Building a PC For Dummies (Building a PC for Dummies) | 
 enlarge | Author: Mark L. Chambers
Publisher: For Dummies
Category: Book
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $8.73
You Save: $16.26 (65%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 83277
Media: Paperback
Edition: 5
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 360
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 7.4 x 1
ISBN: 0471767727
Dewey Decimal Number: 621.3916
EAN: 9780471767725
ASIN: 0471767727
Publication Date: November 7, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
By buying components and assembling them yourself, you can save a little money and gain a lifetime of free technical support. Building a PC for Dummies removes the intimidation factor from building your own Intel-based personal computer, explains what you need, and shows you how to put everything together. It's a fine place to start if you've never assembled your own machine before and want to give the process a try. Author Mark L. Chambers describes what to look for when shopping for components, but he refrains from recommending any specific models or manufacturers. Building a PC for Dummies would be stronger if he had made such recommendations, the way Tom's Hardware Guide does. Even without a specific shopping list, this book makes it possible for a novice computer builder to make informed decisions about motherboards, processors, storage devices, expansion cards, and input devices. Chambers presents the assembly process logically, explaining how to install a component or two at a time while performing incremental testing. He includes troubleshooting information in each component's section, but it's odd that he puts his discussion of operating systems in an appendix--most system builders will want to see their creations run as soon as possible. --David Wall Topics covered: Buying and building a PC; selecting motherboards, processors, storage devices, expansion cards, and input devices.
Product Description
- Shows tech hobbyists how to build the perfect PC, whether they want to create the ultimate gaming machine or combine new and recycled parts to construct an inexpensive computer for a child
- The do-it-yourself craze is sweeping through the tech community, and this guide is now significantly revised and updated to cover the wide array of new hardware and accessories available
- Step-by-step instructions and dozens of photos walk first-time computer builders through the entire process, from building the foundation, and adding a processor and RAM, to installing a video card, configuring a hard drive, hooking up CD and DVD drives, adding a modem, and troubleshooting problems
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| Customer Reviews: Read 28 more reviews...
 Full of good information February 29, 2008
I learned so much from this book. I not only better understand how my computer works, but I now have confidence that I can build my own. I plan to buy more Dummies books about computers. Very helpful!
Informative Books September 25, 2007
I am new to the computer world and have found the books for dummies to be extremly helpful and very entertaining. I would recomend these books to anyone with computer questions or just for an amusing read. Carol from Ohio.
 Good enough for a beginner June 3, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am the typical "dummy" when it comes to computer hardware. But, I managed to build my first PC with the guidance from this book. You will not become a professional but will gain sufficient knowledge for you to learn the mechanics of assembling your own computer. The book also includes a glossary that serves as a useful reference tool.
**Sufficient information explained in an easy-to-understand manner**
 Superficial, dated February 20, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I found this on the "new books" shelf at the local library and took it home for a look-see.
I must say, I was disappointed. This book will not help anybody build a computer. The information is superficial and dated. There is a shortage of illustrations (NEED LOTS MORE PHOTOS!)
Now, I have indeed built my own computer, but that project would have been a disaster if this book had been my guide. Instead, I heartily recommend "Building the Perfect PC" by Thompson. (Interestingly, the blurb on the front cover of this Dummies book says "Build the perfect PC..." Coincidence? I think not). Less than a year ago, the Thompsons' book WAS my sole source, my cookbook for how to put together a computer, and it covered all the gotchas encountered in the process. It has abundant photos, and they're in color. With the rapid pace of computer development, even that is showing its age, and the authors aren't updating their web site as promised, but it's still leaps and bounds ahead of this "For Dummies" book.
Computer building for the hardware technophobe... November 4, 2005
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
(This is a review of the 5th edition)
I'll admit it... I buy my PCs when I upgrade. I'm getting more at ease with hardware since I've started doing all these book reviews, and I probably *could* build a PC now without too much angst, but I still buy. But if I were to decide that my next PC would be "home-built", I'd be comfortable with using the book Building a PC for Dummies by Mark L. Chambers.
Contents:
Part 1 - Can I Really Do This?: What's in a Computer, Anyway?; What Type of PC Should I Build?
Part 2 - Building Your PC: Building the Foundation - The Case and Motherboard; A Bag of Chips - Adding RAM and a CPU; The Three PC Senses - Ports, Mouse, and Keyboard; Images "R" Us - Adding Video and a Monitor; Make Room! Your Hard Drive and Other Storage Devices
Part 3 - Adding the Fun Stuff: Putting the Spin on CD-ROM and DVD; Let Your PC Rock!; Modems and the Call of the Internet
Part 4 - Adding the Advanced Stuff: Attack of the SCSI Monster; So You Want to Add a LAN?; Life in the Fast Lane with Broadband; Input and Output - Scanners, Cameras, Video Capture, and Printers; More Power User Toys
Part 5 - The Part of Tens: Ten Reasons Not to Buy a Retail PC; Ten Tools and Tasks for a Power User's PC; Ten Important Assembly Tips; Ten Ways to Speed Up Your PC; Ten Things to Avoid Like the Plague
Part 6 - Appendixes: Choosing Your Operating System; Glossary
Index
This book is most likely going to appeal to the hardware-phobic computer owner (like I was for quite awhile) or the first-time PC builder. Chambers has an amusing writing style which will make you smile as you figure out the next steps to take in your PC adventure. If you've already built a PC or you dwell in the land of needing to know every last technical spec of a device before you install it, there's probably not much here to offer you. Even I know most of the material *about* each device and what type of rationale you should apply (buying new vs. refurbished, why hard drive capacity is important, RAM is king, etc.). My downfall would be actually having all those devices spread out on a table with an empty computer case in front of me. But I'm pretty confident that I'd be able to stand a pretty good chance of getting everything to actually work the first time if I followed the information here. There's even a center section with color pictures to show you what to expect. It's a nice touch...
If you're looking for an approachable book on getting past your first computer build, this one would be a good choice. Easy to follow, fun to read, and the intimidation factor is nonexistent.
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