Upgrading and Repairing PCs, Eighteenth Edition

Book description

"...perhaps the most comprehensive book on the subject we've ever seen. It's incredibly well researched, well written, and jam packed with useful information."
--Josh Norem, Reviews Editor, Maximum PC
 
Upgrading and Repairing PCs
is the definitive guide to the inner workings of your PC. Whether you're adding a faster processor or bigger hard drive, tracking down a problem, or just want to understand how the components of your computer work together, this book explains everything you need to know. Trust the one book that has become the de facto standard among PC professionals and enthusiasts around the world.
 
World-renowned PC hardware expert Scott Mueller has taught thousands in his week-long seminars and millions through his books, videos, and magazine articles. Major changes in the PC hardware industry--including coverage of new Core 2 processors from Intel, Socket AM2 processors from AMD, and significant advances in motherboard chipsets, Blu-ray, and HD-DVD--make Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 18th Edition, an indispensable addition to every serious computer user's bookshelf...that is, if it ever leaves their desks. Readers from around the world trust their computers to Scott. Upgrading and Repairing PCs is found on the desks of teachers, students, hobbyists, repair technicians, and even law enforcement agencies that use this book to aid them in tracking criminals.
 
New in This Book

  • Deep coverage of the new Core 2 (8th gen or "886") processors, featuring the new "Core Microarchitecture"

  • Cutting edge coverage of quad-core desktop (Kentsfield) processor versions

  • Detailed coverage of AMD’s Socket AM2 processors

  • Coverage of evolutionary changes in chipsets, including new versions of Intel's 9xx series chipsets and new 3x series Intel chipsets; coverage of new chipsets from Nvidia, VIA, and SiS has also been added

  • Coverage of the new DTX and Mini-DTX motherboard form factors from the newly formed alliance between AMD and ATI

  • Beefed-up coverage of Blu-ray and HD-DVD drives/players

  • Extensive coverage of new GPUs in addition to heavy-duty coverage of SLI and Crossfire

  • Building a PC from scratch--from assembling the hardware to BIOS setup and installing Microsoft Windows XP or Vista

  •  
    On the DVD
    DVD contains 2 hours of all new, studio-quality video--playable in your set-top DVD player and your computer! Scott digs deep into networking, showing all the components needed to build a SOHO (Small Office Home Office) network. Coverage includes network adapters, routers, switches, access points, cable/DSL modems, and cabling. Upgrading an existing network to gigabit speeds is also covered, as well as the latest wireless network technology. The DVD also contains a previously published edition of the book as well as technical reference material, a glossary, and an acronym index. Whether you’re building a hot new PC for home or work, or nursing an aging and ailing PC back to health, these materials prove to be worth their weight in gold to the serious PC technician or hobbyist.
     
    www.upgradingandrepairingpcs.com
    If you don’t have a DVD player or only have a set-top DVD, visit www.upgradingandrepairingpcs.com to download all the video from the DVD in Windows Media Player format as well as the PDFs and other materials on the DVD! Plus, check out monthly articles, FAQs, and video from earlier editions you might have missed!
     
    Introduction 1
    1    Development of the PC 7
    2    PC Components, Features and System Design 25
    3    Microprocessor Types and Specifications 39
    4    Motherboards and Buses 235
    5    BIOS 441
    6    Memory 509
    7    The ATA/IDE Interface 581
    8    Magnetic Storage Principles 637
    9    Hard Disk Storage 663
    10    Removable Storage 707
    11    Optical Storage 747
    12    Physical Drive Installation and Configuration 851
    13    Video Hardware 885
    14    Audio Hardware 987
    15    I/O Interfaces from Serial and Parallel to IEEE-1394 and USB 1025
    16    Input Devices 1059
    17    Internet Connectivity 1103
    18    Local Area Networking 1151
    19    Power Supplies 1207
    20    Building or Upgrading Systems 1295
    21    PC Mods: Overclocking and Cooling 1335
    22    PC Diagnostics, Testing and Maintenance 1367
     
    ON THE DVD:
    A    Glossary
    B    List of Acronyms and Abbreviations


    Table of contents

    1. Copyright
      1. Dedication
    2. About the Author
    3. Acknowledgements
      1. We Want to Hear from You!
      2. Reader Services
    4. Introduction
      1. New in the 18th Edition
      2. Book Objectives
      3. Is This Book for You?
      4. Chapter-by-Chapter Breakdown
      5. The 18th Edition DVD-ROM
      6. My Website: upgradingandrepairingpcs.com
      7. A Personal Note
    5. 1. Development of the PC
      1. Computer History: Before Personal Computers
        1. Timeline
        2. Mechanical Calculators
        3. The First Mechanical Computer
        4. Electronic Computers
      2. Modern Computers
        1. From Tubes to Transistors
        2. Integrated Circuits
        3. The First Microprocessor
      3. History of the PC
        1. Birth of the Personal Computer
        2. The IBM Personal Computer
        3. The PC Industry More Than 25 Years Later
    6. 2. PC Components, Features, and System Design
      1. What Is a PC?
        1. Who Controls PC Software?
        2. Who Controls PC Hardware?
        3. PC Design Guides
      2. System Types
      3. System Components
    7. 3. Microprocessor Types and Specifications
      1. Pre-PC Microprocessor History
      2. Microprocessors from 1971 to the Present
      3. Processor Specifications
        1. Data I/O Bus
        2. Address Bus
        3. Internal Registers (Internal Data Bus)
        4. Processor Modes
        5. Real Mode
        6. IA-32 Mode (32-Bit)
        7. IA-32 Virtual Real Mode
        8. IA-32e 64-Bit Extension Mode (AMD64, x86-64, EM64T)
        9. Processor Speed Ratings
        10. Processor Speeds and Markings Versus Motherboard Speed
          1. Intel Processor Model Numbers
        11. Cyrix Processor Speeds
        12. AMD Processor Speeds
        13. Overclocking
          1. Overclocking Pitfalls
          2. Overclocking Socket A Processors
          3. CPU Voltage Settings
        14. Cache Memory
          1. Internal Level 1 Cache
        15. How Cache Works
        16. Level 2 Cache
        17. Level 3 Cache
          1. Cache Performance and Design
          2. Cache Organization
      4. Processor Features
        1. System Management Mode (SMM)
        2. Superscalar Execution
        3. MMX Technology
        4. SSE, SSE2, SSE3 and SSSE3
        5. 3DNow!, Enhanced 3DNow!, and Professional 3DNow!
        6. Dynamic Execution
          1. Branch Prediction
          2. Dataflow Analysis
          3. Speculative Execution
        7. Dual Independent Bus Architecture
        8. Hyper-Threading Technology
          1. How Hyper-Threading Works
          2. Hyper-Threading Requirements
        9. Multicore Technology
          1. Multicore CPU Benefits
      5. Processor Manufacturing
        1. Processor Re-marking
        2. PGA Chip Packaging
        3. Single Edge Contact and Single Edge Processor Packaging
      6. Processor Socket and Slot Types
        1. Zero Insertion Force (ZIF)
        2. Socket 1
        3. Socket 2
        4. Socket 3
        5. Socket 4
        6. Socket 5
        7. Socket 6
        8. Socket 7 (and Super7)
        9. Socket 8
        10. Socket 370 (PGA-370)
        11. Socket 423
        12. Socket 478
        13. Socket A (Socket 462)
        14. Socket 603
        15. Socket 754
        16. Socket 939 and 940
        17. Socket LGA775
        18. Socket AM2
        19. Socket F (1207FX)
        20. Processor Slots
          1. Slot 1 (SC242)
          2. Slot 2 (SC330)
      7. CPU Operating Voltages
      8. Heat and Cooling Problems
      9. Math Coprocessors (Floating-point Units)
      10. Processor Bugs
      11. Processor Codenames
      12. P1 (086) First-generation Processors
        1. 8088 and 8086 Processors
        2. 80186 and 80188 Processors
        3. 8087 Coprocessor
      13. P2 (286) Second-generation Processors
        1. 286 Processors
        2. 80287 Coprocessor
      14. P3 (386) Third-generation Processors
        1. 386 Processors
        2. 386DX Processors
        3. 386SX Processors
        4. 386SL Processors
        5. 80387 Coprocessor
      15. P4 (486) Fourth-generation Processors
        1. 486 Processors
        2. 486DX Processors
        3. 486SL
        4. 486SX
        5. 487SX
        6. DX2/OverDrive and DX4 Processors
        7. Pentium OverDrive for 486SX2 and DX2 Systems
        8. AMD 486 (5×86)
        9. Cyrix/TI 486
      16. P5 (586) Fifth-generation Processors
        1. Pentium Processors
        2. First-generation Pentium Processors
        3. Second-generation Pentium Processors
        4. Pentium-MMX Processors
        5. Pentium Defects
        6. Testing for the FPU Bug
        7. Power Management Bugs
        8. Pentium Processor Models and Steppings
        9. AMD-K5
      17. Intel P6 (686) Sixth-generation Processors
        1. Dynamic Execution
        2. Dual Independent Bus
        3. Other Sixth-generation Improvements
        4. Pentium Pro Processors
        5. Pentium II Processors
        6. Celeron
          1. A Brief Celeron History
          2. Socket 370 Celerons
          3. Socket 478 Celeron and Celeron D Processors
          4. Socket T (LGA 775) Celeron D Processors
        7. Pentium III
        8. Pentium II/III Xeon
      18. Other Sixth-generation Processors
        1. NexGen Nx586
        2. AMD-K6 Series
        3. AMD Athlon, Duron, and Athlon XP
        4. AMD Duron
        5. AMD Athlon XP
        6. Athlon MP
        7. Sempron (Socket A)
        8. Cyrix/IBM 6×86 (M1) and 6×86MX (MII)
        9. VIA C3
      19. Intel Pentium 4 (Seventh-generation) Processors
        1. Pentium 4 Extreme Edition
        2. Pentium 4 Power Supply and Cooling Issues
        3. Xeon Processors
      20. Eighth-generation (64-Bit Register) Processors
        1. AMD Athlon 64 and 64 FX
        2. AMD Sempron (Socket 754)
        3. AMD Opteron
      21. Multicore Processors
        1. Intel Pentium D and Pentium Extreme Edition
        2. Intel Core 2
        3. AMD Athlon 64 X2 and 64 FX
      22. Processor Upgrades
        1. OverDrive Processors
        2. Processor Benchmarks
      23. Processor Troubleshooting Techniques
    8. 4. Motherboards and Buses
      1. Motherboard Form Factors
        1. PC and XT
        2. Full-Size AT
        3. Baby-AT
        4. LPX
        5. NLX
        6. ATX
        7. ATX Riser
        8. microATX
        9. FlexATX
        10. DTX and Mini-DTX
        11. ITX and Mini-ITX
        12. BTX
        13. WTX
        14. Proprietary Designs
        15. Backplane/Blade Systems
      2. Processor Sockets/Slots
      3. Chipsets
        1. Chipset Evolution
        2. Intel Chipsets
        3. Intel Chipset Model Numbers
        4. Intel Integrated Graphics Architecture
        5. AMD Chipsets
        6. Traditional North/South Bridge Architecture
        7. Hub Architecture
        8. High-speed North-South Bridge Connections
      4. Intel’s Early 386/486 Chipsets
      5. Fifth-generation (P5 Pentium Class) Chipsets
      6. Sixth-generation (P6 Pentium Pro/II/III Class) Chipsets
        1. Intel 810, 810E, and 810E2
        2. Intel 815 Family
          1. Integrated Ethernet
          2. AGP Inline Memory Module
          3. PC133 Memory Support
        3. Intel 820 and 820E
          1. 820 Chipset MTH Bug
        4. Intel 840
        5. Third-party (Non-Intel) P6-Class Chipsets
        6. ALi/ULi (Acer Labs) Chipsets for P6-Class Processors
          1. VIA Technologies Chipsets for P6-Class Processors
          2. Silicon Integrated Systems Chipsets for P6-Class Processors
      7. Seventh/Eighth-generation (Pentium 4/D and Core 2) Chipsets
        1. Intel 850 Family
        2. Intel 845 Family
        3. Intel 865 Family
        4. Intel 848P
          1. ICH5 and ICH5R
        5. Intel 875P
        6. Intel 915 Family
        7. Intel 925X Family
        8. Intel 945 Express Family
        9. Intel 955X and 975X Family
        10. Intel 96x Series
        11. Intel 3x Series Chipsets
      8. Third-party Chipsets for Intel Processors
        1. SiS Chipsets
          1. SiS650/651 Chipsets
          2. SiS645/645DX
          3. SiS648/648FX/655/655FX/655TX
          4. SiS R658/R659
          5. SiS661GX/SiS661FX
          6. SiS656/SiS656 FX
          7. SiS649/SiS649FX
          8. ULi Electronics Chipsets
          9. Aladdin P4 (M1671)
          10. M1681/M1683
          11. M1685
        2. ATI Chipsets
        3. VIA Chipsets
          1. VIA Modular Architecture Platforms (V-MAP) for Pentium 4
          2. VIA Apollo P4×266 Family
          3. ProSavage P4M266
          4. Apollo P4×400, P4×400A, and P4×533
          5. PT800/PM800/PT880/PM880
          6. PT880 Ultra/PT894/PT894 Pro
      9. AMD Athlon Chipsets
        1. AMD Chipsets
          1. AMD-750
          2. AMD-760 Family
        2. VIA Chipsets for AMD
          1. VIA Technologies Apollo KX133
          2. VIA Technologies Apollo KT133 and KT133A
        3. ProSavage KM133
          1. Apollo KT266 and KT266A
          2. ProSavage KM266
          3. Apollo KT333
          4. Apollo KT400/KM400
          5. Apollo KT400A/KT600
          6. KT880
        4. SiS Chipsets for AMD
          1. SiS MuTIOL High-speed North/South Bridge Connection
          2. SiS730S
          3. SiS733 and SiS735
          4. SiS740
          5. SiS745
          6. SiS746 and SiS746FX
          7. SiS748
          8. SiS741/741GX
        5. ULi (ALiMagik1) for AMD
        6. NVIDIA nForce Chipsets for AMD
        7. ATI Radeon IGP Chipsets
      10. Intel Workstation Chipsets
        1. Intel 860
        2. Intel E7205
        3. Intel E7505
        4. Intel E7525
      11. AMD Athlon 64 Chipsets
        1. AMD 8000 (8151) Chipset
        2. ATI (now AMD)
        3. ULi Chipsets for Athlon 64
          1. ULi M1687
          2. ULi M1689
          3. ULi M1695
        4. VIA Chipsets for Athlon 64
          1. K8T800, K8T800 Pro, and K8M800
          2. K8T890, K8M890, and K8T900
        5. NVIDIA Chipsets for Athlon 64
          1. nForce3 150 and nForce3 Pro 150
          2. nForce3 250, 250Gb, and 250 Ultra and nForce3 Professional 250
          3. nForce4 Series and nForce Professional Series
          4. nForce 410 and 430 Series
        6. SiS Chipsets for Athlon 64
          1. SiS755 and SiS755FX
          2. SiS756
          3. SiS760 and Sis760GX
          4. SiS761GL and SiS761GX
      12. Super I/O Chips
        1. Motherboard CMOS RAM Addresses
      13. Motherboard Connectors
      14. System Bus Types, Functions, and Features
        1. The Processor Bus (Front-side Bus)
        2. The Memory Bus
        3. The Need for Expansion Slots
      15. Types of I/O Buses
        1. The ISA Bus
          1. The 8-Bit ISA Bus
          2. The 16-Bit ISA Bus
          3. 32-Bit Buses
        2. The Micro Channel Bus
        3. The EISA Bus
        4. Local Buses
        5. VESA Local Bus
        6. The PCI Bus
        7. PCI-Express
        8. Accelerated Graphics Port
      16. System Resources
        1. Interrupts
          1. 8-Bit ISA Bus Interrupts
          2. 16-Bit ISA, EISA, and MCA Bus Interrupts
          3. PCI Interrupts
          4. Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller
          5. IRQ Conflicts
        2. DMA Channels
          1. 8-Bit ISA Bus DMA Channels
          2. 16-Bit ISA DMA Channels
        3. I/O Port Addresses
      17. Resolving Resource Conflicts
        1. Resolving Conflicts Manually
        2. Using a System-configuration Template
        3. Heading Off Problems: Special Boards
          1. Sound Cards
          2. SCSI Adapter Boards
          3. Network Interface Cards
          4. Multiple-COM-Port Adapters
          5. Universal Serial Bus
          6. Miscellaneous Boards
        4. Plug-and-Play Systems
          1. The Hardware Component
          2. The BIOS Component
          3. The Operating System Component
      18. Motherboard Selection Criteria (Knowing What to Look For)
        1. Documentation
        2. Using Correct Speed-rated Parts
    9. 5. BIOS
      1. BIOS Basics
      2. BIOS Hardware/Software
      3. Motherboard ROM BIOS
        1. ROM Hardware
        2. ROM Shadowing
        3. ROM Chip Types
          1. ROM (True or Mask ROM)
          2. PROM
          3. EPROM
          4. EEPROM/Flash ROM
        4. ROM BIOS Manufacturers
          1. OEMs
          2. AMI
          3. Phoenix Award BIOS
          4. Phoenix
          5. Microid Research BIOS
      4. Upgrading the BIOS
        1. Where to Get Your BIOS Update
        2. Determining Your BIOS Version
        3. Checking the BIOS Date
        4. Backing Up Your BIOS
        5. Backing Up Your BIOS Setup (CMOS RAM) Settings
        6. Upgrading a Flash BIOS
          1. Windows Executable Upgrade
          2. Automated Bootable Media Images
          3. User-created Bootable Media
          4. Emergency Flash BIOS Recovery
          5. IML System Partition BIOS
        7. Motherboard CMOS RAM Addresses
        8. Replacing a Socketed ROM
        9. Year 2000 BIOS Issues
      5. Preboot Environment
      6. CMOS Setup Specifications
        1. Running or Accessing the CMOS Setup Program
        2. BIOS Setup Menus
        3. Maintenance Menu
        4. Main Menu
        5. Advanced Menus
          1. Advanced PCI Configuration
          2. Advanced PCI Express Configuration
          3. Advanced Memory Configuration
          4. Advanced Boot Configuration
          5. Advanced Chipset Configuration Menu
          6. Advanced Peripheral Configuration
          7. Advanced Drive Configuration
          8. Advanced Floppy Configuration
          9. Advanced Event Log Configuration
          10. Advanced Video Configuration
          11. Advanced USB Configuration Menu
          12. Advanced Fan Control Configuration Menu
        6. Security Menu
        7. Power Menu
        8. Boot Menu (Boot Sequence, Order)
        9. Exit Menu
        10. Additional BIOS Setup Features
      7. Plug and Play BIOS
        1. PnP Device IDs
        2. ACPI
        3. Initializing a PnP Device
      8. BIOS/MBR Error Messages
        1. BIOS Boot Error Messages
          1. IBM BIOS Messages
          2. AMI BIOS Messages
          3. Compaq BIOS Messages
          4. Award BIOS Messages
          5. Phoenix BIOS Messages
        2. MBR Boot Error Messages
          1. Invalid Partition Table
          2. Error Loading Operating System
          3. Missing Operating System
        3. Geometry Translation Problems
    10. 6. Memory
      1. Memory Basics
        1. ROM
        2. DRAM
        3. Cache Memory: SRAM
        4. RAM Types and Performance
      2. Fast Page Mode DRAM
      3. Extended Data Out RAM (EDO)
      4. SDRAM
      5. DDR SDRAM
      6. DDR2 SDRAM
      7. DDR3
      8. RDRAM
      9. Memory Modules
      10. SIMMs, DIMMs, and RIMMs
      11. Registered Modules
      12. SIMM Pinouts
      13. DIMM Pinouts
      14. DDR DIMM Pinouts
      15. DDR2 DIMM Pinouts
      16. DDR3 DIMM Pinouts
      17. RIMM Pinouts
      18. Determining a Memory Module’s Size and Features
      19. Memory Banks
      20. Memory Module Speed
      21. Parity and ECC
      22. Parity Checking
      23. How Parity Checking Works
      24. Error-correcting Code (ECC)
      25. Installing RAM Upgrades
        1. Upgrade Options and Strategies
      26. Selecting and Installing Memory
        1. Purchasing Memory
          1. Suppliers
          2. Considerations in Purchasing or Reusing SIMMs
          3. Considerations in Purchasing DIMMs
          4. Considerations in Purchasing RIMMs
        2. Replacing Modules with Higher-capacity Versions
      27. Installing DIMM or RIMM Modules
      28. Installing SIMM Modules
      29. Troubleshooting Memory
      30. Memory Defect Isolation Procedures
      31. The System Logical Memory Layout
    11. 7. The ATA/IDE Interface
      1. An Overview of the IDE Interface
        1. Precursors to IDE
        2. IDE Origins
        3. IDE Variations
        4. Origins of ATA
      2. ATA Standards
        1. ATA-1 (AT Attachment Interface for Disk Drives)
        2. ATA-2 (AT Attachment Interface with Extensions-2)
        3. ATA-3 (AT Attachment Interface-3)
        4. ATA/ATAPI-4 (AT Attachment with Packet Interface Extension-4)
        5. ATA/ATAPI-5 (AT Attachment with Packet Interface-5)
        6. ATA/ATAPI-6 (AT Attachment with Packet Interface-6)
        7. ATA/ATAPI-7 (AT Attachment with Packet Interface-7)
        8. SATA/ATAPI-8
      3. Parallel ATA
        1. Parallel ATA I/O Connector
        2. Parallel ATA I/O Cable
        3. Longer and/or Rounded Cables
        4. Parallel ATA Signals
        5. Parallel ATA Dual-drive Configurations
        6. Parallel ATA PIO Transfer Modes
        7. Parallel ATA DMA Transfer Modes
      4. Serial ATA
        1. Serial ATA Cables and Connectors
        2. Serial ATA Configuration
        3. Second-generation Serial ATA
        4. Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI)
        5. Serial ATA Transfer Modes
      5. ATA Features
        1. ATA Commands
        2. ATA Security Mode
        3. Host Protected Area
        4. ATA Packet Interface
      6. ATA Drive Capacity Limitations
        1. Prefixes for Decimal and Binary Multiples
        2. BIOS Limitations
        3. CHS Versus LBA
        4. CHS/LBA and LBA/CHS Conversions
        5. BIOS Commands Versus ATA Commands
        6. CHS Limitations (the 528MB Barrier)
        7. CHS Translation (Breaking the 528MB Barrier)
        8. The 2.1GB and 4.2GB Barriers
        9. LBA-assist Translation
        10. The 8.4GB Barrier
        11. The 137GB Barrier and Beyond
        12. Operating System and Other Software Limitations
      7. PATA/SATA RAID
    12. 8. Magnetic Storage Principles
      1. Magnetic Storage
      2. History of Magnetic Storage
      3. How Magnetic Fields Are Used to Store Data
      4. Read/Write Head Designs
        1. Ferrite
        2. Metal-In-Gap
        3. Thin-film
        4. Magneto-resistive Heads
        5. Giant Magneto-resistive Heads
      5. Head Sliders
      6. Data Encoding Schemes
        1. FM Encoding
        2. MFM Encoding
        3. RLL Encoding
        4. Encoding Scheme Comparisons
        5. Partial-Response, Maximum-Likelihood Decoders
      7. Capacity Measurements
      8. Areal Density
        1. Increasing Areal Density with Pixie Dust
        2. Perpendicular Magnetic Recording
    13. 9. Hard Disk Storage
      1. Definition of a Hard Disk
      2. Hard Drive Advancements
      3. Form Factors
        1. 5 1/4″ Drive
        2. 3 1/2″ Drive
        3. 2 1/2″ Drive
        4. 1.8″ Drive
        5. 1″ Drives
      4. Hard Disk Drive Operation
        1. The Ultimate Hard Disk Drive Analogy
        2. Tracks and Sectors
        3. Disk Formatting
          1. Low-Level Formatting
          2. Partitioning
          3. High-Level Formatting
      5. Basic Hard Disk Drive Components
        1. Hard Disk Platters (Disks)
        2. Recording Media
          1. Oxide Media
          2. Thin-Film Media
          3. AFC Media
        3. Read/Write Heads
        4. Head Actuator Mechanisms
          1. Stepper Motor Actuators
          2. Voice Coil Actuators
          3. Servo Mechanisms
            1. Wedge Servo
            2. Embedded Servo
            3. Dedicated Servo
          4. Automatic Head Parking
        5. Air Filters
        6. Hard Disk Temperature Acclimation
        7. Spindle Motors
          1. Fluid Dynamic Bearings
        8. Logic Boards
        9. Cables and Connectors
        10. Configuration Items
      6. Hard Disk Features
        1. Capacity
          1. Capacity Limitations
          2. BIOS Limitations
          3. Operating System Limitations
        2. Performance
          1. Transfer Rate
          2. Average Seek Time
          3. Latency
          4. Average Access Time
          5. Cache Programs and Caching Controllers
          6. Interleave Selection
        3. Reliability
          1. S.M.A.R.T.
        4. Cost
    14. 10. Removable Storage
      1. The Role of Removable-media Drives
        1. Extra Storage
        2. The Importance of Data Backups
        3. Additional Boot Devices
        4. Data Transfer Between Systems
        5. Floppy-based Driver Installation for Removable-media Devices
      2. Comparing Disk, Tape, and Flash Memory Technologies
        1. Magnetic Disk Media
        2. Magnetic Tape Media
        3. Flash Memory Media
      3. Interfaces for Removable-media Drives
      4. Floppy Disk Drives, Past and Present
        1. Alternatives to Floppy Drives
        2. 1.44MB 3 1/2″ Drives
        3. Floppy Drive Interfaces
        4. Drive Components
          1. Read/Write Heads
          2. The Head Actuator
          3. Floppy Drive Spindle Motor
          4. Floppy Drive Circuit Boards
          5. The Floppy Controller
          6. The Faceplate
          7. Power and Data Connectors
          8. The Floppy Disk Controller Cable
        5. How the Operating System Uses a Floppy Disk
          1. Cylinders
          2. Clusters or Allocation Units
        6. Disk Change
        7. Analyzing 3 1/2″ Floppy Disk Media Construction
        8. Floppy Disk Media Types and Specifications
          1. Density
          2. Media Coercivity and Thickness
        9. Caring for and Handling Floppy Disks and Drives
          1. Airport X-Ray Machines and Metal Detectors
        10. Floppy Drive Installation Procedures
        11. Troubleshooting Floppy Drives
      5. High-capacity Magnetic Storage Devices
        1. Iomega Zip
        2. Iomega REV
      6. Magneto-optical Drives
        1. Magneto-optical Technology
      7. Flash Memory Devices
        1. Types of Flash Memory Devices
          1. CompactFlash
          2. SmartMedia
          3. MultiMediaCard
          4. SecureDigital
          5. Sony Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro
          6. ATA Flash PC Card
          7. xD-Picture Card
          8. USB Flash Drives
        2. Comparing Flash Memory Devices
        3. Moving Data in Flash Memory Devices to Your Computer
          1. Card Readers
          2. Type II PC Card Adapters
        4. Key Factors in Selecting a Removable-media Drive
      8. Microdrive Technology
      9. Hard-disk-based Backup
      10. Tape Drives
        1. Disadvantages of Tape Backup Drives
        2. Advantages of Tape Backup Drives
    15. 11. Optical Storage
      1. Optical Technology
        1. CD-based Optical Technology
        2. CDs: A Brief History
        3. CD-ROM Construction and Technology
        4. Mass-producing CD-ROMs
          1. Pits and Lands
          2. Drive Mechanical Operation
          3. Tracks and Sectors
          4. Sampling
          5. Subcodes
          6. Handling Read Errors
          7. CD Capacity
          8. Data Encoding on the Disc
        5. Caring for Optical Media
        6. DVD
        7. DVD History
        8. DVD Construction and Technology
        9. DVD Tracks and Sectors
        10. Handling DVD Errors
        11. DVD Capacity (Sides and Layers)
        12. Data Encoding on the Disc
        13. Blu-ray Disc (BD)
        14. HD-DVD
        15. Optical Disc Formats
        16. Compact Disc and Drive Formats
          1. Red Book—CD-DA
          2. Yellow Book—CD-ROM
          3. Green Book—CD-i
          4. CD-ROM XA
          5. Interleaving
          6. Sector Modes and Forms
          7. Orange Book
          8. Multisession Recording Overview
          9. Disc-at-Once
          10. Track-at-Once
          11. Packet Writing
          12. Photo CD
          13. Picture CD
          14. White Book—Video CD (VCD)
          15. Super Video CD
          16. Blue Book—CD EXTRA
          17. Purple Book
          18. Scarlet Book (SA-CD)
          19. DualDisc
        17. CD-ROM File Systems
          1. High Sierra
          2. ISO 9660
          3. Joliet
          4. Universal Disk Format
          5. Macintosh HFS
          6. Rock Ridge
          7. Mount Rainier
        18. DVD Formats and Standards
          1. DIVX (Discontinued Standard)
          2. DVD Drive Compatibility
          3. DVD Movie Playback on a PC
        19. DVD Copy Protection
          1. Regional Playback Control
          2. Region Codes Used by Blu-ray Disc
          3. Content Scramble System
          4. Analog Protection System
          5. ProtectDisc
        20. CD/DVD Read-only Drives and Specifications
        21. Performance Specifications
          1. CD Data Transfer Rate
          2. CD Drive Speed
          3. DVD Drive Speed
          4. Access Time
          5. Buffer/Cache
          6. CPU Utilization
          7. Direct Memory Access and Ultra-DMA
        22. Interface
          1. SATA
          2. ATA/ATAPI
          3. USB Interface
          4. FireWire
        23. Loading Mechanism
          1. Tray
          2. Caddy
          3. Slot
          4. DVD and CD Jukeboxes
        24. Other Drive Features
          1. Drive Sealing
          2. Self-cleaning Lenses
          3. Internal Versus External Drives
        25. Writable CDs
        26. CD-R
          1. CD-R Capacity
          2. CD-R Media Color
          3. Choosing the Best Media
          4. CD-R Media Recording Speed Ratings
        27. CD-RW
          1. CD-RW Speeds
        28. MultiRead Specifications
        29. How to Reliably Record CDs
          1. Buffer Underruns
          2. Buffer Underrun Protection
        30. Recording Software
          1. Don’t Forget the Software!
        31. Digital Audio Extraction (DAE)
        32. “For Music Use Only” CD-R/RW Discs
        33. CD Copy Protection
        34. CD Digital Rights Management (DRM)
          1. Sony Rootkit Scandal
        35. Recordable DVD Standards
        36. DVD-RAM
        37. DVD-R
        38. DVD-R DL
        39. DVD-RW
        40. DVD+RW and DVD+R
          1. DVD+RW Compatibility Mode
        41. DVD+R DL
        42. Multiformat Rewritable DVD Drives
        43. CD/DVD Drive and Software Installation and Support
        44. Booting from a Floppy Disk with CD/DVD Drive Support
        45. Bootable CDs and DVDs—El Torito
        46. Creating a Rescue CD
        47. Making a Bootable CD/DVD for Emergencies
          1. ATAPI Drives Are Bootable
        48. Using LightScribe and Other Direct Disc Labeling Systems
        49. Troubleshooting Optical Drives
          1. Failure Reading a CD/DVD
          2. Failure to Read CD-R, CD-RW Discs in CD-ROM or DVD Drive
          3. Failure to Read a Rewritable DVD in DVD-ROM Drive or Player
          4. Failure to Create a Writable DVD
          5. Failure Writing to CD-RW or DVD-RW 1x Media
          6. ATAPI CD-ROM or DVD Drive Runs Slowly
          7. Can’t Use CD or DVD Drive or Write to Media in Windows XP or Vista
          8. Poor Results or Slow Performance When Writing to CD-R Media
          9. Trouble Reading CD-RW Discs on CD-ROM
          10. Trouble Reading CD-R Discs on DVD Drive
          11. Trouble Making Bootable CDs
        50. Updating the Firmware in a CD-RW or Rewritable DVD Drive
          1. Determining Whether You Might Need a Firmware Update
          2. Determining Which Drive Model and Firmware Are Installed
          3. Installing New Drive Firmware
          4. Troubleshooting Firmware Updates
    16. 12. Physical Drive Installation and Configuration
      1. Installing All Types of Drives
      2. Hard Disk Installation Procedures
        1. Drive Configuration
        2. Host Adapter Configuration
        3. Physical Installation
          1. Parallel ATA (PATA) Hard Disk Drive Installation
          2. Serial ATA (SATA) Hard Disk Drive Installation
        4. System Configuration
          1. Automatic Drive Detection
          2. Manual Drive Parameters
      3. Formatting
        1. Partitioning
          1. Large Hard Disk Support
          2. Assigning Drive Letters with FDISK
          3. Running FDISK
          4. Drive Partitioning and Formatting with Disk Management
          5. Drive Partitioning with Third-party Utilities
        2. High-level (Operating System) Formatting
        3. FDISK and FORMAT Limitations
      4. Replacing an Existing Drive
        1. Drive Migration for MS-DOS Users
        2. Drive Migration for Windows 9x/Me Users
        3. Drive Migration for Windows 2000/XP/Vista Users
      5. Hard Disk Drive Troubleshooting and Repair
        1. Testing a Drive
        2. Low-level Formatting (Initializing)
          1. ATA Low-level Format Software
          2. Nondestructive Formatters
      6. Installing an Optical Drive
        1. Drive Configuration
        2. Internal Drive Installation
          1. Parallel ATA Optical Drive Installation
          2. Serial ATA Optical Drive Installation
        3. System Configuration
      7. Internal Floppy Drive Installation
    17. 13. Video Hardware
      1. Video Display Technologies
        1. LCD Panels
          1. How LCD Displays Work
          2. Bad Pixels
          3. Active-matrix Displays
          4. LCD Display Sizes and Resolutions
          5. Benefits of LCD Panels
          6. LCD Panel Display Connections
          7. DFP and DVI Interfaces for Digital LCD Panels
          8. HDMI
          9. Wide-screen LCD Panels
          10. Potential Drawbacks of LCD Panels
          11. Shopping Criteria for LCD Panels
        2. How CRT Display Technology Works
          1. Multiple Frequency Monitors
          2. Curved Versus Flat Picture Tubes
          3. CRT Interfaces
          4. CRT Versus LCD Displays
        3. Plasma Displays
        4. Monitor Selection Criteria
          1. The Right Size
          2. Resolution
          3. Dot Pitch (CRTs)
          4. Image Brightness and Contrast (LCD Panels)
          5. Interlaced Versus Noninterlaced
          6. Energy and Safety
          7. Power Management
          8. Emissions (CRTs)
          9. Frequencies
          10. Refresh Rates (Vertical Scan Frequency)
          11. Horizontal Frequency
          12. Controls
        5. Testing a Display
        6. LCD and DLP Projectors
        7. Projector Selection Criteria
          1. PC Resolutions
          2. HDTV Resolutions
          3. Input Types
          4. Lumens
          5. Zoom Lens
          6. Size and Weight
          7. Projector Bulb Life and Cost
          8. Other Features
      2. Maintaining Your Monitor
      3. Video Display Adapters
        1. The Video Graphics Array (VGA) Standard
          1. Digital Versus Analog Signals
          2. VGA Features
          3. Super VGA
          4. VESA SVGA Standards
        2. Video Adapter Types
        3. Integrated Video/Motherboard Chipsets
        4. Video Adapter Components
          1. The Video BIOS
          2. The Video Processor
        5. Identifying the Video and System Chipsets
        6. Video RAM
          1. SDRAM
          2. SGRAM
          3. DDR SDRAM
          4. DDR2 SDRAM
          5. GDDR3 SDRAM
          6. GDDR4 SDRAM
          7. Video RAM Speed
          8. RAM Calculations
          9. Video Bus Width
        7. The Digital-to-analog Converter (RAMDAC)
        8. The Bus
          1. AGP Video Cards
          2. PCI Express Video Cards
        9. The Video Driver
        10. Multiple Monitors
          1. Multiple Monitor Support on Windows 98 Through XP
          2. Multiple Monitor Support in Windows Vista
          3. Multiple Monitor Hardware
          4. Adding Multiple-monitor Support to Laptops and Desktops with Integrated Graphics
      4. 3D Graphics Accelerators
        1. How 3D Accelerators Work
          1. Typical 3D Techniques
          2. Advanced 3D Filtering and Rendering
          3. Single- Versus Multiple-Pass Rendering
          4. Hardware Acceleration Versus Software Acceleration
          5. Software Optimization
        2. Application Programming Interfaces
          1. OpenGL
          2. Microsoft DirectX 9.0c and 10
        3. Dual-GPU Scene Rendering
          1. NVIDIA SLI
          2. ATI CrossFire
        4. 3D Chipsets
      5. Upgrading or Replacing Your Video Card
        1. TV Tuner and Video Capture Upgrades
        2. Warranty and Support
        3. Comparing Video Cards with the Same Chipset
        4. Video Output Devices
        5. Video Capture Devices
        6. Desktop Video Boards
          1. Troubleshooting Video Capture Devices
      6. Adapter and Display Troubleshooting
        1. Troubleshooting Monitors
          1. Problem
          2. Solution
          3. Problem
          4. Solution
            1. LCD monitors
            2. All monitors
            3. CRT monitors
        2. Troubleshooting Video Cards and Drivers
          1. Problem
          2. Solution
          3. Problem
          4. Solution
          5. Problem
          6. Solution
          7. Problem
          8. Solution
          9. Problem
          10. Solution
          11. Problem
          12. Solution
          13. Problem
          14. Solution
          15. Problem
          16. Solution
          17. Problem
          18. Solution
    18. 14. Audio Hardware
      1. Early PC Audio Adapters
        1. Limitations of Sound Blaster Pro Compatibility
        2. DirectX and Audio Adapters
        3. Legacy Audio Support Through Virtualization
      2. PC Multimedia History
      3. Audio Adapter Features
        1. Basic Connectors
        2. Connectors for Advanced Features
          1. Adding Advanced Sound Features Without Replacing Onboard Audio
        3. Volume Control
        4. MIDI Support Features
        5. Data Compression
        6. Multipurpose Digital Signal Processors
        7. Sound Drivers
        8. Sound Cards for Sound Producers
      4. Audio Adapter Concepts and Terms
        1. The Nature of Sound
        2. Evaluating the Quality of Your Audio Adapter
        3. Sampling
      5. Who’s Who in Audio
        1. Chipset Makers Who Make Their Own Audio Adapters
        2. Major Sound Chip Makers
          1. Discontinued and Orphan Sound Chips and Sound Card Producers
        3. Motherboard Chipsets with Integrated Audio
          1. AC’97 Integrated Audio
          2. Intel “Azalia” HD Audio
        4. Vacuum Tube Audio for the PC
      6. 3D Audio
        1. Positional Audio
        2. 3D Audio Processing
        3. DirectX Support Issues
        4. Windows Vista and DirectX 10 Audio Support Issues
      7. Installing the Sound Card
        1. Selecting an Expansion Slot
        2. Connecting PC Speakers and Completing the Installation
        3. Using Your Stereo Instead of Speakers
      8. Troubleshooting Sound Card Problems
        1. Hardware (Resource) Conflicts
        2. Other Sound Card and Onboard Audio Problems
          1. No Sound
          2. One-sided Sound
          3. Volume Is Low
          4. Some Speakers Don’t Play
          5. Some Types of Sounds Play, But Others Don’t
          6. Scratchy Sound
          7. Your Computer Won’t Start
          8. Parity Errors or Other Lockups
          9. Advanced Features
          10. Other Problems
      9. Speakers
        1. Theater and Surround Sound Considerations
          1. Typical Speaker Setups
      10. Microphones
    19. 15. I/O Interfaces from Serial and Parallel to IEEE 1394 and USB
      1. Introduction to Input/Output Ports
        1. Why Serial?
        2. Comparing IEEE 1394 and USB
        3. Performance Myths and Realities
      2. Universal Serial Bus
        1. USB Technical Details
        2. Enabling USB Support
        3. USB 2.0/Hi-Speed USB
        4. USB On-The-Go
        5. Wireless USB
        6. USB Adapters
      3. IEEE 1394
        1. 1394 Standards
        2. 1394a Technical Details
        3. 1394b Technical Details
      4. Serial Ports
        1. Typical Locations for Serial Ports
        2. The UART Chip
        3. High-speed Serial Port Cards
        4. Serial Port Configuration
        5. Testing Serial Ports
          1. Using MSInfo32 to View Serial Port Information
          2. Troubleshooting Ports in Windows
          3. Advanced Diagnostics Using Loopback Testing
      5. Parallel Ports
        1. IEEE 1284 Parallel Port Standard
          1. Enhanced Parallel Port
          2. Enhanced Capabilities Port
        2. Parallel Port Configuration
        3. Testing Parallel Ports
    20. 16. Input Devices
      1. Keyboards
        1. Enhanced 101-Key (or 102-Key) Keyboard
        2. 104-Key (Windows 9x/Me/2000/XP) Keyboard
        3. Num Lock
      2. Keyboard Technology
        1. Keyswitch Design
          1. Pure Mechanical Switches
          2. Foam Element Switches
          3. Rubber Dome Switches
          4. Membrane Switches
          5. Buckling Spring Capacitive and Membrane Switches
        2. The Keyboard Interface
        3. Typematic Functions
        4. Keyboard Key Numbers and Scan Codes
        5. International Keyboard Layouts
        6. Keyboard/Mouse Interface Connectors
        7. USB Keyboards
        8. Keyboards with Special Features
          1. Ergonomic Keyboards
          2. USB Keyboards with Hubs
          3. Multimedia and Web-Enabled Keyboards
      3. Keyboard Troubleshooting and Repair
        1. Keyboard Disassembly
        2. Cleaning a Keyboard
      4. Keyboard Recommendations
      5. Pointing Devices
        1. Ball-type Mice
        2. Optical Mice
        3. Pointing Device Interface Types
          1. Serial
          2. Motherboard Mouse Port (PS/2)
          3. Hybrid Mice
          4. USB
        4. Mouse Troubleshooting
          1. Cleaning Your Mouse
          2. Interrupt Conflicts
          3. Driver Software
        5. Scroll Wheels
        6. TrackPoint II/III/IV
        7. Mouse and Pointing Stick Alternatives
          1. GlidePoint/Touch Pad
          2. Trackballs
          3. 3M’s Ergonomic Mouse
      6. Input Devices for Gaming
        1. Analog Joysticks and the Game Port
        2. USB Ports for Gaming
        3. Compatibility Concerns
      7. Wireless Input Devices
        1. How Wireless Input Devices Work
          1. Power Management Features of Wireless Input Devices
        2. Troubleshooting Wireless Input Devices
    21. 17. Internet Connectivity
      1. Relating Internet and LAN Connectivity
        1. Comparing Broadband and Dialup Modem Internet Access
        2. Broadband Internet Access Types
        3. High Speed = Less Freedom
      2. Cable Modems
        1. Connecting to the Internet with a “Cable Modem”
        2. The Cable Modem and the CATV Network
        3. CATV Bandwidth
        4. CATV Performance
        5. CATV Internet Connection Security
      3. Digital Subscriber Line
        1. How DSL Works
        2. Who Can Use DSL—and Who Can’t
        3. Major Types of DSL
        4. DSL Pricing
        5. DSL Security Issues
        6. Technical Problems with DSL
      4. Fixed-base Wireless Broadband
      5. Internet Connectivity via Satellite with HughesNet or StarBand
        1. HughesNet
          1. HughesNet Requirements
          2. Purchasing HughesNet Service
          3. HughesNet’s FAP—Brakes on High-speed Downloading?
        2. StarBand
        3. Real-world Satellite Performance
      6. Integrated Services Digital Network
        1. How Standard ISDN Works
        2. Acquiring ISDN Service
        3. ISDN Hardware
      7. Comparing High-speed Internet Access
        1. Having a Backup Plan in Case of Service Interruptions
      8. Leased Lines
        1. T-1 and T-3 Connections
        2. Comparing Conventional High-speed Services
      9. Securing Your Internet Connection
      10. Asynchronous (Dialup) Modems
      11. Modem Standards
        1. Bits and Baud Rates
        2. Modulation Standards
          1. V.90
          2. V.92
        3. Error-correction Protocols
          1. V.42, MNP10, and MNP10EC Error-correction Protocols
        4. Data-compression Standards
          1. MNP5 and V.42bis
          2. V.44
        5. Proprietary Standards
        6. 56Kbps Modems
        7. 56Kbps Limitations
        8. Early 56Kbps Standards
          1. V.90
          2. ITU V.92 and V.44—Breaking the Upload Barrier
        9. Fax Modem Standards
        10. Dialup Modem Recommendations
          1. Modems Without a UART (WinModems)
          2. Finding Support for “Brand-X” Modems
          3. Squeezing Performance from Your 56Kbps Modem
          4. Telco “Upgrades” and Your Modem
      12. Sharing Your Internet Connection
        1. Comparing Gateways, Proxy Servers, and Routers
        2. Routers for Internet Sharing
      13. Internet Troubleshooting
        1. Diagnosing Problems with a Shared Internet Connection
          1. Check Your Host Configuration
          2. Check Your Client Configuration
          3. Speed Will Drop with Multiple Users
        2. Diagnosing Connection Problems with Signal Lights
        3. Modem Fails to Dial
        4. Computer Locks Up After Installing or Using Internal Modem, Terminal Adapter, or Network Card
        5. Computer Can’t Detect External Modem
        6. Using Your Modem Sound to Diagnose Your Modem
    22. 18. Local Area Networking
      1. Focus of This Chapter
      2. Defining a Network
        1. Types of Networks
        2. Requirements for a Network
        3. About Wireless Networking
      3. Client/Server Versus Peer Networks
        1. Client/Server Networks
        2. Peer-to-peer Network
        3. Comparing Client/Server and Peer-to-peer Networks
      4. Network Architecture Overview
        1. Wired Ethernet
          1. Fast Ethernet
          2. Gigabit Ethernet
        2. Wireless Ethernet
          1. Wi-Fi
          2. IEEE 802.11b
          3. IEEE 802.11a
          4. 802.11g
          5. 802.11n
        3. Which Wireless Ethernet Standard Is Best?
        4. Bluetooth
      5. Hardware Elements of Your Network
        1. Network Interface Cards for Wired Ethernet Networks
          1. Speed
          2. Bus Type
          3. Wired Network Adapter Connectors
        2. Network Cables for Wired Ethernet
          1. Thick and Thin Ethernet Coaxial Cable
          2. Twisted-Pair Cable
          3. Building Your Own Twisted-Pair Cables
            1. Twisted-Pair Wiring Standards
            2. Crossover UTP Cables
          4. Constructing the Cable
          5. Cable Distance Limitations
        3. Wired Network Topologies
          1. Bus Topology
          2. Ring Topology
          3. Star Topology
        4. Switches and Hubs for Ethernet Networks
          1. How Hubs Work
          2. How Switches Differ from Hubs
          3. Additional Switch Features You Might Need
          4. Switch Placement
        5. Wireless Ethernet Hardware
          1. Wireless Network Logical Topologies
          2. Wireless Network Security
          3. Management and DHCP Support
          4. Users per Access Point
      6. Network Protocols
        1. IP and TCP/IP
          1. TCP/IP—LAN and Dialup Networks
        2. IPX
        3. NetBEUI
      7. Other Home Networking Solutions
        1. HomePNA
          1. HomePNA 3.1 and the Digital Home
        2. Powerline Networking
      8. Putting Your Network Together
        1. Network Adapter
          1. Installing the Network Adapter
          2. Testing Your Network Adapters and Connections
        2. Cables and Connections Between Computers
        3. Hub/Switch/Access Point
        4. Gateways for Non-Ethernet Networks
        5. Recording Information About Your Network
      9. Installing Networking Software
        1. Configuring Your Network Software
        2. Networking with Windows Vista
      10. Tips and Tricks
        1. Installation
        2. Sharing Resources
        3. Setting Up Security
        4. Sharing Internet Connections
      11. Direct Cable Connections
      12. Troubleshooting a Network
        1. Network Software Setup
          1. Problem
          2. Solution
          3. Problem
          4. Solution
          5. Problem
          6. Solution
          7. Problem
          8. Solution
        2. Networks in Use
          1. Problem
          2. Solution
          3. Problem
          4. Solution
        3. TCP/IP
          1. Problem
          2. Solution
          3. Problem
          4. Solution
          5. Problem
          6. Solution
          7. Problem
          8. Solution
    23. 19. Power Supplies
      1. Considering the Importance of the Power Supply
      2. Primary Function and Operation
        1. Positive DC Voltages
          1. Voltage Rails
          2. Voltage Regulators
        2. Negative DC Voltages
        3. The Power Good Signal
      3. Power Supply Form Factors
        1. Obsolete Form Factors
          1. PC/XT
          2. AT/Desk
          3. AT/Tower
          4. Baby-AT
          5. LPX
        2. Modern Form Factors
          1. ATX/ATX12V
          2. SFX/SFX12V
          3. EPS/EPS12V
          4. TFX12V
          5. CFX12V
          6. LFX12V
      4. Power Switches
        1. ATX and Newer
        2. PC/XT/AT and LPX Power Switches
      5. Motherboard Power Connectors
        1. AT/LPX Power Supply Connectors
        2. ATX and ATX12V Motherboard Power Connectors
          1. The Reason for Multiple Motherboard Power Connectors
          2. 20-pin Main Power Connector
          3. 6-pin Auxiliary Power Connector
          4. ATX12V 2.x 24-pin Main Power Connector
          5. CPU Power Connectors
            1. Platform Compatibility Guide (PCG)
            2. 4-pin +12V CPU Power Connector
            3. Peripheral to 4-pin +12V CPU Power Adapters
            4. 8-pin +12V CPU Power Connector
            5. 4-pin to 8-pin +12V CPU Power Adapters
        3. Backward and Forward Compatibility
        4. Dell Proprietary (Nonstandard) ATX Design
      6. Additional Power Connectors
        1. Peripheral Power Connectors
        2. Floppy Power Connectors
        3. Serial ATA Power Connectors
        4. PCI Express x16 Graphics Power Connectors
      7. Power Supply Specifications
        1. Power Supply Loading
        2. Power Supply Ratings
        3. Other Power Supply Specifications
        4. Power Factor Correction
        5. Power Supply Safety Certifications
      8. Power-use Calculations
      9. Power Cycling
      10. Power Management
        1. Energy Star Systems
        2. Advanced Power Management
        3. Advanced Configuration and Power Interface
      11. Power Supply Troubleshooting
        1. Overloaded Power Supplies
        2. Inadequate Cooling
        3. Using Digital Multimeters
          1. Selecting a Meter
          2. Measuring Voltage
        4. Specialized Test Equipment
          1. Digital Infrared Thermometer
          2. Variable Voltage Transformer
      12. Repairing the Power Supply
      13. Obtaining Replacement Units
        1. Deciding on a Power Supply
        2. Sources for Replacement Power Supplies
        3. Power Supply Tips and Recommendations
      14. Power-protection Systems
        1. Surge Suppressors (Protectors)
        2. Phone Line Surge Protectors
        3. Line Conditioners
        4. Backup Power
          1. Standby Power Supplies
          2. Uninterruptible Power Supplies
      15. RTC/NVRAM (CMOS RAM) Batteries
        1. Modern CMOS Batteries
        2. Obsolete or Unique CMOS Batteries
        3. CMOS Battery Troubleshooting
    24. 20. Building or Upgrading Systems
      1. System Components
        1. Case and Power Supply
        2. Processor
        3. Motherboard
          1. Chipsets
          2. BIOS
          3. Memory
          4. I/O Ports
        4. Hard Disk Drives
        5. Removable Storage
        6. Input Devices
        7. Video Card and Display
        8. Audio Hardware
        9. Accessories
          1. Heatsinks/Cooling Fans
          2. Cables
          3. Hardware
      2. Hardware and Software Resources
      3. System Assembly and Disassembly
        1. Assembly Preparation
          1. ESD Protection
          2. Recording Physical Configuration
      4. Motherboard Installation
        1. Installing the CPU and Heatsink
        2. Installing Memory Modules
        3. Mounting the New Motherboard in the Case
        4. Connecting the Power Supply
        5. Connecting I/O and Other Cables to the Motherboard
        6. Installing the Drives
        7. Installing the New Video Card and Driver Software
        8. Installing Additional Expansion Cards
        9. Replacing the Cover and Connecting External Cables
        10. Running the Motherboard BIOS Setup Program (CMOS Setup)
      5. Troubleshooting New Installations
      6. Installing the Operating System
        1. Partitioning the Drive with DOS and Windows 9x and Me
        2. Formatting the Drive with DOS and Windows 9x and Me
        3. Preparing the Hard Drive with Windows 2000/XP/Vista
        4. Installing Important Drivers
      7. Disassembly/Upgrading Preparation
    25. 21. PC Mods: Overclocking and Cooling
      1. Overclocking
        1. Quartz Crystals
        2. Overclocking History
        3. Modern PC Clocks
        4. Overclocking Tips
        5. Bus Speeds and Multipliers
      2. Cooling
        1. Heatsinks
          1. Active Heatsinks
          2. “Boutique” Heatsinks
          3. Heatsink Clamping Force
          4. Heatsink Ratings and Calculations
          5. Installing a Heatsink
        2. Liquid Cooling
          1. Heat Pipes
          2. Water Cooling
          3. Intel Advanced Liquid Cooling Technology (ALCT)
          4. Refrigeration
        3. Thermally Advantaged Chassis
          1. Processor Duct
          2. Functional Chassis Mod: Adding a Processor Duct
    26. 22. PC Diagnostics, Testing, and Maintenance
      1. PC Diagnostics
      2. Diagnostics Software
        1. The Power-on Self Test
          1. What Is Tested?
          2. How Errors Are Displayed
            1. BIOS POST Beep Codes
            2. BIOS POST Checkpoint Codes
            3. BIOS POST Onscreen Messages
          3. AMI BIOS POST Error Codes
          4. Phoenix Award BIOS, Award BIOS, Phoenix FirstBIOS
          5. PhoenixBIOS POST Error Codes
          6. IBM BIOS POST Error Codes
          7. IBM/Lenovo Beep and Error Codes
          8. POST Memory Count
        2. Peripheral Diagnostics
          1. Network Interface Diagnostics
        3. General-purpose Diagnostics Programs
        4. Operating System Diagnostics
      3. The Hardware Boot Process
        1. The Boot Process: Operating System Independent
        2. The DOS Boot Process
        3. The Windows 9x/Me Boot Process
          1. Phase 1—Loading and Running the IO.SYS File
          2. Phase 2—Real-Mode Configuration
          3. Phase 3—Loading and Running the WIN.COM File
        4. Windows NT/2000/XP Startup
        5. Windows Vista Startup Differences
      4. PC Maintenance Tools
        1. Hand Tools
        2. Safety
        3. A Word About Hardware
          1. Types of Hardware
          2. English Versus Metric
        4. Test Equipment
          1. Electrical Testing Equipment
          2. Loopback Connectors (Wrap Plugs)
          3. Meters
          4. Logic Probes and Logic Pulsers
          5. Outlet (Receptacle) Testers
          6. Memory Testers
        5. Special Tools for the Enthusiast
          1. Electric Screwdriver
          2. Tamperproof Torx Bits
          3. Temperature Probe
          4. Infrared Thermometer
          5. Large Claw-type Parts Grabber
      5. Preventive Maintenance
        1. Active Preventive Maintenance Procedures
          1. System Backups
          2. Cleaning a System
          3. Disassembly and Cleaning Tools
          4. Chemicals
            1. Standard Cleaners
            2. Contact Cleaner/Lubricants
            3. Dusters
          5. Vacuum Cleaners
          6. Brushes and Swabs
          7. Silicone Lubricants
          8. Obtaining the Required Tools and Accessories
          9. Disassembling and Cleaning Procedures
          10. Cleaning Boards
          11. Cleaning Connectors and Contacts
          12. Cleaning the Keyboard and Mouse
          13. Hard Disk Maintenance
            1. Defragmenting Files
            2. Virus and Spyware Checking
        2. Passive Preventive Maintenance Procedures
          1. Examining the Operating Environment
          2. Heating and Cooling
          3. Power Cycling (On/Off)
          4. Static Electricity
          5. Power-Line Noise
          6. Radio-Frequency Interference
          7. Dust and Pollutants
      6. Troubleshooting Tips and Techniques
        1. Modern PCs—More Complicated and More Reliable
        2. Industry-standard Replaceable Components
        3. Reinstall or Replace?
        4. Troubleshooting by Replacing Parts
        5. Troubleshooting by the Bootstrap Approach
        6. Problems During the POST
        7. Hardware Problems After Booting
        8. Problems Running Software
        9. Problems with Adapter Cards
        10. Top Troubleshooting Problems
          1. When I power the system on, I see the power LED light and hear the fans spin, but nothing else ever happens
          2. The system beeps when I turn it on, but there is nothing on the screen
          3. I see a STOP or STOP ERROR in Windows NT/2000/XP or Vista
          4. I see Fatal Exception errors in Windows 95/98/Me
          5. The system won’t shut down in Windows
          6. The power button won’t turn off the system
          7. The modem doesn’t work
          8. The keyboard doesn’t work
          9. I can’t hear any sound from the speakers
          10. The monitor appears completely garbled or unreadable
          11. The image on the display is distorted (bent), shaking, or wavering
          12. I purchased a video card, and it won’t fit in the slot
          13. I installed an upgraded processor, but it won’t work
          14. The system runs fine for a few minutes but then freezes or locks up
          15. I am experiencing intermittent problems with the hard drive(s)
          16. The system won’t boot up; it says Missing operating system on the screen
          17. The system is experiencing intermittent memory errors
          18. The system locks up frequently and sometimes reboots on its own
          19. I installed a 60GB drive in my system, but it is recognizing only 8.4GB
          20. My CD-ROM/DVD drive doesn’t work
          21. My USB port or device doesn’t work
          22. I installed an additional memory module, but the system doesn’t recognize it
          23. I installed a new drive, but it doesn’t work and the drive LED remains lit
          24. While I was updating my BIOS, the system froze and now the system is dead!
          25. I installed a new motherboard in an older Dell system, and nothing works
          26. I installed a PCI video card in an older system with PCI slots, and it doesn’t work
    27. A. Glossary
    28. B. List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
      1. A
      2. B
      3. C
      4. D
      5. E
      6. F
      7. G
      8. H
      9. I
      10. J–K
      11. L
      12. M
      13. N
      14. O
      15. P
      16. Q
      17. R
      18. S
      19. T
      20. U
      21. V
      22. W–X
      23. Y–Z
    29. License Agreement
      1. Installing the DVD
        1. Standalone DVD Video Players
        2. PC-Based DVD Drives
        3. System Requirements for DVD-ROM Video
      2. Access to DVD Content Without a DVD Player or DVD Drive

    Product information

    • Title: Upgrading and Repairing PCs, Eighteenth Edition
    • Author(s): Scott Mueller
    • Release date: September 2007
    • Publisher(s): Que
    • ISBN: 9780789736970