Upgrading and Fixing Computers Do-it-Yourself For Dummies®
An illustrated, step-by-step guide to repairs and upgrades
Whether you want to prepare your computer for Windows 7, avoid investing in a new one, or just “go green”, this fully illustrated guide has what you need. You’ll learn how to add printers and new keyboards, boost your PC’s performance and increase memory, improve power consumption, rev up your multimedia capacity, and much more. Step-by-step instructions are accompanied by photos that show you exactly what you should see at every stage.
- Learn to perform basic upgrades and prepare your PC for high-speed Internet connections, network connections, and added security, all with fully illustrated instructions
- Find out how to expand memory, enhance speed, and update your computer’s power supply
- Prepare an old computer for Windows 7 and beef up your capacity for multimedia
Upgrading & Fixing Computers Do-It-Yourself For Dummies is a show-and-tell course in making your PC happy, healthy, and green.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.
Rating: 
(out of 18 reviews)
List Price: $ 24.99
Price: $ 16.49
Repairing and Upgrading Your PC
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.
Rating: 
(out of 35 reviews)
List Price: $ 34.99
Price: $ 20.00
Rating:
Kind of a combination introduction/overview to the state of PC technology today, with an emphasis on helping readers new to the subject in maximizing any PCs performance. This is an excellent book! Covers all the latest in Windows XP configuration and upkeep, as well as buzzwords like DVD-RW, DVD+RW, CDRW/DVD, 802.11b, 802.11a, wireless access points, fast Ethernet, FireWire, USB 2.0, MP3s, WMAs, LCDs, DVI-I, DV camcorders, digital cameras, scanners, printers, modems, NTFS, ATX, AGP 3.0 8x, DDR SDRAM,… etc. EVERYTHING current to today’s PCs is given a brief mention. I especially like the Appendix, “The Rathbone Reference of Fine Ports”, which clearly explains the most common of today’s PC connections, as well as the ones that are going out of style. Very helpful! This book strikes a great balance between being too simple and being too advanced. It’s the perfect companion to the “Windows for Dummies” series, right along with another recent book, “Troubleshooting Your PC for Dummies”, by Dan Gookin. Highly recommended!
Rating:
I first owned a PC when I was 14 and when my mom bought it for me I didn’t know the difference between Windows and DOS and didn’t even know what RAM or a CPU was. When I bought this I didn’t really have any experience with using a PC, so after learning how to use one for awhile I purchased this book and read it. This taught me a lot about repairing computers and installing new hardware. Anyone who doesnt have a ton of Knowledge about computers and is just starting out with Computers should check this book out if you want to learn more about them. I know for me it helped out a lot. If you’ve been a computer user for years and already know how to install a Hard Drive, Motherboard, Video Card and Memory etc, then I would skip this one. It’s not very technical at all and is obviously for people that don’t know much about computers at all. It’s really just a good place to start.I’m now 21 and have worked as a Computer Technician for about 3 years now. I definitely think that this book helped out a ton, it was definitely a good place to start. I believe there are to many people out there are afraid to upgrade/fix their own PC, maybe they are afraid they’ll break it. That’s all a part of the learning process and you’ll never get anywhere if you don’t take a risk and attempt to work on them. Most everything I’ve learned when it comes to upgrading computers is all Trial and Error. If one thing doesn’t work out one way, just try it again some other way. I also have to mention that any of the For Dummies books are worth checking out. Believe it or not, for learning DOS I read DOS For Dummies. For being a Computer Technician DOS is one of the most useful things I’ve learned. If you don’t know it I don’t see how anyone could be a very good Technician.
Rating:
I’m a computer support student at a local community college. The textbook we use is HUGE and VERY technical. I bought this “For Dummies” book on a friday afternoon, and learned more from it in just a few hours than I had learned in the first 3 weeks of class!! I could’nt possibly get through my classes without it. It explains things in a way that I can understand…. and it takes a lot of the intimidation out of the process of learning this subject!
Rating:
I’ve thought a lot about what audience would find this book helpful, and I can’t come up with one. It seems intended for people who know zero about PCs. (For example, the author explains how to pronounce CPU – “See Pee You”) He also makes an extreme effort to present PCs as non-intimidating. (The book promises “If you can open a bag of Cheetos, then you can upgrade and repair your PC”.)
In reality, repairing a PC is a bit more difficult than opening chips, and that’s where this book fails. If you truly know zip, zero, nothing about computers, you won’t be fixing any major problem after reading this. And if you do know much of anything about PCs, you won’t find anything informative here.
What the book does provide is a lot of good, general knowledge to those who know little or nothing about PCs. It might be handy as a guide to a computer novice for something super basic like installing a modem or more memory. I can’t imagine it being used as a reference for any serious repair use. If that novice needs much of a repair or upgrade, I suspect he’ll be in the market for an experienced tech.
So…if you just want to do basic upgrade (not repair)on your PC and you’re generally mechanically handy but timid around PCs, you might find this book useful. If you truly know nothing about computers and expect to fix one after reading this book, prepare to be disapointed. I would recommend Michael Meyers A+ Certification Guide as a much better technical resource for the uninitiated.
Rating:
Upgrading & Fixing PC’s. That says it right there. I have owned this book for several years, and I have found it to be an invaluble resource in all my times of trouble. Anytime I had a problem, it was right there ready to answer anything I had coming. It’s perfect layout, combined with a GREAT index (everything from A/B Serial Port switches to Zero Insertion Force Sockets) make this a GREAT book. After all, would we expect anything less from the Dummies series?
Rating:
I bought this book about a year ago when I was contemplating stretching the life of my 4+ year old PC. The book proved very useful for me to zero in on the biggest bang-for-the-buck upgrades, and which ones were best to avoid because they yield low performance for the dollar.
About a month ago, I decided to build my own PC. This book again proved useful in helping guide me in making decisions on what equipment to choose.
It’s rare that I spend over twenty bucks for a book. This book has paid for itself a few times over in helping me save money by not spending unnecessarily, or spending unwisely.
The instructions are written clearly. There are many photographs illustrating the steps being described, sometimes a few different photos of variations of different types of components. There is plenty of “theory of operation” on how various components work and how different standards compare (IDE vs SATA, for example). There are specific brand recommendations. There are specific techology type of recommendations. And there is just the right amount of humor throughout the book.
You may think this sort of book is only for guy geeks. Well, I’m a woman who’s just about to pass the mid-century mark, and I found it to be a valuable reference for building, repairing, and upgrading PCs. You can pay the Geek squad lots of money to fix your stuff, or you can pay a bit over $20 and learn how to fix it yourself. That’s a great feeling.
Rating:
This book is a terrific follow on to the authors’ earlier “Building the Perfect PC.” It’s got the same great style with outstanding photographs, and clearly-written directions.
The Thompsons do a great job of explaining a wide range of upgrade options — and they’re adamant about where the sweet spots in the performance/price curves are. Their knowledge of hardware and software is greatly enhanced in this book by sidebar inputs from the four tech reviewers the Thompsons had — these contributors bring a different viewpoint to the material and it’s a great addition.
Sure, the upgrade sections are terrific, but I found the maintenance chapters are invaluable. Lots of great info on cleaning the guts of PCs, plus a wealth of info on tools and tricks for keeping the OS running smoothly. This book pointed me to a couple terrific apps I’ve already added to my collection.
The one downside of the book came in the “Securing the system” section of the System Maintenance chapter. There’s a constant stream of complaints regarding security issues in Internet Explorer, Outlook, and the Windows XP operating system with recommendations for working around those. (Install Firefox, install Thunderbird, consider Linux.) Not once do the Thompsons mention using a non-administrator account as the primary logon for day-to-day use, a step everyone using XP or Win2K should have taken a long time ago.
That pet peeve aside, I’m extremely happy to have the book on my shelf. It’s a great book!
Rating:
Repairing & Upgrading Your PC by Robert Bruce Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson is the latest addition to my “hardware repair” shelf, and it’s a worthy one to be there.
Contents: 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; Index
The Thompsons have put together an excellent book that covers both repairing, upgrading, and just plain cleaning up your computers. The writing is clear and concise, and does an excellent job explaining the “why” behind their recommendations and techniques. There are also a large number of sidebar tips that add even more value and color to your computing experience. For instance, I didn’t know that spindles of optical disks with the same brand name can contain discs manufactured by different companies (and as such could have varying levels of quality). There are even utilities that help you identify the underlying manufacturer. Interesting stuff. And if you like plenty of pictures to show you how to do various tasks, this book fits that criteria too. Full color photos document all the important steps, so there should be no confusion between what you read and what you see. There are even before and after pictures of a keyboard that has been cleaned using the dishwasher method. That’s right… they cover how to clean that grungy old keyboard with your dishwasher…
An excellent book, and one that will more than pay for itself when it comes to keeping your computers running at an optimal level. Now if you excuse me, I have to go try out the dishwasher trick…
Rating:
The title of this book may intimidate some people. After all, repairing and upgrading PCs are things that computer geeks do, right? Well, yes – but with Repairing and Upgrading Your PC you can do it, too, with a little effort.
There are several sections that should be required reading for every computer-owner, whether they are interested in doing repair work or not. Chapter 3 on System Maintenance is a must read: it covers everything from cleaning your computer (dust is NOT your friend) to protecting it from ad-ware and viruses. Preventative maintenance is also covered, backups especially. With the advent of inexpensive DVD-R hardware and media, there is no excuse for anyone to have data on their computer that has not been backed up properly.
Every part of the computer gets its own chapter, from the “guts” of the system (motherboard, processor) to the audio and video. Even the case and power supply get coverage, so that you understand exactly what is important about each component of your computer – and what could potentially go wrong.
There is a lot of useful information in this book. I’ve often entertained notions of building my own system, and I learned quite a bit about processors and motherboards from the book – enough to know I need to consult the Thompsons’ website for more information, and their book Building the Perfect PC. But for basic repairs and simple upgrades, Repairing and Upgrading Your PC is a must have. It will give the novice user the confidence they need to crack open that case, and the information to not completely mess the system up.
Rating:
Are you a computer user that thinks that fiddling with the insides of your PC is taboo? If you are, then this book is for you! Authors Barbara Fritchman Thompson and Robert Thompson, have done an outstanding job of writing a book that helps you get your PC unstuck and running fat and running right.
Thompson and Thompson, begin by providing detailed advice on maintaining, securing, and working on your system. Then, the authors cover the core components of your PC–the motherboard, processor and memory. Next, they cover storage devices–hard disk drives, optical drives, and removable storage such as external hard drives and USB flash drives. The authors continue by covering the components that allow you to get information into and out of your PC. Finally, the authors cover three components–cases, power supplies, and power protection–that receive little attention, but are important for system reliability and usability.
In this most excellent book, the authors base their recommendations on their own experience. More importantly, they don’t base that experience after using the product for a day or a week, but after extensive day-in-day-out use under realistic conditions.