Upgrade Your Own PC [Paperback]

Linda Rohrbough (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764532154 | ISBN-13: 978-0764532153 | Publication Date: October 1998 | Edition: 2 Sub

This text is designed for do-it-yourselfers who don't want to deal with weighty guides containing more information than they probably need. With practical examples, step-by-step guidance and friendly advice, this text empowers readers with time and money-saving ways to make their systems state-of-the-art. Linda Rohrbough guides readers through each step of the upgrade process - from installing sound cards and adding more memory, right through to simplifying the technicalities of adding new hard disks and tape backup drives. The second edition is updated to cover all late-1990s hardware and software technology. This includes Windows 98, Pentium II processors, digital cameras, ISDN modems and full-page optical scanners. The book also contains detailed photographs of hardware components.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Upgrade Your Own PC helps people who want to accomplish specific upgrade tasks, such as replacing a hard drive or upgrading a processor. Enhanced by troubleshooting procedures and valuable tips, this book will help hardware novices get many jobs done and teach them something in the process.

Rohrbough does much handholding, devoting an entire chapter to the importance of using a grounding strap to prevent static damage to components. Quickly, though, she shifts to specific procedures and details what you must do in order to improve your computer in various ways. All the cost-effective upgrades--including RAM installation, the addition of a hard drive, video card replacement, and processor swapping--receive plenty of attention. The author even goes into detail on replacing motherboards. Her procedures are detailed and, provided you don't run into any really strange problems, will help you get the job done. Unfortunately, many of the photographs that illustrate this book are too dark and poorly cropped.

Exotic problems and unusual upgrades are beyond the scope of Upgrade Your Own PC. For those situations, you'll want a large, data-heavy hardware book that provides more reference material. --David Wall

About the Author

Best-selling author Linda Rohrbough has twice been honored by the Computer Press Association. Her book Mailing List Services on Your Home-Based PC was named Best Nonfiction Computer Book in 1994, and in 1992 she was given an award for Best Online Service for her work with an international online computer news service.

On the subject of computers, Linda has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, SmartMoney, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, Money Magazine, Home Office Computing, Home PC, and the book MORE Windows 95 For Dummies.

Linda and her husband, Mark, live in the Dallas area with their two children, Jessica and Margaret.

Product Details

• Paperback: 451 pages
• Publisher: Wiley Publishing; 2 Sub edition (October 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764532154
• ISBN-13: 978-0764532153
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,664,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Linda Rohrbough has been writing since 1989, and has more than 5,000 articles and seven books to her credit along with several national awards for both her fiction and non-fiction books. New York Times #1 bestselling author Debbie Macomber said about Linda's new suspense novel: "This is fast-paced, thrilling, edge-of-the-seat reading. The Prophetess One: At Risk had me flipping the pages and holding my breath." An iPhone App of her workshop for writers, "Pitch Your Book," is available in the iTunes store. Visit her website: www.LindaRohrbough.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars May be the best book of its type, full of useful info, March 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Upgrade Your Own PC (Paperback)

First saw this book at the library. It's now 30+ days overdue. Looks like I'll have to buy my own copy. Though this tome may not be what the advanced electronic brain tech-type may need, for those at the intermediate level down, this is a great book. More than just a basic "step 1 then step 2" style book, this book covers more than just basic component replacement.Included are in-depth explanations of hard and software. Also included are some trouble shooting tips. The title of this book is misleading, it is more of a tutorial on how to repair, maintain and upgrade your computer. A nice touch is the "plasticized" cover, which is more durable than a regular paper cover.The binding is such that it lays flat allowing the page you're looking at to stay there. Also, it is longer than it is wide, just right for having open while accessing your computer via the keyboard to perform some of the tips and tricks. I hope this book is as helpful to you as it is for me. I just wonder how much the library fine will be???!!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The repair manual you need, April 19, 2000

By 

Peter Northcott (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Upgrade Your Own PC (Paperback)

If you need to know what you are not told in basic terms, then this is the book for you. Simple and clear instructions help you through any hurdle you may find yourself in as though you are a master. This book gives you the basics that you are never told in a way that you can understand but also gives you more advanced understanding if you require without baffling you. I would recommend this book to any age of person who would like to be able to fix or add componets themselves without paying large amounts of money to the computer wizz kids. The only down side is that the photo's are not very clear but hopefully a new edition will be forthcoming and this rectified.