Book description
Carefully researched and written, PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition is packed with useful and unbiased information, including how-to advice for specific components, ample reference material, and a comprehensive case study on building a PC. To the point yet complete, this book provides an enormous amount of timeless information intended for anyone who buys, builds, upgrades, or repairs PCs in a corporate, small business, or home setting. In addition to coverage of the fundamentals and general tips about working on PCs, this book includes chapters focusing on motherboards, processors, memory, floppies, hard drives, optical drives, tape devices, video devices, input devices, audio components, communications, power supplies, and maintenance. Special emphasis is given to upgrading and troubleshooting existing equipment so you can get the most from your existing investments. This new edition is expanded to include:
Detailed information about the latest motherboards and chipsets from AMD, Intel, SiS, and VIA
Extensive coverage of the Pentium 4 and the latest AMD processors, including the Athlon XP/MP
Full details about new hard drive standards, including the latest SCSI standards, ATA/133, Serial ATA, and the new 48-bit "Big Drive" ATA interface
Extended coverage of DVD drives, including DVD-RAM, DVD-R/RW, and DVD+R/RW
Details about Flat Panel Displays, including how to choose one (and why you might not want to)
New chapters on serial communications, parallel communications, and USB communications (including USB 2.0)
Enhanced troubleshooting coverage
PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition provides independent, useful and practical information in a no-nonsense manner with specific recommendations on components. Based on real-world testing over time, it will help you make intelligent, informed decisions about buying, building, upgrading, and repairing PCs in a cost effective manner that will help you maximize new or existing computer hardware systems.
Table of contents
-
PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition
- Foreword
- Preface
- 1. Fundamentals
- 2. Working on PCs
-
3. Motherboards
-
Motherboard Characteristics
- Form Factor
-
Chipsets
- CPU Family Support
- CPU Speed Support
- Multiple CPU Support
- Memory and Cache Support
- Chipset Buffers
- Memory Timing
- I/O Bus Support
- Embedded Feature Support
- Identifying Chipsets
- Fifth-Generation Chipsets
- Sixth-Generation Intel and Intel-Compatible Chipset Characteristics
- AMD Athlon Chipset Characteristics
- Seventh-Generation Intel and Intel-Compatible Chipset Characteristics
- BIOS
- Processor Support
- Bus Support
- Choosing a Motherboard
- Installing a Motherboard
- Upgrading the System BIOS
- Our Picks
-
Motherboard Characteristics
- 4. Processors
- 5. Memory
- 6. Floppy Disk Drives
- 7. High-Capacity Floppy Disk Drives
- 8. Removable Hard Disk Drives
- 9. Tape Drives
-
10. CD-ROM Drives
- Compact Disc Fundamentals
- CD-ROM Drive Performance
- Choosing a CD-ROM Drive
-
Installing and Configuring a CD-ROM Drive
- Installing and Configuring an ATAPI CD-ROM Drive
- Enabling Bus Mastering (DMA) Support
- Installing and Configuring a SCSI CD-ROM Drive
- General SCSI CD-ROM Troubleshooting
- Windows 9X/2000/XP SCSI Driver Installation and Troubleshooting
- Windows NT 4 SCSI Driver Installation and Troubleshooting
- Changing CD-ROM Drive Letter Assignments
- Cleaning a CD-ROM Drive
- Our Picks
-
11. CD-R and CD-RW Drives
- CD Writers and Media
- Writable CD Formats
- CD Recording Methods
- BURN-Proof Technology
- Choosing a CD Writer
- CD Writer Software
- Installing and Configuring a CD Writer
- Updating CD Writer Firmware
- Media Issues
- Burning CDs
- Special Problems and Applications
- Writable CD Troubleshooting
- Additional CD-R(W) Source Material
- Our Picks
- 12. DVD Drives
- 13. Hard Disk Interfaces
- 14. Hard Disk Drives
- 15. Video Adapters
- 16. Displays
- 17. Sound Adapters
- 18. Speakers and Headphones
- 19. Keyboards
- 20. Mice and Trackballs
- 21. Game Controllers
- 22. Serial Communications
- 23. Parallel Communications
-
24. USB Communications
- USB Characteristics
- USB Host Controller Interfaces
-
Configuring USB
- Identifying the USB HCI Under Windows 9X
- Viewing USB HCI Properties Under Windows 9X
- Viewing USB Root Hub Properties Under Windows 9X
- Verifying USB Interrupt Sharing Under Windows 9X
- Identifying the USB HCI Under Windows 2000/XP
- Viewing USB HCI Properties Under Windows 2000/XP
- Viewing USB Root Hub Properties Under Windows 2000/XP
- Verifying USB Interrupt Sharing Under Windows 2000/XP
- Troubleshooting USB
- Our Picks
- 25. Cases
-
26. Power Supplies
- Power Supply Characteristics
- Volts, Amps, Watts, and Regulation
-
Power Connectors
- AT Main Power Connector
- ATX Main Power Supply Connector
- ATX Auxiliary Power Supply Connector
- ATX Optional Power Supply Connector
- ATX12V Power Supply Connector
- NLX Power Connectors
- SFX Power Connectors
- Power-Supply-to-Device Connectors
- Main Power Switch Power Connectors
- Real-World Power Supplies Compared
- Choosing a Power Supply
- Installing a Power Supply
- Troubleshooting Power Supplies
- Our Picks
- 27. Backup Power Supplies
-
28. Building a PC
- Step 1: Prepare the Case
- Step 2: Configure the Motherboard
- Step 3: Install the Processor
- Step 4: Install the Memory
- Step 5: Prepare Drives for Installation
- Step 6: Install the Floppy Disk Drive
- Step 7: Install Other Drives
- Step 8: Install the Motherboard
- Step 9: Connect Cables to the Motherboard
- Step 10: Install Expansion Cards
- Step 11: Perform the “Smoke Test”
- Step 12: Install Software
- Step 13: Finishing Touches
- Index
- Colophon
Product information
- Title: PC Hardware in a Nutshell, Second Edition
- Author(s):
- Release date: June 2002
- Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
- ISBN: 9780596003531
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