12/1/2003 -- New versions of CompTIA's A+ certification exams are now live.

The exams, Core Hardware (220-301) and OS Technologies (220-302), debuted Thursday at Prometric and Pearson Vue testing centers worldwide.

The exams are based on the 2003 objectives released earlier this year. Several new topics -- including Windows ME, XP and recent memory, peripheral and wireless technologies -- are now covered on the exams.

Each exam contains apx. 80 questions for a possible total of 900 points, with a minimum score of 515 needed for the Hardware exam and 505 for the OS exam. Both are delivered in linear format.

The new exams instantly replaced the previous 2001 versions. CompTIA states on its Web site that candidates who already took one 2001 exam can "mix-and-match" to earn the title: "Candidates who have already passed the existing A+ Core Hardware or A+ Operating System Technologies exam (testing against the 2001 objectives) may take their second exam with the 2003 upgraded objectives and still become A+ certified."

Because CompTIA certifications do not need to be renewed, these changes do not affect those who are already A+ certified.

For a breakdown on exactly what's new in the 2003 objectives, see the CertCities.com stories here and here.

For more on CompTIA's A+ and other certification titles, go here. -Becky Nagel