[techtalk] A+ Certification
Would anyone care to share their recommendations on favorite books/CDs/online courses/etc. to cram, train, and hopefully pass A+ Certification? Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard that it's supposed to say to the world, "Hey, I can fix PCs!" while many of the questions deal with obscure trivia that rarely helps in the real world (hence, the need for the latest book/software). Thanks in advance! - Mary Wood; getting good at fixing things, but wouldn't mind that piece of paper in hand... ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] A+ Certification
On Fri, 02 Feb 2001 04:23:20 -0600, Mary P. Wood wrote: >wrong, but I've heard that it's supposed to say to the world, >"Hey, I can fix PCs!" while many of the questions deal with But do you *want* the world to know that? As a friend of mine put it: "I got my first 'hi, I'm so-and-so, X's friend. I've got this computer problem.. and he said you could help me. See, my AOL stopped working...' which means I either have to move away, or get my phone number changed again" >obscure trivia that rarely helps in the real world (hence, >the need for the latest book/software). Last time I looked at A+, it was very hardware and DOS-heavy. -- "The French language, which the French used to learn very well, did not exist for the sake of conveying information, for communicating men's common needs; it was indistinguishable from historical consciousness. Frenchness is defined by participation in this language, its literature and the entire range of effects it produces." -- Allan Bloom The Closing of The American Mind ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
[techtalk] Re; A+ certification
Ian mentioned: > But do you *want* the world to know that [you can fix > computers]? Ha, ha! Good point. But I don't think getting my A+ will change the number of friends and family who know ... only the number of prospective employers. I'm currently part-time and am thinking it would be nice to do something else on the side to supplement the income ... such as 1 or 2 days a week at a local mom&pop computer store. A+ certification cracks the door just a little wider, and who knows? I might actually learn something useful. > "I got my first 'hi, I'm so-and-so, X's friend. I've got this > computer problem.. and he said you could help me. See, > my AOL stopped working...' which means I either have to > move away, or get my phone number changed again" But on the other hand, if you don't like X, this is a wonderful opportunity to amuse yourself at the expense of X's stupidity. > Last time I looked at A+, it was very hardware and DOS-heavy. That's my understanding. The DOS end is where I've been warned to expect obscure trivia questions. I've been doing A+ type work for 5 months now and have actually run into very few DOS issues ... none of which couldn't be solved by flipping through a book or a website real quick. Is this normal, or have I just been lucky and a true fix-it geek requires painfully detailed fluency in every incarnation of DOS? - Mary ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] A+ Certification
On Fri, Feb 02, 2001 at 04:23:20AM -0600, Mary P. Wood wrote: > Would anyone care to share their recommendations on > favorite books/CDs/online courses/etc. to cram, train, and > hopefully pass A+ Certification? Also, correct me if I'm > wrong, but I've heard that it's supposed to say to the world, > "Hey, I can fix PCs!" while many of the questions deal with > obscure trivia that rarely helps in the real world (hence, > the need for the latest book/software). > > Thanks in advance! > I'm studying for the exam bit by bit. I'm using the "Exam Cram" book and "A+ Complete Study Guide" by Groth. Primarily the former. I can't necessarily recommend them as opposed to something else because I haven't used any other books. They just looked like the ones to go with at the book store at the time. If I pass, that will be the test:) There are two parts to the exam both are around $100.00 each. The first is on hardware the second OS stuff. You should be aware that the exam is updated and I don't know exactly when that takes effect. At this point I think you can still take the old exam, at least I hope so:) The OS part covers DOS, Win3.11, Win95 and a little 98. The new OS exam will cover DOS, Win95, Win98 and Win2000. At least that is what I read some time back. There are several online mini tests you can take to gage where you are at. I don't have any urls handy but google should pull up a few. hth, kent -- I'd really love ta wana help ya Flanders but... Homer Simpson ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
[techtalk] Tar memory issue?
Hello all, Has anyone had memory problems with tar? I've noticed that when creating a decent size tar file (750M) that includes a whole BUNCH of files linux runs really low on memory, and it doesn't seem to come back. For instance, I ran a top on a computer, and it had approximately 68Meg "free". During the tar process, I kept the top going, and the memory stayed steady for a while, then the free memory suddenly went down to about 2Meg, popped back up to about 3, and stayed there. Even after tar finished, the box kept claiming it only had 3M memory free, even though a top showed the running processes were not eating that much. I didn't notice any performance issues, though I haven't thoroughly tested it yet. I looked on google and redhat, but didn't find anything. I also tried to use memprof for the first time, and that, near as I can tell did nothing except generate seg faults ;P. Anyone have any ideas/suggestions...? -Brian ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] Tar memory issue?
Here's a good article talking about that. http://www2.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/issue3/2770.html Jen On Fri, 2 Feb 2001, ktb wrote: > On Fri, Feb 02, 2001 at 02:45:40PM -0500, Brian Sweeney wrote: > > Hello all, > > > > Has anyone had memory problems with tar? I've noticed that when creating a > > decent size tar file (750M) that includes a whole BUNCH of files linux runs > > really low on memory, and it doesn't seem to come back. > > > > For instance, I ran a top on a computer, and it had approximately 68Meg > > "free". During the tar process, I kept the top going, and the memory stayed > > steady for a while, then the free memory suddenly went down to about 2Meg, > > popped back up to about 3, and stayed there. Even after tar finished, the > > box kept claiming it only had 3M memory free, even though a top showed the > > running processes were not eating that much. > > > > I didn't notice any performance issues, though I haven't thoroughly tested > > it yet. I looked on google and redhat, but didn't find anything. I also > > tried to use memprof for the first time, and that, near as I can tell did > > nothing except generate seg faults ;P. > > > > Anyone have any ideas/suggestions...? > > > > Ya don't worry about it. This question comes up a lot on the debian > user's list and I should know the full explanation, off the top of my > head, but I don't. Basically it is the way linux handles memory. It > looks like there isn't not much memory free but in really when the kernel > needs more memory it gets it. Not a very elegant explanation but I'm a > little under the weather today or I would research more. Do a search of > debian-user @ http://www.geocrawler.com/ I bet you will come up with > something. > hth, > kent > > -- > I'd really love ta wana help ya Flanders but... Homer Simpson > > > ___ > techtalk mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk > ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] Tar memory issue?
On Fri, Feb 02, 2001 at 02:45:40PM -0500, Brian Sweeney wrote: > Hello all, > > Has anyone had memory problems with tar? I've noticed that when creating a > decent size tar file (750M) that includes a whole BUNCH of files linux runs > really low on memory, and it doesn't seem to come back. > > For instance, I ran a top on a computer, and it had approximately 68Meg > "free". During the tar process, I kept the top going, and the memory stayed > steady for a while, then the free memory suddenly went down to about 2Meg, > popped back up to about 3, and stayed there. Even after tar finished, the > box kept claiming it only had 3M memory free, even though a top showed the > running processes were not eating that much. > > I didn't notice any performance issues, though I haven't thoroughly tested > it yet. I looked on google and redhat, but didn't find anything. I also > tried to use memprof for the first time, and that, near as I can tell did > nothing except generate seg faults ;P. > > Anyone have any ideas/suggestions...? > Ya don't worry about it. This question comes up a lot on the debian user's list and I should know the full explanation, off the top of my head, but I don't. Basically it is the way linux handles memory. It looks like there isn't not much memory free but in really when the kernel needs more memory it gets it. Not a very elegant explanation but I'm a little under the weather today or I would research more. Do a search of debian-user @ http://www.geocrawler.com/ I bet you will come up with something. hth, kent -- I'd really love ta wana help ya Flanders but... Homer Simpson ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] Tar memory issue?
Brian Sweeney wrote: > For instance, I ran a top on a computer, and it had approximately 68Meg > "free". During the tar process, I kept the top going, and the memory stayed > steady for a while, then the free memory suddenly went down to about 2Meg, > popped back up to about 3, and stayed there. Even after tar finished, the > box kept claiming it only had 3M memory free, even though a top showed the > running processes were not eating that much. If you check the amount of memory used in buffers and cache you'll find it has increased dramatically. Its nothing to worry about, this memory will be released if the kernel needs it for applications. -- Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ: 5632563 or shout loudly ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] HP Productivity Center 2001
On Thu, Feb 01, 2001 at 07:02:36PM -0600 or so it is rumoured hereabouts, Kathryn Hogg thought: > Is this spammer really subscribed to the list or does the MLM allow > non-subscribers to post? > AFAIK the linuxchix lists are open for posting. -- Conor Daly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Domestic Sysadmin :-) - faenor.cod.ie 10:13pm up 102 days, 4:42, 0 users, load average: 0.01, 0.01, 0.00 Hobbiton.cod.ie 10:11pm up 7 days, 12:00, 2 users, load average: 0.03, 0.05, 0.01 ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
[techtalk] disappearing mouse!!
Hi folks - I'm new to the list, but an old timer in the unix world (solaris atleast). I recently installed linux to set up a web server, and when I changed the monitor resolution, I lost my mouse cursor! I've tried reconfiguring everything, but to no avail. I'm mouseless and one step short of completely reinstalling the OS. Anyone seen this behavior before? Heeelp, -e ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] disappearing mouse!!
On Fri, Feb 02, 2001 at 03:24:33PM -0800, I guess I'm an underwater thing wrote: > > Hi folks - > I'm new to the list, but an old timer in the unix world (solaris atleast). > > I recently installed linux to set up a web server, and when I changed the > monitor resolution, I lost my mouse cursor! I've tried reconfiguring > everything, but to no avail. I'm mouseless and one step short of > completely reinstalling the OS. > > Anyone seen this behavior before? > Not much info to go on. Is this a console mouse? If so take a look at gpm. Is it in X that you lost the mouse? If so look at the backup XF86Config file and compare it to your current file (pointer section) see if there is a difference. The version of Linux your running would help also. kent -- I'd really love ta wana help ya Flanders but... Homer Simpson ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] disappearing mouse!!
> Not much info to go on. Is this a console mouse? If so take a look at > gpm. Is it in X that you lost the mouse? If so look at the backup > XF86Config file and compare it to your current file (pointer section) > see if there is a difference. The version of Linux your running would > help also. > kent Sorry 'bout that. I'm running redhat 6.2, gnome/enlightenment. I've lost my mouse in X. I don't see a backup XF86Config file in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11. Any ideas? Thanks! > > ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] disappearing mouse!!
On Fri, Feb 02, 2001 at 04:06:15PM -0800, I guess I'm an underwater thing wrote: > > > > Not much info to go on. Is this a console mouse? If so take a look at > > gpm. Is it in X that you lost the mouse? If so look at the backup > > XF86Config file and compare it to your current file (pointer section) > > see if there is a difference. The version of Linux your running would > > help also. > > kent > > Sorry 'bout that. I'm running redhat 6.2, gnome/enlightenment. I've lost > my mouse in X. > > I don't see a backup XF86Config file in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11. > You mentioned that you changed the resolution. How did you do that? If your mouse was working before that then there must be something that was done during that process that changed your mouse configuration. What I was thinking is you ran XF86Setup or something like that. I believe that would have created a backup file. At any rate can you reverse your changes and see if you can get the mouse back? Does the mouse work in console? Mouse behavior in X is determined by the pointer section in XF86Config. Mess around with that. Restart X between changes. Check and make sure the mouse cable is seated properly. Just throwing out some suggestions. I'm not that familiar with redhat. Maybe some redhat guru will have better suggestions. You shouldn't have to reinstall. At worst I would think just reconfigure X with XF86Setup or xf86config or whatever redhat uses. hth, kent -- I'd really love ta wana help ya Flanders but... Homer Simpson ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
Re: [techtalk] A+ Certification
On Fri, 2 Feb 2001, Mary P. Wood wrote: > Would anyone care to share their recommendations on > favorite books/CDs/online courses/etc. to cram, train, and > hopefully pass A+ Certification? Also, correct me if I'm > wrong, but I've heard that it's supposed to say to the world, > "Hey, I can fix PCs!" while many of the questions deal with > obscure trivia that rarely helps in the real world (hence, > the need for the latest book/software). Dunno about good resources -- I took the A+ certs (Dos/Windows and PC Hardware) five years ago (and have long since lapsed, but don't care, as I'm a sysadmin now :) ) and at the time I had been a PC tech for two years. I remember that the questions were really trivial and random -- and the one I missed was something about how often you were supposed to clean your keyboard (yes, really, it was like every six months or so..I don't remember..I just clean 'em when they need it). I crammed with something that was at work (I had to take the a+ to keep that A+ certified shop thing up) and it was basically a bunch of quizzes on a CD, but was infinitely better than just going in with two years of real world experience :) I don't remember *what* the CDs were called, though Sorry to just confirm the rumours of suckiness, there. Good luck! V. ___ techtalk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk
