Cheryl Schmidt's Complete A+ Guide to It Hardware and Software, Eighth Edition presents the fundamentals of computer desktop and laptop installation, configuration, maintenance, and networking through simple, step-by-step instruction based on CompTIA A+® Edition objectives. With a focused emphasis on security and customer service skills, this comprehensive computer repair guide introduces the most important tools students need to become professional, customer-friendly technicians using today's technologies. A+® Certification Exam objectives summarize exam topics in an easy-to-use reference at the beginning of the book, so students can quickly locate and review key concepts covered on the exam. Each section is written in building-block fashion, beginning with the simplest concepts, continuing on to more advanced concepts, and creating a solid foundation for understanding new technologies as they arrive. Schmidt provides comprehensive pedagogical tools, many of them unique to this book.