Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Windows 98 (Peter Norton (Sams))

Rating:
Summary: When you need to know, it's here.
Review: Despite the fact that Millenium and Win2K have been released, for support folks the version of Windows we most often encounter is still Win98. This book has just about everything you need to know about Windows 98 right there between the covers.

Unlike one of the other previous reviewers, I found the background and theory portions of the book to be incredibly useful in figuring out just what has gotten out of whack with a system that is giving me fits. The explanations of memory usage, peripheral drivers, and FAT32 should be required reading for anyone who does more than word processing on their computer.

Rating:
Summary: A lot of good material buried in theory.
Review: I bought this book because of the Peter Norton name. Now I am starting to wonder whether he has much familiarity with Windows98. The book is rather superficially written, and does not go into specifics if you are actually trying to fix something, or get something to work. If you wish to get Direct Cable Connection to work, for example, I would look elsewhere. Some things in this book are just dangerous. The authors suggest that the reader run a utility called LFNBK.EXE from the Windows CD. I did as they suggested and my computer was rendered unusable! The proper utility that performs what they describe is SULFNBK in the Windows\Command directory. Anyway, after that experience, I have lost all confidence in the book.

Rating:
Summary: Good in depth coverage, but hardware is somewhat dated.
Review: If you own the book "Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Windows 95" 1998 edition, then you don't need this one. Everything you must do is to replace "Windows 95" for "Windows 98" in all the book and you'll get 95% of this book. I am really disappointed with this one.

Rating:
Summary: Good Overview, but not for New Users or Troubleshooting.
Review: If you want a complete history of the Microsoft operating system, this is the book for you. It also gives a overview of the system and can help you see how the parts are connected. Unfortanetly, it seems to be written for someone who is upgrading from DOS V.1. The authors seem most concerned with getting old DOS programs and old hardware to work in Windows 98 and assume that anyone with new components and windows programs will never have a problem. This is not true!

The book assumes you are already familier with the old diagnostic tools. For example, it tells you that the untility Dr Watson is much improved but only hints at what the utility does and gives no instruction for using it. (you will not find Dr Watson on the start menu so new users will not be able to even open it.)

I bought the book mainly because I have a software problem with my new computer. This book told me about starting in safe mode and went on to say that if that did not work the problem could be very difficult to track down. Thank you Mr Norton.

Fortanetly.