Upgrading and Repairing PCs (19th Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Great reference covering the most recent technologies. I've been following the series since the 3rd edition and each one has been worth its weight in gold! If only Amazon knew, I would be willing to pay in excess of $200.00 for this! ;D My personal last edition was the 13th, so this will make a fine addition to the library.
I love how Scott covers the history, and even though there have been complaints on earlier editions of this inclusion of past technologies, it is valuable information.
This edition was a Christmas gift to my brother who is now getting into computer repair. After a few days, he is eating the book up alive! Amazon was great in its shipment and technically was not going to release it until a couple of days before Christmas, however they not only made an earlier release date but got it to me before Christmas. I'll be purchasing a copy for my self after this review!
If your in doubt as whether to purchase this, don't be. This is a very inexpensive way to add to your understanding, what could take you "forever" in your Google searches!

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Build It. Fix It. Own It: A Beginner's Guide to Building and Upgrading a PC Review

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(More customer reviews)If a 63 year old retiree can do, so can you... with this book.
Building your own desktop is only slightly more difficult than lego blocks. If you read this book, you will see that the biggest problem you will have is your own greed for speed when you realize you can do it. While this book does not cover Intel's new I7, this book has chapters on numerous "builds" that convey how the building processes are 95% identical, so you can go on to a build using the (extraordinary!) I7 with confidence.
Numerous no-name computer assembler online sites specify their exact components: comparisons using (the essential) Newegg's prices show 50% margins -- all this $$ is yours if you have patience, can do lego blocks, and read this book and "Build your own desktop" blogs carefully. Trying to figure out Microsoft Word's formatting options is 10 times more difficult. Honest.
I have purchased 20+ Dell's and HP's over the years for myself and my children, and can say that the PC companies' product designs and especially their so-called "service" fail miserably to justify their 75% margins, and things are getting worse.
"Build a PC" by Scott Mueller is good as a second book (there are no others that are remotely up to date).
For what it is worth, I do not know either author, nor have I ever corresponded with either.


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BUILD IT. FIX it. OWN IT.A Beginner's Guide to Building and Upgrading a PCBuild 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 BioPaul 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 HardwareCovers PC HardwareUser Level Beginner—Intermediate

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Upgrading and Fixing Computers Do-it-Yourself For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)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.

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The Laptop Repair Workbook: An Introduction to Troubleshooting and Repairing Laptop Computers Review

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(More customer reviews)I just finished reading this book, cover to cover. Just couldn't stop reading it, as Morris keeps it interesting. Moreover, it's an amazing resource for laptop troubleshooting and repair. In fact, the best I've ever read. Much better then Mueller's in terms of troubleshooting and the depth and scope of repairs - and it only has 191 pages. Armed with this book and the laptop's service manual, you are set to attack most of the problems you'll run into with laptops. Like Morris says in the front of the book, you'll notice we don't talk about the razzle-dazzle technology of computer components in this book." It's about fixing them and getting them back into working order. I highly recommend this book.

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Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts: Troubleshooting PC Hardware Problems from Boot Failure to Poor Performance, Revised Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Handy flowcharts with accompaning detailed descriptions. Very logically organized and layed out. It provides you with a structured process for tracking down pc problems. Highly recommended.
Having a little troubleshooting experience would be helpful, but not absolutely necessary. A fair number of pc problems have very simple solutions. The author does not overlook the obvious(is it plugged in? are all the mute buttons unchecked?) on way to making a proper diagnosis.
If you are at all serious about providing your own tech support (or support to friends and family), get this book. Money well spent.

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The updated edition of the classic visual manual for troubleshooting PC hardware problems. Morris Rosenthal creates a visual expert system for diagnosing component failure and identifying conflicts. The seventeen diagnostic flowcharts at the core of this book are intended for the intermediate to advanced hobbyist, or the beginning technician. Following a structured approach to troubleshooting hardware reduces the false diagnoses and parts wastage typical of the "swap 'till you drop" school of thought. Flowcharts include: Power Supply Failure, Video Failure, Video Performance, Motherboard, CPU, RAM Failure, Motherboard, CPU, RAM Performance, IDE Drive Failure, Hard Drive Boot and Performance, CD or DVD Playback, CD or DVD Recording Problem, Modem Failure, Modem Performance, Sound Failure, Sound and Game Controller Performance, Network Failure, Peripheral Failure, SCSI Failure and Conflict Resolution.Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts is used as a classroom text in colleges and technical schools andby the U.S. government for training forensic technicians. It's also a favorite reference with consumers and technicians all over the world.

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Mike Meyers' CompTIA A+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting PCs, Third Edition (Exams 220-701 & 220-702) (Mike Meyers' Computer Skills) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am an MCSE NT4 that has had a 4 1/2 year hiatus from IT work. My first read through an A+ book was in 1998 which was comparatively a bland textbook read. Myers has done a nice job with this book, even entertaining on occasion. I am quickly getting caught up on areas I missed. It is very unfortunate the CompTIA group can't seem to connect with Microsoft on their timing of OS releases. It would be nice to have Windows 7 addressed in this book.


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Essential Skills for a Successful IT Career
Written by CompTIA certification and training expert Mike Meyers, this instructive, full-color guide will help you pass the CompTIA A+ exams and become an expert hardware technician. Mike Meyers' CompTIA A+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting PCs, Third Edition is completely up to date with the latest CompTIA A+ standards. Inside, you'll find helpful on-the-job tips, end-of-chapter practice questions, and more than 1,000 photographs and illustrations.
Learn how to:
Work with CPUs, RAM, motherboards, power supplies, and other PC components
Install, partition, and format hard drives
Install, upgrade, and troubleshoot Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista
Troubleshoot PCs and implement security measures
Install video and multimedia cards
Work with portable PCs, PDAs, smartphones, and wireless technologies
Manage printers and connect to networks and the Internet
Understand safety and environmental issues
Establish good communications skills and adhere to privacy policies

The CD-ROM features:
Practice exams for 701 & 702
600+ chapter review questions
New video introduction to CompTIA A+
One-hour video training segment
Mike's favorite PC tools and utilities
Searchable e-book

Each chapter includes:
Learning objectives
Full-color photographs and illustrations
Real-world examples
Try This! and Cross Check exercises
Tech tips, notes, and warnings
End-of-chapter quizzes and lab projects
Mike Meyers, CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, MCP, is the industry's leading authority on CompTIA A+ certification and training, and the bestselling author of seven editions of CompTIA A+ All-in-One Exam Guide. He is the president and founder of Total Seminars, LLC, a major provider of PC and network repair seminars for thousands of organizations throughout the world, and a member of CompTIA.

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Upgrading and Repairing PCs (20th Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a must for anyone that wants to learn more about the hardware and their computer than they could possible imagine. I own the 13th edition, and wanted to buy the updated 20th edition. I was not disappointed with the amount of information that was written in the book. I have learned a lot from just reading a few chapters in this book.
The one issue that I did have was the fact that my copy of the book was missing the entire eighth chapter - Magnetic Storage Principles. I don't use any magnetic storage, so it isn't a total loss. The book simply has chapter nine - Hard Disk Storage - printed twice (back-to-back). There were also a few other minor spelling mistakes, but the mistakes don't take away from the good content.
I'll give the book 4 stars mainly because of the missing chapter, which isn't a total loss for me. I would like to give 5 stars simply because of the amount of information that is provided is worth it, but the missing chapter can be an issue for some.

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