I'm preparing to take my Linux+ Exam by studying the Linux+ In Depth by Course Technology. Does anyone who have taken the exam have any advice on what to pay close attention to or advice on stuff that was on the exam that they were surpised by.

Thanks!

I took it and passed it quite a while ago (almost a year).

It's very basic Linux knowledge, and the only thing that surprised me was that there were several A+ type hardware questions that had nothing to do with Linux whatsoever. As a matter of fact I started to get scared that I was taking the wrong test until I finally got a Linux question!

So, know your A+ (general) stuff like IRQs, DMAs, SCSI termination. Stuff like that.

Good luck!

Bret

Yeah, I passed the test but was pretty disappointed with the test content. There was a LOT of VERY difficult hardware questions, and the linux questions were all very easy.

The Exam Cram Linux+ book is great I think. It has lots of "to the point" info in it.

so how do we overcome the hardware questions?

Know youre A+, may not apply in another case of taking the test, but most of my hardware questions that I struggled with pertained to setting up SCSI devices. Like
iggymac said:

"So, know your A+ (general) stuff like IRQs, DMAs, SCSI termination. Stuff like that."

yeah now that i read some of this shit, its says taking the A+ hardware test is recommended before taking this.

i am clueless on that stuff. guess i need to find out bout it. grrr

Yes, CompTIA recommends the A+ before any of it's other exams, because exams like the Network+ and Linux+ allude to it.

The examcram2 site has CompTIA practice tests (not for Linux+ though.) http://www.examcram2.com/practice_ex...e.asp?st=43489

If these are any indication, I might as well take A+ Hardware, A+ OS and Network+ too; the practice tests were a breeze. Anyway, was just about to register for Linux+ but am now thinking maybe it would be more cost effective to take one of the A+ tests first. Could then become a "IT Pro" member and get a discount on the rest of them. https://www.comptia.org/joinnow/itpro_app/default.asp

They don't say how much of a discount though. Anyone know? Their tests are fricking way too expensive IMHO. I really don't feel like dropping a grand on four of them.

edited to add: just checked and the A+ tests are cheaper than Linux+ for some unknown reason, so won't be quite a grand. Still, buy a few books to study with and it'll be close to that.

Very true on the price of their exams but there are so many places out there that offer discounts this is a no brainer. Like Mike Myers says "no one should ever pay full price for A+ exams!" Its just to easy to get 20%, 30%, etc off for the vouchers. I paid $145 for the Network+ recently thats about/around $60 less then the regular price. All I did was order my voucher from a company that was advertised on the back cover of the Exam Cram 2 book for Net+.

IMO for the A+ all you need is Mike Myers "All-In-One A+ Certification Exam Guide, 5th Edition" for the A+. If you need more resources there is a wealth of them all over the net. If you need practice exams there are numerous free ones and free demos(ie. Transcenders) that you can grab to help you study. You should check out books like Exam Cram and such and see if they offer discounts on the Linux+ and for the other certs you are looking to aquire.

I didn't know the Exam Cram books had discount offers, oh well. Went ahead and forked over $145 for A+ Core Hardware this morning; will take it this Friday. Figured I'd take the cheap test first so I could join the CompTIA IT Pro club and get a discount on the more expensive exams, like Linux+. Hope the new A+ "2003 objectives" aren't too different from the older practice tests I took, though.

Depending on when you are planning to take it, keep in mind the Linux+ is currently under review, and they are planning on releasing a beta fairly soon I think(not sure exactly when, but maybe 3rd qtr?). The new exam will not focus so much on hardware and should be much better. I really can't provide more detail than that however.

Hmm, I was planning on knocking out all four (A+ hardare, A+ OS, Network+ and Linux+) this month, then move on to the LPIC level 1 tests next month. After that may go back and take some (gasp) MS certs until I'm ready for LPIC level 2. Have seen so many incompetent people get MS certified with Transcender and braindumps that I became completely disgusted with the entire process. Unfortunately, HR people aren't usually technically oriented and experience doesn't impress them as easily as certs do.

unfortunately, "paper" certs are not MS specific. They are common to all standard certifications that are not performance based.

That's true, though these new "adaptive" tests seem to make it harder to cheat. NT 4.0 MCSE's were a dime a dozen, however, and MS' "fast track" made it easy to update certs to W2K without taking all the new tests.

Oh BTW, I passed A+ Core Hardware (2003 objectives) this afternoon. Wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.

Congratulation's, Crito.