Our group right now only has the SR4A book at our disposal, and we're trying to figure out how the default hacker has a rating 5 across the board on their deck, er, commlink. We've been looking all around in the book, and can't find where this is mentioned. Is it mentioned in the SR4A book, or is this something that needs an add on book like Unwired to accomplish?

No, you can build custom OS in the Software section (prices are also in the Wireless World section), and at the end of the Wireless World they have rules for upgrading the hardware of a machine.

In other words, upgrade the signal and response with hardware upgrades. remember you can only add 2 at most cases.

Upgrade firewall and system by buying the appropriate rating program in the program area in the gear section.

I only have the basic SR4 book, where costs for hardware upgrades are on page 240, the very last page of "The Wireless World" chapter. Things have probably been moved around a lot for SR4A, but you might try looking in that same area (whatever chapter deals with matrix stuff).

And like Johnny said, get high system and firewall by buying it separately where it is listed in gear (instead of getting one of the stock OS's).

I understand that there are rules for building a custom OS and whatnot, but is that something you can do at character creation time?

Yes, why shouldn't you? If the Availability for the upgrades isn't too high there should be no problem.

System and firewall can both be bought separately as matrix programs. You aren't building a "custom OS" so much as you are simply buying the programs separately instead of in a pre-set bundle.

Heh, instead of buying Windows 6 with Norton, you go buy Windows 7 and get your own firewall protection online.