Upgrading and Repairing PCs (13th Edition) [Hardcover]

Scott Mueller (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0789725428 | ISBN-13: 978-0789725424 | Publication Date: August 27, 2001 | Edition: 13th Bk&Cr

Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 13th Edition is targeted for both the PC guru and the consumer hobbyist. The Upgrading and Repairing reader is motivated, curious and very interested in how things work. Although many readers are bona fide PC experts, some readers are new to PC repair, bu handy in other technological areas, such as automotive, electrical and engineering fields.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Scott Mueller takes seriously his role as the acknowledged guru of Intel-compatible personal computers and does an admirable job of making his books compete with Web sites about hardware. He does this by releasing a new edition of Upgrading and Repairing PCs every year, or even more frequently, and by overshadowing the sites with sheer volumes of information. The latest edition of Mueller's respected book, the 13th, is positively massive--more than 1,500 pages of dense text and pithy illustrations, in combination with a CD-ROM that's nearly full to capacity with information. Plus, for good measure, Mueller and his team maintain a companion Web site for late-breaking hardware information.

As you would expect, this edition is updated to include information about the latest hardware developments, including the Intel Pentium 4 and Itanium parts, as well as advances in optical storage technology. Mueller, aware that no computer ever really goes extinct, has kept his page count under control without sacrificing his depth of legacy coverage by putting older material--including the complete text of five previous editions--in Adobe Acrobat format on the CD-ROM. Other refinements include clearer line drawings and other illustrations, and an increase in the amount of how-to video (in Windows Media Player format) on the CD-ROM. The series of videos walks the viewer through the process of building a PC from the case up, and though it's sometimes hard to pick up on details (he plugged that thing into what?), the videos do inspire confidence. The volume of data is staggering, and it's surprisingly easy to navigate.

Gamers and others concerned with extracting every last bit of speed by overclocking and otherwise stressing their machines will probably be happier with the information they find on the Web. Mueller is mostly concerned with building fast but reliable systems and doesn't touch on really out-there hardware--like water-cooling systems for AMD Athlon processors--at all. That's fine, because he covers the hardware mainstream with near-absolute thoroughness. Buying this book is like buying a library; every hardware enthusiast needs one. --David Wall

Topics covered: Intel-compatible personal computer hardware (and, to some extent, the operating systems that run on it) from the dawn of PC time (about 1985 through the present day). Processors, motherboards, video systems, storage devices, peripherals--everything that goes inside, attaches to, or communicates with a personal computer chassis is covered here. Readers become more than qualified to build systems from bare metal, and to diagnose and replace components.

Review

"For professional technicians and hobbyists, this is the most trusted and popular guide on the market."The Bookseller, Aug 2001

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1548 pages
• Publisher: Que; 13th Bk&Cr edition (August 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789725428
• ISBN-13: 978-0789725424
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (122 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,033,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to Learn PC Hardware - This is THE Book, November 24, 2000

By 

Mark (Buffalo, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Upgrading and Repairing PCs (with CD-ROM) (Hardcover)

Many people within the industry have long considered Scott Mueller's Upgrading and Repairing PC's the quintessential hardware guide; I whole heatedly agree. There is not a week that goes by that I don't pull this book off the shelf to look up something. Mueller updates his book yearly to reflect the changes within the industry. Perhaps the thing I love the most about Upgrading and Repairing PC's is that it is a combination tutorial and reference guide. The well-organized chapters and subheadings make it easy to find the info you want and need. Within a chapter, you can merely peruse through it, or study the sections you need to read for the objective at hand, whether that is a: 1) general overview of a topic, 2) specific hardware installation or troubleshooting solutions, or 3) the nitty-gritty details of the subject. (Also, the index is outstanding so you can find what you need.)

This is a very long book. The reason is that while Mueller updates the book every year with new information reflecting the latest technology and standards, he does not remove the old material, making the book a priceless tool when dealing with legacy systems. Conversely though, this information may appear to be - as one reviewer wrote - "just filler" at other times. Additionally, there are a plethora of reference pages - tables of pin configurations for various interconnects for example -- that one would not "read" when reading through the book, but are invaluable when troubleshooting or installing hardware. Because this book is an ever-growing entity, there are, unfortunately, a few typos and "broken links" (i.e. inaccurate cross-references). I have, however, never found any blatant technical inaccuracies that one reviewer alludes to.

Mueller has a great writing style. It is easily understood without treating the reader as a "dummy" or "idiot". "Upgrading and Repairing PC's" attempts to do a lot. It tries to be both a tutorial and a reference. A very difficult combination to pull off; Mueller however does so wonderfully. It attempts to cover a lot of material; and it does so very well.

This book is well worth the money. I have been a faithful reader of this book since the 8th edition, having purchased every edition since. As you read the other reviews for this book, you will see that many people have done the same. (Also, see the 45+ reviews written on the 11th Edition) Repeat buying is the biggest compliment and review any single book can hope to have. When so many people are willing to spend their money every year to have the latest edition, not much else needs to be said about the quality and superiority of this book.

Oh, I almost forgot... there are some wonderful & useful utilities on the enclosed CD.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars book review, April 11, 2000

By 

Cody McManus (Siouxfalls, SD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Upgrading and Repairing PCs (Hardcover)

Upgrading and repairing PC's Eleventh edition By Scott Mueller

Scott Mueller's Upgrading and repairing PC's the eleventh edition is a very usefully book to have in your library. It covers all aspects of computers from the different types of computers and operating systems to floppy drives and disk storage to local networking and the Internet. The author refers to the technical meaning of things, then compares what was said to terms that are more easily understood by your average home computer user, and then re-asserts the point that was trying to be made using the technical terms and the analogy. For certain task that are trying to be accomplished there are some good drawings accompanied by actual photographs for a more real world feel to help you visualize the components. Often there is an explanation of what is needed as hardware and software components. How to check if your computer is already set up with certain configurations, and how to go about changing anything to meet these requirements. This review of the book is not just merely experienced through the effort of reading. I used chapter 13 to aid in the installation of a CD-ROM device. The chapter was on optical storage and I used and older computer from work that did not have a CD-ROM installed on it. The beginning of the chapter gave a brief history and other facts that I did not find interesting, others might enjoy having such knowledge. After getting through the fluff of the chapter there was a lot of explaining and re-explaining followed by diagrams and pictures. The choice of words used to describe this technique was chosen well. The point was not lost in making you feel like in idiot, but allowed you to walk away from the experience some technical jargon. The chapter on local area networks was also written very well. Chapter 19 had diagrams of the OSI model along with an explanation of each layer and how it related to the other. It talked about cables, hubs, and topologies. The topics being discussed was more easily critiqued because of way I was taught these subjects. I really felt the author did an excellent job with the way that he was able to explain what was needed in order to complete a given the task. Through the use of diagrams, photographs, and a complete explanation of what to expect and how to perform the given task, one was able to be successful.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 11th edition and still going strong!, November 13, 1999

By 

Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Upgrading and Repairing PCs (Hardcover)

Everytime a new version of hardware and software emerge thereis bound to be bugs to follow. Normally books are the same, ScottMueller's Upgrading and Repairing PCs has change that rule with the 11th Edition.

1600 plus pages of more information on pc repair and upgrades than the average technician will ever use is what you'll find once you open the cover. Mueller exceptional expertise is evident from page one.

Filled with diagrams, pictures, tables and tips and notes, every technician will be able to find the answers to most if not all hardware questions. Que Corporation is a trusted and respected name in computer books.

The books has a cd included, which gives you PartitionMagic and Drive Magic, a $100.00 value. Couple that with the extensive technical knowledge contained in the book and you have a certain unbeatable combination.