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Contents Contents
Preface..............................................................................................ix
Acknowledgments ..............................................................................xii
Part I: Buying a PC ...........................................................1
Chapter 1: How to Buy a New Computer ..............................................3
Computer Concepts ...................................................................................................................................4
Digital data .............................................................................................................................................7
Memory and storage .............................................................................................................................8
Basic operation ...................................................................................................................................10
PC Components ........................................................................................................................................11
A system of systems ...........................................................................................................................14
Connecting external devices .............................................................................................................18
Reading the Specs ....................................................................................................................................19
What to Buy ...............................................................................................................................................21
System cost ..........................................................................................................................................26
Desktop versus notebook ..................................................................................................................27
Expandability .......................................................................................................................................32
User Profiles ..............................................................................................................................................33
Home office/basic productivity .........................................................................................................33
Creative work .......................................................................................................................................34
Games and entertainment ..................................................................................................................35
Web browsing/e-mail ..........................................................................................................................35
When to Buy ..............................................................................................................................................36
Planning and research ........................................................................................................................37
System type ..........................................................................................................................................38
Where to Buy .............................................................................................................................................39
Retail versus direct .............................................................................................................................39
Service .................................................................................................................................................41
Refurbished PCs ..................................................................................................................................41
Chapter 2: Microprocessors and Memory ............................................43
The Processor ...........................................................................................................................................44
How it works ........................................................................................................................................44
Processor types ...................................................................................................................................45
Speed ....................................................................................................................................................47
L1 and L2 cache ...................................................................................................................................48
Architecture .........................................................................................................................................52
Processor alternatives ........................................................................................................................56 Notebook processors .........................................................................................................................57
Multiprocessor systems .....................................................................................................................59
Physical connections ..........................................................................................................................60
Logical connections ............................................................................................................................62
Chipsets and BIOS ...............................................................................................................................64
Recommendations ..............................................................................................................................66
Memory ......................................................................................................................................................68
SIMMs, DIMMs, SO-DIMMs, and RIMMs ............................................................................................69
Memory types ......................................................................................................................................71
Virtual Channel Memory ....................................................................................................................76
Error correction ..................................................................................................................................77
Recommendations ..............................................................................................................................78
Chapter 3: Hard Disks and Removable Drives ......................................81
Hard Drives ................................................................................................................................................82
How it works ........................................................................................................................................82
Drive specifications ............................................................................................................................87
Hard drive interfaces ..........................................................................................................................93
Recommendations ............................................................................................................................104
Removable Drives ...................................................................................................................................105
Floppy drives .....................................................................................................................................107
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM ....................................................................................................................107
Removable storage options .............................................................................................................112
Recommendations ............................................................................................................................117
Chapter 4: Video Cards and Monitors ................................................121
Video Cards .............................................................................................................................................121
Resolution ....................................