45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lives up to the reputation of its predecessors, April 13, 2006
This review is from: Upgrading and Repairing PCs (17th Edition) (Hardcover)
With each revision of this series, Scott Mueller brings together more comprehensive, useful information about PC hardware, repair, maintenance, and upgrades than anyone else. "Upgrading & Repairing PCs", now in its 17th edition, is replete with new coverage. For instance, this edition includes a complete guide to Intel and AMD's new dual-core processors, the newest chipsets, and today's state-of-the-art video cards. For those obsessed with performance, there's also a full chapter on overclocking and system cooling.
In nearly 1600 pages of small print and great technical illustrations, there's room for nearly everything: motherboards, BIOSes, memory, disks, interfaces, removable storage, video, audio, USB, Internet connectivity, LANs, power, and more. There's even more information on the included DVD: from coverage of notebooks and printers to complete PDFs of Mueller's last eight editions.
My favorite feature of this new edition is a detailed and up-to-date troubleshooting index that identifies hundreds of common hardware problems, offers likely causes and solutions in a quick phrase or two, and points you to more detailed coverage inside. Covered problems include the audio card sounding strange, the computer is invisible on the network, the USB peripherals are not recognized, and the wireless keyboard doesn't work. Mueller puts you quickly on the right track to solving each of these problems.
Finally, Mueller's DVD contains two full hours of all-new digital video. He takes pride in reshooting for every edition, since these are today's PC maintenance and repair techniques. Best of all, it'll run on your home DVD player too, since you are most likely to need help when your PC isn't working. Amazon does not show the table of contents, so I do that here:
Introduction 1
PC Hardware Introduction and Overview 7
Primary System Components 79
Input/Output Hardware 325
Mass Storage Systems 513
System Assembly and Maintenance 833
Troubleshooting Hardware and Software Problems 945
IBM System Technical Reference Section 1047
Appendixes 1335
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38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A "must have" title for the serious computer geek..., April 21, 2006
This review is from: Upgrading and Repairing PCs (17th Edition) (Hardcover)
This is perhaps my favorite PC repair book, and it's a classic... Upgrading and Repairing PCs (17th Edition) by Scott Mueller. What other PC book do you know of that's been around for 17 editions?
Contents: Development of the PC; PC Components, Features, and System Design; Microprocessor Types and Specifications; Motherboards and Buses; BIOS; Memory; The ATA/IDE Interface; Magnetic Storage Principles; Hard Disk Storage; Removable Storage; Optical Storage; Physical Drive Installation and Configuration; Video Hardware; Audio Hardware; I/O Interfaces from Serial and Parallel to IEEE 1394 and USB; Input Devices; Internet Connectivity; Local Area Networking; Power Supplies; Building or Upgrading Systems; PC Mods: Overclocking and Cooling; PC Diagnostics, Testing, and Maintenance; Glossary; Key Vendor Contact Information; Troubleshooting Index; List of Acronyms and Abbreviations; Index
Over 1500 pages of just about everything you've ever wanted to know about anything related to your PC. Add in two hours of DVD material, and there isn't much you'll encounter in the way of hardware repair and installation that isn't in here somewhere... The thing I like most about this book is the mix of practical repair information coupled with a full history and explanation of how things work. For instance, the microprocessor chapter is a full course in CPU architecture. Mueller takes the chance in the 17th edition to explain the new dual core CPUs, why you'd benefit from them, as well as every spec you'd ever want to know. I'd venture to say that if it's not in here, the only other place to find the information you need is via Google and the manufacturer's website. Other books might be more approachable to the relative newcomer to PC repair and upgrading. But for someone who has been around PCs for some time and needs something deeper than a "Joe Consumer" coverage, this book absolutely can not be topped.
To me, this is a "must have" book for the computer geek. The information has a very long track record of success, and it's well deserved. So long as Scott keeps coming out with new editions, I'll make sure to keep my version upgraded...
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book Very Informative!!!, May 8, 2006
This review is from: Upgrading and Repairing PCs (17th Edition) (Hardcover)
I purchased this book after cautiously and carefully reviewing this book and others on the subject of repairing and upgrading PCs. When the book arrived I was intimidated by the sheer size of the book alone however when I opened it and began reading it i was very, very impressed. Not only is the book "ultra "informative it is also very easy to follow. All in all this book DELIVERS. I will be purchasing books from Scott Mueller from now on!
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