Absolute Beginners Guide to Upgrading and Fixing Your PC
Absolute Beginners Guide to Upgrading and Fixing Your PC
ISBN: 0789730456
EAN: 2147483647
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 206
Pages: 206
Authors: Michael Miller
- Main Page
- Table of content
- Copyright
- About the Author
- Acknowledgments
- Tell Us What You Think
- Introduction
- How This Book Is Organized
- Conventions Used in This Book
- Let Me Know What You Think
- Part I: Before You Upgrade
- Chapter 1. Hardware Basics for the Absolute Beginner
- Getting to Know Your Personal Computer System
- Your PC s System UnitThe Mother Ship
- Inside the Case
- Microprocessors: The Main Engine
- Computer Memory: Temporary Storage
- Hard Disk Drives: Long-Term Storage
- Diskette Drives: Portable Storage
- CD Drives: Storage on a Disc
- DVD Drives: Even More Storage on a Disc
- Keyboards: Fingertip Input
- Mice: Point-and-Click Input Devices
- Video Cards and Monitors: Getting the Picture
- Sound Cards and Speakers: Making Noise
- Modems: Getting Connected
- Network Devices: Sharing Files and Peripherals
- Printers: Making Hard Copies
- The Operating System: Windows to the World of Computing
- Understanding the Startup Process
- Chapter 2. Preparing Your System for an Upgrade
- To Upgrade or Not to UpgradeThat Is the Question
- What to Upgrade
- Before You Upgrade
- An Upgrade Roadmap
- What to Do if the Upgrade Goes Wrong
- Part II: Essential Hardware Upgrades
- Chapter 3. Ports Ahoy: Upgrading System Inputs
- What Ports Can You Add?
- Buying a Port Expansion Card
- Upgrade 1: Adding a New Port Card
- Upgrade 2: Adding an External USB Hub
- Upgrade 3: Adding Ports to a Portable PC
- Chapter 4. Bigger Is Better: Upgrading System Storage
- Understanding Hard Disk Drives
- Upgrade 1: Adding an External Hard Drive
- Upgrade 2: Adding a Second Internal Hard Drive
- Upgrade 3: Replacing Your Existing Hard Drive
- Upgrade 4: Adding an Internal Floppy or Zip Drive
- Upgrade 5: Adding a Memory Card Reader
- Chapter 5. Optical Tricks: Upgrading CD and DVD Drives
- Understanding Optical Storage
- Upgrade 1: Adding an External CD or DVD Drive
- Upgrade 2: Adding an Internal CD or DVD Drive
- Chapter 6. You Must Remember This: Upgrading System Memory
- Understanding Computer Memory
- Upgrade 1: Adding RAM to a Desktop PC
- Upgrade 2: Adding RAM to a Portable PC
- Chapter 7. Point and Click: Upgrading Mice and Keyboards
- Upgrade 1: Installing a New Mouse
- Upgrade 2: Installing a New Keyboard
- Upgrade 3: Installing a Wireless Mouse or Keyboard
- Upgrade 4: Installing a New Joystick or Game Controller
- Chapter 8. The Paper Chase: Upgrading Printers and Scanners
- Understanding Printers
- Upgrade 1: Installing a Printer
- Upgrade 2: Installing a Scanner
- Chapter 9. The Big Picture: Upgrading Video Cards and Monitors
- Understanding PC Video
- Upgrade 1: Replacing Your Monitor
- Upgrade 2: Replacing Your Video Card
- Upgrade 3: Adding a Second Video Card and Monitor
- Upgrade 4: Adding a TV Tuner Card
- Upgrade 5: Adding a Video Capture Card or Device
- Chapter 10. Pet Sounds: Upgrading Sound Cards and Speakers
- Understanding PC Audio
- Upgrade 1: Connecting New Speakers
- Upgrade 2: Replacing Your Sound Card
- Upgrade 3: Upgrading to a New External Sound Box
- Upgrade 4: Adding an Audio Interface Box
- Part III: Upgrading For Specific Applications
- Chapter 11. Play It Loud: Upgrading for Digital Music Playback and Recording
- Understanding Digital Audio
- Application 1: Listening to CDs and Digital Music Files
- Application 2: Downloading Music from the Internet
- Application 3: Ripping Music from a CD
- Application 4: Burning Your Own Music CDs
- Application 5: Transferring Digital Music to a Portable Audio Player
- Application 6: Listening to Internet Radio
- Application 7: Playing a Digital Piano or Synthesizer
- Application 8: Setting Up Your Own Home Recording Studio
- Chapter 12. Slides and Prints: Upgrading for Digital Photography and Picture Editing
- Application 1: Downloading Photographs from a Digital Camera
- Application 2: Scanning Photo Prints
- Application 3: Editing Digital Photographs
- Application 4: Printing Digital Photographs
- Application 5: Sharing Digital Photos Over the Internet
- Chapter 13. Everyone s Gone to the Movies: Upgrading for TV Viewing and Digital Video Editing
- Application 1: Viewing Television Programs
- Application 2: Viewing DVD Movies
- Application 3: Editing Movies from a Digital Camcorder
- Application 4: Editing Movies from an Analog Camcorder
- Application 5: Creating Your Own DVD Movies
- Chapter 14. Fun Is Good: Upgrading for Enhanced Game Play
- Application 1: PC Gaming
- Application 2: Network Gaming
- Application 3: Online Gaming
- Part IV: Upgrading Your Entire System
- Chapter 15. Connect the Dots: Upgrading to a Wired or Wireless Network
- Understanding Networks
- Upgrade 1: Creating a Wired Network
- Upgrade 2: Creating a Wireless Network
- Chapter 16. The Faster the Better: Upgrading Your Internet Connection
- Understanding Broadband Internet
- Upgrade 1: Connecting to DSL Internet
- Upgrade 2: Connecting to Digital Cable Internet
- Upgrade 3: Connecting to Digital Satellite Internet
- Upgrade 4: Sharing a Broadband Connection
- Chapter 17. Opening New Windows: Upgrading to Windows XP
- Why Windows XP?
- Which Version for You?
- Can You Make the Upgrade?
- Upgrade 1: Windows XP Typical Upgrade Installation
- Upgrade 2: Windows XP Clean Installation
- Upgrade 3: Updating Your Copy of Windows XP
- Chapter 18. The Big Switch: Upgrading to a New Computer
- Choosing the Right PC for Your Needs
- Where to Buy
- Migrating Your Old Files and Settings to Your New PC
- Getting Rid of Your Old PC
- Part V: Preventing PC Problems
- Chapter 19. Simple Steps to Keep Your System in Tip-Top Shape
- Basic Hardware Maintenance
- Let Windows Tune Up Your System
- Using Third-Party Utilities
- Preparing a PC Survival Kit
- Chapter 20. Protecting Your Computer from Viruses and Internet Attacks
- Dealing with Computer Viruses
- Dealing with Internet Attacks
- Part VI: Troubleshooting Common Problems
- Chapter 21. How to Deal with a Finicky PC
- Common Causes for Common Problems
- Dealing with Upgrade Problems
- Basic Troubleshooting Tips
- Using Windows Troubleshooting Utilities
- Turning Back Time with System Restore
- Managing the Windows Registry
- Upgrading for Bug Fixes
- Resorting to Repair
- Chapter 22. What to Do When Your Computer Doesn t Start or Freezes Up
- Dealing with System Startup Problems
- Troubleshooting Windows Startup Problems
- Dealing with Windows-Related Startup Problems
- Dealing with System Freezes
- Chapter 23. What to Do When You Can t Access Your Disks
- Dealing with Hard Drive Problems
- Dealing with CD-ROM or DVD Problems
- Chapter 24. What to Do When Your Mouse or Keyboard Won t Work
- Dealing with Mouse Problems
- Dealing with Keyboard Problems
- Chapter 25. What to Do When Your Printer Won t Print
- Understanding Potential Problems
- Dealing with Printer Problems
- Chapter 26. What to Do When Your Display Looks Funny
- What Can Give You Bad Video
- Dealing with Video Problems
- Chapter 27. What to Do When Your Sound System Doesn t Sound Right
- What Can Cause Bad Sound
- Dealing with Audio Problems
- Chapter 28. What to Do When Your Files Are Lost or Corrupted
- Why Files Go Bad
- Dealing with File Problems
- Chapter 29. What to Do When Your Network or Internet Connection Starts Acting Up
- Dealing with Network Problems
- Dealing with Internet-Related Problems
- Chapter 30. What to Do When You Receive a Windows Error Message
- Understanding Common Error Messages
- Index
- Index SYMBOL
- Index A
- Index B
- Index C
- Index D
- Index E
- Index F
- Index G
- Index H
- Index I
- Index J
- Index K
- Index L
- Index M
- Index N
- Index O
- Index P
- Index Q
- Index R
- Index S
- Index T
- Index U
- Index V
- Index W
- Index X
- Index Y
Absolute Beginners Guide to Upgrading and Fixing Your PC
ISBN: 0789730456
EAN: 2147483647
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 206
Pages: 206
Authors: Michael Miller