Some questions you might see on the A+ practice test are short and sweet. For example, what problem does a “1xx POST error code” indicate? To answer this question it might be helpful to know a little more about the terminology within the error code. POST is an acronym which stands for “Power On Self Test.” When your computer boots up the BIOS or Basic Input / Output System which is a set of computer instructions controlling input and output operations, executes several tests in a sequence to make sure all systems are running properly. If this is the case then Windows will begin to load. If there is a problem then the computer will display error codes sometimes accompanied by beep sounds.

The 1xx POST error code happens to be one of several codes used by IBM. Other codes include 2xx, 3xx, 4xx, 5xx,6xx, 7xx, 8xx,9xx and 10xx. Each number that precedes the “xx” refers to a specific area of the computer’s hardware. The 1xx refers to a “system motherboard error.” The system motherboard is a circuit board inside the computer that allocates electrical power to the CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory) and other parts of the computer’s hardware. The motherboard also facilitates communication between the various components of the computer’s hardware.

Naturally, if you were in the position where you were in need of taking the A+ practice test much of this technical jargon would already be familiar to you. By now (if you read this far) you should know the answer to the question, what problem does a “1xx POST error code” indicate? The error code (of course) indicates a problem with the system motherboard. This type of question is probably not one that can be figured out logically. Unfortunately, it falls under the category of information you will just have to know. Many of the questions on the certification exam will require you memorize information like this. Taking the A+ practice test will help you identify areas of knowledge where you will need further study.