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| Introduction | |
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| Diagnosing Problems and Planning an Upgrade | |
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| Making the Decision to Upgrade | |
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| When You Should Consider Upgrading Your PC | |
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| What Components in My PC Are Upgradeable? | |
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| Upgrading Your Memory (RAM) | |
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| Upgrading Your Processor | |
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| Upgrading Your Hard Disk Drive | |
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| Upgrading Your Video System | |
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| Upgrading Other PC Components | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Understanding the Components in Your PC | |
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| Eliminating Potential Hazards | |
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| Differentiating Between Desktop and Tower PCs | |
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| Identifying Your PC's External Connectors | |
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| Identifying the Parts Inside Your PC | |
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| Identifying the Main System Board | |
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| Identifying the Microprocessor | |
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| Identifying Memory (RAM) | |
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| Identifying Disk Drives | |
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| Identifying Interface Cards | |
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| Identifying the PC Power Supply | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Examining Your PC's System Configuration | |
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| Obtaining a Systems Configuration Program | |
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| Using SysChk to Examine Your PC | |
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| Alternatives to SysChk | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| PC Performance Monitoring and Diagnostic Tools | |
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| Performance Monitoring Programs | |
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| WinStone and WinBench | |
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| WinTune | |
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| Norton Utilities System Information | |
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| SiSoft Sandra | |
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| Diagnostic Programs | |
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| AMIDiag | |
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| The Norton Utilities | |
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| More Diagnostics Programs You Can Purchase | |
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| Hard Disk Diagnostics | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| The Tools of the Trade | |
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| A Simple Set of Tools | |
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| Jeweler Screwdrivers | |
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| Computer Toolkit | |
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| Three-Pronged Probe | |
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| Pencil and Paper | |
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| Labels | |
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| Compressed Air | |
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| An Advanced Set of Tools | |
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| Soldering Iron | |
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| Voltage Meter | |
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| Safety Precautions When You Work on Your PC | |
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| Unplugging Your PC | |
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| Grounding Yourself to Prevent Static Electricity | |
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| Keeping Magnets Away from PCs | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading the Main System Components | |
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| Upgrading Your PC's Memory | |
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| Memory Is Like Money--More Is Better | |
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| Different Types of Memory | |
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| Installing Memory in Your PC | |
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| Memory for 486-based Computers | |
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| Memory for Pentium-Class Computers | |
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| Installing SIMMs | |
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| Installing DIMMs | |
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| Stretching Your Memory a Little Farther | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading Your CPU | |
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| Understanding Processors | |
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| The 486 Series | |
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| The Pentium Series | |
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| The Pentium Pro Series | |
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| The Pentium II Series | |
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| The Pentium III Series | |
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| The AMD Series of CPUs | |
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| The Cyrix Series of CPUs | |
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| Identifying Your CPU | |
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| PC Bottlenecks | |
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| Removing and Installing a CPU | |
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| Overclocking | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Replacing Your Main System Board | |
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| Are You Upgrading or Replacing? | |
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| How System Boards Have Changed | |
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| The Standard AT System Board | |
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| The Baby AT System Board | |
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| The ATX Motherboard | |
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| The NLX Motherboard | |
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| Installing a New System Board | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading Your PC's Case and Power Supply | |
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| Deciding to Upgrade Your Case and Power Supply | |
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| What to Look for When Shopping for a New Case | |
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| Upgrading Your Case | |
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| Power Supplies | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading Your PC's BIOS | |
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| What Is the BIOS? | |
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| Why You Need to Upgrade Your BIOS | |
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| Year 2000 BIOS Concerns | |
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| Testing Your Computer's BIOS for Y2K Compliance | |
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| How Do I Upgrade My BIOS? | |
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| Determining If You Need to Upgrade Your BIOS | |
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| Establishing the Type of BIOS You Have | |
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| Different Methods for Upgrading Your BIOS | |
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| Installing Upgrade BIOS Chips | |
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| Upgrading Flash BIOS | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading Your Drives | |
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| Replacing, Upgrading, or Adding a Hard Disk Drive | |
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| Is Your Upgrade an Addition or a Replacement? | |
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| IDE Versus SCSI | |
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| Installing an IDE Drive in Your PC | |
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| Replacing an Existing Hard Disk Drive | |
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| Adding a Second Hard Disk Drive | |
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| Installing a SCSI Drive | |
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| Adding a Second SCSI Drive | |
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| Preparing Your Drives for Software | |
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| Using FDISK to Create a Disk Partition | |
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| Using Partition Magic to Create Your Partitions | |
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| Formatting Your Drive | |
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| Installing an Operating System on Your PC | |
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| Tips on Improving Your Hard Disk Performance | |
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| Defrag Your Hard Disk Regularly | |
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| Delete Unneeded Files | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Replacing Your Floppy Disk Drive | |
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| A Brief History of Floppy Disk Drives | |
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| Replacing Not Repairing | |
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| Diagnosing a Broken Floppy Disk Drive | |
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| Replacing a Broken Floppy Disk Drive | |
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| Alternatives to a Standard 1.44MB Floppy Disk Drive | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading or Adding a CD-ROM Drive | |
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| Selecting a CD-ROM Drive | |
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| SCSI Versus IDE | |
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| Installing the Drive in Your PC--Internal Versus External | |
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| Installing an Internal SCSI Drive | |
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| Installing an External Drive (SCSI Only) | |
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| Improving Your CD-ROM Drive's Performance | |
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| What About DVD? | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Adding a DVD Drive to Your PC | |
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| So What Is a DVD? | |
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| What You Will Find in Your DVD Upgrade Kit | |
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| Installing a DVD Drive In Your PC | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Adding a Removable Media Drive | |
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| Removable Hard Disk Drives | |
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| The Iomega Zip Drive | |
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| The Iomega Jaz Drive | |
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| The SyQuest SyJet 1.5 Gigabyte Drive | |
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| The SyQuest SparQ 1 Gigabyte Drive | |
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| The SyQuest EZFlyer Drive | |
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| Other Removable Disk Options | |
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| Sony HiFD | |
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| Castlewood Systems | |
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| The LS-120 Drive | |
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| Tape Backup Drives | |
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| External Tape Backup Drives | |
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| Internal Tape Backup Drives | |
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| Installing a Removable Media Drive | |
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| Installing an Internal SCSI Removable Media Drive | |
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| Installing an External Removable Media Drive | |
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| Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Backup Drive | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading Peripheral Devices | |
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| Replacing Your Keyboard, Mouse, and Other Input Devices | |
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| Is Anything Wrong with My Keyboard or Mouse? | |
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| Fixing a Keyboard? | |
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| Mice and Other Pointing Devices | |
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| Tips on Cleaning Your Input Devices | |
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| Cleaning Your Keyboard | |
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| Cleaning Your Mouse | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading Your Video Card | |
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| What's Currently Available in Video Cards | |
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| What to Look for in a Video Card | |
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| How Important Is Video RAM? | |
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| Video Speed | |
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| Installing a Video Card | |
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| What About AGP? | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading Your Video Monitor | |
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| Why You Should Purchase a Larger Monitor | |
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| Selecting Your New Monitor | |
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| Setting Up Your New Monitor | |
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| LCD Monitors | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading or Adding a Modem or Other Communications Device | |
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| Understanding Modems | |
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| Selecting a Modem | |
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| Installing Your Modem | |
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| Installing an Internal Modem | |
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| Installing an External Modem | |
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| What About Those 56K Modems? | |
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| Alternatives to Standard Modems | |
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| ISDN | |
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| ADSL | |
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| Cable Modems | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Upgrading or Adding a Sound System to Your PC | |
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| Your PC's Current Sound System | |
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| Selecting a Sound Card for Your PC | |
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| Selecting Speakers | |
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| Installing a Sound Card and Speakers | |
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| Connecting Your Sound Card to Your Stereo | |
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| Precautions When Using Your Stereo | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Selecting and Installing a Printer | |
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| Understanding the Types of Printers | |
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| How to Select a Printer | |
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| Comparing Various Printer Models | |
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| Print Speed | |
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| Print Quality | |
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| Color Versus Monochrome | |
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| Availability of Printer Drivers | |
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| Installing Your Printer to Work with Your PC | |
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| Connecting the Hardware | |
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| Installing Your Printer Driver | |
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| Installing a Second Printer to Work with Your PC | |
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| Method One: Switching the Cable | |
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| Method Two: Installing a Second Parallel Port | |
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| Method Three: Installing an A/B Switch | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Selecting and Installing a Scanner or Digital Camera | |
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| Types of Scanners | |
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| Sheetfeed Scanners | |
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| Flatbed Scanners | |
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| Selecting a Scanner | |
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| Installing Your Scanner | |
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| Digital Cameras | |
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| Selecting a Digital Camera | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Additional Upgrading Issues | |
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| Upgrading to a New Operating System | |
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| Limitations of DOS/Windows 3.1 | |
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| Why You Should Upgrade | |
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| Crash Protection | |
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| Internet Access and Built-in Networking Capabilities | |
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| Windows 98's Plug-and-Play Capabilities | |
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| Windows 98 or Windows 2000? | |
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| Upgrading to Windows 98 | |
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| Upgrading to Windows 2000 | |
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| Upgrading to Linux | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| How to Purchase PC Components on the Internet | |
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| Purchasing Over the Internet | |
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| Locating Companies | |
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| Internet Security | |
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| Tips on Buying PC Components | |
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| Online Auctions | |
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| Summary | |
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| QandA | |
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| Appendixes | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Manufacturers' Reference | |
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| BIOS | |
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| CD-ROM and DVD Drives | |
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| CPU | |
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| Hard Disk Drives and Peripherals | |
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| Keyboards and Mice | |
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| Memory | |
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| Modems | |
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| Monitors | |
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| Motherboards | |
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| PC Cases | |
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| Printers | |
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| Scanners and Digital Cameras | |
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| Soundcards and Speakers | |
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| Video Cards | |
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| Index | |