The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Upgrading & Repairing PCs For the Bookshelf Major Keary

Upgrading & Repairing PCs 

Now in its 12th edition, Scott Mueller's Upgrading & Repairing PCs is the pre-eminent resource for technical information about PCs and peripherals. It is not simply a tabulated collection of data, switch settings, and specifications, but contains lucid explanations and descriptions of a wide range of hardware and devices. Older - and still quite reliable - equipment often cannot accept current cards, chips, and other things; this is a good source of specifications for legacy components and information about what is compatible with what.

A feature of special note is the companion CD, which contains amongst other things - the complete text of four previous editions (6, 8, 10, and 11)in PDF format. In other files are information about beep codes and error messages, and a treasure trove of further legacy documentation and data.

Current peripherals come in many kinds from numerous vendors and it is quite a task keeping up with the multiplicity of installation and configuration issues. Plug-and-play removes some of the confusion, but does not necessarily provide a solution for every situation. This text is where informed users are most likely to find answers to their specific hardware questions.

The standard of illustration is exceptionally high. Good use is made of line drawings and schematic diagrams to support the text, and the photographs used in a chapter on building a computer from scratch are a credit to the publisher.

Apart from explaining how to install or upgrade various components and peripherals, the author provides very good explanations of how each device works and includes plenty of trouble-shooting advice. Topics include CPUs, motherboards, BIOS, memory, IDE and SCSI interfaces, hard disks, optical storage, tape back-up systems, video hardware, ports, input devices, audio hardware, DVD, USB 2.0, networking, power supplies, printers and scanners, portable PCs, file systems and data recovery, diagnostic testing, maintenance, building a PC from scratch, and -of course - repairs and upgrades.

There was a time when choice of motherboard, CPU, and memory was a simple matter; advances in design - not to mention form factors - have changed that. Some 500 pages is devoted to these particular topics; the discussion is thorough and accompanied by what is surely the most complete listing of technical data to be found in any single source. There is even a section of CPU troubleshooting.

An encyclopaedic coverage of just about everything a PC user will want to know, and presented in clear language that ordinary PC users will find comprehensible and interesting. There is an assumption of a reasonable (but not professional) level of technical knowledge; in other words, not a reference for raw novices. Even if you are not familiar with the innards of a computer case, the CD has video clips that show step-by-step procedures. An essential resource for anyone who mans a PC help desk or who gives presentations on hardware.

Focusing On The Consumer

I have previously reviewed these two titles, but they deserve mention in the context of hardware. Each has a consumer focus, providing the kind of information consumers need in order to make the best choice for particular needs.

PC Hardware in a Nutshell addresses three PC-related areas: advice on evaluating different systems, components and peripherals; advice on installation and configuration; and necessary specifications and other data. The discussions on matching components, such as processors and memory, are particularly useful. Not included are printers, scanners, and modems.

The authors maintain http://www.hardwareguys.com where new and updated material is available, particularly relating to new equipment and components.

The writing is clear, and the technical depth is very good without overwhelm-ing the ordinary reader. A book that empowers consumers; descriptions and comparisons are presented in a way that enable readers to make informed decisions.

Linux Hardware Book has been written for two overlapping audiences: Users who want to run Linux on an existing system, but who need information about the compatibility of their existing hardware; and users who want to buy, build, or upgrade a system on which to run Linux. The focus is on systems running under Intel or Intel-compatible CPUs. The book includes scanners, modems, audio, printers, and SCSI/IDE interfaces.

Roderick Smith: Linux Hardware Handbook ISBN 0-672-31918-7 Published by SAMS, 695 pp.,  RRP $67.50 incl. GST

Reprinted from the March 2001 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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