Troubleshooting PCs for Dummies - Dan Gookin

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Résumé :

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 3

Part 1: Quick Solutions for Annoying Problems 5

Chapter 1: O Trouble, Hinder Thy Bidding! 7

The Secret Source of Computer Woe 7

The Four Horsemen of the Computer Apocalypse 8

New software and updates 9

New or failing hardware 9

Altered settings 10

Time 11

Hardware-versus-Software Problems 11

Dealing with software issues 12

Solving hardware issues 12

Addressing firmware issues 13

When and Whether to Give Up 13

Chapter 2: Quick Fixes 15

Things to Try First 15

Checking the Settings app 16

Restarting the PC 16

Restarting a stubborn PC or laptop 17

Running a troubleshooter 18

Repairing a program 19

Help! 20

Locating Internet support 20

Downloading drivers 22

Perusing forums 24

Contacting tech support 24

Avoiding remote desktop access 26

Table of Contents iii

Part 2: What's Wrong Now? 27

Chapter 3: Startup Problems 29

The Onset of PC Heartbreak 29

I Power On 30

What happens 30

What could go wrong 30

Troubleshooting steps 31

II The POST 33

What happens 33

What could go wrong 33

Troubleshooting steps 34

III Startup Options 35

What happens 35

What could go wrong 36

Troubleshooting steps 36

IV The Search for an Operating System 39

What happens 39

What could go wrong 40

Troubleshooting steps 40

V Operating System Initialization 41

What happens 41

What could go wrong 41

Troubleshooting steps 42

VI. Sign In to Windows 42

What happens 42

What could go wrong 43

Troubleshooting steps 43

The Last Thing You Do 43

Chapter 4: Deter Disk Disaster 45

Windows Storage Overview 45

The Drive Is Full 46

Measuring digital things 47

Using Storage Sense 48

Dealing with large files 49

Uninstalling programs and apps 50

Compressing files 51

More Mass Storage 52

Adding storage media 52

Removing media and mass storage 53

Replacing Drive C 55

Drive Management and Maintenance 56

Defragmentating a drive 56

Checking storage media for errors 58

Formatting media 59

Fun with Partitions 62

Examining drive partitions 63

Creating a new volume in unallocated space 64

Shrinking a volume 65

Extending a partition 67

Deleting a partition 69

Chapter 5: Monitor Mayhem 71

The PC Graphics System 71

Using the proper monitor terms 72

Exploring the PC's graphics system 72

Connecting the data cable 73

Discovering your PC's display adapter 75

Exploring the monitor 76

Adjusting the monitor 78

Saving your eyeballs 79

Captain Video Troubleshooter 80

Seeing nothing 81

Seeing nothing on the monitor 81

Seeing only the mouse pointer 81

Swapping hardware 82

Saving power 82

Adjusting the resolution and scale 84

Updating the video driver 85

Disabling the video driver 87

Chapter 6: Deep Inside the Case 89

Open and Shut 89

Opening the PC case 90

Exploring the guts 91

Closing the PC case 95

Things to Upgrade, Fix, or Repair Inside the Case 96

Upgrading the power supply 97

Replacing the clock battery 98

Expanding memory 99

Adding an expansion card 102

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Biographie:

Dan Gookin wrote the very first For Dummies book in 1991 and has authored several bestsellers with more than 11 million copies in print worldwide. His books have been translated into 32 languages, and he's known for making complex technology simple and fun....