Troubleshooting and Maintaining Your PC All-in-One For Dummies
3rd Edition
Published on 1. August 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
456 pages
978-1-119-37835-8 (ISBN)
Description
Stop being a prisoner to your PC!
Need a PC problem fixed in a pinch? Presto! Troubleshooting & Maintaining Your PC All-in-One For Dummies offers 5 books in 1 and takes the pain out of wading through those incomprehensible manuals, or waiting for a high-priced geek to show up days or weeks after you need them. Arming you with everything you need to get that pesky PC working for you ASAP, this handy guide walks you through all the steps to restoring whatever's making your PC go rogue --so you can get back to making it work for you.
There's nothing worse than firing up your PC only to discover it's inexplicably unresponsive. With this guide, you'll gain all the skills and insight you need to need to bring it back to life --and to prevent it from ever leaving you in the lurch again.
* Find out what's behind common PC problems
* Solve email and web woes, both big and small
* Perform regular maintenance and get serious about backups
* Troubleshoot to find solutions to your issues and learn proper maintenance to head off future headaches!
Your PC problems aren't as big as you think! Take matters into your own hands with the helpful instruction provided inside this book!
Need a PC problem fixed in a pinch? Presto! Troubleshooting & Maintaining Your PC All-in-One For Dummies offers 5 books in 1 and takes the pain out of wading through those incomprehensible manuals, or waiting for a high-priced geek to show up days or weeks after you need them. Arming you with everything you need to get that pesky PC working for you ASAP, this handy guide walks you through all the steps to restoring whatever's making your PC go rogue --so you can get back to making it work for you.
There's nothing worse than firing up your PC only to discover it's inexplicably unresponsive. With this guide, you'll gain all the skills and insight you need to need to bring it back to life --and to prevent it from ever leaving you in the lurch again.
* Find out what's behind common PC problems
* Solve email and web woes, both big and small
* Perform regular maintenance and get serious about backups
* Troubleshoot to find solutions to your issues and learn proper maintenance to head off future headaches!
Your PC problems aren't as big as you think! Take matters into your own hands with the helpful instruction provided inside this book!
More details
Other editions
New editions
Book
04/2021
Wiley
€41.00
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Previous edition
Book
06/2011
2nd Edition
Wiley
€40.90
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Person
Dan Gookin has been writing about technology for over 25 years. Perhaps his most famous title is the original DOS For Dummies, which became the world's fastest-selling computer book. He has written over 120 titles with 12 million copies in print and translated into over 32 languages. Dan's books are informative, entertaining, and never boring.
Content
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
How This Book Works 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 4
Book 1: Solve My Problem Now! 5
Chapter 1: Trouble Comes Hither 7
The Root of All PC Trouble 7
What's Changed? 8
Hardware versus Software Problems 11
When to Give Up 12
Chapter 2: Quick Fixes 15
Things to Try First 15
Help! 22
Book 2: O, We Got Trouble! 29
Chapter 1: Startup Problems 31
The Onset of PC Heartbreak 31
Phase I: Power On 32
Phase II: The POST 35
Phase III: Startup Options 36
Phase IV: The Search for an Operating System 42
Phase V: Operating System Initialization 44
Phase VI: Sign In to Windows 45
The Last Thing You Do 46
Chapter 2: Disk Disaster 47
PC Storage Overview 47
Mass Storage Tools and Utilities 59
Drive Management and Maintenance 61
Fun with Partitions 73
Chapter 3: Monitor Mayhem 83
The PC Graphics System 83
Captain Video Troubleshooter 96
Chapter 4: Internal Issues 107
Deep Inside the Case 107
Things to Upgrade, Fix, or Repair Inside the Case 115
Power Management Issues 127
Chapter 5: Printer Problems 135
Between the Computer and Printer 135
The Windows Side of Printing 143
Printer Driver Duties 151
Printer Problems and Solutions 154
Chapter 6: Peripheral Perils 159
Hardware Troubleshooting 160
Audio Anxieties 165
Keyboard and Mouse Woes 172
Chapter 7: Software Situations 181
Installation Issues 181
Banish the Unwanted 185
The Good and Evil of File Association 188
Common Software Problems and Solutions 194
Chapter 8: Network Nonsense 201
The Network Big Picture 201
Network Hardware Connection and Configuration 205
The Software Side of Networking 214
Network Troubleshooting 222
Network Problems and Solutions 226
Chapter 9: Shutdown Issues 229
Such a Turn-Off 229
Problems with Restarting 234
Shutdown Malaise 237
Book 3: Tools to Use 241
Chapter 1: Windows Recovery Environment 243
Startup Keys and Recovery Options 243
The Sacred Recovery Volume 249
The Windows Recovery Environment 252
Chapter 2: The Device Manager 261
Your Pal, the Device Manager 261
Device Manager Duties 265
Chapter 3: MSCONFIG and the Task Manager 271
The System Configuration Utility 271
MSCONFIG Startup Options 284
Chapter 4: Safe Mode 287
The Mode Is Safe 287
Safe Mode to the Rescue 288
Not Safe Mode Duties 299
Chapter 5: System Restore 301
The System Restore Philosophy 301
Restore the System, Restore Your Sanity 304
System Restore on Schedule 309
Chapter 6: The Task Manager 313
Task Control Central 313
Here a Task, There a Task 321
Chapter 7: The Windows Registry 325
Behold the Registry 325
Registry Cleaning 334
Chapter 8: Events and Diagnostics 335
What Has Gone On Here? 335
Diagnostics to the Rescue 339
Book 4: PC Security 347
Chapter 1: Windows Update 349
Windows Updates, Doesn't It? 349
Update Hiccups 353
Chapter 2: Keep Mr PC Safe 357
Malicious + Software = Malware 357
Windows Defender to the Rescue 361
Life Behind the Firewall 365
Chapter 3: Backup and Restore 371
An Emergency Copy 371
Prepare for Backup! 373
File Time-Travel 378
The System Image 381
Book 5: This Old PC 385
Chapter 1: Performance and Resources 387
The Relationship Between Performance and Resources 387
How Ya Doin', PC? 388
Chapter 2: More Mass Storage 395
The Mass Storage Pie 395
Get Yourself More Mass Storage Capacity 399
Even More Storage 407
Chapter 3: Boost PC Performance 411
Man, Your PC Is Slow! 411
Speed Up Your PC 413
Index 421
About This Book 1
How This Book Works 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 4
Book 1: Solve My Problem Now! 5
Chapter 1: Trouble Comes Hither 7
The Root of All PC Trouble 7
What's Changed? 8
Hardware versus Software Problems 11
When to Give Up 12
Chapter 2: Quick Fixes 15
Things to Try First 15
Help! 22
Book 2: O, We Got Trouble! 29
Chapter 1: Startup Problems 31
The Onset of PC Heartbreak 31
Phase I: Power On 32
Phase II: The POST 35
Phase III: Startup Options 36
Phase IV: The Search for an Operating System 42
Phase V: Operating System Initialization 44
Phase VI: Sign In to Windows 45
The Last Thing You Do 46
Chapter 2: Disk Disaster 47
PC Storage Overview 47
Mass Storage Tools and Utilities 59
Drive Management and Maintenance 61
Fun with Partitions 73
Chapter 3: Monitor Mayhem 83
The PC Graphics System 83
Captain Video Troubleshooter 96
Chapter 4: Internal Issues 107
Deep Inside the Case 107
Things to Upgrade, Fix, or Repair Inside the Case 115
Power Management Issues 127
Chapter 5: Printer Problems 135
Between the Computer and Printer 135
The Windows Side of Printing 143
Printer Driver Duties 151
Printer Problems and Solutions 154
Chapter 6: Peripheral Perils 159
Hardware Troubleshooting 160
Audio Anxieties 165
Keyboard and Mouse Woes 172
Chapter 7: Software Situations 181
Installation Issues 181
Banish the Unwanted 185
The Good and Evil of File Association 188
Common Software Problems and Solutions 194
Chapter 8: Network Nonsense 201
The Network Big Picture 201
Network Hardware Connection and Configuration 205
The Software Side of Networking 214
Network Troubleshooting 222
Network Problems and Solutions 226
Chapter 9: Shutdown Issues 229
Such a Turn-Off 229
Problems with Restarting 234
Shutdown Malaise 237
Book 3: Tools to Use 241
Chapter 1: Windows Recovery Environment 243
Startup Keys and Recovery Options 243
The Sacred Recovery Volume 249
The Windows Recovery Environment 252
Chapter 2: The Device Manager 261
Your Pal, the Device Manager 261
Device Manager Duties 265
Chapter 3: MSCONFIG and the Task Manager 271
The System Configuration Utility 271
MSCONFIG Startup Options 284
Chapter 4: Safe Mode 287
The Mode Is Safe 287
Safe Mode to the Rescue 288
Not Safe Mode Duties 299
Chapter 5: System Restore 301
The System Restore Philosophy 301
Restore the System, Restore Your Sanity 304
System Restore on Schedule 309
Chapter 6: The Task Manager 313
Task Control Central 313
Here a Task, There a Task 321
Chapter 7: The Windows Registry 325
Behold the Registry 325
Registry Cleaning 334
Chapter 8: Events and Diagnostics 335
What Has Gone On Here? 335
Diagnostics to the Rescue 339
Book 4: PC Security 347
Chapter 1: Windows Update 349
Windows Updates, Doesn't It? 349
Update Hiccups 353
Chapter 2: Keep Mr PC Safe 357
Malicious + Software = Malware 357
Windows Defender to the Rescue 361
Life Behind the Firewall 365
Chapter 3: Backup and Restore 371
An Emergency Copy 371
Prepare for Backup! 373
File Time-Travel 378
The System Image 381
Book 5: This Old PC 385
Chapter 1: Performance and Resources 387
The Relationship Between Performance and Resources 387
How Ya Doin', PC? 388
Chapter 2: More Mass Storage 395
The Mass Storage Pie 395
Get Yourself More Mass Storage Capacity 399
Even More Storage 407
Chapter 3: Boost PC Performance 411
Man, Your PC Is Slow! 411
Speed Up Your PC 413
Index 421