Rathbone - Upgrading and Fixing Computers Do-it-Yourself For Dummies

Upgrading & Fixing Computers Do-It-Yourself For Dummies

by

Upgrading & Fixing Computers Do-It-Yourself For Dummies

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Copyright 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2010933461

ISBN: 978-0-470-55743-3

Manufactured in the United States of America

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About the Author

Andy Rathbone started geeking around with computers in 1985 when he bought a boxy CP/M Kaypro 2X with lime-green letters. Like other budding nerds, he soon began playing with null-modem adapters, dialing up computer bulletin boards, and working part-time at RadioShack.

In 1992, Andy and DOS For Dummies author/legend Dan Gookin teamed up to write PCs For Dummies. Andy subsequently wrote the award-winning Windows For Dummies series, TiVo For Dummies, and many other For Dummies books.

Today, he has more than 15 million copies of his books in print, which have been translated into more than 30 languages. Andy lives with his wife, Tina, and their two cats in Southern California. Feel free to drop by his Web site at www.andyrathbone.com, or follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/andyrathbone.

Dedication

To that sense of satisfaction felt when you fix it yourself.

Authors Acknowledgments

Thanks to Rebecca Huehls, Heidi Unger, Matt Wagner, and Steve Hayes.

Publishers Acknowledgments

Were proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Project Editor: Rebecca Huehls

Executive Editor: Steve Hayes

Copy Editor: Heidi Unger

Technical Editor: Kit Malone

Editorial Manager: Leah Cameron

Editorial Assistant: Amanda Graham

Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case

Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Sheree Montgomery

Layout and Graphics: Christin Swinford, Ronald G. Terry, Timothy Detrick

Proofreaders: Rebecca Denoncour, Betty Kish

Indexer: Christine Karpeles

Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies

Richard Swadley , Vice President and Executive Group Publisher

Andy Cummings , Vice President and Publisher

Mary Bednarek , Executive Acquisitions Director

Mary C. Corder , Editorial Director

Publishing for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele , Vice President and Publisher

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey , Director of Composition Services

Introduction

Y oure no dummy; we both know that. But something about computers often makes you feel like a dummy. And thats perfectly understandable. Unlike todays kids, you probably didnt grow up with a computer in your kindergarten class, car, or in your back pocket. With this book, youll no longer feel uncomfortable when youre faced with a computer that refuses to work the way it should.

This book doesnt help you replace your computers motherboard or build a PC from scratch using custom-selected parts. Plenty of more advanced titles out there can help you with those chores.

No, this book helps you with the types of upgrade and repair tasks that youre most likely to encounter today: Upgrading an older PC to run Windows 7, for instance, and making sure that everything works correctly. Adding a larger hard drive. Upgrading that video card to satisfy the needs of Windows 7 or a new computer game. Making sure your PCs firewall is turned on and working correctly. Turning on the security option for your wireless network. And saving money by replacing your PCs broken parts rather than replacing the entire computer.

Simply put, this book discusses the most common upgrading and repair problems facing computer users today. It explains how to choose the right part to purchase, where to buy it, how to install it, and how to make sure that your computer knows how to put it to work.

About This Book

Welcome to Upgrading and Fixing Computers Do-It-Yourself For Dummies . Aimed at people who want to upgrade to Windows 7 or prepare their computers for the latest technology, this book walks you through several tasks:

Step-by-step tasks walk you through installation and repair chores, with a photo or illustration at almost every step.