Troubleshooting the PC: With A+ Preparation, 2nd Edition

About

Features

• NEW - Completely revised Chapter<n>5 on Microprocessors.

  • Discusses Intel's Pentium 4 and other processors based on NetBurst architecture, and AMD's Athlon and Duron processors, as well as steppings of processors and how they can affect your computer.

• NEW - Expanded chapter on Motherboards —Chapter<n>7 includes common chipsets, by both Intel and Via, and chipset software.

  • Alerts students to how the BIOS affects reliability.

• NEW - Expanded Chapter<n>22 on Windows 9X —Includes Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Millenium.

  • Teaches students what to do when Windows 9X does not shut down properly, general/exception errors, and performance monitoring of Windows 9X.

• NEW - Expanded coverage of Windows NT —Chapter<n>23 includes Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

  • Explains to students the troubleshooting tools available in Windows—including the ERD and Recovery Console—and discusses in detail stop errors and performance monitoring.

• NEW - Increased emphasis on networking and troubleshooting of networks.

  • Reflects the changes made to, and better prepares students for, the A+ Certification exam.

• NEW - More troubleshooting examples and chapter-end questions—In every chapter.

  • Provides students with real-world applications and allows them to transfer real-world experiences to the concepts explained.

• NEW - Updated coverage of A+ Certification objectives—In Appendix A. Explains the concepts necessary to pass the A+ technician exam plus provides a built-in review by including test questions in every chapter. In all, approximately 650 A+ questions are included.

  • Gives students the key concepts plus review without using a separate lab or test prep book.

• Coverage of all PC and printer problems.

  • Shows students how to troubleshoot and fix all PC and printer problems including operating systems/ environments such as DOS, Windows 3.XX, Windows 95/98, and Windows NT and applications. It also shows how to isolate many PC problems and understand common error codes and messages.

• Flexible teaching format—Repeats key concepts throughout the book.

  • Allows instructors to teach chapters in any order based on students' needs and course emphasis. The repetition of important concepts helps students absorb material more thoroughly and see the relationship of the concept to the PC problem being discussed.

• Strong pedagogy within each chapter.

  • Allows students to test their understanding of the concepts immediately by trying the hands-on exercises such as finding computer technician resources on the Internet in every chapter. Students can test their skill level by completing the review problems pertaining to the A+ technician certification exam—approximately 650 questions included in all.

Description

The fast pace of computer technology requires constant learning. To be effective, technicians must be familiar with both old and new technology. In one easy-to-read volume, Troubleshooting the PC provides everything needed to successfully troubleshoot a personal computer and its peripherals. The text covers hardware, operating systems and environments (DOS, Windows 3.XX, Windows 95/98, and Windows NT), and applications.

The A+ Certification is critical to the success of a PC technician. Throughout this expanded and revised edition, attention is given to the A+ Certification objectives with hands-on exercises and end-of-chapter questions.

New to this edition:

• Chapter 5, Microprocessors, and Chapter 22, Windows 9X, have been completely revised.
• Chapter 7, Motherboards, has been expanded to include common chipsets, by both Intel and Via, and chipset software.
• Expanded coverage of Chapter 23, Windows NT, includes Windows 2000 and Windows XP Additional troubleshooting material is also provided.
• Chapter 24, Computers Connected to a Network, places more emphasis on networking and troubleshooting of networks as a result of the changes made to the A+ Certification exam.
• Additional troubleshooting material and end-of-chapter questions have been added in all chapters.
• Appendix A has been completely revised to reflect changes in the A+ Certification exam.

Sample Content

Table of Contents

 1. A PC Overview.


 2. The PC Technician.


 3. Basic Electronics.


 4. The Disassembly and Assembly of the PC.


 5. Microprocessors.


 6. RAM.


 7. Motherboards.


 8. The Expansion Slots and Cards.


 9. The Case and Power Supply.


10. The Hard Drive.


11. The Floppy Drive and Other Removable Media.


12. The Compact Disk Drive.


13. The Disk Structure.


14. Tape Drives and Data Protection.


15. The Video System.


16. Input Devices.


17. Sound Cards.


18. Serial Ports and Modems.


19. Parallel Ports and Printers.


20. MS-DOS.


21. Windows 3.XX.


22. Windows 9X.


23. Windows NT, Family Operating Systems.


24. Computers Connected to a Network.


Appendix A: A+ Certification.


Appendix B: Useful Computer Tables.


Appendix C: POST Error Codes.


Appendix D: Operating System Error Codes.


Appendix E: Windows Stop Errors.


Appendix F: Glossary.


Index.

Updates

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