PCs for dummies / / by Dan Gookin.

• Superior document: --For dummies series
• VerfasserIn: Gookin, Dan,
• Place / Publishing House: Hoboken, New Jersey : : John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated,, [2016]; 2016
• Year of Publication: 2016
• Edition: Thirteenth edition.
• Language: English
• Series: --For dummies.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (363 pages) :; illustrations (some color).
• Notes: Includes index.

Overview: The bestselling PC reference on the planet-now available in its 13th edition. Completely updated to cover the latest technology and software, the 13th edition of PCs For Dummies tackles using a computer in friendly, human terms. Focusing on the needs of the beginning computer user, while a...

Table of Contents

• Introduction:
• What's new in this edition?
• Where to start
• Conventions used in this book
• Foolish assumptions
• Icons used in this book
• Where to go from here
• Part 1: Hello, PC!:
• What Is This Thing, This PC?:
• Some Quick Questions To Get Out Of The Way:
• What is a PC?
• Why not just use a tablet or smartphone instead of a PC?
• Should I buy a Dell?
• Will my computer explode?
• Basic Computer Concepts In Easily Digestible Chunks:
• What a computer does
• Hardware and software
• Buy Yourself A PC!:
• Step 1: What do you want the PC to do?
• Step 2: Find software
• Step 3: Match hardware to the software
• Step 4: Locate service and support
• Step 5: Buy it!
• What to do with an old computer
• Final thing to remember
• PC Knobs, Buttons, And Doodads Tour:
• Big picture
• All Around The Console:
• There is no typical console
• Major points of interest on the console, front
• Stuff found on the console's rump
• I/O panel
• Helpful hints, hieroglyphics, and hues
• PC Setup:
• Computer Assembly:
• Unpacking the boxes
• Setting up the console
• Plugging in and connecting
• Plugging-Things-In Guide:
• Attaching the keyboard and mouse
• Setting up the monitor
• Connecting to the network
• Adding a printer
• Hooking up the speakers
• It Must Have Power:
• Plugging everything into a power strip
• Taking advantage of a UPS
• Using the UPS (a short play)
• Both On And Off:
• Turn on your PC
• Windows, ahoy!
• Turn Off The Computer:
• Shutting down Windows
• Putting Windows to sleep
• Restarting the PC
• Signing out
• Reviewing other shutdown options
• Should You Leave Mr PC On All The Time?:
• I want to leave my computer off all the time
• I want to leave my computer on all the time
• Part 2: Nerd's-Eye View:
• Deep Inside The Console:
• Computer Guts:
• Looking under the hood
• Powering Mr computer
• Lurking on the motherboard
• Corralling all the mass storage devices
• King Processor:
• Understanding the processor's role
• Naming PC processors
• Measuring processor speed
• Discovering your PC's processor
• Your Computer Is Also A Timepiece:
• Viewing the date and time
• Using the Internet to set the clock
• PC Memory:
• What is computer memory?
• Tasty chocolate memory chips
• Memory, one byte at a time
• Memory Q & A:
• How much memory is in my PC right now?
• Do I have enough memory?
• Does my PC have enough memory?
• Can I test whether my PC has enough memory?
• Can I add memory to my PC?
• Will the computer ever run out of memory?
• What is virtual memory?
• What is video memory?
• What about shared video memory?
• Mass Storage System:
• PC's Mass Storage System:
• Surveying the mass storage landscape
• Identifying the primary storage device
• Finding mass storage devices
• Inserting a media card or thumb drive
• Inserting an optical disc
• Ejecting media
• Adding more storage
• Mass Storage Alphabet:
• Handing out drive letters
• Exploring drive icons and names
• Checking drive capacity
• Using mass storage
• Accessing removable media
• Merry Monitor Mayhem:
• PC's Graphics System:
• Minding the monitor
• Discovering the display adapter
• Show Me What Ya Got:
• Measuring a monitor
• Connecting the monitor to the PC
• Reading monitor messages
• Working the monitor's controls
• Windows Controls What You See:
• Setting resolution
• Adding a second monitor
• Orienting the monitor
• Input This!:
• Meet Mr Keyboard:
• Attaching a keyboard
• Examining the typical PC keyboard
• Using modifier keys
• Changing keyboard behavior keys
• Touring some useful keys
• Understanding strange keys
• Understanding keys for math
• Controlling the keyboard in Windows
• Say "Eeek!" To The Mouse:
• Connecting the mouse
• Reviewing basic mouse parts
• Exploring mouse species
• Moving the mouse
• Changing mouse settings
• Touchscreen Input:
• Using basic touchscreen techniques
• Typing on a touchscreen
• System Expansion:
• It's a port
• Versatile USB Port:
• Understanding USB cables
• Connecting a USB device
• Working with USB-powered gizmos
• Removing a USB device
• Using hubs to expand the USB universe
• Expansion Slots:
• Shopping for expansion cards
• Adding an expansion card
• Bluetooth Thing:
• Checking for Bluetooth
• Controlling Bluetooth in Windows
• Pairing a Bluetooth peripheral
• Reviewing paired devices
• Un-pairing a Bluetooth device
• P Is For Printer:
• Printer, The Paper, The Document Maker:
• Surveying the printer landscape
• Touring the typical printer
• Using the printer's control panel
• Drinking ink
• Eating paper
• Choosing the proper paper
• Where The Printer Meets The PC:
• Connecting the printer
• Finding printers in Windows
• Setting the default printer
• Printer Operation:
• Printing something
• Stopping a printer run amok
• PC Audio Abilities:
• Noisy PC: Setting up speakers
• Using headphones
• Exploring microphone options
• Sound Control In Windows:
• Configuring the speakers
• Configuring the microphone
• Enabling the microphone
• Adjusting the volume
• Windows goes bleep
• It Listens:
• Recording our own sounds
• Dictating to the PC
• Part 3: Basic Computing:
• Relevant Parts Of Windows:
• What's an operating system?
• Windows And Its Gooey, Glorious Graphical Interface:
• Starting at the desktop
• Working the taskbar
• Accessing the start menu
• Looking at the notifications area
• Summoning the action center
• Settings And Controls:
• Using the settings app
• Visiting the control panel
• Programs On Your PC:
• Software nomenclature
• Run That Program:
• Hunting down programs in Windows
• Starting an app from tablet mode
• Finding a program when you know its name
• Pinning a program
• Install And Remove Programs:
• Obtaining software from the Internet
• Installing a program from external media
• Uninstalling a program
• Fun With Files And Folders:
• Behold The File!:
• Describing a file
• Creating a new file
• Understanding the filename extension
• Folder Folderol:
• Understanding subfolders and parent folders
• Finding a place for your stuff
• Making a new folder
• Working with folders in the open and save as dialog boxes
• Manage Files Because They Can't Manage Themselves:
• Selecting files
• Manipulating files
• Finding files lost, missing, or dead
• Life On The Cloud:
• Cloud thing
• Cloud Storage:
• Adding a cloud storage service
• Copying a file to cloud storage
• Accessing cloud storage from another device
• Online Media:
• Keeping your pictures on cloud storage
• Accessing cloud storage pictures
• Sharing a picture from cloud storage
• Listening to your cloud music
• Weird World Of Networking:
• Why network?
• Network Hardware:
• Reviewing the network configuration
• Setting up a gateway
• Network Connection:
• Connecting to a wired network
• Connecting to a wireless network
• Connecting to a hidden Wi-Fi network
• Checking the network type
• Resetting the network type
• Disconnecting from a network
• Forgetting a Wi-Fi connection
• On The Network:
• Accessing a network folder
• Mapping a network drive
• Sharing a folder
• Accessing shared media
• Activating media sharing on your PC
• Part 4: Your Digital Life:
• Internet Refresher:
• What is the Internet?
• Internet access
• It's A World Wide Web We Weave:
• Finding another web browser
• Locating the web browser commands
• Going undercover on the web
• Browsing tips
• Printing web pages
• Searching-the-web tips
• Get Stuff From A Web Page:
• Saving an image from a web page
• Copying text from a web page
• Sharing a web page
• Email Messages:
• Understanding email acronyms
• Finding an email program
• Hello, Other Gizmo:
• AutoPlay:
• Dealing with another device
• Manually summoning AutoPlay
• Setting AutoPlay options
• Connect Something To Your PC:
• Importing images
• Getting video into you PC
• Ripping music from a CD
• Images Digital:
• Image Resolution:
• Understanding resolution
• Setting resolution
• Digital camera tips
• Scanner:
• Introducing the scanner
• Scanning an image
• Picture Files:
• Storing pictures in Windows
• Viewing pictures in Windows
• Printing your digital photos
• Changing picture file formats
• Electronic Entertainment:
• PC Movies:
• Storing video in Windows
• Viewing a video
• Uploading a video to YouTube
• Sharing your videos
• Your PC Is A TV:
• Getting a TV tuner
• Watching Internet TV
• Your TV is a PC
• Your PC Is Your Stereo:
• Enjoying music from the stream
• Running Windows media player
• Part 5: Security And Maintenance:
• System Security:
• Tools to fight the bad guys
• Take Action Against The Barbarian Hoard:
• Finding the action center
• Setting up the Windows Firewall
• Protecting the PC with Windows Defender
• Paying attention to the UAC warnings
• System Privacy Settings:
• Setting the screen saver lock
• Reviewing Windows 10 privacy options
• Latest Version:
• Updating and upgrading
• Updating Windows
• That All-Important Safety Copy:
• File You Had Yesterday:
• Obtaining an external backup device
• Configuring Windows 10 file history
• Setting up Windows 7 backup
• Recovering a previous version of a file
• Restoring files from a backup
• Exploring Internet backup utilities
• Compressed Folder Archives:
• Compressing files
• Working with a compressed folder
• Installing software from a compressed folder
• Maintenance Chores:
• Storage Utilities:
• Freeing storage space
• Checking for errors
• Running defrag
• Network troubleshooting
• Manage The PC's Power:
• Setting power options in Windows 10
• Configuring a power management plan
• Adding the hibernate option
• Windows 10 do-over
• Part 6: Part Of Tens:
• Ten PC Commandments:
• Thou shalt not fear thy PC
• Thou shalt save thy work
• Thou shalt back up thy files
• That shalt not open or delete things unknownst
• Thou shalt not be a sucker
• Thou shalt use antivirus software, yea verily, and keepeth it up-to-date
• Thou shalt upgrade wisely
• Thou shalt compute at a proper posture
• Thou shalt keepeth Windows up-to-date
• Thou shalt properly shut down windows
• Ten Things Worth Buying For Your PC:
• Mouse pad and wrist pad
• External mass storage
• Cleaning materials
• Internal expansion
• USB hub and cables
• Better keyboard and mouse
• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
• Headset
• Scanner
• Thumb drives and media cards
• Ten Tips From A PC Guru:
• Remember that you're in charge
• Mind who "helps" you
• Give yourself time to learn
• Create separate accounts
• Mind what you download
• Organize your files
• Don't reinstall Windows
• Shun the hype
• Keep on learning
• Remember not to take this computer stuff too seriously
• Index.