PC Repair and Maintenance: A Practical Guide

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Summary: A superb manual for home use as a basic instructional
Review: PC Repair And Maintenance: A Practical Guide by computer repair technicians Joel Rosenthal and Kevin Irwin is a do-it-yourself guide to repairing common computers (running Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000 or XP) and is specifically meant and recommended for the non-specialist general reader. Easy-to-follow instructions, step-by-step tutorials, and an emphasis on practical and "hands-on" approaches fill the pages of this outstanding guide which is organized around the core principle that a deep understanding of "how a computer works" is not required to diagnose and repair basic problems. A superb manual for home use as a basic instructional and an ideal reference for anyone contemplating a career in the computer repair business, PC Repair And Maintenance is enhanced with a companion CD-ROM offering video tutorials on basic tasks such as installing a new memory card, hard drive, new battery, and more.

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Summary: ONE SOURCE INFORMATION
Review: THE HARDEST PART OF A PC REPAIR OR UPGRADE IS FINDING THE CORRECT INFORMATION TO DO THE JOB. USUALLY IT IS NECESSARY TO CONSULT MANY MANUFACTURERS MANUALS FOR THE HARDWARE PORTION OF THE JOB. ONCE THE HARDWARE WORK IS DONE THE REAL FUN USUALLY BEGINS, LOCATING THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO GET THE SOFTWARE TO WORK WITH THE HARDWARE. PC REPAIR & MAINTENANCE A PRACTICAL GUIDE PROVIDES AN EASY TO UNDERSTAND, COMPREHENSIVE, SINGLE SOURCE FOR BOTH THE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO REPAIR OR UPGRADE A PC. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book for the PC Novice
Review: This is an excellent starter book for people who would like to be able to do repairs and upgrades on their PC's but have had little hands-on experience.

The authors do a good job of covering a lot of areas without getting the reader lost in the technical jargon that is commom in other books of this type.

I am a teacher of computer science and I would recommend this book as a reference for anyone who owns a PC and doesn't want to pay through the nose for repairs every time their machine "coughs".

If this book saves the reader one trip to the service center then it is well worth the cost and then some. In addition it also contains some excellent advice on considerations when upgrading your current PC.

Rating:
Summary: This book is one to keep an eye on.
Review: When I first looked at the book I thought just another PC repair book, I was right and I was wrong. What I found was a very good information for the "real" world as well a helpful tool for the A+ exam.

The main text is only about 220 pages so no one topic is coverd to far in depth. Also there is no coverage for DOS or Nt, however Windows 9X, Me, 200o and XP are discussed. The book does a fairly decent job of examining the finer points.

I also like the coverage of the hardware side of the PC world, and this book has a good blend of both sides. The amount of information makes this a good prep tool for the A+ exam, although you will other resources.

While the books does have some color photos, they should have had all the pictures in color and this could be fixed in the next release. The book comes with a cd with several videos about CPUs, motherboards and other hardware devices. This makes a great add on.

One thing that lends real credability tot eh book is the practice questions, which are written by the highly respected Christopher Crayton and based on his A+ test guide. Overall this book is a very good learning tool and needs to be given serious conmsiderationfor the certification study.