problems in Windows 95.

Setting memory - Setting screen size - Identify where to load up in memory - Select whether to run full screen or windowed screen in Win95 - Determine whether to display the Win95 toolbar - Enable/disable dynamic memory allocation - Illegal operations error - Application may quit and Windows 95 stops functioning

4.8
Identify concepts relating to viruses and virus types - their danger, their symptoms, sources of viruses, how they infect, how to protect against them, and how to identify and remove them.

What they are - Sources - How to determine presence - Removal Prevention - Boot sector virus - FAT virus - Memory virus - Macro virus - CMOS virus

Domain 5.0 Networks

This domain requires knowledge of network capabilities of DOS and Windows, and how to connect to network including what the Internet is about, its capabilities, basic concepts relating to Internet access and generic procedures for system setup.

5.1
Identify the networking capabilities of DOS and Windows including procedures for connecting to the network.

Sharing disk drives - Sharing print and file services - Installing software - Network type and network card.

5.2
Identify concepts and capabilities relating to the Internet and basic procedures for setting up a system for Internet access.