Table Of ContentNewnes
PC Troubleshooting
Pocket Book
Newnes
PC Troubleshooting
Pocket Book
Second edition
Howard Anderson
and Mike Tooley
Newnes
AnimprintofElsevier
LinacreHouse,JordanHill,OxfordOX28DP
200WheelerRoad,Burlington,MA01803
Firstpublished1998
Secondedition2003
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Contents
Preface ix
1 Introduction 1
1.1 AbriefhistoryofthePC 1
1.2 Conventionsusedinthisbook 3
1.3 Generalapproachtotroubleshooting 3
1.4 Wheretostart 4
1.5 Whattoask 4
1.6 Categorizingfaults 5
1.7 Hardwarefaults 7
1.8 Softwarefaults 8
1.9 Configurationproblems 9
1.10 Burn-in 9
1.11 WhatisfittedinyourPC? 9
1.12 Generalpoints 9
2 TheInternet 11
2.1 Internet,themainsearchengines 12
2.2 Searchingtheweb 13
2.3 AnexampleofsearchingtheInternet 16
2.4 Canyoutrusttheanswersyoufind? 17
3 Microcomputerfundamentals 18
3.1 Microcomputerbasics 18
3.2 Catchingthebus 19
3.3 Expandingthesystem 19
3.4 Clocksandtiming 22
3.5 Interruptingthesystem 22
3.6 Datarepresentation 23
3.7 Binaryandhexadecimal 24
3.8 Aquicktourofthesystem 24
3.9 Operatingsystems 28
3.10 Dismantlingasystem 30
3.11 Safetyfirst! 31
3.12 Statichazards 32
3.13 Cooling 33
4 Systemarchitectureandconstruction 35
4.1 PCarchitecture 35
v
vi Contents
4.2 Modernsystemboardlayouts 35
4.3 Wiringandcabling 37
4.4 ReplacingtheCPU 38
4.5 UpgradingtheCPU 39
4.6 Troubleshootingthemotherboard 39
5 ThePCexpansionbuses 45
5.1 ISAbus 45
5.2 EISAbus 46
5.3 MCAbus 46
5.4 VESA(orVL)bus 46
5.5 PCIbus 46
5.6 TroubleshootingthePCIbus 48
5.7 Acceleratedgraphicsport(AGP) 49
5.8 TroubleshootingtheAGP 49
6 Semiconductormemory 51
6.1 Memorybasics 51
6.2 UpgradingyourBIOSROM 52
6.3 Randomaccessmemory(RAM) 53
6.4 RAMtroubleshooting 55
6.5 CMOSRAM 57
6.6 Memorydiagnostics 57
7 Printersandtheprinterinterface 59
7.1 ParallelI/O 59
7.2 ECP/EPP(Centronics)printerport 59
7.3 Printertypesandemulations 60
7.4 Troubleshootingtheprinter 62
7.5 PrintingfromWindows 62
7.6 Generalprintertroubleshooting 63
8 Theserialcommunicationports 65
8.1 TheRS-232standard 65
8.2 Troubleshootingtheserialports 67
9 Replaceablediskdrives 74
9.1 Floppydiskformats 74
9.2 Thebootrecord 75
9.3 Bootingthesystem 75
9.4 Troubleshootingthefloppydiskdrive 76
9.5 Replacingadiskdrive 77
9.6 ZipandJazdiskdrives 78
9.7 TroubleshootingZipdisks 78
Contents vii
10 Harddiskdrives 80
10.1 Harddrivebasics 80
10.2 Diskperformance 82
10.3 Driveinterfaces 84
10.4 ComparativeperformanceofSCSIandIDE/ATA 88
10.5 Partitioningthedisk 89
10.6 Themasterbootrecord 90
10.7 Troubleshootingtheharddrive 91
10.8 Installing,replacingorupgradingaharddiskdrive 94
10.9 Recoveringfromdisaster 99
11 Displays 102
11.1 PCdisplaystandards 102
11.2 Videographics 103
11.3 Graphicscards 104
11.4 VideoRAMrequired 106
11.5 Displaytypes 109
11.6 Troubleshootingdisplays 114
11.7 Troubleshootingvideoadapters 115
12 Viruses 116
12.1 Typesofvirus 116
12.2 Emailviruses 118
12.3 Hoaxes 118
12.4 Sourcesofviruses 119
12.5 Virusprevention 120
12.6 Detectingandeliminatingviruses 121
12.7 Anti-virussoftware–sevenofthebest 123
12.8 GettingvirushelpviatheInternet 124
13 TroubleshootingWindowserrormessages 126
13.1 Invalidpagefaults 128
13.2 Generalprotectionfaults 129
13.3 Fatalexceptions 137
13.4 Protectionerrors 140
13.5 Kernelerrors 143
13.6 Dynamiclinklibraryfaults 144
13.7 UsingDrWatson 145
14 TroubleshootingWindowsregistry 155
14.1 Windows95,98andME 155
14.2 Windows2000 157
14.3 WindowsXP 157
14.4 Morelinkstoregistryrelatedsites 158
viii Contents
AppendixA Commonfileextensions 159
AppendixB TheCommandPromptandDOS 161
AppendixC Usingbatchfiles 185
AppendixD UsingDEBUG 190
AppendixE Hex,binary,decimalandASCIIcharacterset 192
AppendixF IBMPOSTanddiagnosticerrorcodes 197
AppendixG Referencesectionandglossaryofterms 202
AppendixH Usefulwebsites 215
AppendixI Processortypes,socketsandfamilies 217
Index 227
Preface
Soonerorlater,mostPCusersfindthemselvesconfrontedwithhard-
wareorsoftwarefailureortheneedtoupgradeoroptimizeasystemfor
some new application. Newnes PCTroubleshooting Pocket Book pro-
vides a concise and compact reference which describes ina clear and
straightforwardmannertheprinciplesandpracticeoffaultfindingand
upgradingPCs.
Thisbookisaimedatanyonewhoisinvolvedwiththeinstallation,
configuration, maintenance, upgrading, repair or support of PC sys-
tems. It also provides non-technical users with sufficient background
informationtodiagnosebasicfaultsandcarryoutsimplemodifications
andrepairs.
Incomputertroubleshooting,aswithanyfieldofendeavour,there
are a number of short-cuts which can be instrumental in helping to
avoidhoursoffrustrationandcostlyeffort.Wehavethusincludeda
number of ‘tips’ which will help you avoid many of these pitfalls.
Gleaned from a combined practical computing experience extending
over50years,thesesnippetsofinformationaretheresultofhard-won
experienceofthetwoco-authorsandwillhopefullysaveyouhoursof
frustration!
Totake intoaccount the relentless advance in PC technology, this
new edition has beenconsiderably updated and extendedand several
completelynewsectionshavebeenincludedontroubleshootinginthe
Windowsenvironmentandassociatedsoftware.
Happytroubleshooting!
MichaelTooley,HowardAnderson
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