Part I: Can I Really Do This?

Chapter 1: What’s in a Computer, Anyway?

Chapter 2: What Type of PC Should I Build?

Part II: Building Your PC.

Chapter 3: Building the Foundation: The Case and Motherboard.

Chapter 4: A Bag of Chips: Adding RAM and a CPU.

Chapter 5: The Three PC Senses: Ports, Mouse, and Keyboard.

Chapter 6: Images “R” Us: Adding Video and a Monitor.

Chapter 7: Make Room! Your Hard Drive and Other Storage Devices.

Part III: Adding the Fun Stuff.

Chapter 8: Putting the Spin on CD-ROM and DVD.

Chapter 9: Let Your PC Rock!

Chapter 10: Modems and the Call of the Internet.

Part IV: Adding the Advanced Stuff.

Chapter 11: Attack of the SCSI Monster.

Chapter 12: So You Want to Add a LAN?

Chapter 13: Life in the Fast Lane with Broadband.

Chapter 14: Input and Output: Scanners, Cameras, Video Capture, and Printers.

Chapter 15: More Power User Toys.

Part V: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 16: Ten Reasons Not to Buy a Retail PC.

Chapter 17: Ten Tools and Tasks for a Power User’s PC.

Chapter 18: Ten Important Assembly Tips.

Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Speed Up Your PC.

Chapter 20: Ten Things to Avoid Like the Plague.

Part VI: Appendixes.

Appendix A: Choosing Your Operating System.

Appendix B: Glossary.

Index.