Bigelow's PC Hardware Desk Reference (Audio CD)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Get the answers you need from the source himself! Experienced electronics engineer and PC guru Stephen Bigelow has written a comprehensive guide that gets to the nitty-gritty of inside-the-box technician's issues. So, get briefed and get to work! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

The Answer Book for True Technicians

Looking for answers to difficult PC questions? This expertly written manual provides hundreds of tables, charts, and illustrations on device drivers, chipsets, cable connectors, interfaces, support functions, and much more. Everything professional PC technicians or hard-core enthusiasts need to build, troubleshoot, repair, and maintain their hardware--and key software--is supplied by world-renowned author Steven Bigelow. From desktops and towers, to monitors, busses, hard drives, keyboards and joysticks, chipsets, media drives, sound cards, and video adapters, Bigelow's PC Hardware Desk Reference is the serious troubleshooting reference that covers all the latest technology and hardware.

• Understand PC issues from BIOS and batteries to video accelerators and USB troubleshooting
• Decode error message explanations and follow troubleshooting procedures
• Get up to date on DDR 333 SDRAM, the IEEE 1284 standard, and other technology upgrades
• Enhance system and memory performance, joysticks, and game ports
• Get the most from FireWire and data recovery techniques
• Discover operating system features for Windows Me, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
• Learn the latest video capture technologies--including JMPG--and follow installation and optimization guidelines
• Learn step-by-step how to build a PC from a special photographic section
• CD-ROM includes additional book chapters on video capture, USB, and Windows 9x/Me/XP troubleshooting

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072225270
• ISBN-13: 978-0072225273
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just what every tech needs to have on there desk!, July 13, 2003

By	Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bigelow's PC Hardware Desk Reference (Paperback)

As a Technical Computer Instructor, I have certain book sitting on my desk all the time, as reference guides. Now that I am teaching several A+ classes I have another book that will be right out in front with others.

Over 14 years in this industry and certain I have found certain names to be trusted with producing high quality material; Stephen Bigelow is one of those names. High work in this text is first rate, and while this book doesn't cover or is written from any specific exam, I can see this book being used for A+ and CST and CNCT exams.

One thing that has always impressed me about Bigelow's work, and this book is no exception, is the vast number, over 1000 diagnostic symptoms to learn from.

There is so much troubleshooting information, not only for Intel, but also AMD and what is truly noteworthy is the fact that the book is so technically up to date with the material is covers.

The cd included has a number of tools and utilities that could be useful. Also there is several appendices, of which is a DLS Technician 4 Exam. While this exam is not an "Industry" recognized exam it is worth the $50.00 to take.

The DLS4 exam is an excellent tool to measure your understanding of the material in the book. Overall a very good book that and has certainly come in handy.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book, February 25, 2004

By	Angela Portner (Portland,Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bigelow's PC Hardware Desk Reference (Paperback)

I will not go into an huge indepth review on this book. I bought this book when it first came out and it had by far some of the most update information in it on PC hardware mid 2003. This book helped me prepare and pass my A+ Exams. Through this books entirety it was hard to find errors and misprints of any kind. But like any book of this size there is bound to be some mistakes. For the serious PC hardware Technician this book is great as a refrence to goto when you answers to questions. This book is worded and laided out well.