Introduction 1 About This Book 1 How This Book Works 2 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 4 Book 1: Solve My Problem Now! 5 Chapter 1: Trouble Comes Hither 7 The Root of All PC Trouble 7 What''s Changed? 8 Hardware versus Software Problems 11 When to Give Up 12 Chapter 2: Quick Fixes 15 Things to Try First 15 Help! 22 Book 2: O, We Got Trouble! 29 Chapter 1: Startup Problems 31 The Onset of PC Heartbreak 31 Phase I: Power On 32 Phase II: The POST 35 Phase III: Startup Options 36 Phase IV: The Search for an Operating System 42 Phase V: Operating System Initialization 44 Phase VI: Sign In to Windows 45 The Last Thing You Do 46 Chapter 2: Disk Disaster 47 PC Storage Overview 47 Mass Storage Tools and Utilities 59 Drive Management and Maintenance 61 Fun with Partitions 73 Chapter 3: Monitor Mayhem 83 The PC Graphics System 83 Captain Video Troubleshooter 96 Chapter 4: Internal Issues 107 Deep Inside the Case 107 Things to Upgrade, Fix, or Repair Inside the Case 115 Power Management Issues 127 Chapter 5: Printer Problems 135 Between the Computer and Printer 135 The Windows Side of Printing 143 Printer Driver Duties 151 Printer Problems and Solutions 154 Chapter 6: Peripheral Perils 159 Hardware Troubleshooting 160 Audio Anxieties 165 Keyboard and Mouse Woes 172 Chapter 7: Software Situations 181 Installation Issues 181 Banish the Unwanted 185 The Good and Evil of File Association 188 Common Software Problems and Solutions 194 Chapter 8: Network Nonsense 201 The Network Big Picture 201 Network Hardware Connection and Configuration 205 The Software Side of Networking 214 Network Troubleshooting 222 Network Problems and Solutions 226 Chapter 9: Shutdown Issues 229 Such a Turn-Off 229 Problems with Restarting 234 Shutdown Malaise 237 Book 3: Tools to Use 241 Chapter 1: Windows Recovery Environment 243 Startup Keys and Recovery Options 243 The Sacred Recovery Volume 249 The Windows Recovery Environment 252 Chapter 2: The Device Manager 261 Your Pal, the Device Manager 261 Device Manager Duties 265 Chapter 3: MSCONFIG and the Task Manager 271 The System Configuration Utility 271 MSCONFIG Startup Options 284 Chapter 4: Safe Mode 287 The Mode Is Safe 287 Safe Mode to the Rescue 288 Not Safe Mode Duties 299 Chapter 5: System Restore 301 The System Restore Philosophy 301 Restore the System, Restore Your Sanity 304 System Restore on Schedule 309 Chapter 6: The Task Manager 313 Task Control Central 313 Here a Task, There a Task 321 Chapter 7: The Windows Registry 325 Behold the Registry 325 Registry Cleaning 334 Chapter 8: Events and Diagnostics 335 What Has Gone On Here? 335 Diagnostics to the Rescue 339 Book 4: PC Security 347 Chapter 1: Windows Update 349 Windows Updates, Doesn''t It? 349 Update Hiccups 353 Chapter 2: Keep Mr PC Safe 357 Malicious + Software = Malware 357 Windows Defender to the Rescue 361 Life Behind the Firewall 365 Chapter 3: Backup and Restore 371 An Emergency Copy 371 Prepare for Backup! 373 File Time-Travel 378 The System Image 381 Book 5: This Old PC 385 Chapter 1: Performance and Resources 387 The Relationship Between Performance and Resources 387 How Ya Doin'', PC? 388 Chapter 2: More Mass Storage 395 The Mass Storage Pie 395 Get Yourself More Mass Storage Capacity 399 Even More Storage 407 Chapter 3: Boost PC Performance 411 Man, Your PC Is Slow! 411 Speed Up Your PC 413 Index 421.