Internet Message Access Protocol. See IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)
Internet Options, 1117–1120
Internet Protocol. See IP (Internet Protocol)
Internet Relay Chat (IRC), 1143
Internet Service Providers (ISPs), 1091
Interrupt 13 (INT13) extensions, 425
inverters, LCD components, 933–934
IOH (I/O Hub), Intel terminology for Northbridge, 331
IP addresses
assigning automatically, 1027–1028
binary representation of, 1014–1015
class licenses, 1016–1017
configuring, 177
configuring manually, 1027
default gateways and, 175
DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) and, 1022–1023
DNS and, 175–176
global addresses in IPv6, 1032–1034
ipconfig for viewing network settings, 1024–1025
IPv6 addresses, 1029–1031
overview of, 174–175
ping for determining, 1124
static, 1022
subnet masks, 1015–1016
subnet masks in IPv6, 1032
IP (Internet Protocol). See also TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
addresses. See IP addresses
configuring IP settings, 177–178
IP conflicts, 1015
IPv6. See IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)
IP Security (IPSec), 1369
iPads
Adobe Flash not supported by, 1254
Apple iOS on, 1251
Bluetooth keyboards for, 1262
closed source nature of, 1255–1256
expansion options for, 1259–1260
IPS (In-Plane Switching), 1249
locator service for, 1271–1272
smart covers for protecting, 1270
ipconfig
overview of, 1024–1025
troubleshooting Internet connectivity, 1138
iPhones
Adobe Flash not supported, 1254
Apple iOS on, 1251
closed source nature of, 1255–1256
e-mail settings, 1266–1267
expansion options for, 1259–1260
locator service for, 1271–1272
security token for, 1333
IPMP (Intellectual Property Management and Protection), 548
IPS (In-Plane Switching)
LCD technologies, 1195
in mobile devices, 1249
in TFT technology, 933
IPSec (IP Security), 1369
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)
global addresses, 1032–1034
overview of, 1028–1029
subnet masks, 1032
IRC (Internet Relay Chat), 1143
IrDA (Infrared Data Association), 1069
ISDN (integrated services digital network), 1101–1102
ISM (industrial, scientific, and medical) radio bands, 1066
ISO-9660, CDFS (CD File System), 538
ISO files, imaging optical discs, 556
ISPs (Internet Service Providers), 1091
IT (Information Technology) workforce. See PC techs
iTunes
playing sounds, 1154
sharing media files, 1413, 1415
sync options, 1269
ITX form factor, 326–328
jacks
defined, 48–49
PCs, 48–49
on sound cards, 1157–1159
for sound devices, 57
joysticks
connections on PCs for, 61
connections on sound cards for, 58, 1157
as input device, 908–910
TrackPoint devices, 1193
jump drives. See USB thumb drives
jump lists, Windows 7, 104, 122
jumpers, on PATA drives, 444–445
Kazaa file sharing, 1144
Kbps (kilobits per second)
modem speed in, 1096
MP3 speed in, 1152
Kerberos, for network authentication, 1368
Keyboard applet, Control Panel, 895
keyboard, video, mouse (KVM) switches, 907–908
keyboards
biometric devices on, 905
Bluetooth-connected, 1058–1059, 1262
cleaning, 1224
communicating with CPU, 286–288
configuring, 895
connectors on PCs for, 55–56
controller for, 286–288
DIN ports and, 49
enabling USB support, 894–895
games controlled by, 908
for gaming PC, 1426
KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switches and, 907–908
as peripherals, 47
port in ATX motherboards, 325
on portable computers, 1192–1193
replacing in portable computers, 1235
troubleshooting and maintaining, 896–897
virtual in mobile devices, 1252
virtual in tablet PCs, 1200
Keynote program, Apple, 1259–1260
KHz (kilohertz), measuring sampling rate in, 1150
kilobits per second (Kbps)
modem speed in, 1096
MP3 speed in, 1152
knowledge factors, in authentication, 1331
KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switches, 907–908
KVM, virtualization manager for Linux/Unix OSs, 1395
L1, L2, and L3 cache, 222–223, 225
land grid array (LGA), in CPUs, 65, 229
landing zones, in hard drive geometry, 411
landscape view
display rotation and, 974
in mobile devices, 1250
lanes, PCle (PCI Express), 340–342
language settings, planning Windows installation, 575
languages, printers, 1288–1289
LANs (local area networks)
APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing), 1027–1028
class licenses, 1016–1017
coaxial cable and connectors, 996–998
command-line options for working with, 1044–1045
configuring network clients, 1038
configuring TCP/IP, 1027
connecting to WANs, 173
connection-oriented and connection less communication, 1019–1020
DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) and, 1022–1024
diagnosing physical problems, 1047–1048
equipment racks, 1005–1006
Ethernet cabling, 994
fiber optic cable, 995–996
fixing connection-related problems, 1051
horizontal cabling, 1003
hubs, switches, and bridges, 998–999
installing NICs, 1035–1038
Internet connections, 1104
IP addresses, 1014–1015
IPv6 addresses, 1029–1031
IPv6 addresses and, 1028–1029
IPv6 global addresses, 1032–1034
IPv6 subnet masks, 1032
making patch cables, 1009–1012
NAS (networked attached storage) and, 999–1000
patch panels, 1006–1009
repairing cabling, 1047
review Q&A, 1052–1054
sharing drives and folders, 1039–1042
sharing printers, 1045–1046
solid core vs. stranded cable, 1004
structured cabling, 1000–1003
subnet masks, 1015–1016
TCP/IP services, 1020–1021
TCP/IP settings, 1021–1022
TCP/IP tools, 1024–1026
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and, 1014
telecommunications rooms, 1004–1006
testing cable, 1049–1051
testing NICs, 1048–1049
troubleshooting, 1046
UNC (universal naming convention) and, 1042
work areas for cabling, 1012–1014
laptop computers. See also portable computers
installing SO-DIMMs in, 275–276
overview of, 1192
laser printers
cleaning, 1313
components of, 1284–1287
maintaining, 1314
overview of, 1283
printing in color, 1298
steps in printing process, 1293–1297
types of problems with, 1315–1317
laserdisc format, 544
Last Known Good Configuration, Advanced Startup Options, 848
latency
in RAM response time, 259–261
VoIP and, 1127
LBA (logical block addressing)
GPT (GUID Partition Table) supporting, 464
higher drive capacity with, 418–419
sector translation support, 420–421
LCDs (liquid crystal displays)
analog signal and, 942
brightness and response rate of, 936
components of, 933–935
connectors for, 942–943
contrast ratio of, 937
how they work, 928–932
in mobile devices, 1249
overview of, 927
portable computers and, 1194
power conservation in, 945
projectors, 939
refresh rate of, 936–937
resolution of, 935–936
safety concerns related to, 988
sizes of, 941
TFT (thin film transistor) technology in, 932–933
troubleshooting, 986–987
LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol), 1135–1136
LEDs (light-emitting diodes)
in LCD technology, 934–935
link lights as NIC status indicator, 1036–1037
motherboard installation and, 359–360
OLED (organic light-emitting diodes), 1196, 1249–1250
use in fiber optic cable, 995
use in LCD monitors, 1195
legacy-free computing initiative, Microsoft, 525
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Walker, 1439, 1441
LFX12V power supply, 388
LGA (land grid array), in CPUs, 65, 229
Li-Ion (Lithium-Ion) batteries, 1214–1215
libraries, in Windows 7, 112–114, 701
lifting, safety and, 35
light-emitting diodes. See LEDs (light-emitting diodes)
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), 1135–1136
line in, sound card jacks, 1157
line-interactive UPS, 377
line out, sound card jacks, 1157
lines of code
CPU instructions, 201
in programs, 205
link lights
checking connectivity and, 1048
as NIC status indicator, 1036–1037
troubleshooting wireless networks, 1085
link-local addresses, IPv6, 1031, 1033
LiPO (Lithium polymer) batteries, 1215
liquid cooling, options for cooling CPUs, 233–234
liquid crystal displays. See LCDs (liquid crystal displays)
Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries, 1214–1215
Lithium polymer (LiPO) batteries, 1215
local area networks. See LANs (local area networks) local printers, installing, 1299–1301
Local Security Policy tool, 1337
local shares, 702
local user accounts, 672–673
Local Users and Groups tool, 685–689
locale settings, planning Windows installation, 575
locking computer, physical area security, 1330
lockup, troubleshooting installation, 614–615
logical block addressing. See LBA (logical block addressing)
logical drives, 461–462
logical topology, 163
logon/logoff
in Window OSs, 94–96
logs
Enable Boot Logging, 847
installation issues captured in log files, 615
Log Properties dialog (Windows 7), 855
Performance Logs and Alerts, 658–660
LoJack
for BIOS security, 302
for laptop security, 1227
Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular networks, 1107
loopback test, checking NICs, 1048–1049
low-level formatting, 623
LPX form factor, 323–324
LTE (Long Term Evolution) cellular networks, 1107
MAC address filtering
configuring wireless networks, 1073–1074
securing wireless networks, 1062–1063, 1372
MAC (media access control) addresses
IPv6 subnet masks based on, 1032
NICs and, 163–164
machine language, of microprocessor, 200–201
macros, types of malware, 1349
magic packets, Wake-on-LAN and, 1037–1038
magnets, EMI (electromagnetic interference) and, 33
Mail application, e-mail settings, 1266
mainframe computers, 776
maintenance
of batteries in portable computers, 1215
of hard drives, 505
of keyboards, 896–897
of laser printers, 1314
of mice, 898–900
of power supplies, 394
of Registry, 729–731
maintenance, of Windows OSs
Automatic Updates, 727–729
error checking and disk defragmentation, 731–732
managing temporary files with Disk Cleanup, 729
overview of, 721–722
patch management, 722–723
Registry maintenance, 729–731
review Q&A, 772–774
scheduling backups, 734–735
scheduling defragmentation, 735–736
scheduling error-checking, 736–737
scheduling maintenance, 732
System Configuration utility, 737–738
System Information utility, 739
Task Scheduler/Scheduled Tasks, 732–734
Windows Update, 723–727
malicious software (malware) anti-malware programs, 1352–1354
grayware, 1343–1344
malware cleaners, 1450
overview of, 1343
pop-ups, 1344
prevention tips, 1355–1356
recovery tips, 1356–1359
security threats, 1325–1326
signs and symptoms, 1350–1351
spam, 1347–1348
spyware, 1344–1347
user education, 1354–1355
viruses, worms, macros, Trojan horses, and rootkits, 1349
Malwarebytes Anti Malware program, 1353
Man in the Box
ALU (arithmetic logic unit) as, 212
analogy for understanding CPUs, 196–199
manufacturers
BIOS, 294–297
Web site resources of, 570
maps, positioning software and, 1254–1255
mass storage devices. See removable
media material safety data sheet (MSDS)
dealing with printer consumables, 1309
handling toxic materials and, 1328
MB Intelligent Tweaker (M.I.T.), 297–298
MBR (master boot record)
extended partitions, 461–462
overview of, 458–460
partition limits of, 312
primary partitions and multiple OSs, 460–461
starting ntldr program in Windows XP boot process, 637
Windows Vista/7 boot process and, 641
of address space, 210
measuring RAM, 66
MCC (memory controller chip)
overview of, 208–209
MCH (Memory Controller Hub), Intel terminology for Northbridge, 331
MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional), 2, 4
md (or mkdir) command, for making directories, 791–793
media access control addresses. See MAC (media access control) addresses
media, troubleshooting optical. See also by media types, 561
media workstations, 1408–1409
megabytes (MBs)
of address space, 210
measuring RAM, 66
megapixels
digital cameras and camcorders, 914
webcams, 916
memory
bits and bytes for measuring, 206–207
CPUs and, 205–206
flash memory. See flash memory
hard drives and, 205
memory sticks, 534
random access. See RAM (random access memory)
read-only. See ROM (read-only memory) video memory, 955–956
virtual memory, 263–264, 751–752
memory controller chip. See MCC (memory controller chip)
Memory Controller Hub (MCH), Intel terminology for Northbridge, 331
Memory Diagnostics Tool (Windows 7), 279
Memtest86, testing RAM, 279
mesh topology, 161–162
MFPs (multifunction peripherals), 1318
mice
adding to mobile devices, 1262
Bluetooth-connected, 1058–1059
configuring, 898
connectors on PCs for, 59–60
DIN ports and, 49
for gaming PC, 1426
hot keys as alternative to, 897–898
KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switches and, 907–908
maintaining, 898–900
PC games controlled by, 908
as peripheral device, 47
port in ATX motherboards, 325
for portable computers, 1193–1194
micro-A ports, USB, 884
micro-ATX power supplies, 387
micro-B ports, USB, 884
micro-DIMMs
adding RAM to portable computer, 1231–1232
DDR SDRAM and, 254
SDRAM and, 251
microATX (µATX) motherboards, 325–326
microcomputers, 776
microdrives, 532
microphones
inputting sound with, 57
overview of, 1163–1165
sound card jack for, 1157
webcams and, 916
microprocessors. See CPUs (central processing units) microSD cards, 533, 1260–1261
Microsoft
legacy-free computing initiative, 525
Windows OSs. See Windows OSs
Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), 2, 4
Microsoft DOS (MS-DOS), 776
Microsoft Gadgets, 115
Microsoft Management Console (MMC), 140–143
Microsoft Outlook, 1121
Microsoft Product Activation (MPA), 578
Microsoft Security Essentials, 1353
Microsoft Technical Certifications, 4
MIDI (musical instrument digital interface)
connections on sound cards, 58
controllers, 1165–1167
FM synthesis and wave table synthesis options, 1152–1153
overview of, 1152
migration, of data to new system or hard drive
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, 616–620
overview of, 616
practices, 622–623
USMT (User State Migration Tool), 620–621
Windows Easy Transfer, 621–622
Windows options for, 574
MIMO (multiple in/multiple out), 1067
mini-A ports, USB, 884
mini-ATX power supplies, 387
mini-audio connectors, 54, 1159
mini-B ports, USB, 884
mini connectors
on ATX power supplies, 382
for DC power, 380–381
for floppy drive, 528
mini-DIN connectors
for keyboards, 55–56
for mice, 59
overview of, 49–50
port in ATX motherboards, 325
on video cards, 957
Mini-ITX motherboards, 326–327
mini-PCI expansion bus, 339
minicomputers, 776
miniSD cards, 533
mIRC, 1143
mirrored volumes. See also disk mirroring
creating, 501
overview of, 463
RAID and, 333
M.I.T. (MB Intelligent Tweaker), 297–298
mkdir (md) command, for making directories, 791–793
MMC (Microsoft Management Console), 140–143
MMORPG (multiplayer online role–playing game), 1142–1143, 1435
MMX (multimedia extensions), 218
mobile devices
adding apps to, 1253–1255
Android expansion options, 1260–1262
Android OS and, 1256–1258
Android sync options, 1269
Apple expansion options, 1259–1260
apps, 1251–1252
Bluetooth and, 1262
cellular networking and, 1264–1265
closed source nature of Apple iOS, 1255–1256
CPUs and, 215–216
dealing with loss of, 1271–1272
e-mail settings, 1266–1267
features and capabilities of, 1245
hardware for, 1258–1259
iTunes and iCloud sync options, 1269
multimedia and, 1252–1253
network settings, 1263–1264
orientation of, 1250–1251
OSs (operating systems), 1251
pairing Bluetooth devices to, 1265–1266
preventing damage to, 1270
recovering from theft of, 1272–1273
review Q&A, 1274–1276
screen technologies, 1249
synchronizing with local machines over Internet, 1267–1268
touch interface, 1246–1249
modding, power supplies, 400–401
modems
connections for, 1097–1098
connectors on PCs for, 60
motherboard support for, 329
overview of, 1092–1097
modes, wireless networking
ad hoc mode, 1060–1061
infrastructure mode, 1061
modules, RAM. See sticks, RAM
molex connectors
on ATX power supplies, 382
case fans and, 393
for DC power, 379–380
on motherboards, 384
splitter for, 382
monaural sound, 1151
monitors. See displays
motherboard book, 354–355
motherboards
AGP support, 339
AMR/CNR slots, 333
ATX form factor, 324–326
case fan, 334
chipset, 328–332
choosing, 354–356
components, 332
DC power for, 379
DIP switches on, 217
expansion bus, 334–337
floppy drive controller on, 68
AT form factor, 321–324
form factors generally, 321
how motherboards work, 320
how PCs work, 66–67
installing, 356–361
installing device drivers for expansion cards, 346–350
installing expansion cards, 342–345
ITX form factor, 326–328
mini-PCI support, 339
for mobile devices, 1258
overview of, 319–320
PCI support, 337–338
PCI-X support, 339
PCIe (PCI Express) support, 340–342
proprietary form factors, 328
RAID support, 333
RAM and, 271–272
review Q&A, 364–366
sound chips on, 333
storing device support programming on, 289
for thick client PCs, 1406
troubleshooting, 361–364
troubleshooting expansion cards, 351–353
USB/FireWire support, 332–333
verifying expansion card installation, 350–351
video connections, 951–954
mount points, mounting partitions as folders, 502–504
Mount Rainer feature, 542
Mouse applet, Control Panel, 898
mouse devices. See mice
MOV video wrapper, 1180
Moving Picture Experts Group. See MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)
Mozilla Firefox, configuring, 1120–1121
MPA (Microsoft Product Activation), 578
MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)
audio and video standards, 546
MPEG-7, 548
MPEG-21, 548
MS-DOS (Microsoft DOS), 776
msconfig (System Configuration) utility, 737, 856
MSDS (material safety data sheet)
dealing with printer consumables, 1309
handling toxic materials and, 1328
µTorrent, file sharing and, 1144–1145
multi-word DMA, in ATA-2, 422–423
multiboot (dual boot) installation
overview of, 572–573
Windows Vista/7 boot process and, 642
multicast addresses, IPv6, 1032
multicore processing, in CPU technology, 224–225
multifactor authentication, 1331
multifunction peripherals (MFPs), 1318
multimedia
in Apple mobile devices, 1259
codecs, 1180
configuring sound cards, 1169–1172
connectors for multimedia devices, 958–960
devices, 912
digital cameras and camcorders, 913–915
hardware for TV tuners, 1185–1186
hardware for video, 1177–1178
how sound works in PCs, 1150
installing drivers for sound cards, 1168–1169
installing sound cards, 1167–1168
installing sound programs, 1169
installing specialized sound applications, 1173–1174
jacks on sound cards, 1157–1159
microphones, 1163–1165
MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) and, 1152–1153, 1165–1167
mobile devices and, 1252–1253
overview of, 1149
playing sounds, 1154–1155
recording quality, 1156
review Q&A, 1188–1190
software for TV tuners, 1186
software for video, 1178–1179
sound-capture, 1150–1151
sound card benchmarking, 1187–1188
sound cards, 1155
sound formats, 1151–1154
sound processors, 1156
speaker support on sound cards, 1156
speakers, 1160–1163
troubleshooting sound, 1174–1176
troubleshooting TV tuners, 1186–1187
troubleshooting video, 1181–1184
TV tuners, 1184–1185
video capture, 1177
webcams, 916–918
Windows XP Media Center and, 83–84
wrappers, 1180–1181
multimedia extensions (MMX), 218
multimeters
overview of, 371–372
testing AC outlets, 373–374
testing DC voltage, 382
testing power supplies, 397
troubleshooting printers, 1306
multimode fiber optic cable, 995–996
multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), 1142–1143, 1435
multiple in/multiple out (MIMO), 1067
multiple RAID, 439
multitasking, in Windows OS environment, 643
multithreading, in CPU technology, 224
multitouch
for mobile devices, 1247–1249
touchpads, 1194
music players, 54
Music, Windows 7 library, 112–114
musical instrument digital interface. See MIDI (musical instrument digital interface)
My Computer (XP)
determining Windows version, 86
viewing files and folders, 105
My Documents (XP)
accessing, 106
folder structure and, 110–111
managing users, 677
securing personal documents, 695–696
My Music (XP)
folder structure in Windows XP, 110–111
managing users, 677
My Network Places (XP)
accessing shared drives/directories, 1040–1042
configuring ICS, 1113
folder structure and, 115
My Photos (XP), 677
My Pictures (XP), 110–111
My Videos (XP), 110–111
names, configuring routers, 1110
Nano-ITX motherboards, 326–327
NAPs (network access points), 1090
Napster, file sharing and, 1144
NAS (networked attached storage)
for sharing hard drives, 999–1000
using for home server PC, 1416
NAT (Network Address Translation)
Cisco E2500 router using, 1108
hardware firewalls and, 1359
native command queuing (NCQ), 429
native resolution, LCD monitors, 935
nbtstat, for viewing network-related information, 1044–1045
NCQ (native command queuing), 429
near-letter quality (NLQ), in dot-matrix printers, 1278
nested RAID, 439
net command, for viewing network from command line, 1044
.NET Framework, 864–865
NetBEUI (NetBIOS Extended User Interface), 171–172
NetBIOS (Networked basic input/output system), 171–172
netbooks, 1197
netstat command, troubleshooting Internet transfer speeds, 1140
network access points (NAPs), 1090
Network Address Translation (NAT)
Cisco E2500 router using, 1108
hardware firewalls and, 1359
network addressing. See also IP addresses, 1014
Network and Internet Connections (XP), 1098–1099
Network and Sharing Center (Vista/7)
configuring dial-up connections, 1099
configuring ICS, 1113–1114
configuring network settings, 1022
configuring TCP/IP, 1022
network-based installation, 611–612
Network Connections (XP) configuring dial-up connections, 1099
configuring network settings, 1021–1022
configuring TCP/IP, 1027
troubleshooting Internet connectivity, 1138
hubs, switches, and bridges, 998–999
NAS (networked attached storage), 999–1000
routers, 1000
network interface cards. See NICs (network interface cards)
network printers
installing, 1301–1304
overview of, 1292
network security
anti-malware programs, 1352–1354
authentication, 1368
data and application encryption, 1369–1372
firewalls, 1359
grayware, 1343–1344
hardware firewalls, 1359–1362
malicious software, 1343
malware prevention tips, 1355–1356
malware recovery tips, 1356–1359
malware signs and symptoms, 1350–1351
pop-ups, 1344
review Q&A, 1373–1375
software firewalls, 1362–1368
spam, 1347–1348
spyware, 1344–1347
user education, 1354–1355
viruses, worms, macros, Trojan horses, and rootkits, 1349
wireless issues, 1372
Network Setup Tool (XP), 1113
Network (Vista/7) accessing shared drives/directories, 1040–1042
configuring clients, 1038
configuring ICS, 1113
configuring network settings, 1022
overview of, 115
networked attached storage (NAS) for sharing hard drives, 999–1000
using for home server PC, 1416
Networked basic input/output system (NetBIOS), 171–172
Networking and Users tabs, Task Manager, 655
networks
10/100/1000BaseT standards, 168–170
configuring for mobile devices, 1263–1264
connections on PCs, 58–59
connections on portable computers, 1205–1207
default gateways, 175
determining network role of computer, 575
DirectX and, 981
DNS (domain name service) and, 175–176
domains, 183–186
Ethernet and, 165–166
frames and NICs, 163–165
history of, 157–160
homegroups, 186–191
IP addresses and subnet masks, 174–175
IP settings, 177–178
local area. See LANs (local area networks)
managing with Task Manager, 655
NetBEUI (NetBIOS Extended User Interface) and, 171–172
overview of, 157
plenum vs. PVC cabling, 170
protocols. See protocols, network
review Q&A, 191–193
RJ-45 jacks for, 53–54
in Second Life example of computing process, 1436–1438
sharing folders, 180–183
star bus topology, 166–167
STP (shielded twisted pair) cabling, 168
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and, 173–174
topologies, 161–163
user names and passwords, 180
UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cabling, 167–168
wide area. See WANs (wide area networks)
in Windows Vista/7, 1364–1365
wireless. See wireless networking
workgroups, 178–180
New Connection Wizard, for dial-up connections, 1098
New Task tool, 645
Ni-Cd (Nickel-Cadmium) batteries, 1213
Ni-MH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) batteries, 1213–1214
NICs (network interface cards)
in client/server networks, 160–161
expansion cards and, 59
external USB wireless NIC, 1056–1057
full-duplex and half-duplex modes, 1035–1036
for home server PC, 1415
installing, 1035
link lights as status indicator on, 1036–1037
MAC addresses and, 163–164
role in communicating to network, 1439
in Second Life example of computing process, 1436–1438
testing, 1048–1049
troubleshooting wireless networks, 1085
Wake-on-LAN, 1037–1038
nits, measuring display brightness in, 936
NLQ (near-letter quality), in dot-matrix printers, 1278
NLX form factor, 323–324
NMI (nonmaskable interrupt), 278
Northbridge
communication between CPU and devices, 283–284
expansion slots connecting to, 334–336
as primary chip in chipset, 329
Norton Ghost
disk cloning, 610
image deployment, 574
notebook computers. See also portable computers, 1192
Notepad, accessing from start menu, 102–103
notification area, of task bar, 103
nslookup, 1025–1026
NT File System. See NTFS (NT File System)
ntbackup. See Backup Utility (XP) ntbootdd.sys file, 636
ntdetect.com, 640
NTFS (NT File System)
access control, 82–83
authorization, 689
compression and encryption, 478
disk quotas and cluster sizes, 479–480
early Windows OSs and, 78
file and folder compression, 494–495
overview of, 477
permissions, 690–692
sharing and, 1039–1040
structure of, 477–478
ntldr (NT Loader)
boot errors, 817
in Windows XP boot process, 637
NVIDIA
GPUs (graphics processing units), 954–955
graphics cards, 1424
HDA (High Definition Audio) and, 1155
SLI (Scalable Link Interface), 1427–1428
objects
access auditing, 1340–1341
object classes in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, 630–631
object types in managing users and, 688
in Performance console, 657
OCR (optical character recognition), 902
ODBC Data Source Administrator, 667–668
ODBC (Open Database Connectivity), 667–668
offline files (Vista/7), 1222–1223
Ogg
sound format, 1153
video wrapper, 1181
ohms (Ω), measuring resistance in, 368
OLED (organic light-emitting diodes)
display technologies, 1196
in mobile devices, 1249–1250
omni-directional antenna gain, 1079
placing for wireless network, 1079
security considerations and, 1064
onboard devices, CMOS settings for enabling/disabling, 299–300
online gaming, 1142–1143
online UPS, 377
open source apps, 1258
OpenAL, audio drivers for games, 1163
OpenGL, APIs for use in 3-D games, 980
operating systems. See OSs (operating systems)
operational procedures
adaptability/versatility, 24–25
anti-static tools, 31–33
appearance, 20–21
assertive communication style, 26
communication, 25–26
dependability/responsibility, 23–24
documentation in, 30
elicting answers when asking questions, 27–29
EMI (electromagnetic interference) and, 33
ESD (electrostatic discharge) and, 30–31
follow-up, 30
honesty/integrity, 22–23
physical safety, 34–35
predicting time-frame for repairs, 29–30
professionalism, 19
respectful communication style, 26–27
review Q&A, 37–40
RFI (radio frequency interference) and, 33–34
sensitivity, 25
tools of the trade, 35–36
optical character recognition (OCR), 902
optical drives/disks
applications for, 556
Auto Insert Notification (AutoPlay), 554–555
BD-R (recordable) and BD-RE (rewritable), 550
BD-ROM (read only), 549
BDXL discs, 563
Blu-ray disc burners, 550
Blu-ray disc-media, 548–549
Blu-ray disc requirements, 556–557
CD formats, 537–538
CD-media, 536–537
CD-R (recordable), 539–540
CD-ROM (read only memory), 539
CD-RW (rewritable), 540–542
color books for CD-media, 562
connections for optical drives, 552
DVD-media, 544–545
DVD-ROM, 546
DVD-video, 546
external, 553
how PCs work, 69–70
installing, 551
lockups due to, 615
managing with Device Manager, 553–554
MPEG standards, 547–548
music CDs, 543–544
not ready error, 613
overview of, 535–536
recordable DVD, 546–547
region codes for DVDs and Blu-ray discs, 557–558
replacing in portable computers, 1236
troubleshooting, 558–562
optical mice, 898–900
optical resolution, scanners and, 903–904
optical zoom, in digital cameras and camcorders, 914–915
optimization, of printers, 1304–1305
optimization, of Windows OSs
adding new devices, 749–751
adding/removing components
and features, 743–744
Device Manager for optimizing
device drivers, 748–749
driver signing, 746–748
hardware profiles (XP), 753–755
installing and optimizing devices, 744–745
installing software, 740–741
overview of, 740
performance options, 751–753
removing software, 742–743
review Q&A, 772–774
updating drivers, 745–746
Option ROM, 303–304
organic light-emitting diodes (OLED)
display technologies, 1196
in mobile devices, 1249–1250
orientation
display rotation and, 974
in mobile devices, 1250–1251
OSs (operating systems)
Android OS, 1256–1258
Apple iOS, 1255–1256
booting to, 459
checking hardware compatibility, 342–343
in history of computers, 776
linking user to computer, 567
Microsoft Windows. See Windows OSs
for mobile devices, 1251
primary partitions and multiple OSs, 460–461
programming and, 42–43
role in computing process, 1434
output
how PCs work, 45
stage of computing process, 1434
overclocking
CMOS settings, 300–301
M.I.T. (MB Intelligent Tweaker) and, 297–298
overheating issues. See also cooling
spindle speed and, 411–412
symptoms in CPUs, 238–239
overscan, plasma displays and, 940
overwrite operations, low-level formatting, 623
ownership factors, in authentication, 1331
ownership, PC techs respecting, 23
ownership permission, NTFS, 690
ozone filter, components in laser printers, 1287
P1 power connector, 379
packet writing, UDF (universal data format) and, 542
packets, compared with frames, 163
page faults, troubleshooting RAM, 278
page files
compared with swap partitions, 465
Performance Options, 751
RAM cache and, 263–267
Page Setup interface, for print jobs, 1308
pages per minute (ppm), speed of inkjet printers, 1281
Pandora, for streaming media, 1154
PANs (personal area networks)
Bluetooth and, 1070
connecting to, 1080–1081
paper
laser printer issues, 1316–1317
stalled print jobs due to, 1308
Parallel Advanced Technology
Attachment. See PATA (Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment)
parallel communication, serial communication compared with, 878
parallel execution, in CPU technology, 219
parallel PC cards, 1208–1209
parallel ports
connections, cabling, and electricity, 1290–1291
managing with Device Manager, 893
motherboard support for, 329
overview of, 1289–1290
scanners and, 903
Parallels, virtualization manager for Mac OSX, 1395
Parental Controls, 684
parity
error detection in RAM, 261–262
troubleshooting RAM, 277–279
Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML), 407
partition boot sector, 459
Partition Commander
controlling multiboot setups, 461
third-party partition tools, 517
PartitionMagic, 517
partitions
creating during Windows Vista/7 install, 486–489
creating during Windows XP install, 482–486
creating dynamic disks, 494–496
creating partitions and volumes, 491–494
creating using diskpart command, 840–841
creating using installation disc, 482
disk initialization and, 489–491
Disk Management utility and, 489
dynamic disks, 462–463
errors, 511–512
extended, 461–462
formatting, 504–505
GPT (GUID Partition Table) and, 463–464
MBR (master boot record) and, 458–460
mirrored volumes, 501
mounting as folders, 502–504
naming issues, 466–467
overview of, 457–458
planning for installation, 575
primary partitions and multiple OSs, 460–461
RAID levels and, 501–502
simple volumes, 496
spanned volumes, 496–499
striped volumes, 500
third-party partition tools, 516–519
troubleshooting, 511–512
types supported, 465
when to partition, 465–466
for Windows Vista/7 clean installation, 594, 596
for Windows XP clean installation, 585
passcode locks, for mobile devices, 1271
passive matrix technology, in LCD monitors, 932
password clearer, utilities in tool kit, 1450
password reset disk, 674–675, 704
passwords
for administrators, 710
changing frequently, 674
configuring routers, 1110
configuring workgroups, 180
honesty/integrity of techs and, 23
local user accounts and, 672–673
password clearer utility, 1450
password reset disk, 674–675, 704
protecting, 673
strong, 673–674
for Windows Vista/7 clean installation, 596
wireless security and, 1372
PATA (Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment). See also ATA (advanced technology attachment)
autodetection and, 449–450
choosing hard drives, 443
jumpers on, 444
overview of, 414–415
replacing drives on portable computers, 1234
SATA compared with, 427
solid-state drives, 414
troubleshooting drive
installation, 452–453
types of hard drives, 69
patch cables
diagnosing, 1049
making own, 1009–1012
patch panels and, 1008–1009
patch panels, for UTP cable, 1006–1009
patches
managing, 722–723
for mobile devices, 1270
post-installation tasks, 615–616
PC cards
expansion slots in portable computers, 1207–1208
ExpressCard, 1209–1210
types and uses of, 1209
PC Health Status menu, CMOS settings, 302
PC techs
CompTIA A+ certification, 2–4
CompTIA A+ exam structure, 6–9
documenting findings, actions, and outcomes, 1448–1449
establishing theory of probable cause, 1443–1444
FRUs (field replaceable units) in toolkit of, 1451
how PCs work, 1433–1434
how to become CompTIA A+ certified, 5
how to take and pass CompTIA A+ exams, 9–12
identifying problems, 1442
implementing preventive measures, 1447–1448
other certifications for, 4–5
overview of, 1433
Second Life example of how PCs work, 1436–1440
skill needed by, 1–2
study strategy/tactics for CompTIA A+ exam, 12–15
testing theory of probable cause, 1444–1446
tool kit of, 1449
traits of. See traits of techs
troubleshooting theory for, 1440
utilities in tool kit, 1449–1451
verifying solutions, 1447
PCBs (printed circuit boards), on motherboards, 319
PCI Express. See PCIe (PCI Express)
PCI Extended (PCI-X), 339
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)
CMOS settings on PCI cards, 301
expansion bus architecture, 337–338
hardware for TV tuners, 1185
infrared transceiver ports on, 1056
modem connections, 1097
video connections on motherboards, 951
PCI-X (PCI Extended), 339
PCIe (PCI Express)
expansion bus architecture, 340–342
hardware for TV tuners, 1185
infrared transceiver ports on, 1056
modem connections, 1097
video connections on motherboards, 953–954
PCL (Printer Control Language), 1289
PCM (pulse code modulation), 1151
PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association), 1207–1208
PCs (personal computers)
audio connectors, 54
building, 1402
cases, 62–64
CPUs, 64–66
DB connectors, 52–53
digital audio workstations, 1410–1411
eSATA ports, 61
evaluating parts for, 1403
expansion slots, 55
external connections, 47–48
FireWire connections, 52
floppy drives, 68
graphics workstations, 1409–1410
hard drives, 68–69
in history of computers, 776
home servers. See home server PC
home theatre PCs. See home theatre PC
how they work, 41–43, 1433–1434
infrared transceiver ports, 1055–1056
input, 44
joystick connectors, 61
keyboard connectors, 55–56
media workstations, 1408–1409
mini-DIN connectors, 49–50
modem connectors, 60
monitor connectors, 56–57
motherboards, 66–67
mouse connectors, 59–60
network connectors, 58–59
optical drives, 69–70
output, 45
overview of, 1401–1402
peripherals and, 46–47
plugs, ports, jacks, and connectors, 48–49
power supplies, 67–68
printer connectors, 60–61
processing, 44–45
RAM and, 66
RJ connectors, 53–54
Second Life example of working of, 1436–1440
selecting system components, 1405–1407
skill needed for managing/troubleshooting, 1–2
sound connectors, 57–58
storage options, 45–46
thick clients. See thick client PCs
thin clients, 1407–1408
USB connectors, 50–51
video workstations, 1412
virtualization workstations, 1408
voice recognition in, 905
Wake-on-LAN for powering up, 1037–1038
workstation PCs, 1407
PDAs (personal digital assistants), 1056
PDP (Plasma display panels)
overview of, 940
use in portable devices, 1196
Pearson VUE, administering CompTIA A+ exams, 9
peer-to-peer mode. See ad hoc mode Pen and Input Devices (Vista/7), 907, 1198
pen scanners, for reading bar codes, 906
pen tablets, 911
Pentium CPUs
Hyper-Threading, 224
Intel model names, 213
RDRAM (Rambus DRAM) used in Pentium 4, 252
Performance console (XP)
objects and counters in, 657
Performance Logs and Alerts, 658–660
System Monitor, 657–658
Performance Information and Tools applet (Vista/7), 861–862
Performance Logs and Alerts (XP), 658–660
Performance Monitor (Windows 7), 147–148, 660–665
Performance Options, 751–753
Performance tab, Task Manager, 269, 654–655
Peripheral Component Interconnect. See PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)
peripherals
DC power for, 379
PCs and, 46–47
permissions
assigning to users and groups, 672
file sharing and, 699–700
overview of, 690–692
propagation of, 692–694
techs and, 694–695
user account management with groups, 1336
perpendicular recording, hard drive storage, 408
persistence, of phosphors on CRT display, 923
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), 1207–1208
personal computers. See PCs (personal computers)
personal data, backing up, 755
personal digital assistants (PDAs), 1056
personal identification number (PIN), in authentication, 1331
Personal Video Recorder (PVR)
Windows Vista, 85
Windows XP Media Center as, 83
Personalization applet (Vista/7)
configuring video, 962–964
customizing video, 936
display settings, 969
installing video software and drivers, 962
themes, 965
troubleshooting video cards and drivers, 984
working with drivers, 974–975
PFC (power factor correction), in power supplies, 388–389
PGA (pin grid array), in CPUs, 65, 230
phantom parity errors, troubleshooting RAM, 277
phishing
as security threat, 1324
spam and, 1348
Phoenix Technologies
BIOS manufacturer, 294–297
INT13 (Interrupt 13) extensions, 425
phone lines
baud rates, 1096
RJ-11 jacks, 53–54
phosphors, in CRT monitors, 925–926
photoconductive properties, in laser printers, 1283
photocopiers, 1318
photosensitive drum components in laser printers, 1285
issues related to, 1316
steps in laser printing, 1295–1297
photosites, digital cameras and camcorders and, 914
physical area, securing access to, 1329–1330
physical safety, 34–35
physical theft, as security threat, 1325
physical topology, 163
Pico-ITX motherboards, 326–328
picture elements. See pixels (picture elements)
Pictures, Windows 7 library, 112–114
PIN (personal identification number), in authentication, 1331
ping command
determining IP address, 1124
syntax and switches, 1024
as TCP/IP service, 1020
troubleshooting Internet connectivity, 1137–1138
pinned application, Windows 7, 104
PIO (programmed I/O) mode, in ATA, 417, 422–423
pipelining, in CPU technology
overview of, 219–221
stalls, 220–221
pixels (picture elements)
in CRT monitors, 926
in LCD monitors, 930–931
troubleshooting dead pixels, 986
Plasma display panels (PDP)
overview of, 940
use in portable devices, 1196
plastic parts, replacing in portable computers, 1236
platter-based hard drives
data encoding, 407–408
geometry, 409–411
overview of, 406–407
spindle (rotation) speed, 411–412
stepper motor and voice coil technologies for moving arms, 408–409
playback
choosing playback device, 1418
software for in home theatre PC, 1421–1422
of sounds in multimedia, 1154–1155
troubleshooting video, 988
plenum, vs. PVC cabling, 170
Plex software, for playback in home theatre PC, 1421–1422
plug and play. See PnP (plug and play)
plug-ins, spyware and, 1346
plugs
defined, 48–49
PCs, 48–49
PlusID, hardware authentication devices, 1334
PnP (plug and play)
CMOS settings, 301
introduced with PCI cards, 338
printer setup, 1299–1300
wireless network adapters, 1059
PoE (Power over Ethernet), 1058
point of sale (POS) machines, 1278
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), 1099–1101
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), 1134–1135
pointing devices. See also mice, 1193–1194
policies
Acceptable Use Policy, 1342
security policies, 1336–1339
polygons, in 3-D games, 978–979
polymorph viruses, 1353
polyphony, of sound cards, 1153
pop filters, for microphones, 1165
pop-ups, types of malware, 1344
POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3)
configuring e-mail, 1123–1126
e-mail settings on mobile devices, 1267
Internet application protocols, 1114
port forwarding, in hardware firewalls, 1360–1361
port replicators, for portable computers, 1211–1212
port triggering, in hardware firewalls, 1360–1361
portable computers
adding RAM, 1231–1233
APM/ACPI, 1216–1221
audio ports, 1203
batteries, 1213–1215
cleaning, 1224
cooling, 1224
desktop replacement units, 1196–1197
disassembling, 1227–1230
display ports, 1204–1205
display types, 1194–1196
docking stations, 1212
expanding, 1202
expansion slots, 1207
ExpressCard, 1209–1210
general-purpose ports, 1210–1211
input devices, 1192
keyboards, 1192–1193
manually controlling power use, 1221–1223
netbooks, 1197
network connections, 1205–1207
overview of, 1191
parallel PC cards, 1208–1209
PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association), 1207–1208
pointing devices, 1193–1194
port replicators, 1211–1212
power management, 1215–1216
protecting, 1224–1226
replacing components (keyboards, mice, etc.), 1235–1238
replacing hard drives, 1233–1235
review Q&A, 1241–1243
securing, 1226–1227
shared memory support, 1233
shipping, 1225–1226
SMM (System Management Mode) and, 1216
storage card slots, 1210
tablet PCs, 1198–1202
troubleshooting, 1238–1241
ultrabooks, 1197–1198
upgrading, 1230
portrait view
display rotation and, 974
in mobile devices, 1250
audio ports, 1203
built into ATX motherboards, 325
digital cameras with microphone ports, 1165
display ports, 1204–1205
docking stations, 1212
for e-mail protocols, 1123
eSATA. See eSATA (external SATA)
expansion slots, 1207–1210
FireWire. See FireWire
front-mounted on cases, 356
general-purpose ports, 1210–1211
infrared transceiver ports, 1055–1056
for input devices, 877
Internet application protocols and, 1116
issues, 892–894
network connections, 1205–1207
parallel. See parallel ports PCs, 48–49
port replicators, 1211–1212
SCSI. See SCSI (small computer system interface)
serial. See serial ports
USB. See USB (universal serial bus)
POS (point of sale) machines, 1278
positional audio, 1162
positioning software, in mobile devices, 1254–1255
POST cards, 360
Post Office Protocol 3. See POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3)
POST (power-on self test)
beep codes, 306
boot process, 308
motherboard installation and, 360
overview of, 306
POST cards, 307–308
text errors, 307
PostScript, printer language, 1288
power, environmental threats, 1326
power factor correction (PFC), in power supplies, 388–389
power management
CMOS settings, 300
dealing with heat issues, 1224
protecting against spikes and sags, 374
screen saver settings, 967, 969
USB power usage, 888–890
video and, 945–946
virtualization and, 1389
power management, in portable computers
APM/ACPI, 1216–1221
manually controlling power use, 1221–1223
overview of, 1215–1216
SMM (System Management Mode) and, 1216
power-on self test. See POST (power-on self test)
Power Options (XP), 1219, 1221
Power over Ethernet (PoE), 1058
power plans (Vista/7), 1219–1220
power schemes (XP), 1219
power supplies
Active PFC and, 388–389
cooling, 392–393
EPS12V, 385
how PCs work, 67–68
installing, 390–392
ITX, 328
in laser printers, 1286
maintaining airflow, 394
mini connectors, 380–381
modding, 400–401
modular, 401
molex connectors, 379–380
motherboards and, 321
for motherboards and peripherals, 379
niche-market versions, 387–388
overview of, 367–368
in portable computers, 1225
protecting against power spikes and sags, 374
providing AC power, 370–372
providing DC power, 378–379
reducing fan noise, 395–397
review Q&A, 402–404
SATA connectors, 381
in Second Life example of computing process, 1438
splitters and adapters, 381–382
surge suppressors, 375–376
temperature and efficiency of, 401
testing AC outlets, 373–374
testing DC voltage, 382
troubleshooting, 397–400
troubleshooting portable computers, 1239
understanding electricity and, 368–369
UPS (uninterruptible power supply), 376–378
wattage requirements, 388–390
power supply unit (PSU). See also power supplies, 368
PowerShell, 812–813
ppm (pages per minute), speed of inkjet printers, 1281
PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol), 1099–1101
PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol), 1134–1135
Pre-shared Key (PSK), WPA/WPA2 options, 1075
preboot execution environment (PXE)
boot process and, 308
network-based installations, 612
preventive measures, in troubleshooting theory, 1447–1448
PRI (primary rate interface), ISDN service options, 1102
primary controller, configuring ATA drives, 449
primary corona wire (primary charge roller), in laser printing, 1285, 1295
primary partitions
GPT (GUID Partition Table) and, 464
MBR supported, 460
multiple OSs and, 460–461
primary rate interface (PRI), ISDN service options, 1102
print devices, in Windows OSs, 1298
Print Management console (Windows 7), 1304
print resolution
in inkjet printers, 1281
in laser printers, 1294
print spooler
processing laser print jobs, 1293
troubleshooting, 1306–1307
in Windows OSs, 1298
printed circuit boards (PCBs), on motherboards, 319
Printer Control Language (PCL), 1289
printers
connectivity, 1289
connectors on PCs for, 60–61
crashes on power-up, 1310
disposing of consumables, 1309
dye-sublimation printers, 1282
emulation, 1304
failing to connect to shared printer, 1051
IEEE 1284
standard and, 1290
impact printers, 1277–1278
inkjet printers, 1279–1281
installing local, 1299–1301
installing network, 1301–1304
languages, 1288–1289
laser printers, 1283–1287
laser printing in color, 1298
laser printing process, 1293–1297
misaligned or garbage prints, 1309
multifunction peripherals, 1318
network printers, 1292
optimizing print performance, 1304–1305
overview of, 1277
parallel ports, 1289–1291
as peripheral device, 47
print job size issues, 1308–1309
print jobs that don’t print, 1306–1308
review Q&A, 1318–1320
setting up, 1299
sharing, 1413
sharing in home network, 159
sharing multiple, 1309
sharing over network, 1045–1046
solid ink printers, 1287–1288
thermal printers, 1283
troubleshooting impact printers, 1310
troubleshooting inkjet printers, 1311–1312
troubleshooting laser printers, 1313–1317
troubleshooting thermal printers, 1310–1311
troubleshooting tools for, 1306
USB connection, 1291
Printers and Faxes (XP)
setting default printer, 1303
troubleshooting print spooler, 1307
Printers applet (XP), 1299
printhead
calibration of, 1311
in dot-matrix printers, 1278
in inkjet printers, 1279
troubleshooting impact printers, 1310
printwires, in dot-matrix printers, 1278
privacy filters, preventing shoulder surfing, 1330
Privacy tab, Internet Options, 1119
private networks, in Windows Vista/7, 1365
PRML (Partial Response Maximum Likelihood), 407
Problem Reports and Solutions (Vista), 859–860
Process Explorer utility, 651
processes
affinities, 649–650
common features of, 645–646
multitasking and, 643
optimizing performance and, 655
options for shutting down, 857–858
prioritizing, 648–649
properties, 649
showing running, 645
Task Manager for working with, 643
utilities for listing or killing, 656
viewing information regarding, 646–648
Processes tab, Task Manager, 645–651
processing
how PCs work, 44–45
stage of computing process, 1434
processing step, in laser printing, 1293–1295
processors, for sound. See also CPUs (central processing units), 1156
product key
in Windows Vista/7 clean
installation, 592–593
in Windows XP automated installation, 605
in Windows XP clean installation, 587
professionalism
adaptability/versatility, 24–25
appearance, 20–21
dependability/responsibility, 23–24
honesty/integrity, 22–23
overview of, 19
sensitivity, 25
Program Files folder, 118–121
programmed I/O (PIO) mode, in ATA, 417, 422–423
programs. See also applications; software
crashes, 870
how PCs work, 42
running from command-line, 794–795
running in background, 103
as series of commands, 205
stopping autoloading, 856
Programs and Features (Vista/7) installing/removing
components and features, 744
installing/removing software, 740–743
overview of, 125
viewing installed applications, 864
Programs tab, Internet Options, 1120
lamps in, 940
lumens in measuring brightness of, 939–940
technologies in, 938–939
throw of image, 940
types of, 937–938
prompt. See command prompt protocol stacks, 171
protocols, network history of, 171
NetBEUI (NetBIOS Extended User Interface), 171–172
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), 173–174
proxy servers, 1119
PS/2 connectors
on ATX motherboards, 325
bar code readers connecting via, 906
KVM switches and, 907
overview of, 49–50
reshaping bent plug, 894
touch screens connecting via, 907
PSK (Pre-shared Key), WPA/WPA2 options, 1075
PSU (power supply unit). See also power supplies, 368
Public folders, sharing in Windows Vista, 699–701
public networks, in Windows Vista/7, 1365
pulse code modulation (PCM), 1151
punchdown tools, for working with patch panels, 1007
PVR (Personal Video Recorder) Windows Vista, 85
Windows XP Media Center as, 83
PXE (preboot execution environment)
boot process and, 308
network-based installations, 612
QDOS (Quick-and-Dirty Operating System), 776
QoS (Quality of Service), routers and, 1141
quad-channel architecture, 258
quad-core processors, 1423
Quality of Service (QoS), routers and, 1141
quarantine, malware recovery tips, 1356–1359