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Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts

This manual for troubleshooting PC hardware problems creates a visual expert system for diagnosing component failure and identifying conflicts.

The seventeen diagnostic flowcharts at the core of this book are intended for the intermediate to advanced hobbyist, or the beginning technician.

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Tips and Techniques For Building Your Own PC

Compiled by the editors at TigerDirect.com

First things first. What do you need to build a computer? Believe us, it's not as complicated as it seems. Let's start with the case. The variety is staggering, with hundreds of styles, shapes and sizes available. We recommend that you look closely at the features. Some gorgeous PC cases are nightmares to work with, or are cheaply built. Get the best case you can afford, we recommend you ask for "tool-less" case design, which enables you to click - open, click - closed.

Most cases and motherboards use the ATX Formfactor, standardizing the sizes of the components and all of the power connections. Speaking of power: Although many PC cases are sold with a pre-installed power supply, check it carefully - your power requirements may exceed the capacity of the pre-installed unit. How do you know? Here's a quick guide:

Component Wattage Required

Component Wattage Required

Motherboard 15-30

Low-end CPU 20-50

Midrange to high-end CPU 40-100

RAM 7 per 128MB

PCI add-in card 5

Low to midrange graphics board 20-60

High-End graphics board 60-100

IDE hard drive 10-30

Optical drives 10-25

Do the math. You may need to purchase a higher-output power supply for your new PC. Once you've selected a case and power supply, be sure that you have the following items:

A set of screwdrivers (small, large, slot, Phillips), or a PC Tool Kit
An anti-static wrist strap
Needle-nosed pliers
CPU (processor)
CPU cooling fan and heat sink
Sound Card
Motherboard
One or more hard drives
Graphics card
One or more RAM DIMMs (Memory modules)
An operating system

That's basically it. And these days, anyone can build or upgrade a computer. It's really very simple and it can save you hundreds of dollars.

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Troubleshooting and Maintaining Your PC All-in-One For Dummies

Diagnose and solve your PC problems with this easy-to-understand guide. It shows you how to diagnose and solve the most common hardware and software problems your PC may encounter.

It also provides you with methods for preventing PC problems in the first place and clearly explains how to create a safe and secure PC environment.

• Walks you through ways to diagnose the most common PC hardware, software, and operating system problems.
• Gives clear and easy-to-understand solutions for confidently handling these problems.
• Provides methods to maintain your system to prevent future problems.
• Reviews an array of useful diagnostic and maintenance tools.
• Covers Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Troubleshooting and Maintaining Your PC All-in-One For Dummies helps you to confidently handle whatever PC problems you may encounter. Click here for more information.