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| Introduction | |
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| Using This Book | |
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| Choosing a Computer | |
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| Comparing Brands: Windows-Based Computers vs. Macintosh | |
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| Buying a Used Computer | |
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| Desktop vs. Latop | |
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| Comparing Features | |
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| The Deciding Factor: Service and Support | |
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| Buying Printers | |
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| Service Contracts for Other Items | |
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| Where to Buy | |
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| Preventing Problems | |
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| What Makes Computers Act Weird | |
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| Why Geeks Have Fewer Computer Problems | |
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| Getting Along with Your Computer | |
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| General Software Smarts | |
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| Backup Basics | |
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| Preventive Procedures | |
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| Startup Problems | |
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| No Power Light | |
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| Power Light On, Both CPU and Monitor Are On, but You Get No Video | |
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| Mac: There's Nothing on the Desktop | |
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| Windows: Reports "System Configuration Has Changed" | |
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| Windows: Reports "Hard Drive Failure" | |
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| Mac: Disk with Question Mark Appears | |
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| Screen Not as Expected | |
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| Date and Time Errors | |
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| Sad Mac Face or "Beep" Alarm | |
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| Immediate Crash: "System Error," Cursor or Screen Locks Up/Freezes, or Other Disabling Event | |
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| Computer Locks Up/Freezes Ten to Twenty Minutes After Startup | |
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| The Stubborn Ram | |
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| Reports "Out of Memory" or "Insufficient Memory" | |
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| Videovagaries | |
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| General Weirdness | |
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| Rolling Screen, Static, and/or Lines; No Clear Picture | |
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| Red-, Blue-, or Green-Tinted Screen | |
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| Only Partial Image On-Screen | |
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| Brightness Fluctuates | |
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| Screen Doesn't Respond to Commands | |
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| Old-Monitor Problems | |
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| Hard-Drive Issues | |
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| Mac: Hard-Drive Icon Missing | |
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| Silence | |
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| Knocking | |
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| Windows: Says "Insert System Disk" | |
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| Windows: Reports "Hard Drive Failure" | |
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| Windows: Reports "Data Error Reading Drive C" | |
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| Reports "Not Enough Space to Store" or "Unable to Write to Disk" | |
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| Floppy-Disk Failures | |
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| Can't Read Disks from Other People's Computers | |
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| Can't Transfer Information to Floppy | |
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| Disk Is Reportedly Full but That Seems Impossible | |
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| Every Disk Is Locked | |
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| Can't Insert Floppy | |
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| Can't Eject Floppy | |
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| Disk Errors on Floppy | |
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| Noisy Floppy | |
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| Coping With the CD-ROM Drive | |
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| CD Doesn't Show Up When You Put It In/Can't Read CD | |
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| Audio CD Doesn't Play | |
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| Computer Freezes When CD-ROM Is in Use | |
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| Terrors of the Tape Drive | |
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| Installation Trouble | |
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| Problems Restoring Data | |
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| Freezes | |
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| Reasoning With the Removable Storage Device | |
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| Drive Not Working | |
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| Can't Read Disk | |
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| Disk Noisy When Inserted | |
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| Computer Freezes When Drive Is Used | |
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| Can't Write to Disk/Error Message Appears | |
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| Calming the Keyboard | |
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| Spill on Keyboard | |
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| Windows: Keyboard Not Working | |
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| Mac: Keyboard Not Working | |
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| One Key Doesn't Work | |
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| Pressing One Key Delivers Another Character | |
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| Taming the Mouse/Pointer Device | |
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| Mouse Needs CPR | |
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| Windows: Mouse Won't Cooperate with Modem | |
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| Mouse Lies Down on the Job | |
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| Schanner Solutions | |
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| Scanning for Beginners | |
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| Scanning Without a Scanner | |
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| Scanner Doesn't Scan | |
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| Scanner Light Isn't Working | |
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| Pointers for Printers | |
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| Printer Having a Tantrum | |
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| Not Printing | |
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| Produces Blank Page | |
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| Prints Garbage | |
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| Paper Jam | |
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| Won't Grab Paper | |
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| Won't Print from One Particular Program | |
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| Quality Is Poor | |
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| Can't Find Supplies for Printer | |
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| Mac: Printer Quits Partway Through Job | |
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| Printing Sideways | |
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| Printing Envelopes | |
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| Making the Modem Mind you | |
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| Modem Not Working | |
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| Seems Slow | |
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| Particular Program Can't See the Modem | |
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| Dialing Problems | |
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| Disabling Call Waiting | |
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| Silent Modem | |
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| Connection Failure | |
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| Faxing on Your Computer | |
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| Sound-Card Solutions | |
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| No Sound | |
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| Sound Unsatisfactory | |
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| Only Some Programs Produce Sound | |
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| Intermittent Sound | |
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| Other Sounds Work but You Cannot Play an Audio CD | |
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| Laptop Techniques | |
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| Can't Find Battery | |
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| Battery Won't Charge | |
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| Won't Turn On | |
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| Doesn't Recognize PC Card | |
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| Can't Eject PC Card | |
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| Doesn't Show Network or Get Dial Tone | |
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| No Video | |
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| Video Problems | |
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| Keyboard Not Working | |
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| Trackball Goes on Strike | |
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| Trackpad Doesn't Work/Cursor Is Jumpy | |
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| Won't Go to Sleep | |
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| Traveling with Your Laptop | |
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| Making a Presentation | |
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| Application/Software Problems | |
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| Can't Install Software or Upgrade | |
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| Software Locks Up/Freezes | |
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| Can't Print from Application | |
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| Mac: Bomb Appears When You Pick a Different Font | |
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| Mac: Application Frequently "Unexpectedly Quits" | |
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| Uninstalling/Reinstalling Application Software | |
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| Identifying Software Version | |
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| Document/File Dilemmas | |
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| Problems Transferring Files | |
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| Problems Converting Files | |
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| Problems Finding a File | |
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| File Deleted in Error | |
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| File Cannot Be Opened | |
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| Mac: Application Is Missing | |
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| Mac: Processing Is Slow | |
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| Mac: Calls for Ejected Disk | |
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| Lost Password on a File | |
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| Recovering Data | |
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| Limiting Damage in an Emergency | |
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| Reports "Document Cannot Be Read" | |
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| Getting to Data After a Crash | |
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| If You Had No Backup | |
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| Getting Professional Help | |
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| Using the Internet | |
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| Choosing a Provider | |
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| Trouble Connecting | |
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| Images Slow to Appear | |
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| Sending and Receiving E-Mail on the Road | |
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| Sending and Receiving E-Mail Without Internet Access | |
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| Sending Files | |
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| Credit-Card Protection | |
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| Surfing the Net | |
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| Down-loading | |
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| Preventing Unwanted E-Mail | |
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| Controlling What the Kids Can See | |
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| Crashes/Lockups/Freezes While You Are on the Internet | |
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| Browser Error Messages | |
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| Transfer Is Interrupted" | |
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| When the Computer Seems to have A Ming of its Own | |
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| Any Odd Behavior | |
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| Periodic Freezes/Lockups | |
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| Computer Is Slow | |
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| Routine Operation Gets Strange Results | |
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| Program Opens Other Than the One You Tried to Open | |
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| Mac: Icons Look Strange | |
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| Random Characters Appear | |
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| "Blue Screen of Death" | |
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| Mac: Trash Won't Empty | |
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| Security Issues | |
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| Password Forgotten | |
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| Creating Crack-Proof Passwords | |
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| Preventing Theft | |
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| Removing Information from Your Computer Before You Sell It | |
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| Computer-to-Computer Communication | |
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| Exchanging Word-Processing Documents | |
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| Exchanging Quicken Files | |
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| Exchanging a Database | |
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| Exchanging Spreadsheets | |
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| Sending/Receiving a Computer File Using a Fax | |
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| Getting the Best Service | |
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| Guidelines When Calling for a Pickup or Dropping the Computer Off for Repair | |
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| What to Take to the Service Center | |
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| When Sending Away a Computer Under Warranty | |
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| When the Computer Is Not Under Warranty | |
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| When the News Is Bad | |
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| Retirement Planning for Your Computer | |
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| Upgrade It | |
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| Sell It | |
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| Donate It | |
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| Keep It | |
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| Basic Procedures | |
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| Minimum System Startup | |
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| Reinstalling the Operating System | |
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| Resolving Driver/Extension Conflicts-Reinstalling Drivers/Extensions | |
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| Year 2000 (Y2K) Problems | |
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| Hardware | |
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| Operating System | |
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| Software | |
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| Definitions | |
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| Resources | |
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| Index | |