Provides all the practical details for customising your PCLearn about the main types of case modding components Suitable for all user levels Why not turn that anonymous grey tower that is the heart of your computer system into a source of visual wonderment & fascination. To start you need to change the case or some case panels for ones that are transparent. This will then allow the inside of your computer & its working parts to be clearly visible. There are now numerous accessories that are relatively inexpensive & freely available for those wishing to customise their PC with added colour & light. Cables & fans can be made to glow interior lights can be added & it can all be seen to good effect through the transparent case. Exterior lighting & many other attractive accessories may also be fitted. This in essence is Case Modding or PC Customising as it is sometimes called & this book provides all the practical details you need for using the main types of case modding components including
- Electro luminescent EL go-faster stripes
- Internal lighting units
- Fancy EL panels
- Data cables with built-in lighting
- Data cables that glow with the aid of black light from an ultraviolet UV tube
- Digital display panels
- LED case & heatsink fans
- Coloured power supply covers







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Everything you need to know about practical interfacing of electronic devices to PCs Suitable for beginners intermediate & advanced users PCs can interface to external devices via many different routes. One of these is by utilising the standard ISA expansion slots a method that is only really suitable for advanced users. However options more suitable for beginners are available that use the parallel & serial ports. All three methods of interfacing are covered in some detail. The use of MIDI games ports for interfacing is also considered. Once connected the PC & external device have to be able to communicate but getting signals in & out of PC ports is not normally a mainstream aspect of programming. Therefore the author covers the necessary techniques using Visual programming languages such as Visual BASIC & Delphi. It is then relatively easy to produce attractive & effective user-interfaces complete with virtual control panels meters etc. ...

Many actions carried out on a PC have keyboard shortcuts attached to them. These are especially useful for people who are more used to the keyboard than to a mouse. For touch typists they are essential. But anyone who takes the trouble to learn these shortcuts will find they can work far faster & more efficiently than using just menu systems or toolbar buttons. This book describes the keyboard shortcuts for
- Microsoft Windows XP & its accessories Windows Media Player 9 Internet Explorer 6 Outlook 2003 & Outlook Express 6 Microsoft Office 2003 Word XP & 2003 Excel 2003 Access 2003 Publisher 2003 Power Point 2003 Front Page 2003 Microsoft Works Suite 2004 & Works 7.0 Paint Shop Pro 8 Adobe Reader 6 Adobe Acrobat 6 Although the shortcuts listed are for the latest versions of these programs many will work with older versions. With a little trial & error this book will be useful to anyone using almost any versions of the above software. This book is meant for any PC user from beginners to experts. We do not suggest that you sit down & read the book from cover to cover just dip in wherever you want. Each chapter covers the shortcuts of a particular application & when using that application it makes a very useful desktop companion. A glossary of computer terms is also included.
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Test various parts of the system Diagnose a wide range of faults Check cables & connections Deal with the BIOSReplace such parts as disk drives memory modules & even motherboards Carry out any necessary configuration or reconfiguration Re-install the Windows operating system Carry out routine maintenance & much much more besides Repairing a faulty PC is not such a daunting prospect as you may think. Diagnosing some faults can be very straightforward while other faults may be less obvious. However if you are of a reasonably practical disposition have some knowledge of PCs & take a logical approach then with the help of this book many faults can be identified & then rectified quickly & easily. The modular construction of PCs make them relatively easy to service as invariably the repair only means replacing a faulty part rather than trying to repair it. Most replacement components for PCs are readily available & usually require no more than a screwdriver or small spanner to fit. An invaluable tool for all computer users as you never know when disaster may strike & you need to get your PC working. Much frustration & waiting time could be saved rather than having to rely on help lines. ...

If you want to successfully create your own computer network then this book tells you how Design the network & choose the right Wi-Fi equipment Share files & folders Share an Internet connection Share printers Getting everything working for optimum performance Many homes & small businesses now have more than one computer that could be a mixture of desktop & laptop or just one type of machine. Using the built-in facilities of Windows & some low-cost hardware it is possible to join individual PCs into an effective network but you have to put up with the hassle of installing the hardware & the inconvenience of all the extra connecting cables. Fortunately the development of wireless networking equipment or Wi-Fi as it has become known now gives you the advantage of networking without any of these problems. You can easily share music files across the network use all your PCs with a single Internet connection printout documents on a laptop using the office printer surf the Internet while relaxing in the garden & much more besides. Like any new technology it may appear at first to be a little confusing but with the help of this book you should be able to master this new & exciting aspect of computing. ...

Safely & easily extend a wall socket layout without the need for Part P certification or any electrical competence Provides two twin sockets from one existing twin socket outlet which can be positioned up to 2.4 metres from the existing socket
Includes: four 1.2 metre lengths of decorative trunking for discreet housing of the cable
- no more untidy cable runs Maximum current from each twin socket extension must not exceed 13 amps Please note
- this kit is not suitable for extending sockets in to or out of a kitchen bathroom or outdoor location. Such installations must be completed by a Part P approved installer. For more information please visit www.partp.co.uk B


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Replaces the use of the troublesome booster cables to jump start your car Connect the ends of the cable to the cigarette lighter sockets of both cars LEDs indicate when the car is ready to be started The time it takes depends on the status of the battery & can take anywhere from 5 minutes upwards. The cable can be stored wrapped around the unit to ensure a tidy storage solution within the bag supplied. ...

An invaluable tool for all PC users as you never know when a problem could strike Frustration expense & waiting time may be saved by not having to rely on help lines or service desks Troubleshooting problems with Windowsandreg XP may seem a daunting task for non-expert computer users but in fact most faults can be fixed quite quickly & easily if you only knew how Simple problems can usually be tracked down & cured quite quickly or when confronted with a particularly complex or difficult fault the easiest solution may be just to reinstall Windowsandreg XP. Either way by following the procedures described in this book your PC should be up & running properly again. Suitable for beginners intermediate & advanced users. ...