CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 Cheat Sheet

May 1, 2026

Review a compact CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202) cheat sheet for operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, operational procedures, recovery, and support workflow before IT Mastery practice.

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Use this cheat sheet before a CompTIA A+ Core 2 practice set. It focuses on operating-system support, least privilege, recovery order, documentation, and safe troubleshooting.

Open A+ Core 2 practice when you are ready for timed mocks, topic drills, explanations, and the full IT Mastery question bank.

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Exam snapshot

Item	Core 2 cue
Vendor	CompTIA
Exam	A+ Core 2
Exam code	220-1202
Certification path	one of two exams required for A+
IT Mastery status	live practice available

Domain checklist

Area	What to know	Common trap
Operating systems	OS tools, startup, storage, services, users, and command utilities	memorizing commands without knowing the symptom they solve
Security	hardening, permissions, malware response, encryption, and secure defaults	granting broad admin access to close a ticket quickly
Software troubleshooting	boot issues, app failures, browser problems, profiles, and performance	reinstalling before isolating scope or recent change
Operational procedures	tickets, documentation, safety, privacy, professionalism, and change handling	exposing sensitive data in notes or chat
Recovery	restore points, repair tools, backup validation, and least-destructive repair	wiping before trying appropriate recovery steps

Must-know distinctions

Authentication versus authorization: login proves identity; permission grants access.
Local profile versus domain or cloud account: the failure scope changes the fix.
Malware containment versus eradication: isolate and preserve evidence before cleanup when needed.
Backup success versus restore validation: a backup is not proven until restore is tested.
Repair install versus clean install: choose the least destructive recovery that fits the symptom.
Ticket note versus sensitive data: document enough for support without leaking private information.

Common traps

Solving access issues by assigning administrator rights.
Reinstalling the operating system before less destructive repair.
Treating suspicious behavior as ordinary performance tuning.
Skipping change history after an application fails.
Trusting backup status without restore testing.

Practice strategy

After the free diagnostic, tag misses by OS tool, security control, software troubleshooting, procedure, or recovery. Core 2 readiness improves when you can choose the least disruptive safe action under time pressure.

Revised on Monday, May 25, 2026

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