Upgrading and Fixing PCs for Dummies - Softcover

Rathbone, Andy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764516655 ISBN 13: 9780764516658

Publisher: For Dummies, 2002

Synopsis

The average cost of desktop PCs has fallen steadily over the years while power and functionality have increased. Despite lower prices, however, you still may not feel like spending money on a new, faster PC. Instead, you can transform your balky PC into a glitch-free, turbocharged, multimedia machine with minimum cost.

If you want your PC to do more and crash less but don't know where to begin, then Upgrading and Fixing PCs For Dummies, 6th Edition, is your answer. Don't let the fear of opening your computer’s case prevent you from do-it-yourself upgrades. Plenty of computer parts stay completely on the outside of the computer! So get ready to discover the ins and outs of today's hardware and software.

This book is for anyone who wants to

• Upgrade an older PC to run Windows XP
• Add a larger hard drive
• Upgrade a video card
• Set up a firewall
• Take advantage of low-priced memory chips from warehouse stores

This easy-to-understand guide shows you how to deal with the most common upgrading and repair problems and explains what to buy, where to plug it in, and how to make sure your computer knows what to do with it. This sixth edition of Upgrading and Fixing PCs For Dummies contains several new chapters and sections:

• A visual appendix that explains how to use all the ports on your computer and install the ones you may be missing
• A network installation guide to help you configure a network with both wired and wireless devices
• The scoop on drivers: When you need them, where to find them, and how to install them successfully
• Detailed coverage on virus attacks – how to avoid them and to repair the damage if one hits your PC
• The facts on DVD burners – their odd format terminology and incompatibilities

Plus, this edition continues to include the information that hundreds of thousands of people have relied on for 10 years: information about upgrading and fixing video cards, hard drives, CD/DVD drives, memory chips, monitors, modems, printers, scanners, hard drives, and other popular computer parts.

About this title

Review

Like all Dummies books, Upgrading & Fixing PCs for Dummies, Third Edition, shows you what you absolutely need to know and little more--but in very clear language. Oriented toward casual users who want to solve specific problems, the book pays attention to such troubles as parity error messages and out-of-memory warnings.

Upgrading & Fixing PCs for Dummies promotes the ideas that you shouldn't fix things that aren't broken and that you should apply the simplest possible solutions to the broken things. The guide includes excellent coverage of the hardware-management features in Windows 95.

This book's problem-oriented approach yields sections about common hardware-related problems, such as, "My printer puts out only junk characters!" and "How do I install a new hard drive?" Cartoon-like sequential diagrams outline physical procedures, such as installing and removing SIMMs. Similar drawings help you find key parts of your computer, such as the PCI slots and the video port.

Overall, Upgrading & Fixing PCs for Dummies, Third Edition, does what all the Dummies books do--it clearly explains how to solve certain problems. If your particular troubles happen to fall outside of what's covered here, you'll need to consult a geekier reference book.

From the Publisher

Discover how to:

Diagnose problems
Add memory
Install drives, modems, and more
Replace your mouse or monitor
Troubleshoot keyboard glitches
Resolve configuration conflicts

Edition details

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0764516655
• ISBN 13: 9780764516658
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 6
• Number of pages: 408