Repairing and Upgrading Your PC, O'Reilly
Microsoft .NET Framework, ASP.NET, Visual C# (CSharp, C Sharp, C-Sharp) Developer Training, Visual Studio
|
Contents |
C# Online.NET Book Review
I became a software programmer for good reason—I am not electro-mechanically inclined. Yet, I find myself regularly cracking the cases of my personal computers, mostly to perform memory, optical drive, or hard disk upgrades. Occasionally, I have to troubleshoot the hardware and replace a failed device. I have been lucky so far; but, I am not confident with my hands in the box.
But, I just read a book—Repairing & Upgrading Your PC—which has instilled in me a great deal of practical information and confidence. The book is a spin-off of another book by the same authors titled Building the Perfect PC. The new book is packed with useful, practical information on virtually every device in your PC. It will empower you to:
- select upgrades for your computer which are economical and meet your requirements—audio or graphics or video or wireless card, CRT, fan, hard disk drive, LCD, memory, motherboard, optical drive, power supply, processor (CPU), case, or other device—including the latest hardware;
- prepare your PC for an upgrade;
- install and troubleshoot every subsystem in your PC;
- perform essential PC maintenance;
- protect your system and your data;
- find good parts at fair prices.
But, most importantly to me, the reasoned, seasoned judgements of the authors will allow me to make informed decisions about buying a whole new computer or a simple piece of upgrade hardware. I, now, know what the manufacturer's product codes and specifications mean. I, now, understand the features and trade-offs which enable me to decide whether a price is fair and whether the device is right for me. I can now plan my purchases and understand everything that will be involved before I buy.
The book is a pleasant read. Although you can simply read the section of immediate interest to you, I read the book straight through. It has plenty of illustrations, color photos, and screen shots to familiarize you with the hardware and software involved and to guide you through the procedures.
The book is suitable for beginners but will not bore experienced case crackers.
Bottom line
Repairing & Upgrading Your PC is the perfect hardware guide for the hardware-impaired.
Publisher's description
Repairing and Upgrading Your PC delivers start-to-finish instructions, simple enough for even the most inexperienced PC owner, for troubleshooting, repairing, and upgrading your computer. Written by hardware experts Robert Bruce Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson, this book covers it all: how to troubleshoot a troublesome PC, how to identify which components make sense for an upgrade, and how to tear it all down and put it back together. This book shows how to repair and upgrade all of your PC's essential components.
From the back cover
Most computer users think that fiddling with the insides of their PC is taboo. They fear that by removing the screws that hold the case on, they're crossing into forbidden territory. And even for those who know they can open the box and fix or upgrade their PC, analysis paralysis often stops them in their tracks:
Which upgrades offer the best bang for the buck? How do you pinpoint the faulty component that's making your system freeze? What about compatibility issues?
Get ready to get unstuck and get your PC running fast and running right. Repairing and Upgrading Your PC delivers start-to-finish instructions, simple enough for even the most inexperienced PC owner, for troubleshooting, repairing, and upgrading your computer. Written by hardware experts Robert Bruce Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson, this book covers it all: how to troubleshoot a troublesome PC, how to identify which components make sense for an upgrade, and how to tear it all down and put it back together. This book shows how to repair and upgrade all of your PC's essential components:
- Motherboard, CPU, and Memory. Choose the optimal match of these core components to keep your PC running at top speed
- Hard Drive, Optical Drive, and Removable Storage Give your computer what it needs for long-term and short-term storage
- Audio and Video. Enhance your computing experience with the right sound and graphics devices for your needs
- Input Devices. Pick the best keyboard and mouse to keep your hands happy and healthy
- Networking. Set up secure wireless networking to keep the bits flowing between your computers and the outside world
- Cases and Power Supplies. Keep everything running cool and reliably
With its straightforward language, clear instructions, and extensive illustrations, this book makes it a breeze for PC owners of any skill level to work on their computer.
About the author(s)
Robert Bruce Thompson is a coauthor of Building the Perfect PC and PC Hardware in a Nutshell. Robert built his first computer in 1976 from discrete chips. It had 256 bytes of memory, used toggle switches and LEDs for I/O, ran at less than 1MHz, and had no operating system. Since then, he has bought, built, upgraded, and repaired hundreds of PCs for himself, employers, customers, friends, and clients. Robert reads mysteries and nonfiction for relaxation, but only on cloudy nights. He spends most clear, moonless nights outdoors with his 10-inch Dobsonian reflector telescope, hunting down faint fuzzies, and is currently designing a larger truss-tube Dobsonian (computerized, of course) that he plans to build.
Barbara Fritchman Thompson is a coauthor of Building the Perfect PC and PC Hardware in a Nutshell. Barbara worked for 20 years as a librarian before starting her own home-based consulting practice, Research Solutions, and is also a researcher for the law firm Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge, & Rice, PLLC. During her leisure hours, Barbara reads, works out, plays golf, and, like Robert, is an avid amateur astronomer.
Table of Contents (abbreviated)
Index
- Getting Started
- Working on PCs
- System Maintenance
- Motherboards
- Processors
- Memory
- Hard Disk Drives
- Optical Drives
- External and Removable Storage Devices
- Video Adapters
- Displays
- Audio
- Input Devices
- Wireless Networking
- Cases
- Power Supplies and Power Protection
