Clear, Expert Advice for PC Users of Every Stripe No matter how you use your PC--as a business tool, an entertainment center, or an Internet on-ramp--this latest edition of The Complete PC Upgrade & Maintenance Guide has you covered. Inside, you'll find the clear, expert advice on maintaining, upgrading, and troubleshooting for which this book is famous. It's all updated to cover the latest technologies and guaranteed to help you extend the life and power of your PC. You also get targeted instruction on a wide range of entertainment upgrades--ways to enhance your enjoyment of music, photo, movies, and more. Coverage includes: * Preventing hardware disasters * Upgrading memory * Replacing power supplies * Partitioning drives using NTFS and FAT32 * Solving data backup challenges * Protecting your PC from viruses, worms, and spyware * Adding SCSI cards and drives * Installing DVDs, CD-ROMs, and EIDE and Serial ATA hard drives * Troubleshooting printers and scanners * Installing communications devices * Resolving mouse and keyboard problems * Installing video and sound cards * Tackling networking issues, both wired and wireless * Troubleshooting Internet connectivity * Solving laptop problems * Capturing and editing video * Managing music and image files * Watching movies on DVD * Getting the most out of new storage and networking technologies

The World's Leading PC Guide--Updated, Expanded, Reorganized The Complete PC Upgrade and Maintenance Guide continues its reign as the PC world's great problem-solving wonder. In simple, easy-to-follow language, it shows you how to prevent disasters, fix the ones that occur, and maximize your PC's power and longevity. Based on author Mark Minasi's popular seminars, this book is an unbeatable value. It teaches you everything you need to know to meet all your PC challenges, present and future. Coverage includes: * Preventing hardware disasters * Upgrading memory * Replacing power supplies * Installing EIDE and Serial ATA hard drives * Adding SCSI ports * Partitioning drives using NTFS and FAT32 * Protecting your PC from viruses, worms, and spyware * Solving data backup challenges * Adding and repairing DVDs and CD-ROMs * Installing and troubleshooting scanners * Troubleshooting printers * Installing communications devices * Resolving mouse and keyboard problems * Installing video and sound cards * Tackling networking issues * Installing a wireless network * Troubleshooting Internet connectivity * Solving laptop problems

Updated and revised with eighty percent new material, this book is 100 percent of what readers need to upgrade, fix, or troubleshoot PCs Sixty-five percent of U.S. households own a PC; this book caters to the do-it-yourselfers in these households, both novices and tech hobbyists alike, who are looking for an approachable reference A one-stop reference for topics such as video, CD, and DVD; multimedia; storage; communications (network and Internet); peripherals; and integrating with laptops and handhelds Concludes with a step-by-step tutorial on building an "extreme" machine that can handle the most demanding multimedia or gaming applications Written by Marcia and Barry Press, authors of PC Toys (076454229X)

Why throw away that broken PC? You can fix it - really! Fixing it will save you much needed cash - and keeping your hardware out of the trash is good for the environment, too. Best of all, you don't need to be a technical expert to do most typical computer repairs - and this book proves it. If you've found other computer repair books too complicated (or too cute), you're in the right place. McFedries covers everything you need to know, get, and do, in plain English, with plenty of crystal-clear pictures.

Your one-stop guide to Understanding and repairing motherboards, processors, chipsets, BIOS, and system resources Updating and optimizing memory and aging systems Diagnosing common PC problems and performing routine maintenance Installing and configuring system upgrades Working safely with the electrical components of a PC Troubleshooting peripherals, storage systems and devices, sight and sound systems, and more Here’s everything you need to know to fix or maintain a PC–and nothing you don’t If you’re a PC technician, time is money. Bestselling author Ron Gilster trimmed every scrap of fat from this indispensable reference guide, packing it with clear, concise information that helps you do your job. Organized by hardware or component groups–motherboards, storage devices, printers, communications and networking, operating system software, and so on–it’s liberally illustrated for faster comprehension. This is the one book you can’t afford not to have on your repair bench.

Get advice and solutions for solving myriad of your PC problems, including expert tips on researching solutions on your own. Learn how to maintain your computer, keeping it in good working condition, plus how to upgrade and install new software safely. Troubleshoot Linux, Windows, and personal devices, use the internet effectively as a problem-solving tool, get up to speed on computer security, and set up small home and wireless networks. The companion Web site provides additional support.

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.