A+^TMáJumpstart: PC Hardware & Operating Systems Basics

by Faithe Wempen (Computer Support Technician and Trainer)

• ISBN13: 9780782141269
• ISBN10: 0782141269
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: Sybex

Summary

Build Your Computer Career on a Solid Foundation Whether you're setting out to earn your A+ certification or just want to know more about how a PC works, A+ JumpStart: PC Hardware and Operating Systems Basics is the place to start. Inside, an experienced PC technician and author demystifies every aspect of PC technology, giving you a firm footing from which you can work towards and realize your goals. Coverage includes: * PC safety and preventive maintenance * Motherboard selection and setup * CPU and memory types * How video cards and monitors work * Setting up hard drives * Selecting and configuring expansion boards * Electricity basics * Selecting, installing, and troubleshooting printers * Selecting and setting up network components * Configuring Windows for network file and printer sharing * Device resource management in Windows * Troubleshooting Windows * Setting up Internet connections

Author Biography

Faithe Wempen, M.A., is an A+ Certified PC Technician and owner of Your Computer Friend

Table of Contents

Introduction	xii
Safety and Preventive Maintenance	1	(15)
Preventing the PC from Hurting You	2	(2)
Electricity Precautions	2	(1)
Proper Working Attire	3	(1)
Safe Hazardous Materials Disposal	3	(1)
Avoiding Hurting the PC	4	(3)
The Evils of Electrostatic Discharge	4	(1)
Understanding Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)	5	(1)
The Hazards of Magnets	5	(2)
Preventing Power Fluctuations	7	(1)
Surge Suppressor	7	(1)
Power Conditioner	7	(1)
UPS	7	(1)
Cleaning a PC	8	(8)
Cleaning Supplies	8	(1)
Cleaning a Circuit Board	8	(1)
Cleaning the Inside of the PC	9	(1)
Cleaning a Monitor	9	(1)
Cleaning a Keyboard	10	(1)
Cleaning a Mouse	11	(1)
Cleaning a Printer	12	(4)
A Look Inside a PC	16	(18)
What You See from the Outside	18	(5)
Removing the Cover	23	(1)
A First Look at the Inside	24	(10)
Motherboard	24	(2)
Central Processing Unit (CPU)	26	(2)
RAM	28	(1)
Drives	28	(2)
Expansion Boards	30	(2)
Power Supply	32	(2)
A Closer Look at the Motherboard	34	(24)
Motherboard Form Factors	36	(6)
The AT Motherboard	36	(4)
The ATX Motherboard	40	(2)
What Makes Up a Motherboard?	42	(12)
Buses: The Circuits in Circuit Board``	42	(1)
CPU Slot or Socket	43	(1)
RAM Slots	44	(2)
Expansion Slots	46	(2)
Drive Connectors	48	(1)
Battery	49	(1)
Chipset	50	(1)
Jumpers	51	(1)
BIOS and CMOS	52	(2)
Working with the BIOS Setup Program	54	(4)
Understanding CPUs	58	(18)
How a CPU Works	60	(3)
How Data Is Processed	60	(1)
Data Processing speed	61	(1)
Interaction with RAM	62	(1)
Types of CPU Packaging	63	(6)
Pre-PGA CPUs	63	(1)
PGA CPUs	64	(3)
SEC CPUs	67	(2)
A History of CPU Features	69	(7)
8086/8088 CPUs	69	(1)
80286 CPUs	69	(1)
80386 CPUs	70	(1)
80486 CPUs	70	(1)
Pentium CPUs	71	(1)
Pentium Pro CPUs	72	(1)
Pentium II, III, and 4 CPUs	72	(4)
Understanding Memory	76	(18)
Types of Memory	78	(4)
Read-Only Memory (ROM)	78	(1)
Random Access Memory (RAM)	79	(3)
Understanding the Differences in RAM	82	(6)
RAM Banks and Packaging	82	(2)
Parity Checking	84	(1)
RAM Capacity	85	(1)
Speed	86	(1)
Technology	86	(2)
Virtual Memory: The Un-Memory	88	(2)
Installing and Removing Memory	90	(4)
SIMMs	90	(1)
DIMMs	91	(3)
How Video Cards and Monitors Work	94	(22)
The Video Subsystem	96	(3)
Display Resolution	97	(1)
Color Depth	97	(2)
Video Cards	99	(7)
Video Card Memory	99	(3)
What Makes One Video Card Better than Another?	102	(2)
Video Driver	104	(2)
Monitors	106	(5)
How CRTs Work	106	(1)
How LCDs Work	107	(1)
Monitor Resolution	108	(1)
Interlacing	109	(1)
Refresh Rate	109	(1)
Monitor Driver	110	(1)
Adjusting Display Settings in Windows	111	(1)
Troubleshooting Display Problems	112	(4)
No Display at All	112	(1)
Garbled Display in Windows	112	(1)
Bad Colors or Pixels	112	(1)
Black Ring	113	(1)
Display Problems with a Specific Application	113	(3)
Introduction to Disk Drives	116	(18)
Types of Drives	118	(1)
How a Drive Operates Physically	119	(7)
Read/Write Heads	119	(1)
Electromagnetic Storage	120	(3)
Optical Storage	123	(3)
How Disks Store Data	126	(8)
Tracks, Sectors, and Cylinders	126	(2)
Partitioning	128	(1)
Formatting	129	(2)
Boot Sectors	131	(1)
File Allocation Tables (FATs)	131	(1)
Root Directories	132	(2)
Focus on Hard Drives	134	(24)
Introducing the Hard Drive	136	(1)
Drive Interfaces	137	(6)
IDE	137	(3)
SCSI	140	(3)
Measures of Hard Drive Performance	143	(2)
Maximum Data Transfer Rate	143	(1)
Read and Write Seek Times	143	(1)
Latency	143	(1)
Rotational Speed	144	(1)
Installing Hard Drives	145	(4)
Step 1: Set the Jumpers	145	(1)
Step 2: Put the Drive in a Bay	145	(1)
Step 3: Connect It to the Motherboard	146	(1)
Step 4: Connect It to the Power Supply	147	(1)
Step 5: Set Up the BIOS	148	(1)
Preparing a Hard drive for Use	149	(5)
Starting the PC	149	(1)
Partitioning	150	(3)
Disk Formatting	153	(1)
Common Hard Drive Problems	154	(4)
BIOS Doesn't See the Drive	154	(1)
No Drive Letter at Command Prompt Or In My Computer	154	(1)
Can't See Files on Drive	154	(1)
Data Error or Problems with a Specific File	154	(4)
Focus on Removable Disk Drives	158	(14)
Installing Removable Disk Drives	160	(6)
Step 1: Select and Prepare a Drive Bay	160	(1)
Step 2: Install the Drive in the Bay	161	(1)
Step 3: Connect the Motherboard and Power Supply to the Drive	162	(1)
Step 4: Connect Any Additional Cables Required	162	(1)
Step 5: Set Up the BIOS	163	(1)
Considerations for Specific Drive Types	164	(2)
Working with Floppy Disks	166	(6)
Selecting Floppies	166	(1)
Formatting a Floppy	166	(2)
Write-Protecting a Floppy	168	(1)
Common Problems with Removable Drives	168	(4)
A Look at Some Expansion Boards	172	(16)
Installing an Expansion Board	174	(2)
Selecting and Configuring a Modem	176	(6)
Types and Features	176	(2)
Installing a Modem	178	(1)
Common Modem Problems	179	(3)
Selecting and Configuring a Sound Card	182	(6)
Waveform and MIDI Sounds	182	(1)
Types and Features	183	(1)
Installing a Sound Card	184	(1)
Common Sound Card Problems	184	(4)
A Few Other Essential Components	188	(20)
Keyboards	190	(3)
Adjusting Keyboard Operation	190	(1)
Keyboard Types and Features	191	(1)
Keyboard Troubleshooting	192	(1)
Mouse	193	(4)
Types and Features	193	(2)
Loading Mouse Drivers	195	(1)
Adjusting Mouse Operation	195	(1)
Mouse Troubleshooting	195	(2)
Cases	197	(1)
Form Factors	197	(1)
Bays	197	(1)
Electricity Basics	198	(3)
Positive and Negative Charge	198	(1)
Volts	198	(1)
Amps	199	(1)
Watts	199	(1)
Resistance	199	(1)
Grounding	200	(1)
AC versus DC	200	(1)
Power Supplies	201	(7)
Wattage Ratings	201	(1)
Troubleshooting Power Supply Problems	202	(1)
Testing a Power Supply	203	(5)
Printing Basics	208	(20)
Common Printer Features	210	(3)
Electronic Control Unit	210	(1)
Memory (RAM)	210	(1)
Paper Transport System	211	(1)
Printing System	211	(1)
ROM and Fonts	211	(2)
Measurements of Printer Performance	213	(2)
Print Quality	213	(1)
Print Speed	214	(1)
Printer Types	215	(4)
Dot Matrix	215	(1)
Laser	216	(1)
Inkjet	217	(2)
How a Printer Communicates with a PC	219	(4)
Physical Connection	219	(1)
Printer Drivers	220	(3)
Cleaning a Printer	223	(1)
Common Printer Problems	224	(4)
Paper Jams	224	(1)
Laser Quality Problems	224	(1)
Inkjet Quality Problems	225	(3)
Introduction to Networking	228	(22)
Basic Network Concepts	230	(5)
Peer-to-Peer versus Client/Server	230	(1)
Network Topology	231	(1)
Network Operating Systems	232	(1)
Types of Networks	233	(1)
How a Network Moves Data	233	(2)
Networking Hardware	235	(8)
Network Interface Card	235	(1)
Hub	236	(1)
Cables	236	(1)
Expansion Devices	237	(1)
Wireless Networking	237	(1)
Connecting a Peer-to-Peer Network	238	(1)
Setting Up Windows Networking	238	(1)
What Windows Needs	238	(1)
Seeing What's Already Installed	239	(1)
Installing the NIC Driver	240	(1)
Installing the Clients and Protocols	241	(2)
Sharing Files and Printers on a Network	243	(3)
Sharing a Folder or Drive	244	(1)
Sharing a Printer	245	(1)
Accessing Shared Network Resources	246	(4)
Accessing Shared Folders	246	(1)
Using a Shared Printer	247	(3)
Operating System Basics	250	(16)
What an Operating System Does	252	(4)
Command Line Operating Systems	252	(1)
GUI Operating Systems	253	(1)
It's All about Memory Management	253	(3)
Windows Versions	256	(6)
Windows 3.1	256	(1)
Windows 95, 98, and Millennium Edition	257	(1)
Windows NT and 2000	258	(2)
Windows XP	260	(1)
Selecting an Operating System	260	(2)
Windows Setup	262	(4)
The Setup Process	263	(1)
Upgrading from Earlier Windows Versions	263	(1)
Dual-Booting	264	(2)
Starting Up a PC	266	(16)
What Happens When a PC Starts Up?	268	(5)
The MS-DOS Boot Process	268	(1)
The Windows 9x Boot Process	269	(2)
The Windows 2000 Boot Process	271	(1)
How Dual Booting Works	271	(2)
Alternative Windows Startup Modes	273	(3)
Displaying the Startup Menu	273	(1)
Safe Mode	274	(1)
Logged Mode	275	(1)
Step-by-Step Confirmation	275	(1)
Command Prompt Only	275	(1)
Starting with a Windows 9x Startup Disk	276	(3)
Making a Startup Disk	276	(1)
Using a Startup Disk	277	(2)
The windows Recovery Console	279	(3)
Entering the Recovery Console	279	(1)
Using the Recovery Console	279	(3)
Essential Windows Tools and Skills	282	(14)
Checklist of File Management Skills	284	(2)
A Tour of Windows Tools and Utilities	286	(2)
Installing and Removing Windows Programs	288	(2)
Adding and Removing Applications	288	(1)
Adding and Removing Windows Components	289	(1)
Using a Command Prompt	290	(6)
Displaying a Command Prompt	290	(1)
Navigating Between Locations at a Command Prompt	291	(1)
Working with Files at a Command Prompt	292	(4)
Working with Devices in Windows	296	(12)
Introduction to Device Resources	298	(7)
Viewing Resource Assignments	299	(3)
Installing New Devices	302	(1)
Plug and Play Devices	302	(1)
Non-Plug and Play Devices	303	(1)
Removing Devices	304	(1)
Resolving Resource Conflicts	305	(3)
Troubleshooting Windows Problems	308	(14)
Avoiding and Removing Viruses	310	(3)
Precautions to Avoid Viruses	311	(1)
Detecting and Removing Viruses	312	(1)
Correcting Windows Problems	313	(3)
System Lockup with Frozen Mouse Pointer	313	(1)
System Lockup with Operational Mouse Pointer	314	(1)
Application Quits with Error Message	315	(1)
Nothing Happens When Starting Application	315	(1)
Working without a Mouse	316	(1)
Doing a Controlled Shutdown	317	(1)
Correcting the Underlying Problem	318	(4)
Setting Up Internet Connections	322	(17)
Understanding Internet Connectivity	324	(2)
Types of Internet Connections	324	(2)
Understanding Internet Protocols	326	(4)
TCP/IP	326	(2)
Connection Protocols	328	(1)
Communication Protocols	328	(2)
Setting Up an Internet Connection	330	(5)
Setting Up a Dial-Up Connection	331	(3)
Non-Dial-Up Connections	334	(1)
Internet Connection Sharing	335	(1)
Troubleshooting Internet Connections	336	(1)
Conclusion	337	(2)
Appendix A What's in a PC Technician's Toolkit	339	(4)
Appendix B Answers to Review Questions	343	(12)
Appendix C Glossary	355	(12)
Index	367