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 also targeting those who are familiar with PCs, but need to get up to speed on the latest version of Windows. This hands-on guide takes the dread out of working with a personal computer.
Leaving painful jargon and confusing terminology behind, it covers Windows 10 OS, connecting to and using services and data in the cloud, and so much more. Written by Dan Gookin, the original For Dummies author, it tells you how to make a PC purchase, what to look for in a new PC, how to work with the latest operating system, ways to protect your files, what you can do online, media management tips, and even basic topics you're probably too shy to ask a friend about.
Determine what you need in a PC and how to set it up
Configure your PC, hook up a printer, and connect to the Internet
Find your way around Windows 10 OS with ease and confidence
Play movies and music, view photos, and explore social media
If you're a first-time PC user at home or at work or just need to brush up on the latest technological advancements, the new edition of this bestselling guide gets you up and running fast.
Author(s): Dan Gookin
Series: For Dummies
Edition: 13th
Publisher: For Dummies
Year: 2015
Language: English
Pages: 336
Title Page......Page 5
Copyright Page......Page 6
Table of Contents......Page 9
What’s New in This Edition?......Page 19
Where to Start......Page 20
Conventions Used in This Book......Page 21
Icons Used in This Book......Page 22
Where to Go from Here......Page 23
Part I Hello, PC!......Page 25
“What is a PC?”......Page 27
“Will my computer explode?”......Page 29
What a computer does......Page 30
Hardware and software......Page 31
Buy Yourself a PC!......Page 32
Step 3. Match hardware to the software......Page 33
What To Do With An Old Computer......Page 34
A Final Thing to Remember......Page 35
The Big Picture......Page 37
There is no typical console......Page 39
Major points of interest on the console, front......Page 41
Stuff found on the console’s rump......Page 43
The I/O panel......Page 44
Helpful hints, hieroglyphics, and hues......Page 46
Unpacking the boxes......Page 47
Setting up the console......Page 48
The Plugging‐Things‐In Guide......Page 49
Attaching the keyboard and mouse......Page 50
Adding a printer......Page 51
Hooking up the speakers......Page 52
Plugging everything into a power strip......Page 53
Taking advantage of a UPS......Page 55
Using the UPS (a short play)......Page 56
Turn On Your PC......Page 59
Windows, Ahoy!......Page 61
Shutting down Windows......Page 62
Putting Windows to sleep......Page 63
Signing out......Page 65
Should You Leave Mr. PC On All the Time?......Page 67
“I want to leave my computer on all the time”......Page 68
Part II The Nerd’s‐Eye View......Page 69
Computer Guts......Page 71
Looking under the hood......Page 72
Powering Mr. Computer......Page 73
Corralling all the mass storage devices......Page 74
King Processor......Page 75
Naming PC processors......Page 76
Discovering your PC’s processor......Page 77
Your Computer Is Also a Timepiece......Page 78
Using the Internet to set the clock......Page 79
What Is Computer Memory?......Page 81
Tasty Chocolate Memory Chips......Page 82
Memory, One Byte at a Time......Page 84
“How much memory is in my PC right now?”......Page 86
“Can I test whether my PC has enough memory?”......Page 87
“What is virtual memory?”......Page 88
“What about shared video memory?”......Page 89
The PC’s Mass Storage System......Page 91
Surveying the mass storage landscape......Page 92
Identifying the primary storage device......Page 93
Finding mass storage devices......Page 94
Inserting an optical disc......Page 96
Ejecting media......Page 97
Adding more storage......Page 98
Handing out drive letters......Page 99
Exploring drive icons and names......Page 101
Checking drive capacity......Page 102
Accessing removable media......Page 104
The PC’s Graphics System......Page 105
Minding the monitor......Page 107
Discovering the display adapter......Page 108
Measuring a monitor......Page 109
Connecting the monitor to the PC......Page 110
Working the monitor’s controls......Page 111
Setting resolution......Page 112
Adding a second monitor......Page 113
Orienting the monitor......Page 115
Meet Mr. Keyboard......Page 117
Examining the typical PC keyboard......Page 118
Using modifier keys......Page 120
Changing keyboard behavior keys......Page 121
Understanding strange keys......Page 122
Understanding keys for math......Page 123
Controlling the keyboard in Windows......Page 124
Connecting the mouse......Page 125
Reviewing basic mouse parts......Page 126
Moving the mouse......Page 127
Changing mouse settings......Page 128
Using basic touchscreen techniques......Page 130
Typing on a touchscreen......Page 131
It’s a Port......Page 133
Understanding USB cables......Page 134
Working with USB‐powered gizmos......Page 136
Removing a USB device......Page 137
Using hubs to expand the USB universe......Page 138
Shopping for expansion cards......Page 139
Adding an expansion card......Page 140
Checking for Bluetooth......Page 141
Pairing a Bluetooth peripheral......Page 142
Unpairing a Bluetooth device......Page 144
Surveying the printer landscape......Page 145
Touring the typical printer......Page 146
Using the printer’s control panel......Page 147
Drinking ink......Page 148
Eating paper......Page 149
Connecting the printer......Page 150
Finding printers in Windows......Page 151
Setting the default printer......Page 152
Printing something......Page 153
Stopping a printer run amok......Page 155
The Noisy PC......Page 157
Setting up speakers......Page 158
Exploring microphone options......Page 160
Sound Control in Windows......Page 161
Configuring the microphone......Page 162
Adjusting the volume......Page 163
Windows Goes Bleep......Page 164
Recording your own sounds......Page 166
Dictating to the PC......Page 167
Part III Basic Computing......Page 169
What’s an Operating System?......Page 171
Starting at the desktop......Page 172
Working the taskbar......Page 174
Accessing the Start menu......Page 175
Looking at the notifications area......Page 176
Summoning the Action Center......Page 177
Settings and Controls......Page 178
Using the Settings app......Page 179
Visiting the Control Panel......Page 180
Software Nomenclature......Page 183
Hunting down programs in Windows......Page 184
Starting an app from Tablet mode......Page 186
Pinning a program......Page 187
Install and Remove Programs......Page 188
Obtaining software from the Internet......Page 189
Installing a program from external media......Page 190
Uninstalling a program......Page 192
Behold the File!......Page 195
Describing a file......Page 196
Creating a new file......Page 197
Understanding the filename extension......Page 199
Understanding subfolders and parent folders......Page 200
Finding a place for your stuff......Page 201
Making a new folder......Page 203
Working with folders in the Open and Save As dialog boxes......Page 204
Selecting files......Page 205
Manipulating files......Page 208
Finding files lost, missing, or dead......Page 211
The Cloud Thing......Page 213
Adding a cloud storage service......Page 214
Copying a file to cloud storage......Page 215
Accessing cloud storage from another device......Page 217
Keeping your pictures on cloud storage......Page 218
Sharing a picture from cloud storage......Page 219
Listening to your cloud music......Page 221
Why Network?......Page 223
Reviewing the network configuration......Page 225
Setting up a gateway......Page 227
Connecting to a wireless network......Page 229
Connecting to a hidden Wi‐Fi network......Page 231
Checking the network type......Page 232
Resetting the network type......Page 233
Forgetting a Wi‐Fi connection......Page 234
On the Network......Page 235
Accessing a network folder......Page 236
Mapping a network drive......Page 237
Sharing a folder......Page 238
Activating media sharing on your PC......Page 239
Part IV Your Digital Life......Page 241
What Is the Internet?......Page 243
Finding another web browser......Page 244
Locating the web browser commands......Page 245
Going undercover on the web......Page 246
Browsing tips......Page 247
Searching‐the‐web tips......Page 248
Copying text from a web page......Page 249
Understanding email acronyms......Page 250
Finding an email program......Page 251
Dealing with another device......Page 253
Setting AutoPlay options......Page 255
Importing images......Page 257
Getting video into your PC......Page 258
Ripping music from a CD......Page 259
Image Resolution......Page 261
Understanding resolution......Page 262
Digital Camera Tips......Page 263
Introducing the scanner......Page 264
Scanning an image......Page 265
Picture Files......Page 267
Viewing pictures in Windows......Page 268
Printing your digital photos......Page 269
Changing picture file formats......Page 272
PC Movies......Page 273
Storing video in Windows......Page 274
Viewing a video......Page 275
Uploading a video to YouTube......Page 276
Sharing your videos......Page 277
Getting a TV tuner......Page 278
Your TV Is a PC......Page 279
Your PC Is Your Stereo......Page 280
Enjoying music from the stream......Page 281
Running Windows Media Player......Page 282
Part V Security and Maintenance......Page 283
Tools to Fight the Bad Guys......Page 285
Finding the Action Center......Page 287
Setting up the Windows Firewall......Page 288
Protecting the PC with Windows Defender......Page 290
Paying attention to the UAC warnings......Page 291
Setting the screen saver lock......Page 292
Reviewing Windows 10 privacy options......Page 293
Updating and upgrading......Page 294
Updating Windows......Page 295
The File You Had Yesterday......Page 297
Configuring Windows 10 File History......Page 298
Setting up Windows 7 Backup......Page 299
Recovering a previous version of a file......Page 300
Restoring files from a backup......Page 301
Exploring Internet backup utilities......Page 302
Compressed Folder Archives......Page 303
Compressing files......Page 304
Working with a compressed folder......Page 305
Installing software from a compressed folder......Page 306
Storage Utilities......Page 307
Freeing storage space......Page 308
Checking for errors......Page 310
Running defrag......Page 311
Network Troubleshooting......Page 313
Setting power options in Windows 10......Page 314
Configuring a power management plan......Page 315
Adding the Hibernate option......Page 316
The Windows 10 Do‐Over......Page 317
Part VI The Part of Tens......Page 319
I. Thou Shalt Not Fear Thy PC......Page 321
V. Thou Shalt Not Be a Sucker......Page 322
VII. Thou Shalt Upgrade Wisely......Page 323
X. Thou Shalt Properly Shut Down Windows......Page 324
Mouse Pad and Wrist Pad......Page 325
Cleaning Materials......Page 326
Internal Expansion......Page 327
An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)......Page 328
Scanner......Page 329
Thumb Drives and Media Cards......Page 330
Remember That You’re in Charge......Page 331
Create Separate Accounts......Page 332
Organize Your Files......Page 333
Shun the Hype......Page 334
Remember Not to Take This Computer Stuff Too Seriously......Page 335
Index......Page 337
EULA......Page 363
