PC Upgrade and Repair Bible Book

There's something immensely satisfying about thick technical computer books, and the PC Upgrade and Repair Bible is no exception. Throughout its not inconsiderable 1383 pages, the PCURB will leave only the most technical engineer hungry for more detail. Aimed at technically literate users already familiar with both the inside and outside of their PCs, the PCURB clearly explains a vast range of hardware issues, and what you can do about fixing them. It goes without saying CPUs, memory, storage, displays, networks and all manner of buses and I/O subsystems are covered in considerable detail. While some old ground is covered, it's still a handy reference. Beyond the basics, the PCURBdelves into diagnosis, repair, enhancements and the in's and out's of benchmarking. The latter is particularly useful for anyone who's wanted to interpret graphs and figures into a real-world message that perhaps it's time for a specific memory or CPU upgrade. Those who like getting their hands dirty will also enjoy construction sections which include literally cool tips on heatsinks and airflow. The final chapters describe how to build and configure both desktop PCs and even servers complete with FreeBSD Unix on a supplied CD. There's also a section of Q&As for revising certification exams. Of course there's nothing like mentioning specific products in an IT book to show it's not bang up-to-date. While there are namechecks to current technologies like RAMBUS memory and Streaming SIMD Extensions, it's the product sections which let the book down--for instance, the fastest Intel PIII is described as running at only 450Mhz. Fortunately specific products form a minor part of the whole, and don't get in the way of relatively timeless and extremely useful information. As such, the PCURBis a highly recommended technical resource for capable PC enthusiasts. --Gordon LaingRead More