Troubleshooting Your PC for Dummies, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

by Dan Gookin (Author) "During my 20-odd years of helping folks use their computers, I have noticed one unfortunate and common belief: People tend to blame themselves for just..." (more)
Key Phrases: real backup software, computer first starts, heed these steps, Device Manager, Check Disk, Internet Explorer (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“…solutions are presented in plain English, step-by-step guides…” (PC Utilities, June 2005)

Product Description

• Targeting the snags, glitches, and predicaments cited most frequently by readers, bestselling author Dan Gookin clearly explains how to diagnose and cure common PC problems, whether they originate with software, the operating system, or hardware
• This updated edition features new, expanded coverage of laptop woes as well as Internet and e-mail issues, broadband connections, spam blocking, and security concerns
• Provides advice on how to prevent PC problems in the first place and create a safe and secure PC environment
• Dan Gookin is known for his ability to explain technology in an easy-to-understand and enjoyable fashion; his writing style, name, and reputation are unparalleled in the industry

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (March 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764577425
• ISBN-13: 978-0764577420
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #295,917 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great choice as a first line of reference to fix things..., April 10, 2005

By	Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

[2nd edition review]

If you need this book, you're probably crying or swearing. But Troubleshooting Your PC For Dummies By Dan Gookin (Wiley) will help you solve the problem while putting a smile back on your face.

Chapter List:
Part 1 - What the @#$%&*!?: It's Not Your Fault! Well, It Might Be Your Fault; Stuff to Try First; Telling a Hardware Problem from a Software Problem; The "R" Chapter (Reinstall, Restore, Recycle, Recovery); Your Last Resort: Tech Support
Part 2 - Troubleshooting Minor Irks and Quirks: This Just Bugs Me!; Gosh! This Is Embarrassing!; Startup Problems; Finding Lost Files and Things; Sounds Like Trouble; The Mystery of System Resources (and Memory Leaks); The Slow PC; Keyboard, Mouse, and Monitor Dilemmas; Printer Problems; Dealing with Disk Disaster; Correcting Graphic Disgrace; Internet Connection Mayhem; Web Weirdness with Internet Explorer; E-Mail Calamities with Outlook Express; General Windows Disruptions (Or, Is This PC Possessed?); Windows Can Be Your Friend; Shutdown Constipation
Part 3 - Preventive Maintenance: Maintaining Your Disk Drives; Useful Tools and Weapons; The Benefits of Backup
Part 4 - The Part of Tens: The Ten Rules of Tech Support; Ten Dumb Error Messages; Ten Things You Should Never or Always Do
Appendix: Windows Startup Program Guide
Index

Even though I've been in Information Technology for over two decades, I generally don't do well at PC or Windows troubleshooting. I design business software, and I basically want my hardware and operating system to just work. While I've gotten better at troubleshooting, I'm still interested in any help I can find. Gookin does an excellent job in targeting the specific areas that are most likely to go haywire on your home or work PC, and he then gives you some of the more common approaches to resolving those problems. In addition, he also helps you to take ongoing steps to make sure your PC stays functional and clutter-free for as long as possible. Following the information in this book, there's a relatively good chance you'll be able to extricate yourself from a number of blunders or problems before you start teaching your children new words that shouldn't be repeated in public.

Long-term hardware techies or software/OS geeks will probably know most if not all of this information already. But this is the type of book I could conceivably give my dad in order to help him fix some of his own computer problems when I'm not around. Or he can have it on the shelf so *I* can use it when I show up to fix whatever he did. Either way, this book is a perfect first line of defense and reference when you're desperately trying to resurrect your great American novel from the dead...

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I hate raining on the parades, July 16, 2005

By	Wyote (Seoul) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This is a very good book for troubleshooting, and if you think you could use this, you probably could. Do you know how to defrag a hard drive? If not, this is for you (it's easy, really).

I got this book because I live in Korea, and my new computer came with Windows XP in Korean; I'd never used XP before, so figuring it out in addition to the Korean was too much for me. I wanted to try this before shelling out for an English OS, and this appears to be good enough. I've been able to figure out almost everything, without even knowing the language that my OS is in. So if you feel like your computer is speaking in a foreign language, well, this book is for you!

Seriously, though, I've decided to pick up PCs for dummies as well, just because there are still a few things I can't figure out, and a lot of the information is interesting to me, and after all, I can't read anything on my OS. If I were you, I'd check out that book before deciding to buy this one. Fortunately you can browse them pretty thoroughly here on Amazon before laying down your money.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars TROUBLE SHOOTING YOUR PC FOR DUMMIES, March 20, 2008

By	Rudolph J. Antalek (LISLE NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME AND DECIDE TO DO THINGS ON YOUR PC IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT YOU NEED A COPY OF THIS BOOK WHEN YOU GET STUCK. AND YOU WILL. UNLESS YOUR AN EXPERT, THIS BOOK WILL STEER YOU IN THE DIRECTION AND STEPS YOU NEED TO KEEP FROM BUYING A NEWW PC AFTER YOU TAKE A HAMMER TO THE ONE YOUR TRYING TO FIX. I ALWAYS TRY TO GET AS MANY MANUALS FOR WHAT I AM WORKING ON, EVEN CARS. THE WORLD KEEPS CHANGING AND WE NEED HELP TO KEEP UP/ THE BOOK IS INFORMATIVE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND, NOT LIKE A TECH MANUAL.