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Having sold more than 2 million copies over its lifetime, How Computers Work is the definitive illustrated guide to the world of PCs and technology In this new edition, you’ll find detailed information not just about every last component of hardware found inside your PC, but also in-depth explanations about home networking, the Internet, PC security, and even how cell phone networks operate. Whether you’re interested in how the latest graphics cards power today’s most demanding games or how a digital camera turns light into data, you’ll find your answers right here.

 

Ron White is a former executive editor and columnist for PC Computing, where he developed the visual concept behind How Computers Work. Founder of one of the

earliest PC user groups, he has been writing about computers for 25 years and is known for building wildly extreme computers.

 

Timothy Edward Downs is an award-winning magazine designer, illustrator, and photographer. He has directed and designed several national consumer, business, technology, and

lifestyle magazines, always infusing a sense of “how it works” into every project.

 

A full-color, illustrated adventure into the wonders of TECHNOLOOGY

 

This full-color, fully illustrated guide to the world of technology assumes nothing and explains everything. Only the accomplished Ron White and award-winning Tim Downs have the unique ability to meld descriptive text with one-of-a-kind visuals to fully explain how the electronic gear we depend on every day is made possible. In addition to all the content you’ve come to expect from prior editions, this newly revised edition includes all-new coverage of topics such as:

 

•    How tablet PCs put the power of a PC quite literally in your hands

•    How Windows Vista makes your Windows desktop translucent and makes your PC more secure

•    How advances in optical disc technology such as dual-layer DVD, HD-DVD, and Blu-Ray discs continue to push the envelope

•    How Apple’s new iPhone is revolutionizing what cell phones can do

•    How BitTorrent technology enables anyone to share information with everyone

 

For a decade, How Computers Work has helped newbies understand new technology, while at the same time hackers and IT pros have treasured it for the depth of knowledge it contains. This is the perfect book about computing to capture your imagination, delight your eyes, and expand your mind, no matter what your technical level!

 

Category: General Computing

Covers:    PCs/Hardware

User Level:    Beginning–Intermediate

 

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Price: $21.39 [Notify me when price goes down.]

"...perhaps the most comprehensive book on the subject we've ever seen. It's incredibly well researched, well written, and jam packed with useful information "
--Josh Norem, Reviews Editor, Maximum PC
 
Upgrading and Repairing PCs is the definitive guide to the inner workings of your PC. Whether you're adding a faster processor or bigger hard drive, tracking down a problem, or just want to understand how the components of your computer work together, this book explains everything you need to know. Trust the one book that has become the de facto standard among PC professionals and enthusiasts around the world.
 
World-renowned PC hardware expert Scott Mueller has taught thousands in his week-long seminars and millions through his books, videos, and magazine articles. Major changes in the PC hardware industry--including coverage of new Core 2 processors from Intel, Socket AM2 processors from AMD, and significant advances in motherboard chipsets, Blu-ray, and HD-DVD--make Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 18th Edition, an indispensable addition to every serious computer user's bookshelf...that is, if it ever leaves their desks. Readers from around the world trust their computers to Scott. Upgrading and Repairing PCs is found on the desks of teachers, students, hobbyists, repair technicians, and even law enforcement agencies that use this book to aid them in tracking criminals.
 
New in This Book

• Deep coverage of the new Core 2 (8th gen or "886") processors, featuring the new "Core Microarchitecture"
• Cutting edge coverage of quad-core desktop (Kentsfield) processor versions
• Detailed coverage of AMD’s Socket AM2 processors
• Coverage of evolutionary changes in chipsets, including new versions of Intel's 9xx series chipsets and new 3x series Intel chipsets; coverage of new chipsets from Nvidia, VIA, and SiS has also been added
• Coverage of the new DTX and Mini-DTX motherboard form factors from the newly formed alliance between AMD and ATI
• Beefed-up coverage of Blu-ray and HD-DVD drives/players
• Extensive coverage of new GPUs in addition to heavy-duty coverage of SLI and Crossfire
• Building a PC from scratch--from assembling the hardware to BIOS setup and installing Microsoft Windows XP or Vista

 
On the DVD
DVD contains 2 hours of all new, studio-quality video--playable in your set-top DVD player and your computer! Scott digs deep into networking, showing all the components needed to build a SOHO (Small Office Home Office) network. Coverage includes network adapters, routers, switches, access points, cable/DSL modems, and cabling. Upgrading an existing network to gigabit speeds is also covered, as well as the latest wireless network technology. The DVD also contains a previously published edition of the book as well as technical reference material, a glossary, and an acronym index. Whether you’re building a hot new PC for home or work, or nursing an aging and ailing PC back to health, these materials prove to be worth their weight in gold to the serious PC technician or hobbyist.
 
www.upgradingandrepairingpcs.com
If you don’t have a DVD player or only have a set-top DVD, visit www.upgradingandrepairingpcs.com to download all the video from the DVD in Windows Media Player format as well as the PDFs and other materials on the DVD! Plus, check out monthly articles, FAQs, and video from earlier editions you might have missed!
 
Introduction 1
1    Development of the PC 7
2    PC Components, Features and System Design 25
3    Microprocessor Types and Specifications 39
4    Motherboards and Buses 235
5    BIOS 441
6    Memory 509
7    The ATA/IDE Interface 581
8    Magnetic Storage Principles 637
9    Hard Disk Storage 663
10    Removable Storage 707
11    Optical Storage 747
12    Physical Drive Installation and Configuration 851
13    Video Hardware 885
14    Audio Hardware 987
15    I/O Interfaces from Serial and Parallel to IEEE-1394 and USB 1025
16    Input Devices 1059
17    Internet Connectivity 1103
18    Local Area Networking 1151
19    Power Supplies 1207
20    Building or Upgrading Systems 1295
21    PC Mods: Overclocking and Cooling 1335
22    PC Diagnostics, Testing and Maintenance 1367
 
ON THE DVD:
A    Glossary
B    List of Acronyms and Abbreviations


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Price: $37.69 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Windows Vista may be the next big thing, but it still contains enough quirks and unaccountable behaviors to vex anyone. This unique guide not only discusses the most irritating features of the latest Microsoft operating system and how to get around them, but also explains how to improve Windows and do more with the software than Microsoft intended. You'll find information on setup, installation, upgrade from other Windows versions, the revamped interface, new security features, user accounts, troubleshooting, and the markedly improved Internet Explorer 7. Other chapters cover a wide range of key topics: Media Center - tips on photos, videos, music, TV tuners, HD, and the media center engine The Registry - explains the background and tools for working with Windows' database of settings Tinkering Techniques - offers hacking-style customization and problem-solving topics Networking and Wireless - includes LAN setup, WiFi sniffers and access points, connection sharing, firewalls, routers, and FTP Scripting and Automation - introduces simple programming using the Windows Scripting Host for automating repetitive tasks No other book takes our patented cranky, solutions-oriented approach. Our collection of tips, tools and techniques will improve your experience with Windows Vista, so you can control the OS -- rather than the other way around..
Price: $14.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]

No matter how much Mac experience you have, Mac OS X Leopard requires that you get reacquainted This little guide is packed with more than 300 tips and techniques to help you do just that. You get all details you need to learn Leopard's new features, configure your system, and get the most out of your Mac. Pronto. Mac OS X Leopard Pocket Guide offers an easy-to-read format for users of all levels. If you're a Mac newcomer, there's a Survival Guide that explains how to adapt, and a chapter on Mac OS X's key features. Experienced Mac users can go right to the heart of Leopard with chapters on system preferences, applications and utilities, and configuring. In all, plenty of tables, concise descriptions, and step-by-step instructions explain: What's new in Leopard, including the Time Machine How to use Leopard's totally revamped Finder All about Spaces and how to quickly flip between them How to search for and find things with Spotlight How to use Leopard's enhanced Parental Controls Handy keyboard shortcuts to help you be more efficient Quick tips for setting up and configuring your Mac to make it your own If you're ready to tame Apple's new cat, this is the guide you want..
Price: $7.71 [Notify me when price goes down.]

BUILD IT. FIX it. OWN IT.

A Beginner’s Guide to Building and Upgrading a PC

 

Build It. Fix It. Own It. is the ultimate beginner’s guide to building and fixing your own PC. With a friendly, knowledgeable tone, this book shows the beginning PC builder everything he or she needs to know to build a computer or upgrade an existing one.

We step you through the parts that lurk inside a PC, from the motherboard and power supply to the CPU, memory, hard drive, video card, sound card, and networking hardware. In each case, you will learn how the hardware works, what it does, what types of hardware are available, and what to look for when buying the hardware.

Then we walk you step-by-step though a series of PC building projects. We show you how to build five different types of PC: a basic business PC, a home theater PC, a high-performance PC, a killer gaming PC, and a budget PC. And if building a new PC from scratch isn’t in your budget, we show you how to resurrect  an old PC by swapping out a few key components.

When you have your PC built and running, we show you how to set up a wireless network and the BIOS and maintain your new rig.

 

Build It. Fix It. Own It. is the ultimate PC builder’s guide, even if you’ve never ventured inside a PC case before!

 

Author Bio

Paul McFedries is one of the industry’s most well known and respected technical writers and is a passionate computer tinkerer. He is the author of more than 70 computer books that have sold more than three million copies worldwide. His recent titles include the Sams Publishing books Windows Vista Unleashed and Windows Home Server Unleashed and the Que Publishing books Networking with Microsoft Windows Vista, Formulas and Functions with Microsoft Excel 2007, Tricks of the Microsoft Office 2007 Gurus, and Microsoft Access 2007 Forms, Reports, and Queries. Paul also is the proprietor of Word Spy (www.wordspy.com), a website devoted to tracking new words and phrases as they enter the English language.

 

Category     Hardware

Covers         PC Hardware

User Level    Beginner—Intermediate

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Price: $18.32 [Notify me when price goes down.]

From buying and selling PC hardware to product development and selling services, this book offers a realistic picture of making it on one's own. The book mixes practical advice and cautions with real-world anecdotes of successes and failures.
Price: $12.94 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Asustek has introduced a single line of ultra-portable computers that could surpass all of Apple's Macintosh sales. Of that total, about 1.6 million units will be equipped not with Windows, but Xandros Linux. The Eee is designed to open up new market segments: In the U.S and other developed nations, it will be targeted largely at school students. Equipped with both "learning" programs as well as office and internet applications, the Eee will provide everything that students need regardless of their grade level. Because it is an ultra-light, highly mobile, yet fully capable computer, it will also appeal to business users and first-time computer buyers. This book will cover everything, from turning the machine on and connecting it to the internet, to how to upgrade, update, and generally get the most from these tiny computers..
Price: $14.33 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Fast-paced and easy to use, this concise book teaches you the basics of Windows Vista so you can start using this operating system right away. Written by "New York Times" columnist, bestselling author, Emmy-winning CBS News correspondent and Missing Manuals creator David Pogue, the book will help you:

• Navigate the desktop, including the fast, powerful and fully integrated desktop search function
• Use the Media Center to record TV and radio, present photos, play music, and record all of these to a DVD
• Breeze across the Web with the vastly improved Internet Explorer 7 tabbed browser
• Become familiar with Vista's beefed up security, and much more

Windows Vista is a vast improvement over its predecessors, with an appealing, glass-like visual overhaul, superior searching and organization tools, a multimedia and collaboration suite, and a massive, top-to-bottom security-shield reconstruction. Every corner of the traditional Windows operating system has been tweaked, overhauled, or replaced entirely.

Aimed at new and experienced computer users alike, Windows Vista for Starters: The Missing Manual is right there when you need it. This jargon-free book explains Vista's features quickly and clearly -- revealing which work well and which don't.

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Price: $7.70 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This popular Build-It-Yourself (BIY) PC book covers everything you want to know about building your own system: Planning and picking out the right components, step-by-step instructions for assembling your perfect PC, and an insightful discussion of why you'd want to do it in the first place. Most big brand computers from HP, Dell and others use lower-quality components so they can meet their aggressive pricing targets. But component manufacturers also make high-quality parts that you can either purchase directly, or obtain through distributors and resellers. Consumers and corporations alike are opting to build rather than buy PCs to ensure high quality and compatibility.

The new edition of Building the Perfect PC shows you how to construct a variety of top-flight systems with the latest technology, including AMD Socket AM-2 and Intel Core 2 processors, that are Vista- and Linux-ready. The book includes several new options, including:

• A Budget PC you can build for approximately $350 that offers performance and reliability similar to that of mainstream systems
• A full-blown media-center system that runs Linux and MythTV or Windows MCE with multiple tuners and HDTV support
• A fire-breathing high-performance gaming system
• A fast, low-power, low-heat, low-noise, Small Form Factor system (the size of a shoe box)
• A low-cost SOHO (small office, home office) server system with a 2 terabyte (2,000 GB) disk subsystem that's suitable for a residential environment rather than a server closet

Regardless of your technical experience, Building the Perfect PC will guide you through the entire process of building or upgrading your own computer. You'll use the latest top-quality components, including Intel's Core 2 Duo and AMD's Athlon X2 CPUs. And you'll know exactly what's under the hood and how to fix or upgrade your PC, should that become necessary. Not only is the process fun, but the result is often less expensive and always better quality and far more satisfying than anything you could buy off the shelf.

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Price: $19.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A smart collection of insider tips and tricks, Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition covers the XP operating system from start to finish. Among the multitude of topics addressed, this must-have resource includes extensive coverage of hot-button issues such as:

• security
• web browsing
• controlling the control panel
• removing uninstallable XP components
• pop-up ads

You'll also find timesaving hacks for file distribution; digital media, such as iTunes; and high-visibility web software, services, and exploits that have emerged since the book's last edition. Each hack in the book can be read easily in just a few minutes, saving countless hours of searching for the right answer. Now completely revised and updated to cover Service Pack 2 (SP2), the second edition of this bestseller carefully breaks down the new features that come with SP2, including IE pop-up blocker, Windows Firewall, and the new wireless client. Written by Preston Gralla, the compact and affordable Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition provides direct, hands-on solutions that can be applied to the challenges facing XP beginners, as well as the more experienced power user. Each year, Windows XP is pre-installed on 90 million PCs worldwide, making it the world's most popular operating system..
Price: $5.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]