Prologue

You’re no dummy; we both know that. But something about computers often makes you feel like a dummy. And that’s perfectly understandable. Unlike today’s kids, you probably didn’t grow up with a computer in your kindergarten class, living room, or on the palm of your hand. With this blog, you’ll no longer feel helpless when you’re faced with a computer that refuses to work the way it should.

This blog doesn’t help you replace your computer’s motherboard or build a PC from scratch using custom-selected parts. Plenty of more advanced titles out there can help you with those chores.

No, this blog helps you with the types of upgrade and repair tasks that you’re most likely to encounter today: Upgrading an older PC to run Windows Vista, for instance, and making sure that everything works correctly. Adding a larger hard drive. Upgrading that video card to satisfy the needs of Windows Vista or a new computer game. Making sure your PC’s firewall is turned on and working correctly. Turning on the security option for your wireless network.

Simply put, this blog discusses the most common upgrading and repair problems facing computer users today. It explains what to buy, where to plug it in, and how to make sure that your computer knows what to do with it.

Welcome to Upgrading & Fixing PCs For Beginner, rejuvenated for its seventh edition, and celebrating more than a decade in print. Aimed at people who want to upgrade to Windows Vista or spice up their computers to take advantage of today’s latest technology, this blog contains several helpful new parts and updated sections:

• You’ll find a full-color 16-page insert with photos depicting exactly how you’re supposed to remove your PC’s case, install a card, connect a new hard drive, and perform other operations described in this blog.
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  This blog includes an updated visual Appendix that explains how to use all the ports on your computer and add any ports you might need.
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  It includes a network installation guide that helps you configure a network with both wired and wireless devices.
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  It provides details on installing or upgrading to Windows Vista — even onto a newly installed hard drive.
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  Computer parts need drivers — special software that helps Windows understand how to talk with them. Without a proper driver, Windows Vista probably won’t know how to talk to some parts of your computer. It contains everything you need to know about how Vista treats drivers: When you need them, where to find them, and how to install them successfully.
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  Windows Vista’s Home Premium edition lets you record TV shows onto your PC for later viewing or burning to DVD. The catch? Your PC needs a TV tuner, a device I explain how to buy and install in it.
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  DVD burners are the rage today, and I’ve explained their odd format terminology and incompatibilities in it.

Plus, this edition continues to include the information that hundreds of thousands of people have relied on for 14 years: information about upgrading and fixing video cards, hard drives, CD/DVD drives, memory chips, monitors, modems, printers, scanners, hard drives, and other popular computer parts.