The website is now online! 

This is the first step of my IT journey and to say I'm excited and proud would be an understatement. I secured the domain through Google Domains. I initially used Google Sites to build the site; the application was easily navigable and similar to Wix, a web-building application I've used in the past. It's possible I'll revisit this in the future but for now I'm excited to get underway!

Hello, World!

Why IT? 

This is an investment in myself and my future - both cliche and true. I've had success in business administration, construction, and the nonprofit sector, however, none have rooted me in a single field or been the foothold to establish a long-term career path that utilizes my skills and interests while satisfying a technical education with greater advancements and rewards. 

Communication is the most important factor in achieving any goal and I’ve spent my life solving problems by first listening, understanding, and creating solutions. I’m in my element when supporting others so they can achieve understanding, confidently exercise their knowledge, and complete their missions. The IT industry relies on skilled communicators operating in a technical environment. It requires passionate people to navigate complex issues, determine their operation/function/value, and translate this knowledge using language that provides both actionable utility and understanding within a greater context. 

I possess the skills needed for success in this industry. I’ve built them from my undergraduate work, my certification path, and the various support positions I’ve held. I’ll grow more capable as I expand and hone my technical knowledge with hands-on experience and education. I'm excited to see where this profession takes me and where I will take it.

Why now? 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a 33% growth for Information Security Analysts from 2020-2030 and a 9% growth for Computer Support Specialists at that same time. Traditional roles are evolving and new technologies are emerging, creating new opportunities.

IT offers distinctive career paths charted by industry associations via certifications. As a self-starter, this is an appealing formula: learn, demonstrate ability, and earn value. It’s engaging to participate in a transparent industry-wide framework that rewards expertise and encourages continuing education while allowing the freedom to pursue paths that align with individual preferences. 

Speaking to the current climate, if there were any remaining doubts about the need for a modern, secure, and practical IT infrastructure, COVID has surely dispelled them. IT is a necessity for clients in their personal, home, and enterprise environments. From IoT, VPNs, Cloud computing, Virtual machines, and rapidly growing AI, these technologies demand more infrastructure, greater security, and better support. 

It's fascinating and inspiring to bear witness to, and participate in, tech innovation. While I don’t aspire to notions of a grand epiphany ushering in a cyber-utopia, I do believe it's possible, in my own corner and in my own way, to help people understand the technologies that make their lives better and more fulfilling. This industry speaks to a future not yet written and offers a glimpse (and perhaps a say) into what we can be.

Resources: 

• Mike Meyers

• Professor Messer

• Jason Dion

09/06/2021

I'm using Mike Meyers' A+ video series and accompanying resources to go through the exam material one chapter a day (Monday-Friday). I printed out the course material and take separate, written notes while following along with the video lectures and exam objectives. Writing the notes out by hand helps me with recall and retention. There are some topics I am familiar with while others I'm being exposed to for the first time. I'm finding the pace comfortable and may increase it in the coming weeks.

First Impressions: There are a lot of new acronyms, hardware, and software I need to familiarize myself with. I've downloaded CCleaner, CPU-Z, Malwarebytes, Microsoft's Sysinternals Utilities, VirtualBox, Rufus, and Kali Linux. Some of these will be explored in the virtual course while some I'll be learning supplementary.

09/15/2021 - Update

Studying is going well and I'm comfortable with the pacing. The practice tests have been helpful. The only major issues I've run into were some of the questions were worded in a way that confused me but I feel confident in my understanding of the material overall. The subreddit r/comptia has been a good resource for motivation and study tips. I acquired an older tower PC to use as reference. As I learn about new components and hardware, I'm able to identify them on the tower (motherboard, RAM, cables, fans, CPU, drives, etc.). I've explored CPU-Z, an invaluable tool for identifying hardware specifications and I've installed Malwarebytes to check for malware (no detections so far). I plan to create a USB boot drive using Ventoy and putting a Linux distro on the tower PC to begin experimenting and familiarizing myself with new OSs.

10/06/2021 - Update

21 of 27 chapters completed to date of Mike Meyers CompTIA A+ 220-1001 course. The later chapters are more dense and the material more foreign to me. I've abandoned the chapter per/day quota for a 2-3 hour per/day study regimen. I'm sticking with Monday-Friday (with the odd day off made up on the weekend). There's a lot of material to remember, for sure. I've spoken to other students who have recommended Professor Messer's YouTube videos and notes as a good study guide and companion. It seems Messer is more test-focused - directly on the test objectives. I've seen his videos and while they may be more concentrated material, I feel I'm benefitting from the anecdotes, application, and perspective Meyers' course content offers. My enthusiasm remains high and I'm taking apart an old HP Core2 running Windows 8 and putting it back together. I was having trouble getting it to boot but that's another post altogether with SATA cables and HDs.

Getting closer to the end then the beginning with Core 1; I can see the light. It's a genuinely good feeling that the work is paying off!

10/20/2021 - Update

All chapters completed and note cards made. 

12/01/2021 - Update

5 of 6 Jason Dion practice exams completed. Wrong answers get turned into flash-cards and memorized. Will schedule the exam once all six exams are complete with scores of 90 or above.

12/09/2021 - PASSED! (Candidate Score: 736)

Lessons learned:

• Research how to study effectively. Watching videos over and over, while effective for some, was passive learning. I was hoping that by repetition and osmosis the material would sink in. For me it didn't. I needed to figure out what I knew, what I didn't, and how to remember the material I didn't.

• For memorizing, I found connecting the thing I wanted to remember to a visual image would help me remember it better than just repeating it 100 times until I knew it. For example, HFC is Hybrid Fiber Coax, coaxial cable used from the curb to the house. To remember this, HFC reminds me of KFC. I thought of a giant chicken dragging a cable from the curb to my house. Another example, IMEI is International Mobile Station Equipment Identity, it identifies a physical mobile device. To remember this I think of a pirate saying, "Aye, me i(Phone)!" (IMEI) the pirate is identifying his device! I hope this makes sense. The sillier and more outrageous (and sometimes lewd) the easier to remember.

• I made flashcards for each wrong answer I got on the practice exam and went through them over and over until I knew them. I took the exam again and got a 94. I did this with the other practice tests (first score / second score after flashcards and memorizing): 74/97, 69/96, 81/100, 77/96, 77/98. It was a lot of work. It meant memorizing Cat/speeds, USB/speeds, 802.11/frequency/speeds, Cellular/speeds, T568A/T568B wiring diagrams. I'm looking at the brick of flashcards I made as I'm typing this.

• I spent some time using not-so-well-known creators. I don't recommend doing this. There are content creators on Udemy and other learning sites who promote study materials that have obvious wrong answers, are grammatically incorrect, or are just blatant rip-offs of other, more-prominent people's material. They know who they are.

• Take as many practice exams as you can. I never purchased lab notes to practice the performance-based questions and I wish I'd had. Those questions really threw me off. Even when I thought I understood what they were asking me to do, I still wasn't sure because I wasn't familiar with the interface and wasn't sure it was complete when I finished.

• For studying, Google things you don't know or things you're having difficulty remembering/understanding. The search results will explain it in a different way, using different words. For me Network Address Translation was confusing. I Googled it and watched YouTube videos (PowerCert Animated Videos on YouTube is a godsend and makes everything easier to understand in simpler terms!).

• Use things you own to practice the concepts you learn. Like your phone’s WiFi setup/configuration, email setup/synching, router setup/configuration, connecting/configuring printers, etc. Go into these devices (with permission) and familiarize yourself with the interface, setting it up, connecting devices to it, etc. Real-world application!

• Make sure you have a dry erase for note-taking, flag any questions you're not 100% on and come back to them, answer all the questions to the best of your ability - do your best!

I hope prospective exam-takers will find this useful. I've learned so much from other student's experiences and feel fortunate to have to opportunity to pass along my own!

Resources: 

• Mike Meyers

• Professor Messer

• Jason Dion

• Andrew Ramdayal

09/05/2022 - Passed with a score of 744!

I went through each instructor's course videos and took notes. I took the practice exams and drilled-down on the information I got incorrect. I used a MacBook Air, Windows 10 machine, and ran Linux Mint in a virtual machine to familiarize myself with each OS and their command-line interfaces.

Most helpful were the practice exams including Dion's Performance-Based Questions (PBQs) and making flash cards for questions I got wrong.

Lessons learned:

• Do you best on the exam. It sounds obvious but keep telling yourself that in moments of anxiety or doubt.

• Skip/flag multiple choice questions you don't get right away. Do the PBQs you know for sure and skip the ones you don't. Go back to the multiple choice questions you didn't know. Go through again and leave the ones you still don't know. Finish the PBQs, taking your best, informed guesses. Use the rest of your time for the hardest multiple choice questions. Eliminate the choices you know are wrong and take your best guess. Don't leave any questions blank. Keep and eye on the timer.

• I wish I had scheduled the exam earlier to act as an additional motivator.

• In the future, I'll look for a study partner or group.

I hope prospective exam-takers will find this useful. I've learned so much from other student's experiences and feel fortunate to have to opportunity to pass along my own!

02/09/2023

The refurbished electronics market is growing around the globe. Here are the numbers to prove it: https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/refurbished-electronics-market-new-report-2023-is-flourishing-around-the-world-by-2029-123-pages-report-2023-01-11

This article will give a peek behind the curtain of how laptops are inspected and graded by technicians for resale on sites like Ebay or to markets overseas.

When a laptop is received it goes through a rigorous inspection and is given a grade - either A, B, C, or D. An “A” grade refers to a device whose quality is mint, out-of-the-box. “A” devices show zero wear, scratches, dents, or functional/performance issues. “B” grade refers to a device that functions, has very few small scratches that can't be felt by hand, and, at most, one screen spot or dead pixel. “B” grades won’t need any repairs before they’re sold. “C” grade devices are fully-functional like “A” and “B” but may have deep scratches, rusted/broken/missing ports, and hinges that work but are damaged. “C” grades are less desirable aesthetically but function and therefore have some value. Depending on the model/generation/year, it may be worth it to repair “C” grades before selling. Finally “D” grades are devices that aren’t functional. They won't boot, have broken hinges, or missing critical components. “D” graded laptops will have their RAM and HD removed and wiped. Potential the RAM will be resold and the HD destroyed. The device itself will be sold for scrap or parts.

Now that we know how technicians grade laptops, let’s learn what the inspection looks like and what they're looking for exactly.

The technician will remove any stickers or tape from the device and any residue left behind. They’ll then clean case and screen. Next, they’ll wipe the hard drive by booting to a USB thumb drive operating system such as Ubuntu. Using the Dell Latitude series running Windows for example, the technician will insert the charger, press the power button, and press F12 to enter the boot menu. Then, they’ll select the Boot from USB option, and boot Ubuntu. Once running, they’ll open Gparted to wipe the hard drive by deleting the drive partition(s), making sure not to delete the USB partition! Next, they’ll insert a new partition using the file system: NTFS. Finally they’ll apply the changes.

Next the technician will test WiFi connectivity by connecting to a network. They’ll check all of the ports are working by inserting a mouse or device into each USB/VGA/audio/etc. port and verifying it’s functionality. Then they’ll verify all the keys are working in the Text Editor, along with the touchpad, left/right clicks. Afterwards, the screen will be inspected for spots/cracks by entering fullscreen mode on the Text Editor. This provides a large white, blank canvas to inspect the entire screen. It can be helpful to tilt the screen to one side and another and up and down to better see any small imperfections.

After, the technician will power off the device and remove the USB thumb drive. Now, they’ll power on the device again to view the device’s specifications in the BIOS menu. This provides important information about the device like the processor, generation, and RAM. It also confirms the BIOS is unlocked and can be resold as-is. While here, they’ll check the battery health and confirm the device can hold a charge (and doesn’t immediately shut down when the power adapter is removed).

The technician can then power off the device, detach the battery and check for physical issues and confirm it is OEM (from the Original Equipment Manufacturer - an example would be a Dell laptop battery that is manufactured by Dell). While here, the Windows license and version can be verified, usually printed on a sticker located in the battery housing.

Finally, the technician will inspect the case itself for scratches and cracks. They’ll verify the hinges operate normally, and that there are no hairline cracks around them or in the case vents. The ports will also be inspected for any debris, give, or signs of rust.

Once the inspection is completed, the technician will give it a grade based on the earlier criteria. This is a detailed, thorough process but it ensures the devices are able to return into the use-stream and provide value for the seller and buyers. It keeps eWaste out of the landfills and gives a second home to fully functional, mature electronics.

Having recently obtained my A+ certification, I was searching job listings on Indeed, Monster.com, and LinkedIn using the keyword: A+ Cert. I compiled a short list of the most commonly requested qualifications across all of the listings I explored. Active Directory was the most requested qualification after OS experience. Since I’m proficient in Windows, macOS, and Linux, let’s create and configure an Active Directory lab using Azure!

What is Azure? Azure is Microsoft’s cloud-computing platform and it offers a wide range of services, including Active Directory (AD). AD provides end-users with SSO authentication using a secure cloud database. Its centralized identity management uses token-based authentication for services and applications. The user requests authentication from the AD, the AD provides a token as proof of authentication, the user then shows the token to the services they want access to, and the services authenticate the request. AD also provides admins with security group features, log records, MFA configuration, and more.

To get started I created a free Azure account, signed in, and added the AD resource. I created a user: AD_Lab and signed into Azure using that user’s account so I could have a sandbox account to learn with.

By default created users have the “User” role and thus can’t manage AD so I needed to create the user’s Tenant. A Tenant is a container or single instance of AD. I created AD_Lab’s own Tenant by Creating a New Resource > Azure Active Directory

Once the Tenant was created I was up and running.

I created a list of new users based on some of my favorite musicians, actors, and athletes. I gave them their names and configured their accounts. Once completed, I refreshed the directory and the users populated.

I then logged into Azure using some of the created user accounts to verify their accessibility. I gave them predetermined passwords, reset their passwords from Password Management, and gave them temporary passwords to log in. I did this using created users in my main account.

When I logged in as the users with the temporary passwords, I then changed their passwords as users would do after a password reset.

I created several Security Groups using AD_Lab as the Owner. I named the groups: Musicians, Actors, and Athletes. I added users to the groups that corresponded.

I finally created Roles for certain users. I used Helpdesk administrator and created custom Roles.

Summary: It’s important to have experience with mission-critical industry tools and Active Directory is a big one. It’s relied on heavily by the industry so there’s no wonder why it’s featured prominently on job listings. Programs that we hear about in the periphery but lack experience with, like AD, can seem daunting at first but with a little time, research, and troubleshooting they can become familiar and useful tools to know.

CASE STUDY - Equipment: Dell Inspiron 3558 laptop running Windows 10 Home version 20H2. 

Problem: HDD steadily running at 100%, CPU fluctuating between 4% and 100%. 

TL/DR: Applied the "Troubleshooting Theory" from my CompTIA study guide. Was unable to identify the cause of the problem, treated the symptoms, issue resolved - system running normally. Unsure if my actions resolved the issue temporarily or permanently.

Notes: I was having a problem today with my HDD (Disk 0/C:). I turned on my laptop and idling, my HDD was at 100% with my CPU between 4% and 100%. I thought this would be a great opportunity to put into practice the Troubleshooting Theory from my CompTIA A+ study guide.

1) Identify the problem:

The HDD is stuck at 100%, CPU similar issues. No changes had been made either environmentally or structurally to cause this response. I'm unsure of its origin.

2) Establish a theory:

Multiple theories including hardware malfunction, malware, system settings, etc.

3) Test the theory to determine cause:

As I was unable to identify the cause, I had to attempt multiple possible solutions, each with their own root cause.

4) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution:

After browsing knowledge bases including Google and YouTube, I created a list of possible solutions, focusing first on those that were mentioned more frequently across the multiple sources. I would systematically test each one out.

5) Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventative measures:

System running normally (at the time of this post CPU @ 11%, DISK 0 @ 6%). Unsure if the disk check solved the problem as it came back without issues, but operating normally nonetheless.

6) Document findings, actions, and outcomes:

After some Googling I found several probable solutions including restarting the computer, checking for updates, uninstalling then reinstalling any recent updates, checking for possible malware, disabling windows search, disabling service hosts (SuperFetch via services), checking and resetting energy options, and performing a disk check.

First, I checked for and installed a Windows update and restarted the laptop post installation. There was no change. 

I attempted to install Malwarebytes, an antivirus software to check for possible malware. Afterwards, the network settings were no longer connected and no available network was shown. I ran the troubleshoot and it showed the WIFI adapter as disabled. As administrator, I enabled the adaptor. I then scanned the computer with the software (Malwarebytes 4.4.5). It showed no detections. There was no change.

I then disabled Windows Search and restarted the computer. the computer showed, "Getting Windows ready, don't turn off your computer." It stayed this way for ~30 minutes until it then showed, "Working on updates." Once I got to the desktop the network remained connected but the disk remained at 100%.

I disabled service host, SuperFetch via services (Win+R > "services.msc" > sysmain > properties > startuptype: disabled > apply > okay). I restarted. The disk was at 100%, the CPU <10%.

I uninstalled the latest Windows update and restarted. The disk remained at 100%. I attempted to uninstall the second-most previous update (a feature update) as well. I restarted and the disk continued at 100% while the CPU fluctuated between 0 and 50%. I reinstalled the Windows updates and while frozen for ~30 minutes, began downloading and installing. I restarted the computer. No change.

I changed the energy options via the control panel (control panel > hardware and sound > power options > advanced settings > restore defaults). The disk and CPU  were operating normally for some time then returned to their previous state.

Finally, I performed a disk check (PowerShell: chkdsk.exe /f /r). I selected "yes" and restated the computer. After five stages, five hours, and 100% scanning and repairing the drive, the disk performance issue was fixed. The process never brought to my attention any specific problems it discovered or resolved but for now the computer is running without issue.

Epilogue: I'll continue to research this issue. This process left me confused but relieved. I wasn't able to identify the root cause but it's no longer affecting the laptop and I was able to return its functionality. In hindsight, I'm not sure if this was the best scenario to apply the Troubleshooting Tips. I wasn't able to go from establishing a theory to testing the theory because I wasn't ever able to identify the problem, only its symptoms. The methodology of deduction was still helpful but in the future I'll try to apply it to an issue with a discernable flaw/error and a finite, testable solution with a cause and an effect. 

Thanks for sticking through this case study. I'm sure with time and experience I'll be better able to diagnose problems and implement solutions.

Note: I discovered another solution could be to reset the virtual memory which I will try if the issue reappears in the future.

UPDATE: Disk 0 and CPU operating normally. Issue resolved.

CASE STUDY - Equipment: HP Compaq dc5700 Microtower running Windows 8.

Problem: I was given a computer that wasn't booting. The following are the steps I took to fix it.

Initial error message: 163-Time & Date Not Set.

I replaced the CMOS CR2032 battery, set the clock, and restored BIOS to its default. Then got the error message, "Non-system disk or disk error. Replace and strike any key when ready."

Checked the SATA cable connections and manually reset CMOS SW50 (yellow button on motherboard). Still getting the "Non-system disk or disk error. Replace and strike any key when ready."

The computer had two HDs. I swapped the boot order in BIOS and got the same error message.

I physically swapped the HDs and got the same error message.

I removed one HD (1). I got the error message: ERROR: PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable.

I swapped the removed HD (1) for the connected HD (2). HD (1) alone booted the system. This makes me think the other HD is damaged and caused the boot to fail. I'll attempt a disk scan later to check.

The system boots to the Windows 8 login screen. The password was forgotten by the original user. I attempted to gain access several ways:

• Held down the right shift and restarted the computer, taking me to the Advanced Startup Menu where I selected Troubleshoot > Reset your PC. The Reset your PC screen loads and the dialogue line reads, "Insert your Windows Installation or recovery media to continue." I inserted a bootable USB with the Windows 8 ISO, the dialogue read, "The media inserted is not valid. Try again." Note: I could not access the Troubleshoot > Advanced options, as each option required the account password.

• I attempted to use a recovery USB and changed the boot order in the BIOS to the USB. I attempted to install Windows 8 but was unable to produce a product key.

• I again used the USB to try the same thing using Windows 10.

The goal is to now uninstall Windows and install a Linux OS to familiarize myself with command line.

To do: test the "damaged HD"

TL/DR: Applied the "Troubleshooting Theory" from my CompTIA study guide. Was unable to identify the cause of the problem, treated the symptoms, issue resolved - system running normally. Unsure if my actions resolved the issue temporarily or permanently.

Notes: I was given a computer to wipe but could not get it to boot. I replaced the CMOS CR2032 battery, set the clock, and restored BIOS to its default. Then got the error message, "Non-system disk or disk error."

CASE STUDY - Equipment: Samsung USB 3.1 Flash Drive, Bar Plus 128 GB.

TL/DR: Created a new partition in Computer Management. Cleaned the Flash Drive with DiskPart. Learned the differences between Base-10 and Binary values in data and storage between manufacturers and OSs.

Problem: After formatting the USB as a Ventoy recovery drive, I downloaded an ISO file not via Ventoy leaving the USB unrecognizable by File Explorer although still appearing as a drive. 

Error message when I inserted the Flash Drive into the USB port, "Please insert a disk into USB drive."

I attempted to reformat the Flash Drive thinking that would solve the problem (Note: I was not concerned about recovering the data on the Flash Drive. Had I been, I would not have used the following method(s)]. When I right-clicked on the Flash Drive in File Explorer and selected 'Format,' the capacity was listed as "Unknown Capacity." When I selected 'Start,' I received the error, "Windows was unable to complete the format."

I then created a new volume on the Flash Drive using Computer Management. Under Disk Management, I selected the Flash Drive and confirmed I had the correct drive by verifying the disk name with File Explorer - don't want to get that wrong! I selected 'New Volume,' kept the rest of the settings as default, and clicked 'Finish.' The Flash Drive then showed its capacity and I was able to format it, and it read as "Healthy (Primary Partition)."

It wasn't until later that I realized the capacity of the newly-partitioned Flash Drive now read as 119.51 GB. The original capacity was 128 GB and I had lost 8.49 GB in the process. 

(Hello! Kyle from the future here. Those of you who see the error I'm making here please be patient as he'll realize it shortly!)

I suspected that 8.49 GB was all the data I had saved prior to getting the original error message. I wanted to see if I could reclaim that 8.49 GB by restoring the Flash Drive to its original, unboxed state. As the partition creation essentially segregated the original data, as I said previously, I wasn't concerned about losing anything.

Using DiskPart, I typed 'list disk' and was able to see the Flash Drive listed. It showed 119 GB, confirming the capacity listed by Disk Management. I then typed 'select disk 1' and received 'Disk 1 is now the selected disk." I then typed 'clean' and received 'DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk.' 

I then initialized the unallocated Flash Drive by typing 'create partition primary' and received 'DiskPart succeeded in creating the specified partition.' In Computer Management the Flash Drive still showed 119 GB capacity, as did File Explorer. I formatted the Flash Drive in File Explorer and selected 'Restore Device Defaults.' The Flash Drive still showed 119 GB capacity.

At this point I Googled and Googled some more. It led me to the discrepancy between Base and Binary - which I'm sure sent up red flags for many of you when I first mentioned the phantom 8.49 GB loss. It also jogged my memory as this Base/Binary value discrepancy was discussed in Core 1 of the A+. Had I checked the Flash Drive capacity at the onset I would have come to this realization sooner.

For those who aren't aware, hard drive manufacturers count in decimal (Base-10) when determining the storage capacity of their drives using words like kilo, mega, giga, tera, etc. 1 GB = 1^10 bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes (1 billion).

Computers use binary (Base-2) language with words like kibi, mebi, gibi, tebi, etc. In binary, 1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes.

So when we query the computer for a drive's capacity it tells us in Binary so the 128 Gigabyte Flash Drive reports a capacity of 119.21 Gibibytes.

Lessons Learned: 1) Don't add a file to a Flash Drive that has been formatted as a Boot Drive outside of the program that created the Boot Drive. 2) Don't assume a problem and research before diving in.