PCs: The Missing Manual
PCs: The Missing Manual By Andy Rathbone
December 2005
Pages: 597

| Table of Contents | Index | Sample Chapter

Table of Contents

  1. Your PC's Main Parts

    1. Chapter 1 Inside Your PC

      1. Finding Out Your PC's Horsepower
      2. The PC's Case
      3. Opening Your PC's Case
      4. Motherboard
      5. CPU (Central Processing Unit)
      6. Adding Memory (aka RAM)
      7. Installing Expansion Cards
      8. Ports
      9. Power Supply and Battery

    2. Chapter 2 Keyboards and Mice

      1. Keyboard Basics
      2. Mouse Basics
      3. Game Controllers

    3. Chapter 3 Monitors and Video

      1. Monitor Basics
      2. Installing a Monitor
      3. Plugging Two Monitors into One PC
      4. Plugging Two PCs into One Monitor
      5. Using TV Sets as Monitors
      6. Watching TV on a PC
      7. Troubleshooting Your Monitor
      8. Video Card (aka Display Adapter)

    4. Chapter 4 Printers

      1. Printer Basics
      2. Installing a Printer
      3. Choosing Printer Paper
      4. Adjusting Printer Settings
      5. Printing Envelopes
      6. Printing Specialized Items
      7. Printing Digital Photos Professionally
      8. Digital Photos on an Inkjet Printer
      9. Printing Web Pages
      10. Printer Troubleshooting

  2. Multimedia

    1. Chapter 5 Digital Cameras, Camcorders, and Webcams

      1. Digital Camera Basics
      2. Moving Pictures from Camera to Computer
      3. Moving Pictures from a Card Reader to a PC
      4. Viewing and Editing Photos
      5. Sharing Photos with Friends
      6. Troubleshooting Digital Cameras
      7. Camcorder Basics
      8. Connect the Camcorder to Your PC
      9. Editing Video
      10. Editing with Movie Maker
      11. Webcams

    2. Chapter 6 Scanners

      1. Choosing a Scanner
      2. Installing a Scanner
      3. Three Ways to Scan an Image
      4. Using Windows Scanner and Camera Wizard
      5. Digitizing Old Photos and Slides
      6. Troubleshooting Scanners

    3. Chapter 7 Sound

      1. Understanding Sound Adapters (Sound Cards)
      2. Sending Sound into and out of Your PC
      3. Choosing Music File Formats
      4. PC Music for Musicians
      5. Troubleshooting Sound

    4. Chapter 8 Digital Music Players

      1. Choosing a Digital Music Player
      2. Your Digital Player and Your PC
      3. iPod and iTunes
      4. Windows XP's Media Player
      5. Troubleshooting Digital Music Players

  3. Storing Information

    1. Chapter 9 Hard Drives and Floppy Drives

      1. Your PC's Drives: An Overview
      2. Hard Drives: An Introduction
      3. Your Hard Drive's Available Space
      4. Removing Unused Programs and Files
      5. Speeding Up a Hard Drive
      6. Installing a Hard Drive
      7. Troubleshooting Hard Drives
      8. Floppy Drives: An Introduction
      9. Formatting a Floppy Disk
      10. Installing a Floppy Drive

    2. Chapter 10 CD and DVD Drives

      1. CDs: An Introduction
      2. Playing CDs
      3. Buying the Right Type of Blank CD
      4. Ripping CDs
      5. Burning CDs
      6. Duplicating CDs
      7. Erasing CDs
      8. DVDs: An Introduction
      9. Playing DVD Movies
      10. Buying the Right Type of Blank DVD
      11. Specialty Disc Formats
      12. Ripping DVDs
      13. Burning DVDs
      14. Buying a CD or DVD Drive
      15. Installing a CD or DVD Drive
      16. Troubleshooting CD and DVD Drives

  4. Talking to the World

    1. Chapter 11 Getting Online

      1. Different Ways to Connect to the Internet
      2. Setting Up a Modem
      3. Subscribing to an Internet Service
      4. Setting Up an Internet Connection
      5. Dialing into the Internet
      6. Troubleshooting Online Connections

    2. Chapter 12 Email

      1. Choosing an Email Program
      2. Setting Up Outlook Express
      3. Composing and Sending Email
      4. Reading and Processing Email
      5. Managing Your Address Book
      6. Email Etiquette
      7. Troubleshooting Email Problems

    3. Chapter 13 Surfing the Web

      1. Choosing and Setting Up a Browser
      2. Managing Forms and Passwords
      3. Blocking Pop-up Ads and Other Nuisances
      4. Browsing the Web
      5. Viewing RSS Feeds

    4. Chapter 14 Networking

      1. Choosing a Network
      2. Networking Hardware: What You Need
      3. Setting Up a Simple Home Network
      4. The Network Setup Wizard
      5. Securing Your Network
      6. Sharing an Internet Connection
      7. Sharing Printers
      8. Exchanging Files Between PCs
      9. Sharing Monitors
      10. Networking Two PCs
      11. Troubleshooting Network Problems

  5. Maintenance, Security, and Troubleshooting

    1. Chapter 15 Security

      1. Backing Up Your Computer
      2. Creating Passwords
      3. Activating Windows Update
      4. Preventing Theft
      5. Phishing
      6. Adware, Spyware, and Other Threats
      7. Installing a Firewall

    2. Chapter 16 Fixing Common Problems

      1. Undeleting Deleted Files
      2. Quitting Frozen Programs
      3. System Restore
      4. Resetting Windows XP Passwords
      5. Troubleshooting Driver Problems
      6. Speeding Up a Slow PC
      7. Windows Activation
      8. Windows' Troubleshooters

    3. Chapter 17 Advanced Troubleshooting

      1. Watching Your PC Start
      2. Editing the BIOS Settings
      3. Replacing Firmware
      4. Searching for Clues with Google
      5. Reverting to Old Programs
      6. Swapping Parts
      7. Microsoft's Knowledge Base
      8. Last Resort: Data Grabs with Knoppix

  6. Appendices

    1. Appendix A Setting Up a PC

      1. Removing Your PC from Its Box
      2. Choosing Your PC's Location
      3. Plugging In Accessories
      4. Activating Your PC and Windows Update

    2. Appendix B Memory Cards and USB Drives

      1. Memory Cards
      2. USB Drives
      3. Troubleshooting Flash Memory

    3. Appendix C Other Cool Things You Can Do Online

      1. Faxing with Your PC
      2. Gambling Online
      3. Using Google Maps
      4. Sending Greeting Cards
      5. Instant Messaging
      6. Playing Online Games
      7. Creating a Web Site
      8. Making Internet-based Phone Calls

    4. Appendix D Dealing with Technical Support

      1. Getting Good Tech Support
      2. Before Contacting Tech Support
      3. Choosing Your Support
      4. Sending Your PC to the Repair Shop

    5. Appendix E Packing a Laptop Bag

      1. Fully Charged Battery
      2. Power Adapter and Accessories
      3. Business Card
      4. Wireless Adapters
      5. Mouse
      6. Cables
      7. PC Card Flash Reader
      8. Manuals
      9. DVD/CDs
      10. FedEx Envelope and Airbill
      11. Skype Account

  1. Colophon

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