CompTIA A+ Study Hub: Core 1 and Core 2 Resources

CompTIA A+ V15 requires two exams: Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202). Use this free CompTIA A+ study hub to compare the exams, plan your preparation and try original questions and performance-based exercises before choosing your next study task.

By Trifectapp · Official references checked 9 November 2026 · Covers 220-1201 and 220-1202

Core 1 develops device, hardware, networking and troubleshooting skills. Core 2 focuses on operating systems, security, software troubleshooting and support procedures. Study both if your goal is the full certification. The samples below are original Trifectapp learning activities, freely available without an account; they are not actual CompTIA exam questions.

Core 1 vs Core 2: which exam are you studying for?

Both exams must be from the same version. Passing one core does not award the full A+ certification. The exam facts above come from CompTIA’s Core 1 page, Core 2 page and the official objectives. Check those sources again before booking.

Choose by your next learning goal. If you are new to support work, our suggested route is Core 1 first, then Core 2. If you already support operating systems, review your gaps in both cores before deciding. This is study advice, not a compulsory exam order. A practice percentage also does not convert directly into CompTIA’s scaled passing score.

Use the domains to organize your A+ preparation

Keep a separate checklist for each core. Domain weights describe the exam blueprint; they are not a promise about the questions in a particular sitting or a reason to skip a smaller domain.

Use the full 220-1201 objectives PDF and 220-1202 objectives PDF to check the individual objectives within these domains. The tables are a study map, not a replacement for the complete documents.

Build a study plan around evidence

Start with the core you intend to take next. Set the number and length of your weekly sessions from your available time, then repeat this cycle. Move on when you can explain and apply the skill, not just recognize a familiar answer.

1. Check the starting point. Read the official objective list and label each item “new,” “can explain” or “can demonstrate.” Answer a small set of unfamiliar questions without notes.
2. Learn one gap. Study a focused explanation and write a short answer in your own words. For example, explain how DHCP and DNS solve different problems.
3. Apply it. Work through a scenario, a simulated task or an authorized lab. Record the symptom, evidence, action and verification. Use a spare device or test environment for changes that could disrupt a working computer.
4. Review the reasoning. Explain why the other answers are less suitable. Count a correct guess as a topic to revisit, rather than evidence that you understand it.
5. Revisit with a fresh task. Change the symptoms or constraints. If you can solve only the example you memorized, return to the underlying concept.
6. Add timed practice. Once the foundations are stable, rehearse working within a time limit. Review weak domains and practical decisions before choosing an exam date.

There is no single study duration that fits every learner. Keep separate Core 1 and Core 2 records so a strong result in one does not hide a gap in the other.

Six original A+ practice questions with explanations

Choose an answer before opening the explanation. These questions sample selected skills; they do not represent full exam coverage or predict a passing score.

Core 1 · Networking and troubleshooting

1. A new laptop cannot reach the office network

A wired laptop is configured to obtain its IPv4 settings automatically. It has a link light but shows 169.254.18.42 and no default gateway. Other laptops on the same network have valid leases. Which area should the technician investigate first?

1. The client’s configured DNS server
2. The laptop’s path to the DHCP service
3. The browser’s configured proxy server
4. The client’s DNS suffix search list

Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. An automatic private IPv4 address is evidence that the client did not obtain a usable DHCP lease. Check the client’s configuration and its network path, including the assigned switch port or VLAN, before assuming the DHCP server is down. Other clients working narrows the problem but does not prove this client can reach the service. DNS settings affect name resolution, while a browser proxy affects application traffic; neither supplies the missing DHCP lease. After an approved fix, verify a valid lease and access to the required network resources.

Core 1 · Hardware

2. An M.2 drive fits, but the computer does not detect it

A technician selects an M.2 SATA SSD for a motherboard whose documentation specifies a PCIe/NVMe-only storage socket. The drive’s dimensions fit. What is the best explanation for the compatibility problem?

1. The drive must be formatted before the firmware can detect it
2. Every M.2 socket automatically supports both SATA and NVMe
3. The drive’s capacity determines which protocol the socket supports
4. The physical format does not guarantee protocol compatibility

Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. M.2 describes a physical format; supported interfaces still matter. A SATA drive cannot be assumed to work in a socket documented as NVMe-only merely because it fits. Confirm the supported interface, size and keying in the motherboard and drive specifications before selecting a replacement. Formatting cannot add a missing hardware interface, and capacity does not determine the socket’s supported protocol. The assumption that all M.2 sockets support every M.2 drive is the misconception being tested.

Core 1 · Virtualization

3. Keep a practice VM separate from the office network

You need two practice VMs to communicate with each other. They must have no connection to the physical office LAN or the internet. Which setup best matches that requirement?

1. An isolated virtual network with no external uplink
2. A bridged adapter on the office LAN
3. A NAT adapter that provides internet access
4. A public Wi-Fi connection for each guest

Show answer and explanation

Answer: A. A private, isolated virtual network can connect the two guests without an external uplink. The exact setting name varies by hypervisor, so check that platform’s documentation and verify the resulting connectivity. Bridging places the guest on the physical network. NAT normally permits outbound connectivity, and public Wi-Fi is an external connection. Being virtual does not by itself make a workload isolated.

Core 2 · Software troubleshooting

4. Investigate one application before replacing hardware

A Windows application closes unexpectedly after an update. Other applications work, and the computer remains responsive. Which action provides useful evidence for the next troubleshooting decision?

1. Reinstall the application before recording the failure details
2. Replace the storage drive before checking the application errors
3. Review the application’s error details and relevant event logs
4. Roll back every recent system update before isolating the cause

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. The failure is currently limited to one application, so its error message, timing and related log entries help narrow the cause. Compare the failure with the update and any known compatibility issue before proposing a repair or rollback. A time correlation is a lead to investigate, not proof. A reinstall, hardware replacement or broad rollback changes the system before the cause has been narrowed. Those actions may be unnecessary and can remove useful evidence.

Core 2 · Security

5. Give a temporary colleague only the required access

A temporary colleague needs to read one project folder for a week. They do not need to edit files or administer the workstation. Which access arrangement best matches the request?

1. Use a shared department account with read access to the folder
2. Use their own account with approved read access and a planned removal date
3. Use their own account with read access to every project folder
4. Use their own account with permission to modify the project folder

Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. An individual account preserves accountability, while scoped read access matches the work. Record when the temporary access should be removed and follow the organization’s approval process. A shared password hides who performed an action. Access to every project folder or permission to modify files expands permissions beyond this task. Verification should confirm that the user can read the intended folder and cannot modify it or reach unrelated restricted content.

Core 2 · Operational procedures

6. Check that a backup is usable

A backup dashboard reports that a job completed successfully. What provides stronger evidence that the required files can actually be recovered?

1. Confirm that the backup archive has a nonzero file size
2. Verify that the job ran at its scheduled time
3. Check that the destination disk still has free space
4. Perform an authorized test restore and validate the recovered files

Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. A controlled test restore checks whether the backup can be used for its intended recovery purpose. Restore to an approved test location, verify the expected files and record the result. Successful transfer alone does not establish that the right files were included or can be opened after recovery. File size, scheduling and free-space checks are useful operational observations, but they do not demonstrate that the required files can be restored and used. Avoid overwriting live files during a test.

Two worked A+ performance-based practice examples

These original tabletop exercises ask you to make several connected decisions. Write your solution first, then compare it with the worked answer. They illustrate useful skills without reproducing the format or content of a live CompTIA exam.

PBQ 1 · Core 1 · Networking and hardware/network troubleshooting

Resolve three different office connectivity tickets

Scenario: the office uses 192.168.50.0/24. The gateway is 192.168.50.1 and the DHCP pool is 192.168.50.100–199. All observations below have already been collected.

Evidence supplied with each ticket

Ticket	Observed evidence	Additional finding
A · Reception laptop	Automatic configuration; address 169.254.8.20; no gateway; physical link up	Other devices have valid DHCP leases.
B · Meeting-room computer	Valid lease and gateway; required service responds by IP but not by name	The configured DNS server does not respond to this client’s lookup.
C · Shared printer	Intermittent connectivity; manually set to 192.168.50.120	The DHCP lease table assigns that same address to another active device.

Your tasks: identify the likely area to investigate for each ticket, choose a targeted next action and state how you will verify the result. Do not reset the entire network or assign an arbitrary address.

Show the worked solution

One justified troubleshooting approach

Ticket	Action supported by the evidence	Verification
A	Check the client’s DHCP configuration and switch-port/VLAN path to the service. Correct the identified problem, then request a lease.	Confirm an appropriate address, mask and gateway, followed by access to a required service.
B	Investigate the configured DNS server’s reachability and settings. Restore the approved DNS configuration or service path.	Repeat the lookup and open the intended service by its hostname.
C	Resolve the confirmed duplicate address. Use a documented DHCP reservation or an approved static address excluded from the dynamic pool; coordinate the change.	Confirm that the conflict is gone, update any affected printer configuration and send a test print.

Review your reasoning: A has no usable lease; B already has IP connectivity but a name-resolution failure; C has an address conflict. A DNS change does not solve a missing lease or duplicate address. For full credit in your own review, include the evidence and a result check for every ticket, not just a technology name.

PBQ 2 · Core 2 · Operating systems and security

Fix access to a shared project folder

Scenario: Maya uses her own Windows account to access a project folder over the network. She belongs only to the Project Editors group for this folder and does not own the folder. There are no explicit Deny entries or other permissions in this simplified exercise.

Current permissions and approved requirement

Item	Setting
Share permission	Project Editors: Read
NTFS permission	Project Editors: Modify
Approved work	Read, create, edit and delete project files; do not change permissions or ownership

1. What can Maya currently do through the network share?
2. Which permission setting should change to support the approved work?
3. How would you verify the fix without using a shared administrator account?

Show the worked solution

1. Current access: Maya can read through the share. In this simplified case, access over the network is constrained by both share and NTFS permissions; NTFS Modify does not override a Read-only share permission.

2. Targeted change: after approval, change Project Editors’ share permission from Read to Change while retaining NTFS Modify. This permits the specified file operations without granting Full Control or changing unrelated users’ access. Do not remove safeguards from the entire share.

3. Verification: test as Maya using a disposable project file: read, create, edit and delete it. Confirm that she cannot change the folder’s permissions or ownership. Record the authorized change and results in the ticket. Real environments may include inherited permissions and additional group memberships, which must also be reviewed.

Continue with the matching Trifectapp course

Use the examples to decide which skills need more work. The A+ training overview explains the available study guides, practice, performance-based activities and labs. The course pages show the learning path for each core:

• CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 complete course — develop device, hardware, networking and troubleshooting skills.
• CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 complete course — practice operating-system support, security, software troubleshooting and procedures.

The public samples on this page are free. Full course access follows Trifectapp’s enrollment terms, and certification exam vouchers are separate. If you are still choosing a certification, read A+ vs Network+ vs Security+: which should you study first? You can also browse all certification resources.

Common questions about A+ study

Do I need both 220-1201 and 220-1202?

Yes. These are the two exams for A+ V15. Pass both cores from the same exam version to earn the certification.

Can I use older A+ study materials?

Older material can help explain a shared concept, but it should not define your current study checklist. Compare it with the 220-1201 or 220-1202 objectives and add current coverage for missing or changed topics. Use practice that matches the exam you intend to take.

Are these samples enough to prepare for the exam?

No. Six questions and two exercises introduce a few skills. Use the complete objectives, broader practice, practical work and review across every domain. A memorized sample answer is not evidence of full readiness.

Should I memorize ports or practice troubleshooting?

Do both. Learn the facts your objectives require, then explain how they affect a support decision. For example, recognizing DNS is useful, but you should also distinguish a name-resolution failure from a missing DHCP lease or a duplicate address.

How can I tell whether I am improving?

Look for consistent reasoning on unfamiliar questions, fewer repeated misconceptions and practical tasks you can complete and verify. Review correct guesses as well as wrong answers. Use practice results to plan study, not to promise an official exam result.

Official sources and how this guide was prepared