PC Upgrade & Repair Simplified, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

by Paul Whitehead (Author) "This book will teach you how to keep your computer up-to-date by upgrading components and devices..." (more)
Key Phrases: information about grounding, enhanced joysticks, unplug the power cable, Small Computer System Interface, Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics, Memory Size (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
I'm not really into the "3-D visual approach" to anything about computers. Visually, the world is 3-D enough for me. In books, I want text and 2-D illustrations. Yet, I know from reading my e-mail that lots of people glom onto the overly illustrated approach. "PC Upgrade & Repair Simplified" is my very first exposure to one of the vastly popular Maran Graphics titles from Hungry Minds Books. The jacket boasts 6 million satisfied users--a huge number of users, when you consider that there probably are a few more who are unsatisfied, but uncounted.

The first thing I noticed about this book is that it took the entire Maran family clan to create it. They're from Canada, so right away you know they pay way too much in taxes.

The book really is lovely, with many colorful illustrations ("full color on every page"--except for the order form in back [ha!]) that show a computer in various stages of disassembly, hands and implements conveniently placed to illustrate proper upgrading procedures. It's exactly what you'd expect: little text, lots of pictures. That works fine for, say, pornography, but when it comes to computers I feel people really need more text and tables than cute pictures. Information-wise, the book leaves me wanting more. It's like a lava lamp: pretty to look at, but not much in the way of expressing ideas.

Most of the book concentrates on adding or replacing hardware. You see various steps and their corresponding illustrations. So, instead of reading, "Plug in the memory module," you see a wonderful Adobe Illustrator-like image of a hand shoving a SIMM into a slot. But that isn't enough. The book rarely mentions anything about the follow-through with the software side of upgrading and installing. The troubleshooting information reads like foam peanuts--i.e., space filler.

On the subject of hard-drive partitioning, this book devotes one paragraph and one illustration. Hey, thanks, guys; that really helps--not! In fact, the illustration that's next to the paragraph, and depicts a disk track and sector on a hard drive, is incorrect. Oh, well; so much for the simple approach. I mean, a certain group in the computer-book-buying public might be drawn to this colorful stuff, but they're going to leave the four-color, 3-D, PC-upgrade table wanting more. --Dan Gookin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
The premier full-color guide to PC upgrade and repair is back -- and better than ever! Now updated to cover all of the latest technologies, from Pentium III and USB to Firewire and DVD drives, this book remains the easiest guide available for visually oriented PC do-it-yourselfers, with more than 1,000 step-by-step illustrations accompanied by short, to-the-point captions.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (February 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764535609
• ISBN-13: 978-0764535604
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #708,164 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a Great guide for pc repair ! A++, April 9, 2000

By	Arif (Kansas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: PC Upgrade and Repair Simplified® (Paperback)

I have checked several "pc upgrade" books which are in great details but vague. This one has only 225 pages and the best thing of this book is that it practically shows you with images rather than giving you more technical info to make it more complicated. That's why I found it so easy....! to follow. If you really want to learn how to repair or upgrade your pc, then save some money and buy this one.

5.0 out of 5 stars HOW TO REPAIR AND UPGRADE YOUR OWN COMPUTER., October 20, 2001

By	"barb100" (RIALTO, CA. United States) - See all my reviews

I AM TAKING A CLASS IN COMPUTER REPAIR, AND I NEEDED A BOOK TO WORK WITH, MY SCHOOL BOOKS. I LIKE TO READ YOUR BOOKS. BECAUSE IT READLY HELPS ME. AND THIS IS A VERY EASY BOOK TO READ AND IT HELPS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO FIX COMPUTER WORKS. AND HOW YOU CAN UP GRADE YOUR OWN PC. THAT IS THE BEST BOOK FOR ANY ONE WHO WANTS TO FIX A PC ON THERE OWN. I AM VERY HAPPY THAT I FOUND THIS BOOK. THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS BOOK FOR PEOPLE TO FIX THERE OWN PC. I ALSO WANT TO THANK RUTH MARAN FOR ALL HER BOOKS. SHE HELPS WITH PICTURE AND WRITING THAT ANY ONE CAN UNDERSTAND.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars -=The Perfect Books For Upgrade=-, September 9, 2001

By	qbanboy14 "qbanboy14" (USA) - See all my reviews

for those newbs like i was who are scare of upgrating a pc or repair it well this books is perfect for you it has so many pages that show you how to do all the above things with out reading a lot yeas read less and learn more i got to tell with this book i reapir and upgrate my pc sometime not like before but also help you to build one
i have just one sujesstion BUY IT!!!