Building a PC for Dummies

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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

FROM OUR EDITORS

Build your PC from scratch -- or just upgrade the one you have! It's easier than you think, with help from Mark Chambers. Buying parts, scavenging old systems, assembling the case and motherboard, adding RAM and CPU, video, hard drives, audio cards, modems, Ethernet, even off-the-beaten-track stuff like TV cards and web-based backup.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Choose your components, assemble them, and add cool stuff

Discover the fun of building a custom PC with everything you want, for less!

If you've ever dreamed of the perfect PC but figured building one required psychic powers, wake up! Here's your step-by-step guide to designing and building a truly unique system. Do you need bodacious amounts of RAM? Ultra high-resolution graphics? How about a cable modem? Your dream machine awaits!

The Dummies WayExplanations in plain English"Get in, get out" informationIcons and other navigational aidsTear-out cheat sheetTop ten listsA dash of humor and fun

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