Q: What background do I need?

<text variant="body1">A: Basic computer literacy; no prior IT experience required.

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Core Hardware — System Components & Storage

This course is part of CompTIA A+ Core 1 Specialization

Instructors: Mike Meyers

Included with Learn more

6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

5 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

5 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Navigate and configure BIOS/UEFI settings to control boot order, enable hardware features, and apply security options
Identify motherboard form factors, expansion slots, and components, and select compatible power supplies
Implement HDD, SSD, NVMe, optical, and RAID storage solutions for performance and redundancy

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Cloud Storage

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the CompTIA A+ Core 1 Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 6 modules in this course

Build on your hardware foundation with the critical system components that make a PC function. Through the industry-proven lens of the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) exam, you'll configure BIOS/UEFI firmware settings, identify motherboard components, select and replace power supplies, and implement storage solutions from traditional hard drives to modern NVMe SSDs, including optical drives and RAID. Online labs reinforce BIOS/UEFI navigation, storage device identification, RAID configuration, and power supply selection. This beginner-level course builds on foundational hardware knowledge, with hands-on practice throughout.

Not planning to take the exam? These skills still apply on the job. Understanding the internal architecture of a modern PC helps anyone who builds, upgrades, repairs, or supports computers, whether or not you pursue the certification. Clear, expert instruction keeps each topic practical, so you finish able to configure system firmware, replace motherboard components, size and install power supplies, and set up storage for performance and redundancy. No prior IT experience is needed, and every topic builds practical skills.

This chapter covers the essential types and characteristics of DRAM, explaining how memory capacity, configuration, and virtual memory work while teaching you how to upgrade, install, and troubleshoot RAM for better system performance.

What's included

6 videos1 reading1 assignment1 plugin

6 videosTotal 44 minutes

Course Introduction1 minute
BIOS and UEFI9 minutes
Post8 minutes
System Setup9 minutes
Troubleshooting Firmware12 minutes
Touring the UEFI BIOS (Show)5 minutes

1 readingTotal 2 minutes

BIOS and UEFI Slide Handout2 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

BIOS and UEFI Assignment10 minutes

1 pluginTotal 5 minutes

Touring the UEFI BIOS (Click-through)5 minutes

This chapter explains how motherboard form factors, chipsets, and component compatibility shape a PC’s design, and guides you through selecting and properly installing a motherboard within a case.

What's included

4 videos1 reading1 assignment6 plugins

4 videosTotal 23 minutes

Form Factor6 minutes
Chipsets5 minutes
Choosing the Right Motherboard5 minutes
Installing and Troubleshooting a Motherboard7 minutes

1 readingTotal 2 minutes

Motherboards Slide Handout2 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 12 minutes

Motherboards Assignment12 minutes

6 pluginsTotal 18 minutes

Label Motherboard Connections (Challenge)3 minutes
Label Motherboard Part 1 (Challenge)3 minutes
Label Motherboard Part 2 (Challenge)3 minutes
Label Motherboard Part 3 (Challenge)3 minutes
Label Motherboard Part 4 (Challenge)3 minutes
Label Motherboard - Compendium (Challenge)3 minutes

This chapter explores the major types of mass storage—HDDs, SSDs, and SCSI—explaining how they work, how systems communicate with them, and the maintenance needs and use cases for each technology.

What's included

5 videos1 reading1 assignment3 plugins

5 videosTotal 30 minutes

The Power Supply8 minutes
Choosing a Power Supply7 minutes
Cooling Your System7 minutes
Installing and Troubleshooting a PSU7 minutes
HWMonitor and the PSU (Show)1 minute

1 readingTotal 2 minutes

Power Supplies Slide Handout2 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 8 minutes

Power Supplies Assignment8 minutes

3 pluginsTotal 11 minutes

Your Power Source (Challenge)3 minutes
HWMonitor and the PSU (Click-through)5 minutes
Identify Power Supply Connectors (Challenge)3 minutes

This chapter explains how modern systems use various mass‑storage technologies—HDDs, SSDs, and SCSI—and highlights their operation, maintenance needs, and boot‑order configuration.

What's included

5 videos1 reading1 assignment2 plugins

5 videosTotal 42 minutes

Introduction to Mass Storage12 minutes
Magnetic Disk Drives10 minutes
Solid State Drive10 minutes
SCSI3 minutes
Boot Order7 minutes

1 readingTotal 2 minutes

Mass Storage Technologies Slide Handout2 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 12 minutes

Mass Storage Technologies Assignment12 minutes

2 pluginsTotal 6 minutes

SATA Speeds (Challenge)3 minutes
RAID Arrays (Challenge)3 minutes

This chapter covers how RAID improves speed and reliability through various array levels, explains hardware and software RAID configuration, explores storage‑encryption methods, and outlines how to diagnose and repair mass‑storage failures.

What's included

6 videos1 reading1 assignment1 plugin

6 videosTotal 46 minutes

RAID11 minutes
Hardware RAID7 minutes
Software RAID in Storage Spaces9 minutes
Encrypting Mass Storage9 minutes
Mass Storage Troubleshooting7 minutes
Creating RAID volumes (Show)3 minutes

1 readingTotal 2 minutes

Implementing Mass Storage Slide Handouts2 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Implementing Mass Storage Assignment10 minutes

1 pluginTotal 5 minutes

Creating RAID volumes (Click-through)5 minutes

Final graded assessment

What's included

1 assignment

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructors

Mike Meyers

Total Seminars

31 Courses4,629 learners

Dakota Snow

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16 Courses1,749 learners

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Frequently asked questions

A: It covers BIOS/UEFI firmware, motherboards, power supplies, and storage, including HDDs, SSDs, NVMe drives, optical drives, and RAID.

A: Basic computer literacy; no prior IT experience required.

A: The course includes about 5 hours of material: videos, quizzes, and optional assignments. How long it takes you depends on your starting knowledge and how you like to study, so here are some typical ranges. If you already have experience with these topics, you may finish in about 4 to 5 hours by skimming familiar lessons. If you have some background, plan on about 5.5 to 7.5 hours. If you are new to the topic, plan on about 7.5 to 10 hours, because you may want to rewatch lessons and review quizzes. At the recommended 4 to 6 hours per week, this works out to about 1 to 3 weeks. The course is self-paced, so you can rewatch any lesson as often as you need.

To access course materials, assignments, and earn a Certificate, you'll need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. Eligible learners may also have the option to start with a Free Trial. Some courses may also offer a Full Course, No Certificate option. This lets you access course materials, submit required assessments, and receive a final grade, but you won't be able to earn or purchase a Certificate.

Core Hardware — System Components & Storage

Core Hardware — System Components & Storage

What you'll learn

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Details to know

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Build your subject-matter expertise

There are 6 modules in this course

BIOS and UEFI

What's included

Motherboards

What's included

Power Supplies

What's included

Mass Storage Technologies

What's included

Implementing Mass Storage

What's included

Course Assessment

What's included

Earn a career certificate

Instructors

Offered by

Explore more from Support and Operations

Networking Essentials & TCP/IP

Peripherals, Operating Systems, & Display

Advanced Networking — OS, Wireless & SOHO

Cloud, Portable & Mobile Computing

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Jennifer J.

Larry W.

Chaitanya A.

Unlock access to 10,000+ courses with a subscription

Advance your career with an online degree

Join over 4,700 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Frequently asked questions

Q: What does this course cover?

Q: What background do I need?

Q: How long does the course take?

More questions