Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 21st Edition

Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 21st Edition

by Scott Mueller
Released March 2013
Publisher(s): Que
ISBN: 9780133105391

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

This is the eBook version of the print title. Access to the media files found on the DVD included with print editions included with Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 21st Edition, is available through product registration—see instructions in back pages of your eBook.

For 25 years, Upgrading and Repairing PCs has been the world’s #1 guide to PC hardware: The single source for reliable information on troubleshooting and fixing problems, adding hardware, optimizing performance, and building new PCs. Now, better than ever, this 21st edition offers beefed-up coverage of the newest hardware innovations and maintenance techniques, plus more than two hours of new DVD video.

Scott Mueller delivers practical answers about PC processors, mother-boards, buses, BIOSes, memory, SSD and HDD storage, video, audio, I/O, input devices, networks, Internet connectivity, power, and much more. You’ll find the industry’s best coverage of diagnostics, testing, and repair—plus cutting-edge discussions of improving performance via overclocking and other techniques.

Mueller has taught thousands of professionals in person and millions more through his books and videos—nobody knows more about keeping PCs running perfectly. Whether you’re a professional technician, a small business owner trying to save money, or a home PC enthusiast, this is the only PC hardware book you need!

NEW IN THIS EDITION

•        The newest processors, including Intel’s 3rd generation Ivy Bridge Core i-Series processors and AMD’s 2nd generation Trinity CPUs

•        3TB (and larger) disks, 4K sectoring, partition alignment, faster SATA disk interfaces, and SSD (solid state drive) hard drive replacements

•        New firmware innovations, from full UEFI BIOS support to built-in motherboard flash BIOS upgrade utilities

•        Integrated video and audio, including 5.1/7.1 surround sound, HDMI, and DisplayPort connections, and Windows 8 compatible multi-touch touchscreen technology

•        Updated PCI Express 3.0, 4.0 interfaces, and Power Supply specifications for powering high-end video cards

•        Emerging interfaces such as SATA Express, USB 3.0, and Thunderbolt

•        Updated coverage of building PCs from scratch—from choosing and assembling hardware through BIOS setup and troubleshooting

INCLUDED MEDIA

Don't forget about the free bonus content available online! You'll find a cache of helpful material to go along with this book. To access these materials at no extra cost, see the instructions included in the back pages of this ebook. You will be required to register your book and supply a code found in the instructions.

Download two hours of up-to-the minute, studio-quality how-to videos—all playable on your computer! In this edition, Scott Mueller offers true insider information about several of the key components in a PC, including motherboards, solid-state drives, and more.

You will see a detailed tour of a modern high-performance motherboard, showing all the components from the processor socket and CPU voltage regulators to the audio and network chipsets, and more. You’ll learn how all the devices on the board are interconnected, so you can more easily understand their importance. There is a detailed segment comparing solid-state drives (SSDs) to conventional hard disk drives (HDDs), explaining all the differences and similarities between them in an easy to understand fashion. Finally, there are several segments on building a state-of-the art system from scratch using a high-performance overclockable motherboard and processor combination. You’ll see tips on how to best prepare the components, how to assemble the system properly, how to make the front panel connections much easier to deal with, and finally how to route the cables for maximum airflow and ease of future upgrades or repairs.

You also can download PDFs of the complete 19th and 20th editions of this book.

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Contents at a Glance
  4. Contents
  5. Dedication
  6. About the Author
  7. Acknowledgments
    1. Accessing the Media Included with this Book
  8. We Want to Hear from You!
  9. Reader Services
  10. Introduction
    1. Book Objectives
    2. The 21st Edition DVD-ROM
    3. My Website: upgradingandrepairingpcs.com
    4. A Personal Note
  11. Chapter 1. Development of the PC
    1. Computer History: Before Personal Computers
    2. Modern Computers
    3. History of the PC
  12. Chapter 2. PC Components, Features, and System Design
    1. What Is a PC?
    2. System Types
    3. System Components
  13. Chapter 3. Processor Types and Specifications
    1. Microprocessor History
    2. Processor Specifications
    3. Processor Features
    4. Processor Manufacturing
    5. Processor Socket and Slot Types
    6. CPU Operating Voltages
    7. Math Coprocessors (Floating-Point Units)
    8. Processor Bugs and Steppings
    9. Processor Code Names
    10. P1 (086) Processors
    11. P2 (286) Processors
    12. P3 (386) Processors
    13. P4 (486) Processors
    14. P5 (586) Processors
    15. Intel P6 (686) Processors
    16. Intel Pentium 4 Processors
    17. Intel Core Processors
    18. AMD K6 Processors
    19. AMD K7 Processors
    20. AMD K8 Processors
    21. AMD K10 Processors (Phenom, Phenom II, Athlon II, Athlon X2, Sempron)
    22. AMD “Bulldozer” and “Piledriver” FX Processors
    23. AMD Fusion/HSA (Heterogeneous Systems Architecture) APUs
    24. Processor Upgrades
    25. Overclocking
    26. Processor Cooling
    27. Processor Troubleshooting Techniques
  14. Chapter 4. Motherboards and Buses
    1. Motherboard Form Factors
    2. Processor Sockets/Slots
    3. Chipsets
    4. Intel’s Early 386/486 Chipsets
    5. Fifth-Generation (P5 Pentium Class) Chipsets
    6. Sixth-Generation (P6 Pentium Pro/II/III Class) Chipsets
    7. Seventh/Eighth-Generation (Pentium 4/D, Core 2, and Core i) Chipsets
    8. Third-Party Chipsets for Intel Processors
    9. Chipsets for AMD Processors
    10. AMD Athlon Chipsets
    11. AMD Athlon 64 Chipsets
    12. Super I/O Chips
    13. Motherboard Connectors
    14. System Bus Types, Functions, and Features
    15. Types of I/O Buses
    16. System Resources
    17. Motherboard Selection Criteria (Knowing What to Look For)
  15. Chapter 5. BIOS
    1. BIOS Basics
    2. Motherboard ROM BIOS
    3. Upgrading the BIOS
    4. Preboot Environment
    5. Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)
    6. BIOS Setup
    7. PnP BIOS
    8. BIOS/MBR Error Messages
  16. Chapter 6. Memory
    1. Memory Basics
    2. Memory Standards
    3. Speed and Performance
    4. Memory Modules
    5. Determining a Memory Module’s Size and Features
    6. Memory Banks
    7. Memory Module Speed
    8. Parity and ECC
    9. RAM Upgrades
    10. Troubleshooting Memory
    11. Memory Defect Isolation Procedures
    12. The System Logical Memory Layout
  17. Chapter 7. The ATA/IDE Interface
    1. An Overview of the IDE Interface
    2. ATA Standards
    3. PATA
    4. SATA
    5. ATA Features
    6. ATA Drive Capacity Limitations
    7. GPT and the 2.2TB Barrier
    8. PATA/SATA RAID
  18. Chapter 8. Magnetic Storage Principles
    1. Magnetic Storage
    2. History of Magnetic Storage
    3. How Magnetic Fields Are Used to Store Data
    4. Read/Write Head Designs
    5. Head Sliders
    6. Data-Encoding Schemes
    7. Capacity Measurements
    8. Areal Density
  19. Chapter 9. Hard Disk Storage
    1. Definition of a Hard Disk
    2. Hard Drive Advancements
    3. Form Factors
    4. HDD Operation
    5. Basic HDD Components
    6. Hard Disk Features
  20. Chapter 10. Flash and Removable Storage
    1. Alternative Storage Devices
    2. Flash Memory Devices
    3. Cloud-Based Storage
    4. Floppy Disk Drives
    5. Tape Drives
  21. Chapter 11. Optical Storage
    1. Optical Technology
    2. CD-Based Optical Technology
    3. DVD
    4. BD
    5. HD-DVD
    6. Optical Disc Formats
    7. Ripping/Copying Discs
    8. Optical Drive Performance Specifications
    9. How to Reliably Record Optical Discs
    10. Troubleshooting Optical Drives
  22. Chapter 12. Video Hardware
    1. Display Adapters and Monitors
    2. Video Display Adapters
    3. Video Display Interfaces
    4. 3D Graphics Accelerators
    5. Monitors
    6. Using Multiple Monitors
    7. Choosing the Best Display Hardware for a Particular Task
    8. Video Troubleshooting and Maintenance
  23. Chapter 13. Audio Hardware
    1. Audio Hardware Concepts and Terms
    2. Early PC Sound Cards
    3. Audio Hardware Features
    4. Motherboard Chipsets with Integrated Audio
    5. Troubleshooting PC Audio Problems
    6. Speakers
    7. Microphones
  24. Chapter 14. External I/O Interfaces
    1. Introduction to Input/Output Ports
    2. Thunderbolt Technology
    3. Low-Speed External Connections
  25. Chapter 15. Input Devices
    1. Keyboards
    2. Keyboard Technology
    3. Keyboard Troubleshooting and Repair
    4. Keyboard Recommendations
    5. Pointing Devices
    6. Touchscreen Technology
    7. Wireless Input Devices
  26. Chapter 16. Internet Connectivity
    1. Internet Connectivity Trends
    2. Broadband Internet Access Types
    3. Dial-Up Modems
    4. Internet Connection Security
  27. Chapter 17. Local Area Networking
    1. Defining a Network
    2. Client/Server Versus Peer Networks
    3. Network Architecture Overview
    4. Hardware Elements of Your Network
    5. Network Protocols
    6. Other Home Networking Solutions
    7. Putting Your Network Together
  28. Chapter 18. Power Supplies
    1. The Power Supply
    2. Primary Function and Operation
    3. Power Supply Form Factors
    4. Power Switches
    5. Motherboard Power Connectors
    6. Additional Power Connectors
    7. Power Supply Specifications
    8. Power-Use Calculations
    9. Power Savings
    10. Power Cycling
    11. Power Supply Troubleshooting
    12. Power Supply Recommendations
    13. Power-Protection Systems
    14. Real-Time Clock/Nonvolatile RAM (CMOS RAM) Batteries
  29. Chapter 19. Building or Upgrading Systems
    1. System Components
    2. Hardware and Software Resources
    3. System Assembly and Disassembly
    4. System Startup
    5. Installing the OS
    6. Troubleshooting New Installations
  30. Chapter 20. PC Diagnostics, Testing, and Maintenance
    1. PC Diagnostics
    2. Diagnostics Software
    3. The Boot Process
    4. PC Maintenance Tools
    5. Preventive Maintenance
    6. Troubleshooting Tips and Techniques
  31. Index
  32. Accessing the Media Included with this Book

Product information

  • Title: Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 21st Edition
  • Author(s): Scott Mueller
  • Release date: March 2013
  • Publisher(s): Que
  • ISBN: 9780133105391