PCs
FOR
DUMmIES‰
12TH EDITION
by Dan Gookin
PCs For Dummies®, 12th Edition
Published by
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About the Author
Dan Gookin has been writing about technology for over 25 years. He combines his love of writing with his gizmo fascination to create books that are informative, entertaining, and not boring. Having written more than 130
titles with millions of copies in print translated into over 30 languages, Dan can attest that his method of crafting computer tomes seems to work.
Perhaps his most famous title is the original DOS For Dummies, published in 1991. It became the world’s fastest-selling computer book, at one time moving more copies per week than the New York Times #1 bestseller (though as a reference book, it could not be listed on the NYT bestseller list). From that book spawned the entire line of For Dummies books, which remains a publishing phenomenon to this day.
Dan’s most popular titles include Android Phones For Dummies, Word For Dummies, and Laptops For Dummies. He also maintains the vast and helpful
Dan holds a degree in Communications/Visual Arts from the University of
California, San Diego. Presently, he lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he serves as Councilman for the City of Coeur d’Alene. Dan enjoys spending time with his sons playing video games inside while they watch the gentle woods of Idaho.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com.
For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.
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Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies
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Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director
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Composition Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................. 1
Getting in Touch with the Author ................................................................. 5
Part I: Hello, PC! ......................................................... 7
Chapter 1: What Is This Thing, This PC? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Some Quick Questions to Get Out of the Way ............................................. 9
“Why not just use a tablet or smartphone instead of a PC?” ......... 11
“Should I buy a Dell?” .......................................................................... 11
“Will my computer explode?” ............................................................. 11
Basic Computer Concepts in Easily Digestible Chunks ............................ 12
What a computer does ........................................................................ 12
Hardware and software ....................................................................... 13
Step 1. What do you want the PC to do? ........................................... 14
Step 2. Find software ........................................................................... 14
Step 3. Match hardware to the software ........................................... 15
Step 4. Locate your service and support .......................................... 15
Chapter 2: The PC Knobs, Buttons, and Doodads Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
There is no typical console ................................................................ 19
Major points of interest on the console, front ................................. 21
Stuff found on the console’s rump..................................................... 23
Helpful hints, hieroglyphics, and hues ............................................. 27
vi PCs For Dummies, 12th Edition
Unpacking the boxes ........................................................................... 29
Setting up the console ......................................................................... 30
Plugging in and connecting................................................................. 31
Attaching the keyboard and mouse .................................................. 31
Setting up the monitor ........................................................................ 33
Connecting to the network ................................................................. 33
Hooking up other random peripherals ............................................. 34
Plugging everything into a power strip ............................................. 35
Taking advantage of a UPS .................................................................. 38
Using the UPS (a short play) .............................................................. 39
Finding the shutdown options ........................................................... 44
Turning the darn thing off .................................................................. 46
Reviewing other shutdown options................................................... 47
Should You Leave the Computer On All the Time? ................................... 50
“I want to leave my computer off all the time” ................................ 50
“I want to leave my computer on all the time”................................. 50
Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View ........................................ 51
Chapter 5: Deep Inside the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Looking under the hood ...................................................................... 54
Going inside the console (not recommended) ................................ 55
Understanding the processor’s role .................................................. 58
Naming PC processors ........................................................................ 58
Measuring processor speed ............................................................... 58
Discovering your PC’s processor ...................................................... 59
Your Computer Is Also a Timepiece ........................................................... 60
Viewing the date and time .................................................................. 60
Using the Internet to set the clock .................................................... 61
Table of Contents
vii
What Is Computer Memory? ........................................................................ 65
Tasty Chocolate Memory Chips .................................................................. 66
“How much memory is in my PC right now?” .........................................70
“Do I have enough memory?” ............................................................. 70
“Does my PC have enough memory?” ............................................... 70
“Can I test whether my PC has enough memory?” .......................... 71
“Can I add memory to my PC?” .......................................................... 71
“Will the computer ever run out of memory?” ................................. 72
“What is virtual memory?” .................................................................. 72
“What is video memory?” ................................................................... 72
“What about shared video memory?” ............................................... 73
Surveying the storage media landscape ........................................... 76
Reviewing mass storage technical terms.......................................... 77
Your PCs Primary Storage Media ................................................................ 78
Understanding the Hard Drive ........................................................... 78
Introducing the SSD ............................................................................. 79
Exploring removable storage ............................................................. 79
Identifying removable storage drives ............................................... 81
Inserting removable media ................................................................. 83
Ejecting removable media .................................................................. 84
Adding external storage ...................................................................... 85
Exploring the cloud (Internet storage) ............................................. 85
Identifying mass storage devices ....................................................... 87
Assigning drive letters ........................................................................ 87
Chapter 8: Merry Monitor Mayhem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Understanding PC graphics ................................................................ 90
Minding the monitor ............................................................................ 91
Discovering the display adapter ........................................................ 92
Measuring a monitor ........................................................................... 93
Connecting to the PC ........................................................................... 95
Reading monitor messages ................................................................. 95
Adjusting the display ........................................................................... 96
Windows Controls What You See ................................................................ 96
Adding a second monitor.................................................................... 97
Setting display size (resolution) ........................................................ 99
viii PCs For Dummies, 12th Edition
Attaching a keyboard ........................................................................ 102
Examining the typical PC keyboard ................................................. 102
Using modifier keys ........................................................................... 103
Changing keyboard behavior keys .................................................. 105
Touring the most useful keys ........................................................... 106
Understanding strange keys ............................................................. 107
Understanding keys for math .......................................................... 107
Controlling the keyboard in Windows ............................................ 108
Connecting the mouse....................................................................... 109
Reviewing basic mouse parts ........................................................... 110
Exploring mouse species .................................................................. 111
Moving the mouse ............................................................................. 112
Controlling the mouse in Windows ................................................. 113
Chapter 10: System Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Understanding USB cables................................................................ 118
Connecting a USB device .................................................................. 120
Using USB-powered gizmos .............................................................. 120
Removing a USB device ..................................................................... 121
Expanding the USB universe with hubs .......................................... 121
The Printer, the Paper,the Document Maker ........................................... 125
Surveying the printer landscape ...................................................... 125
Touring the typical printer ............................................................... 126
Using the printer’s control panel ..................................................... 128
Choosing the proper paper .............................................................. 130
Where the Printer Meets the PC ................................................................ 131
Connecting the printer ...................................................................... 131
Finding the printer in Windows ....................................................... 132
Setting the default printer................................................................. 133
Printing something ............................................................................ 134
Printing in reverse order................................................................... 135
Stopping a printer run amok ............................................................ 136
Table of Contents
ix
Chapter 12: PC Audio Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137
Speakers hither and thither .............................................................. 138
In your own world with headphones .............................................. 140
Microphone options .......................................................................... 140
Configuring the speakers .................................................................. 142
Configuring the microphone ............................................................ 142
Adjusting the volume ........................................................................ 142
Recording your own sounds............................................................. 145
Chapter 13: Delicious Hardware Leftovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Choosing a power management plan .............................................. 150
Adding a hibernation option ............................................................ 151
Setting options for battery-powered PCs........................................ 152
Adding a dial-up modem ................................................................... 153
Measuring modem speed .................................................................. 154
Configuring a dial-up Internet connection ...................................... 154
Part III: Basic Computing ......................................... 157
Chapter 14: The Windows Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159
What’s an Operating System? .................................................................... 160
Windows and Its Gooey, Glorious Graphical Interface ........................... 160
Exploring the Start screen ................................................................ 161
Summoning the charms bar ............................................................. 162
Working at the desktop ..................................................................... 163
Accessing the Start menu ................................................................. 165
Looking at the notification area ....................................................... 166
Chapter 15: It’s the Software Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Hunting down programs in Windows .............................................. 170
Running a program from the desktop ............................................. 171
Running a program manually ........................................................... 172
x PCs For Dummies, 12th Edition
Installing a program from an optical disc ....................................... 173
Finding programs on the Internet .................................................... 174
Uninstalling a program ...................................................................... 175
Updating and upgrading ................................................................... 176
Updating Windows ............................................................................. 177
Upgrading to the latest version of Windows .................................. 178
Chapter 16: Fun with Files and Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Understanding the filename extension ........................................... 184
Understanding subfolders and parent folders ............................... 185
Reviewing famous folders ................................................................. 186
Finding a place for your stuff ........................................................... 187
Making a new folder........................................................................... 189
Working with libraries ....................................................................... 190
Using folders in the Open dialog box .............................................. 191
Chapter 17: The Grim Topic of File Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
Managing files because they can’t manage themselves ................ 194
Selecting files for torment ................................................................. 194
Releasing files from selection ........................................................... 197
Creating a shortcut ............................................................................ 198
Bringing dead files back to life ......................................................... 200
Chapter 18: Save Your Butt When You Really Screw Up . . . . . . . . . .203
Recovering with File History ............................................................ 204
Restoring previous versions............................................................. 206
Examining a compressed folder archive ......................................... 209
Installing software from a compressed folder ............................... 211
Table of Contents
xi
Chapter 19: The Optical Disc Factory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Working with a USB flash drive or live file format disc ................. 217
Working with a CD/DVD player or mastered disc ......................... 218
Using the Burn button ....................................................................... 219
Erasing an RW disc ............................................................................ 219
Part IV: Networking Nonsense ................................... 223
Chapter 20: The Non-TV Kind of Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
The Whole Network Enchilada .................................................................. 225
Understanding the network .............................................................. 225
Going wired or wireless ................................................................... 226
Connecting to Saint NIC .................................................................... 229
Wiring the network hoses ................................................................. 229
Putting the gateway, which isn’t really a router, at
the center of your network ........................................................... 230
Getting used to the 802.11 thing ...................................................... 232
Hooking up the wireless NIC ............................................................ 232
Obtaining a wireless gateway ........................................................... 233
Chapter 21: Network Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Connecting to a wired network ........................................................ 235
Connecting to a wireless network ................................................... 236
Connecting to an unknown wireless network ................................ 238
Confirming the network connection ................................................ 239
Disconnecting from a network ......................................................... 239
Demanding that Windows share resources.................................... 241
Sharing your PC’s mass storage ....................................................... 243
Accessing a network folder .............................................................. 244
Adding a network printer .................................................................. 245
Sharing your PC’s printer ................................................................. 245
Chapter 22: Why Does This Book Have a Bluetooth Chapter? . . . . . .247
Understanding Bluetooth.................................................................. 248
Checking for Bluetooth ..................................................................... 248
xii PCs For Dummies, 12th Edition
Adding a Bluetooth adapter ............................................................. 249
Controlling Bluetooth in Windows .................................................. 249
Walking through the pairing operation ........................................... 250
Pairing with a device ......................................................................... 251
Reviewing paired devices ................................................................. 252
Un-pairing a Bluetooth device .......................................................... 253
Chapter 23: As Little of the Internet as Possible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255
Configuring Windows for the Internet ............................................. 257
Connecting to the Internet ................................................................ 257
It’s a World Wide Web We Weave ............................................................. 258
Printing web pages ............................................................................ 259
Searching-the-web tips ...................................................................... 259
Saving an image from a web page .................................................... 260
Grabbing text from a web page ........................................................ 261
Sharing a web page ............................................................................ 261
Chapter 24: PC Nightmares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263
Setting up the Windows Firewall ..................................................... 266
Protecting the PC with Windows Defender .................................... 268
Using antivirus protection ................................................................ 268
Paying attention to the UAC warnings ............................................ 269
Part V: Your Digital Life ........................................... 271
Chapter 25: The Whole Digital Photography Thing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273
Connecting a digital camera ............................................................. 274
Importing images ............................................................................... 275
Introducing the scanner .................................................................... 276
Scanning an image ............................................................................. 277
Storing pictures in Windows ............................................................ 280
Viewing pictures in Windows ........................................................... 282
Changing picture file formats ........................................................... 282
Choosing the best resolution ........................................................... 284
Table of Contents
xiii
Chapter 26: Electronic Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285
Getting video into your PC ............................................................... 286
Storing video in Windows ................................................................. 287
Getting a TV tuner.............................................................................. 290
Watching Internet TV ........................................................................ 290
Running Windows Media Player ...................................................... 293
Ripping music from a CD .................................................................. 293
Copying music to a portable gizmo ................................................. 294
Listening to Internet radio ................................................................ 295
Chapter 27: Sharing Your Life Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297
The Scourge of Social Networking ............................................................. 297
Sharing your life on Facebook .......................................................... 298
Tweeting your thoughts .................................................................... 299
Signing up for the site........................................................................ 300
Uploading images ............................................................................... 301
Sharing your images .......................................................................... 303
Creating a YouTube account ............................................................ 304
Uploading a video to YouTube......................................................... 304
Sharing your videos ........................................................................... 305
Setting up for media sharing ............................................................ 306
Rifling through a device’s shared media......................................... 306
Chapter 28: Kid-Safe Computing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .309
Setting up your own account ........................................................... 310
Limiting Junior’s account ................................................................. 311
Controlling access to games ............................................................. 313
Blocking programs ............................................................................. 314
Reviewing the activity log ................................................................. 314
Spying on your kids ........................................................................... 315
Dealing with a cyberbully ................................................................. 316
xiv PCs For Dummies, 12th Edition
Part VI: The Part of Tens ........................................... 317
Chapter 29: Ten PC Commandments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319
IV. That Shalt Not Open or Delete Things Unknownst ............................ 320
VI. Thou Shalt Use Antivirus Software, Yea Verily,
VII. Thou Shalt Upgrade Wisely ................................................................. 321
VIII. Thou Shalt Compute at a Proper Posture ......................................... 322
IX. Thou Shalt Keepeth Windows Up-to-Date ........................................... 322
X. Thou Shalt Properly Shut Down Windows ........................................... 322
Chapter 30: Ten Tips from a PC Guru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323
Remember That You’re in Charge ............................................................. 323
Consider Some Hardware Upgrades ......................................................... 325
Remember Not to Take This Computer Stuff Too Seriously .................. 327
Index ....................................................................... 329
Introduction
I t’s been ten years and 60 lbs. since I wrote the original PCs For Dummies.
My, how the time and fat has flown. In all those years, the prospect of
owning and using a PC just hasn’t gotten simpler. It’s a conspiracy, of course.
The marketing wizards tell you that the PC is easy to use, but the engineers —
most of whom are evil robots from the planet Neptune — design the com-
puter to frustrate you endlessly.
This book’s job is to convince you that you’re not a dummy. You may feel
that way, but your feelings are misplaced. Computers are intimidating only when you believe them to be. Peel back that sleek case and you find a timid, scared beast that wants only to help you. This book takes you on a journey that makes that task easy, fun, and enjoyable.
Oh, and don’t peel back the skin on your computer. It doesn’t hurt the computer if you do so, but you can get in touch with your PC’s emotional core in better ways than resorting to a surgical procedure.
What’s New in This Edition?
Hey! Thanks for continuing to read this Introduction. Most people don’t
bother, so you’re special! I mean, why read all this blather when you could jump to Chapter 1, or open the book at a random spot, stroke your chin, and say, “Wow! This is really appealing.” Anyone watching would be impressed.
But no, you’re reading the very front of the book. The best you can hope for is that any onlooker believes you can’t find the price or are trying to look up a relative on the details page. Sorry about that.
This is the 12th edition of PCs For Dummies, freshly updated and approved for the latest assault of computer technology in the 21st century. This book was written just weeks before the end of the Maya calendar, on December 21, 2012. Consider yourself lucky that humanity has survived.
Beyond updating many of this book’s less-important parts to reflect the
Windows 8 operating system, I’ve invigorated the text with all the new whiz-bang technology introduced since the last edition did basically the same
thing. When technology sits still, this book won’t have a new edition. Well, either that or the whole Mayan thing turned out to be true.
2 PCs For Dummies, 12th Edition
Here are some topics new to the 12th edition:
✓
Information on how to buy the best computer to meet your needs today
✓
Updates on the USB 3.0 standard, the latest in PC processors, mass stor-
age choices, and computer monitors
✓
Updates covering some of the new things Windows 8 does
✓
Ridicule for some of the new things Windows 8 does poorly
✓
Details on keeping your data safe, including Internet backups
✓
The latest on computer networking and cloud storage
✓
A whole chapter on the Bluetooth wireless peripheral standard
✓
Information on Internet-ready HDTV and how to share media on a
local network
✓ Refreshing and honest information about Facebook and online sharing
✓
Lots of other things that add incredible value to the book but that I
cannot remember well enough to include in this list
✓
A new, sassy attitude that didn’t involve heavy drinking
As in years past, I present all the information in this book in a sane, soothing, and gentle tone that calms even the most panicked computerphobe.
Where to Start
This book is a reference. You can start reading at any point. Use the index or table of contents to see what interests you. After you read the information, feel free to close the book and perform whatever task you need; there’s no need to read any further. Well, unless you just enjoy my pithy writing style.
Each of this book’s 30 chapters covers a specific aspect of the computer —
turning it on, using a printer, using software, or heaving the computer out a window without incurring back injury, for example. Each chapter is divided into self-contained nuggets of knowledge — sections — all relating to the major theme of the chapter. Sample sections you may find include
✓
Turning the darn computer off
✓
Using the Internet to set the clock
✓
Ejecting removable media
✓
Stopping a printer run amok
✓
Finding programs on the Internet
✓
Connecting to a wireless network
✓
Uploading a video to YouTube
Introduction
3
You don’t have to memorize anything in this book. Nothing about a computer is memorable. Each section is designed so that you can read the information quickly, digest what you have read, and then put down the book and get on with using the computer. If anything technical crops up, you’re alerted to its presence so that you can cleanly avoid it.
Conventions Used in This Book
Menu items, links, and other controls on the screen are written using initial cap text. So if the option is named “Turn off the computer,” you see Turn Off the Computer (without quotes or commas) shown in this book, whether it
appears that way onscreen or not.
Whenever I describe a message or information on the screen, it looks like this: This is a message onscreen.
If you have to type something, it looks like this:
Type me
You type the text Type me as shown. You’re told when and whether to press the Enter key. You’re also told whether to type a period; periods end sentences written in English, but not always when you type text on a computer.
Windows menu commands are shown like this:
Choose File➪Exit.
This line directs you to choose the File menu and then choose the Exit command.
Key combinations you may have to press are shown like this:
Ctrl+S
This line says to press and hold down the Ctrl (Control) key, type an S, and then release the Ctrl key. It works the same as pressing Shift+S on the keyboard to produce an uppercase S. Same deal, different shift key.
4 PCs For Dummies, 12th Edition
What You Don’t Need to Read
It’s a given that computers are technical, but you can avoid reading the technical stuff. To assist you, I’ve put some of the more obnoxious technical stuff into sidebars clearly marked as technical information. Read that information at your own peril. Often, it’s just a complex explanation of stuff already discussed in the chapter. Reading that information only tells you something substantial about your computer, which is not my goal here.
Foolish Assumptions
I make some admittedly foolish assumptions about you: You have a com-
puter, and you use it somehow to do something. You use Windows as that
computer’s operating system. That last point brings up a vital issue:
This book was updated to coincide with the release of Windows 8, but it’s not specifically a book about Windows 8. Up front, I’ll confess that I despise Windows 8. I shower you with pity if you’ve been subjected to it against your will. Like Microsoft, my publisher assumes that Planet Earth will upgrade to Windows 8 en masse. Humanoid robots from the future have told me otherwise, so I approach Windows 8 with cautious derision throughout the text.
Despite the Windows 8 update, this book amply covers previous Windows
releases, specifically Windows 7 and Windows Vista. I even tossed in a modicum of material friendly to good ol’ Windows XP. I don’t want anyone to feel left out. Well, except for those people who think Windows 8 is like 24 hours of sunshine.
When this book refers to Windows without a specific edition or version, the information applies generically to all releases of Windows.
Icons Used in This Book
This icon alerts you to needless technical information — drivel I added
because even though I can’t help but unleash the nerd in me, I can successfully flag that type of material. Feel free to skip over anything tagged with this little picture.
Introduction
5
This icon usually indicates helpful advice or an insight that makes using the computer interesting. For example, when you’re dunking the computer into
liquid nitrogen, be sure to wear protective goggles.
This icon indicates something to remember, like turning off the iron before you leave the house or not trimming your nose hairs with a butane lighter.
This icon indicates that you need to be careful with the information that’s presented; usually, it’s a reminder for you not to do something, like trying to balance a cup of coffee atop the computer monitor.
Getting in Touch with the Author
My e-mail address is listed here in case you want to send me a note:
Yes, that’s my address, and I respond to every e-mail message. Note that I reply to short, to-the-point messages quickly. Long messages may take more time for me to reply to. Plus, I cannot troubleshoot or fix your PC. Remember that you paid others for their technical support, and you should use their services.
You can also visit my website, which is chock-full of helpful support pages, bonus information, games, and fun. Go to www.wambooli.com/.
The specific PCs For Dummies support page is found at www.wambooli.com/
Where to Go from Here
With this book in hand, you’re now ready to go out and conquer your PC.
Start by looking through the table of contents or the index. Find a topic and turn to the page indicated, and you’re ready to go. Also, feel free to write in this book, fill in the blanks, dog-ear the pages, and do anything that would make a librarian blanch. Enjoy.
6 PCs For Dummies, 12th Edition
Part I
Hello, PC!
In this part . . .
I t’s been called a fast idiot, the ultimate solution for
which there was no problem, a toy, Satan’s spawn, a
godsend, Time magazine’s Machine of the Year 1982, and
perhaps the most miraculous gadget ever invented. I’m
speaking, of course, about the personal computer, the PC.
Loathe it or love it, the PC is now a part of everyday life,
as common as a desk lamp and with more uses than a
Swiss Army knife. Whether you’re looking to get a PC or
find yourself already saddled with one, use this part of the
book to bone up on basic, good-to-know computer stuff.
Chapter 1
What Is This Thing, This PC?
In This Chapter
▶ Answering some common PC questions
▶ Understanding basic computer concepts
▶ Knowing about hardware and software
▶ Buying a computer
▶ Realizing that your PC is quite dumb
I wish that computers were evil. It would be easier to understand the computer if it were evil and out to get you. Instead, you end up operating the thing under a constant suspicion. But because the cold, calculating collection of capacitors isn’t malevolently disposed against you, your better course of action is to get to know more about the computer.
So relax! The key to building a productive, long-term relationship with your high-tech electronics investment is to understand this thing, this PC. You don’t need to have Einstein’s IQ to do that. You just need to read and enjoy the easy, helpful information in this chapter.
Some Quick Questions to
Get Out of the Way
Doubtless, your mind is abuzz with various questions about computers. I
ask myself computer questions often, so don’t think that your curiosity is unusual. Trust me, few people are comfortable when first encountering anything high-tech.
10 Part I: Hello, PC!
“What is a PC?”
A PC is a computer, specifically an acronym for personal computer.
Historically, the beast was known as a microcomputer. That’s because back in the 1970s computers were huge, room-sized things that required legions of bespectacled scientists to operate. Individuals didn’t own such computers —
well, unless you were eccentric or enjoyed printing your own phone bill. So mere mortals were sold a smaller version, which the Computer Professionals Union insisted be called a micro computer.
Micro means teensy. The term is preferred by computer scientists because
you can’t wear a white lab coat and be taken seriously when you use the
word “teensy.”
Actually, the term micro came from microprocessor, the main computer chip inside the device.
When IBM unveiled its first business microcomputer back in 1982, they called it the IBM Personal Computer, or PC for short. All of today’s computers
are descended from that original model, so they’ve inherited the term PC.
Figure 1-1 displays a timeline of the PC’s history, in case you’re curious.
Figure 1-1:
Timeline of
the personal
computer.
The only PC that’s not called “PC” is Apple’s Macintosh computer. Mac users refer to their computers as Macs. That’s based on an old IBM–Apple rivalry that no one cares about anymore. Still, many Mac users get all verklempt
when you call their computers PCs. So it’s fine by me to tease those crybabies by referring to their expensive toys as “PCs.”
✓
The term PC now generally refers to any computer that can run the Windows operating system.
✓
Although your car, sewing machine, or the machine that goes boop
at the hospital may contain computer electronics, those devices are
not PCs.
Chapter 1: What Is This Thing, This PC?
11
✓
Curiously, IBM got out of the PC manufacturing business in the early
2000s.
✓ The success of the PC is based on its use of off-the-shelf parts that are easily replaced. The PC can also be configured and upgraded with ease,
which is another reason it’s so popular.
“Why not just use a tablet or smartphone
instead of a PC?”
Sure, you can get by in today’s well-connected, digital world by getting yourself a tablet or smartphone. To hell with computers!
Smartphones and tablets can send and receive e-mail, browse the web, play games, and do all sorts of interesting things. But they lack the expandability of a PC. They also lack the capability to easily create things. The PC is used to create; it’s a productivity tool. As such, it has power and potential far beyond a cheesy-ass tablet or smartphone.
Now if you’ve changed your mind about getting a PC, remember that you
cannot return this book once you’ve started reading this material.
“Should I buy a Dell?”
I get this question all the time, though “Dell” might be replaced by some other brand name. See the later section, “Buy Yourself a PC!”
“Will my computer explode?”
This question is important, so please skip all the other questions I put before this question and read this question first!
If you’re a fan of science fiction television or film, you’re probably familiar with the concept of the exploding computer. Sparks, smoke, flying debris —
it all appears to be a common function of computers in the future. Sure, they could just beep and display error messages when they die, but where’s the fun in that?
The answer is: No, your computer will not explode. At least, not spontaneously. If you pour fruit punch into the computer, or lightning strikes, or the power supply unexplainably fails, the most you may see is a puff of blue
smoke. But no explosions.
12 Part I: Hello, PC!
Basic Computer Concepts in
Easily Digestible Chunks
You either use or are about to purchase one of the most advanced pieces of technology ever made available to humans. Why not be a sport about it and take a few moments to not avoid some of the more technical mumbo jumbo
surrounding that technology? Don’t fret: I’ll be gentle.
What a computer does
Computers can do anything and try to do just about everything. At their core, however, computers are simple gizmos with oodles of potential.
A computer takes input, processes it, and then generates output. That’s kind of how a baby works, though to keep you from being utterly befuddled, you can refer to Figure 1-2, which completely illustrates that basic computer concept.
Figure 1-2:
What a
computer
does at its
simplest
level.
The “input goes into the computer and produces output” equation is the
foundation of these three primary computer concepts:
✓
I/O
✓
Processing
✓
Storage
I/O: IO stands for input and output. It’s pronounced “I owe,” like Io, the third-largest moon of Jupiter. I/O is pretty much the only thing a computer does: It receives input from devices — the keyboard, mouse, Internet. It generates output, displayed on the screen, printed, or sent back to the Internet.
That’s I/O.
Processing: What the computer does between input and output is processing.
It’s what happens to the input to make the output significant. Otherwise, the Chapter 1: What Is This Thing, This PC?
13
computer would simply be a tube and computer science would be the same
as plumbing.
Processing is handled inside the computer by a gizmo known as (logically
enough) a processor. See Chapter 5 for more information on the processor.
Storage: The final part of the basic computer equation is storage, which is where the processing takes place. Two types of storage are used, temporary and long-term. Temporary storage is the computer memory, or RAM. Long-term storage is provided by the computer’s storage media.
RAM is covered in Chapter 6. Long-term storage is covered in Chapter 7.
Hardware and software
The computer universe is divided into two parts. There is hardware. There is software.
Hardware is the physical part of a computer: anything you can touch and anything you can see — or anything that smells like burning plastic. The computer console, the monitor, the keyboard, the mouse — that physical stuff is hardware.
Software is the brain of the computer. Software tells the hardware what to do.
In a way, it helps to think of hardware and software as a symphony orchestra.
For hardware, you have the musicians and their instruments. Their software is the music. As with a computer, the music (software) tells the musicians and their instruments (hardware) what to do.
Without software, hardware just sits around and looks pretty. It can’t do anything because it has no instructions and nothing telling it what to do next.
And, like a symphony orchestra without music, that can be an expensive
waste of time, especially at union scale.
To make the computer system work, software must be in charge. In fact, software determines your computer’s personality and potential.
✓
If you can throw it out a window, it’s hardware.
✓
If you can throw it out a window and it comes back, it’s a cat.
✓
Computer software includes all the programs you use on the PC.
✓
The most important piece of software is the computer’s operating
system. That’s the main program in charge of everything. Chapter 14
covers Windows, which is the PC’s least popular yet most common oper-
ating system.
14 Part I: Hello, PC!
Buy Yourself a PC!
If you don’t yet have a PC, you can rush out and buy one. My advice is not to rush, despite having just directed you do to so.
A computer is a complex piece of electronics. Buying one isn’t like purchas-ing a riding lawnmower or nose-hair trimmer. To make your purchase a suc-
cessful one, consider my friendly, five-step method for buying a PC.
1. Know what it is you want the computer to do.
2. Find software to accomplish that task.
3. Find hardware to match the software.
4. Locate service and support.
5. Buy the computer!
Yes, it’s really that easy. If you obey these steps and pay attention, you’ll be a lot more satisfied with your computer purchase.
Step 1. What do you want the PC to do?
Believe it or not, most people don’t know why they want a computer. If that’s you, consider what you’re getting into. Computers aren’t for everyone, especially with advanced cell phones and tablets available at far less cost.
If you do really need a computer, figure out what you want to do. Do you just want to do some word processing, e-mail, and social networking? Perhaps
you want a machine that plays the latest games? Or maybe you need some
graphics horsepower to create illustrations or animation? Limitless possibilities exist with a computer, but the more you know about what you want, the better you can get the PC perfect for your needs.
Step 2. Find software
Software makes the computer go, so before you discuss brand names or
stores, you need to look at the programs you plan on buying. That’s because some software — games, video production, graphics — requires specific
computer hardware. Knowing about that hardware ahead of time means
you’ll be happier with your purchase.
By recognizing which software you need first, you can easily move on to the next step.
Chapter 1: What Is This Thing, This PC?
15
Step 3. Match hardware to the software
How can you match hardware to the software you need? Simple: Read the
side of the software box. It tells you exactly what kind of hardware you need: specifically, what kind of processor is required, how much memory is preferred, and how much storage the software demands. You might also learn
of other requirements, such as a high-end graphics card or a specialized
interface.
✓
For general computer uses, any PC that can run the Windows operating
system will probably work just fine for you. But when you have specific
software you plan on running, you should make sure that the computer
you get has the hardware you need.
✓ All that hardware nonsense is covered later in this book. Don’t worry
about trying to understand everything on the side of the software box
when you’re just starting out. Use this book’s index to help you learn
about different PC hardware thingies.
Step 4. Locate your service and support
Most people assume that Step 4 would have to do with brand names or big-
box stores. Nope! What’s more important is ensuring that you get proper service and support for your new computer purchase — especially when you’re
just starting out and you blanch at the thought of fixing your own computer.
Service means one thing: Who fixes the computer? That’s one reason I rec-
ommend buying a PC at a local, “Mom-and-Pop” type of store. You develop a personal relationship with the people who service your computer. Otherwise, discover who really fixes your computer and where it gets fixed by asking.
Support is about getting help for your computer system. Some people need
lots of help. If that’s you, buy from a place that offers free classes or has a toll-free support number. That support may add to the purchase price, but it’s worth every penny if it saves you aggravation in the future.
Step 5. Buy it!
The final step to getting a new computer — or your first computer — is to buy it. Do it!
The hesitation many people have about buying a new computer is that some
newer, better, faster model is coming down the pike. That’s always true! So rather than wait forever, just get up and buy the computer! ‘Nuff said.
16 Part I: Hello, PC!
A Final Thing to Remember
Computers aren’t evil. They harbor no sinister intelligence. In fact, when you get to know them, you see that they’re rather dumb.
Chapter 2
The PC Knobs, Buttons, and
Doodads Tour
In This Chapter
▶ Looking at the basic PC hardware
▶ Recognizing different types of PCs
▶ Perusing items on the console
▶ Locating PC connectors, holes, and jacks
▶ Using helpful symbols and colors
I f I were to use one word to describe the typical PC design, that word
would be uninspired. Face it: The PC is a box. It’s not aerodynamic or sleek or award-winning. No one will confuse a PC sitting on your desk with modern art. People in the year 2045 won’t hang posters of early 21st-century PCs on their walls. Sad, but true.
This chapter explores perhaps the dullest aspect of a PC: The PC itself.
Forgiving its utilitarian look, it’s important to identify some of the basic parts of a computer system, as well as know the purpose behind the many buttons, holes, nooks, and crannies that festoon the plain, dull, tin can known as a PC.
The Big Picture
Figure 2-1 shows a typical personal computer system. Try to avoid the urge to barf.
18 Part I: Hello, PC!
Figure 2-1:
A typical
computer
system.
The big, important pieces have been labeled in Figure 2-1 for your enjoyment.
You should know which piece is which and what the proper terms are:
Console: The main computer box, and centerpiece of the computer system, is the console. It is not the CPU, though plenty of dorks out there refer to it as such. The console contains the computer’s electronic guts. It’s also home to various buttons, lights, and holes into which you plug the rest of the computer system.
Monitor: The monitor is the device where the computer displays information —
its output. A common mistake made by new computer users is to assume
that the monitor is the computer. Nope. The console is the computer. The
monitor merely displays stuff.
Keyboard: The keyboard is the thing you type on and is the primary way you communicate with the computer.
Mouse: No rodent or pest, the computer mouse is a helpful device that lets you work with graphical objects displayed on the monitor.
Speakers: PCs bleep and squawk through a set of stereo speakers, which can be external jobbies you set up (refer to Figure 2-1), speakers built into the console or monitor, or perhaps even headphones. Pay more money and
you can even get a subwoofer to sit under your desk. Now, that will rattle the neighborhood’s windows.
External hard drive: You may or may not have one (yet), but an external hard drive is used to back up, or create a safety copy of, the important stuff you store on your computer.
Printer: The printer is where you get the computer’s printed output, also called hard copy.
Chapter 2: The PC Knobs, Buttons, and Doodads Tour
19
You may find, in addition to these basic items, other gizmos clustered around your computer, such as a scanner, a digital camera, a gamepad, a high-speed modem, or many, many other toys — er, vital computer components.
One thing definitely not shown in Figure 2-1 is the ganglion of cable that dwells behind each and every computer. What a mess! These cables are
required to plug things into the wall and into each other. No shampoo or conditioner on Earth can clean up those tangles.
✓ Ensure that you know where the console, keyboard, mouse, speakers,
monitor, and printer are in your own system. If the printer isn’t present, it’s probably a network printer lurking elsewhere.
✓
Chapters in Part II go into more detail on the computer components just
introduced and illustrated in Figure 2-1.
✓
Some computer types combine the console and monitor. Refer to the
later section, “There is no typical console.”
✓ CPU stands for central processing unit. It’s another term for the computer’s processor. See Chapter 5.
All Around the Console
The pride and joy of any computer system is the console, the main box into which all the other pieces plug. Because of the console’s importance, and its surplus of interesting buttons and such, consider reviewing this section to better familiarize yourself with the typical computer console.
There is no typical console
Thanks to major conspiracies and a wicked sense of humor in the computer
industry, not all PC consoles look the same. To keep you confused, manufacturers like to shake it up a bit when it comes to PC design. So while all the consoles do feature the same basic components and connections, no single
prototype or base model exists for me to show you. Instead, I offer Figure 2-2, which illustrates six common PC console configurations.
20 Part I: Hello, PC!
Figure 2-2:
The gamut
of PC
console
configura-
tions.
Mini-tower: The mini-tower is the most popular console type. It can sit on top of a desk, right next to the monitor (refer to Figure 2-1). It can also be tucked away out of sight, below the desk.
Desktop: Once the most popular type of console, the desktop sits flat on the desk. The monitor usually squats on top of the console in the traditional PC
configuration.
Mini-desktop: The mini-desktop console is just too cute and tiny, about the size of a college dictionary. That makes it ideal for places where space — and money — is tight. The downside is that these consoles lack internal expansion options.
All-in-one desktop: A popular and trendy computer design combines the console and monitor into a single unit. From the front, the console looks like a monitor, though it’s thicker. On the sides, you find an optical drive plus the myriad of connectors and other computer doodads.
Tower: The tower console is essentially a taller version of the mini-tower.
The bonus with the tower is internal expansion options, making this type of console ideal for power-mad users. A tower typically sits on the floor, often propping up one end of the table.
Chapter 2: The PC Knobs, Buttons, and Doodads Tour
21
Laptop: A specialty type of computer that folds into a handy, lightweight package, ideal for slowing down the security checkpoints in airports. Laptop PCs work just like their desktop brethren; any exceptions are noted throughout this book.
Choosing the proper PC configuration depends on your needs. Power users
love the expandability of the tower. Those on a budget may go for a mini-
desktop. Folks on the go love laptops.
✓ Gookin’s axiom: No matter how big your computer, the amount of clut-
ter you have always expands to fill the available desk space.
✓
Another type of laptop is the tablet PC, which lets you enter information by writing on the screen using a special tool called a stylus.
✓
More laptop (and tablet) information is in my book Laptops For
Dummies, 5th Edition (Wiley), available at fine bookstores wherever fine bookstores still exist.
✓ The amount of space a PC console occupies is often referred to as its
footprint. Smaller consoles are small footprint PCs.
Major points of interest
on the console, front
After many years, PC manufacturers discovered that it works best to put
those items designed for you, the human, on the front part of the console. I’m not joking: Nearly everything you needed on an early PC was located on the console’s back side. So consider yourself blessed and use Figure 2-3 as your reference as you go hunting for the following items:
Optical drive: The computer’s primary removable storage media is the optical disc. The optical drive reads optical discs, CDs, and DVDs. Read more about this topic in Chapter 7.
Future expansion: Most consoles feature blank spots. They may look interesting or useful, but they’re not! They simply cover holes used for adding new features to your PC.
Media card slots: These slots are used for reading common media cards, such as those used by digital cameras and other portable electronics. See Chapter 7 for more information about media cards.
Air vents: Air vents aren’t impressive, but they’re necessary. They keep the console cool by helping air circulate inside.
22 Part I: Hello, PC!
I/O panel: Your PC most likely features a clutch of various connectors somewhere on its front, covered by a door or not. Nestled in that area, you find places to connect joysticks, microphones, headphones, digital video, or
other handy gizmos you may need to plug and unplug from time to time.
Figure 2-3:
Items of
note on the
front of the
console.
Chapter 2: The PC Knobs, Buttons, and Doodads Tour
23
Buttons and lights: Most computer buttons are on the keyboard. A few of the more important buttons are on the console. And on fancier PCs, the buttons are accompanied by many impressive, tiny lights. These buttons and lights include
✓
Power button: No longer a plain on–off button, the power button can do more than just turn the computer on or off. See Chapter 4 for the details.
✓
Reset button: Rare but still found on some consoles is a button that forces the computer into a restart during times of woe.
✓
Hard drive light: This wee light flashes when the PC’s primary storage media, the hard drive, is being accessed. A light that’s sometimes on the optical drive does the same thing.
You might be lucky and find other fun and unusual items living on the front of your PC’s console. They’re probably particular to a certain computer brand or model. Consider them a bonus.
✓
The front of the console may also boast a brand label or manufacturer’s
tattoo.
✓
Some newer computers have stickers that show the secret Windows
installation number or proclaim such nonsense as “I was built to run
Windows Optimus Prime” or “An Intel Hoohah lurks inside this box.”
✓
For more specific information on the connectors lurking behind a secret
panel, see the section “The I/O panel,” later in this chapter.
✓ Don’t block the air vents on the front of the console. If you do, the computer may suffocate. (It gets too hot.)
✓
The all-in-one type of PC features all its holes, switches, and slots on its sides or back.
✓ A hard drive light can be red or green or yellow, and it flickers when the hard drive is in use. The flickering is not an alarm, so don’t let it freak you out! The hard drive is just doing its job.
Stuff found on the console’s rump
Just like an exotic dancer, the console’s backside is its busy side. That’s where you find various connectors for the many devices in your computer
system: a place to plug in the monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, and just about anything else that you want to have in your computer system.
Use Figure 2-4 as a guide for finding important items on the back of the PC’s console. Note that some things may look different and some may be missing; not every console is the same.
Power: The console needs power, and the power connector is where you plug in the power cord. The other end of the power cord plugs into the wall.
24 Part I: Hello, PC!
Figure 2-4:
Important
doodads on
the back of
the console.
Fan: Air gets sucked in here. Or it might be blown out. I forget which.
Voltage switch: Use this switch to change power frequencies to match the specifications for your country, region, or planet.
Expansion slots: These slots are available for adding new components on expansion cards to the console and expanding your PC’s hardware. Any connectors on the expansion cards appear in this area, such as the video connectors on a graphics adapter (refer to Figure 2-4).
Vents: The breathing thing again.
Chapter 2: The PC Knobs, Buttons, and Doodads Tour
25
I/O panel: Aside from the power cord, and anything attached to an expansion card, the rest of your PC’s expansion options and plug-in-type things are located in a central area that I call the I/O panel. Details of what you can find there are covered in the next section.
The I/O panel
To either help keep all connectors in one spot or just create an intensely cable-crammed location, your PC’s console features an I/O panel on its rear.
That location is where you add various expansion options to the PC as well as plug in the standard devices shown way back in Figure 2-1.
Use Figure 2-5 as your guide for what’s what. The items you find on your PC’s I/O panel may be labeled with text or may include the symbols listed later, in Table 2-1. Also keep in mind that Figure 2-5 is only a guide; your PC console may have a different layout and sport more or fewer items on the I/O panel.
Figure 2-5:
Stuff to find
on the I/O
panel.
Here are some of the things you may find on the I/O panel:
Center/subwoofer: For a surround sound audio system, you plug the center speaker, or subwoofer, or both into this jack.
Headphones/speakers: Into this hole, you plug in your PC’s external speakers or headphones or hook up the PC to a sound system. (Also check the
“secret panel” on the front of the console for a headphone connector.)
IEEE 1394 (FireWire): This type of versatile connector is similar to USB, although not as common.
Keyboard: Older keyboards plug into this little hole.
26 Part I: Hello, PC!
Line in: You use this jack to plug a traditional audio-producing device (stereo, phonograph, or VCR, for example) into the PC for capturing sound.
Microphone: The computer’s microphone plugs into this jack. A similar jack might also appear on the front side of the console.
Mini 1394: This special version of the IEEE 1394 connector is designed specifically for digital video.
Mouse: Older mice plug into this hole.
Network: Plug in a local area network (LAN) connector or attach a broadband modem to the PC.
SPDIF in, SPDIF out: These connectors are used for digital audio. Special fiber-optic cable is required: Audio coming into the computer plugs into the in hole; the sound the computer generates goes out the out hole.
Surround left/right: Also for surround sound, this jack is the one into which you plug the rear left and right speakers.
USB: Plug snazzy devices into these Certs-size Universal Serial Bus (USB) slots. See Chapter 10 for more information about USB.
Video: Your PC’s monitor can plug into one of the video adapters on the I/O
panel. You may find a traditional VGA adapter, a digital video adapter, an HDMI adapter, or a combination of all three. See Chapter 8 for more information on computer video.
The good news? You connect all this stuff only once. Then your PC’s butt
faces the wall for the rest of its life and you never have to look at it again —
well, unless you add something in the future or you just enjoy looking at PC butts.
✓ The old keyboard and mouse connectors are different! Be certain that you plug the proper device into the proper hole, lest the keyboard and
mouse don’t work!
✓
For those of you who must use a dial-up modem, see Chapter 13 for
information on connecting it to yet another hole on your PC’s rump.
✓ Older PCs may sport ports not shown in Figure 2-5. These ports include
the serial or COM port, the printer port, and the joystick port. The
functions of these ports have been replaced with USB ports, which are
plentiful on modern PCs.
Chapter 2: The PC Knobs, Buttons, and Doodads Tour
27
Helpful hints, hieroglyphics, and hues
Even though most PC connectors are different, manufacturers have relented and agreed upon a set of common colors and symbols used to label the various holes, connectors, and ports on the console’s hindquarters. They’re
listed in Table 2-1 to help you find things, in case the need arises.
Table 2-1
Shapes, Connections, Symbols, and Colors
Name
Connector
Symbol
Color
Center/subwoofer
Brown
Digital video
White
eSATA
eSATA
Raspberry
HDMI
HDMI
Black
IEEE 1394
None
IEEE 1394 mini
None
Infrared
None
Joystick
Mustard
Keyboard
Purple
Line in (audio)
Gray
Microphone
Pink
Modem
None
(continued)
28 Part I: Hello, PC!
Table 2-1 (continued)
Name
Connector
Symbol
Color
Mouse
Green
Network
None
Power
Yellow
Speakers/
Lime
headphones
S-video
Yellow
Surround left/right
Black
USB
Black/
Blue
VGA video
Blue
Chapter 3
PC Setup
In This Chapter
▶ Putting together your PC
▶ Understanding computer cables
▶ Plugging things into the console
▶ Using a power strip
▶ Managing with a UPS
I could lie to you and say that setting up a PC is so simple that a child could do it. A Vulcan child, perhaps. Even so, setting up a computer isn’t as difficult as assembling backyard play equipment or programming 1980s
VCRs. The process does, however, involve a lot of cable plugging, which must be done properly if you want the computer system to work. Therefore, I present to you this chapter, which should help you get your PC assembled.
Computer Assembly
Consider yourself lucky if your new PC pops right out of the box, ready to run. Many all-in-one PCs work that way — or close to it. Laptops come out of the box ready to go (well, perhaps needing a battery charge). For the
rest of the lot, peruse this section on how to get your PC out of the box and assembled.
Unpacking the boxes
Your computer runs faster when you take it out of the box.
I don’t need to describe how to open a box, but often the question looms: Which box to open first? If you’re lucky, one of the boxes says Open Me First.
Open that one first. Otherwise, attempt to locate the box containing the console. Open that one first.
30 Part I: Hello, PC!
As you open boxes, check to ensure that you have all the pieces necessary for your computer system. Look through all the packing materials inside the box. Sometimes, manufacturers stick important items inside boxes inside
boxes, or nestled in the Styrofoam. Refer to the packing slip or invoice for the list of pieces. If you’re missing anything, call someone!
✓ Keep the packing slip, warranty, sales receipt, and other important
pieces of paper together.
✓
Don’t fill out the warranty card until after the computer is set up and
running fine. If you have to return the computer, the store prefers that
the warranty card not be filled in.
✓ Keep all boxes and packing materials. You need them if you have to
return the computer. Also, the boxes are the best way to ship the com-
puter if you ever have to move. Some movers don’t insure a computer
unless it’s packed in its original box.
Setting up the console
The console is the main computer box, the locus of all PC activities, so you should set it up first. Put the console in the location where you’ve always dreamed it would be. If you plan to put the console beneath your desk, put it there now.
Don’t back the console up against the wall just yet because you need to plug things into the console’s back. Not until everything is connected to the console do you want to push it up against the wall. (Even then, leave some room so that you don’t crimp the cables.)
✓ The console needs to breathe. Don’t set up the computer in a confined
space or inside a cabinet where there’s no air circulation.
✓
Avoid setting the console by a window where the sun will heat it up.
Computers don’t like to operate in extreme heat — or extreme cold, for
that matter. A PC is happiest when it operates at temperatures between
40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit or, for the world outside the United States, between 4 and 27 degrees Celsius.
✓
Also avoid humidity, which can gum up a computer. Readers in
tropical climes have reported mold growing inside their PCs — the
humidity was that bad! If you compute where it’s humid, do so in an
air-conditioned room.
✓
Don’t put the console in a cabinet unless the cabinet is well-ventilated.
Shoot some bullet holes in the cabinet if it requires more ventilation.
✓
A computer by a window makes a tempting target for a smash-and-
grab thief.
Chapter 3: PC Setup
31
Plugging in and connecting
After setting up the console, your next job is to obtain the various other devices — the peripherals — and attach them to the console. You’ll also need to plug things in to a power supply.
I recommend setting up a peripheral, connecting it to the console, and
moving on to the next peripheral. So you set up the monitor, and then plug it into the console. Set up the keyboard, and then plug it into the console. For specific directions on connecting individual items, refer to the next section.
Some computer peripherals get their power directly from the wall socket. I recommend that you plug in their power cords last. Helpful tips on connecting your PC and its components to a power source are covered in the later section, “It Must Have Power.”
The Plugging-Things-In Guide
This section covers the basics of connecting many popular items to a standard computer console. Use this information instead of glue and adhesive
tape when you first set up the computer, as well as later when you expand or add to your computer system.
✓
All major parts of a computer system plug directly into the console,
which is why I recommend unpacking and setting up the console first.
✓
If this is the first time you’re setting up the computer, don’t plug in the console yet. You can turn on the console after connecting all the pieces.
✓
Plug things into the console before you plug them into the wall. Review
the information in the section “It Must Have Power” for details.
✓ It’s generally okay to plug something into the console while the com-
puter is on. Exceptions exist to this rule, so read this section carefully!
✓
Also see Chapter 22 for information on wirelessly connecting peripher-
als to your PC.
Attaching the keyboard and mouse
Set up the keyboard right in front of where you sit when you use the com-
puter, between you and the monitor. The mouse lives to the right or left of the keyboard, depending on whether you’re right- or left-handed.
32 Part I: Hello, PC!
Know your computer cables
A computer cable is known by which hole, or tiny thumbscrews on the side, which help cinch port, it plugs into. For example, USB cables plug the cable to the connector.
into USB ports.
Some cables are permanently attached to their
The ends of a computer cable are configured so devices: The mouse and keyboard have this that you cannot plug the cable in backward: The type of cable, for example. Other cables are connector for the console is one shape, and separate; remember to plug in both ends.
the connector for the gizmo is another shape.
When the connectors are the same shape, it Extra cables, if you need them, can be purchased doesn’t matter which end plugs in where.
at any computer or office supply store. As a sug-
gestion, measure the distance for which you
All cables fasten snugly. Network cables have need a cable and then double it to get a cable little tabs on them that snap when the cable is of the proper length. For example, if it’s 2 feet properly inserted. You must squeeze the tab to between your console and where you want a remove the cable. Some video connectors have microphone, get a 4-foot microphone cable.
The PC keyboard plugs into a USB port. The mouse plugs into a USB port.
Older model keyboards and mice plug into specific keyboard and mouse
ports. How can you tell which is which? Look at the end of the cable.
✓
The older mouse and keyboard ports look identical, but they’re not. Yes,
they’re different colors, but more importantly, they’re different electronics. Don’t plug the keyboard or mouse into the wrong port or else neither device works.
✓ You can attach or remove a USB keyboard or mouse at any time, but
don’t plug a keyboard or mouse into the keyboard or mouse port unless
the PC is turned off.
Chapter 3: PC Setup
33
Setting up the monitor
Set the monitor atop your desk, generally away from where you sit, to accom-modate room for the keyboard. For best results, the monitor should face you.
The monitor’s cable may be attached or separate. If separate, attach the
cable to the monitor. Plug the monitor’s cable into the console’s graph-
ics adapter jack. Several jack types are available, so choose the cable that matches the jack.
The monitor also requires power. See the later section “It Must Have Power.”
✓
If the monitor comes with several cable options, use the digital or HDMI
connector. Shun the older VGA (blue) connector unless it’s the only jack
available on the console.
✓ If the console has two sets of connectors, use the one on an expansion
card rather than the one found on the console’s I/O panel. That expan-
sion card jack indicates a high-end graphics adapter, which offers
better features.
✓
You can use digital-to-VGA adapters when you have a VGA monitor
and a digital graphics adapter. Such an adapter should have come with
the monitor.
✓
It’s possible to use a large-screen TV as your computer monitor.
What’s better is showing that setup to your computer friends to make
them jealous.
✓ HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface.
✓
See Chapter 8 for more information about PC monitors and graphics.
Connecting to the network
Plug the network cable into the network jack on the back of the console. This is how you connect your PC to a network, a router, a broadband modem, or
any of a number of oddly named networking things. Well, unless you have a Wi-Fi (wireless) connection.
For more info, refer to Part IV, which covers computer networking.
34 Part I: Hello, PC!
Adding a printer
You can add a printer to the computer system at any time. Try to position the printer where it’s within arm’s reach of the console so you can reach over and pluck out whatever it is you’re printing.
The printer connects directly to the PC with a USB cable. However, you might need to install the printer’s software before you make the connection. See Chapter 11.
You can also access printers on the network, in which case connecting the network also connects the printers. Job finished! See Chapter 21 for networking printing info.
The printer requires power, so you need to plug it into a wall socket. See the section “It Must Have Power,” later in this chapter.
Hooking up other random peripherals
With the advent of the USB port, adding things to a PC console is easy. (See Chapter 10 for more details on the USB connection.) However, two common
items that might not have a USB connector are audio devices and a dial-up modem.
The audio connection
Computer audio involves both output and input — the famous I/O you prob-
ably sang songs about when you went to computer camp as a teen.
All computer audio uses the standard mini-DIN connector, which looks like a tiny pointy thing. Audio input is supplied by a microphone that connects to the computer’s microphone jack. Audio output is supplied by headphones,
left–right speakers, or full-on, wake- the-neighbors surround sound, also using the mini-DIN connector and the appropriate jacks on the console.
✓
Refer to Chapter 12 for more information on PC audio, including some
speaker layout instructions.
✓
Both headphones and speakers use the line out, headphone, or speak-
ers jack. Furthermore, speakers may need to be plugged into the wall for
more power; see the section “It Must Have Power,” later in this chapter.
✓ Be sure to check the front of the console for another spot to plug in the headphones or microphone. This location is much handier than using
the connector on the back.
✓
The line in connector is used to connect any nonamplified sound source,
such as your stereo, TV, Victrola, or other antique audio devices.
Chapter 3: PC Setup
35
✓ The difference between the line in and microphone jacks is that line in devices aren’t amplified.
✓
If your audio equipment lacks a mini-DIN connector, you can buy an
adapter at any audio store or Radio Shack.
✓ Some PCs have special audio hardware, which you can determine by
looking at the console’s rear for audio connectors on an expansion slot
cover. If your PC is configured this way, be sure to plug the speakers
into the audio card’s output jacks, not into the standard audio output
jacks on the I/O panel.
The dial-up modem
Many people out there — several in fact — still use dial-up modems. If you’re one of them, you connect the modem as follows. First, the modem connects
to the phone company’s wall jack by using a standard telephone cord. You
plug in the modem just like you plug in a telephone, and you leave the cord connected all the time, just like a telephone.
Second, use the modem’s second phone jack, if available, to connect a real telephone so that you can use the phone when the computer isn’t on the line.
The second phone jack is labeled Phone and may have a telephone symbol by it. (The first jack is labeled Line. )
✓
Broadband modems — either cable, DSL, or satellite — don’t plug
directly into a PC. See Chapter 20.
✓ Be careful not to confuse the modem’s jack with the network jack. They
look similar, but the network jack is slightly wider.
It Must Have Power
Computer devices crave power like an armband-wearing, short-haired, high
school hall monitor. The last thing you need to do, after plugging your computer components into the console, is to plug all those gizmos into the wall.
Plugging everything into a power strip
You may have noticed that the computer system has far more devices that
need to be plugged in than the number of available wall sockets. No problem!
That’s why Thomas Edison invented power strips. The idea is to plug everything into a power strip and then plug that single power strip into the wall, as illustrated in Figure 3-1.
36 Part I: Hello, PC!
Figure 3-1:
Plug in your
stuff like
this.
Follow these steps:
1. Ensure that all your gizmos with on–off switches are in the Off
position.
2. Ensure that the power strip is in the Off position.
3. Plug everything into the power strip.
4. Turn your gizmos to the On position.
Now you’re ready to turn on the computer system, by turning on the power
strip. But not yet! The official on–off information is in Chapter 4. See that chapter for more information.
✓
Yes, sometimes it’s difficult to tell whether an electronic gizmo’s power button is “in the Off position.” Just plug it into the power strip anyway.
✓ Try to find a power strip with line noise filtering. Even better, pay more to buy a power strip that has line conditioning! That’s super nice for
your electronic goodies.
Chapter 3: PC Setup
37
✓
I recommend the Kensington SmartSockets-brand power strips. Unlike
cheaper power strips, the SmartSockets brand lines up its sockets in an
arrangement that makes it easier to plug in bulky transformers.
✓
Most power strips have six sockets, which is plenty for a typical com-
puter system. If not, buy a second power strip, plug it into its own wall socket, and use it for the rest of your computer devices. But:
✓ Don’t plug one power strip into another power strip; it’s electrically
unsafe!
✓
Don’t plug a laser printer into a power strip. The laser printer draws too much juice. Instead, you must plug the laser printer directly into the
wall socket. (It says so in your laser printer’s manual — if you ever get around to reading it.)
Surges, spikes, and lightning strikes
The power that comes from the wall socket Power outage: An absence of power coming into your computer isn’t as pure as the wind-through the line. People in the 1960s called it
driven snow. Occasionally, it may be corrupted a blackout.
by some of the various electrical nasties that,
every now and then, come uninvited into your A power strip with surge protection helps keep home or office. Here’s the lowdown:
your electronics happy during a surge. If the
power strip has noise filtering or line condition-
Line noise: Electrical interference on the power ing, it works even better.
line, most commonly caused by some electric
motor on the same circuit. For example, the TV The most expensive form of protection is spike image turns fuzzy when you use the blender. protection, in which the power strip lays down That’s line noise.
its life by taking the full brunt of the spike and
saving your computer equipment.
Surge: A gradual increase in power.
Spikes, because they’re particularly nasty,
Serge: Some guy from Europe.
come through not only the power lines but also
Spike: A sudden increase in the power, such the phone and cable TV lines. So, if lightning as what happens when lightning strikes nearby.
strikes are a common occurrence in your area,
use a power strip with phone line, cable, and
Dip: The opposite of a surge; a decrease in maybe even network protection.
power. Some electrical motors don’t work, and
room lights are dimmer than normal. A dip is
also known as a brownout.
38 Part I: Hello, PC!
Taking advantage of a UPS
UPS stands for uninterruptible power supply, and it’s the best thing to have for hooking up your computer system to the wall socket. Basically, a UPS is a power strip combined with a battery to keep your computer running when
the power goes out.
Figure 3-2 illustrates the proper way to set up your computer system with a UPS and power strip. Not shown is a USB cable, which is used on some UPS