The Indispensable PC Hardware Book

by Hans-Peter Messmer

"'I have compared this book with others and in my humble opinion The Indispensable PC Hardware Book is superior in every way...you'll definitely feel more comfortable knowing its sitting on your shelf... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0201403994
• ISBN13: 9780201403992
• Release Date: July 1997
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
• Length: 1408 Pages
• Weight: 4.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.3" x 6.8" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

"The One Book", for me at least, on PC Hardware

I have not been using this book so much recently, but in the past it has been absolutely invaluable. Definately the best single reference for technical specifics for the PC.There seem to be dozens if not hundreds of "upgrade your PC", "Fix your PC" and so on - nearly all light weight and I consider not worthwhile.It has tables on pretty well everything, and the information is quite dense. I have not found it to be inaccurate. Not merely factual tables (Addresses, IRQs, layouts of structure, PCI) it contains good descriptions of of what is going on. Now in its fourth edition - and I think I have owned all of them, it has stood the test of time and continues to be updated.

Best in the genre

Hands down, this hulking book is the best in its class. It expansively covers CPUs (from the 8088 to Pentium Pro), Floppy Drives, AT bus, PCI, and Hard Disk Drives (MFM, RLL, ESDI, IDE, SCSI), PCMCIA, and just about everything you would ever want to know about the PC hardware.Unfortunately, even a book this large must leave things out. What is not covered: USB (can fill a book of its own), AGP, DMI, SMBIOS, IMPI or newer specifications. Also, portions of the book are geared towards explaining a technology rather than giving hard details about using it.Still, it is the best overall book I have found on the PC in a while.

helpful key to editions - for buying used

excellent book, later editions better first edition, 10/1993, 985pp ISBN: 0201624249second edition, 3/1995, 1344pp ISBN: 0201876973third edition, 7/1997, 1384pp, ISBN: 0201403994third edition, 5/2000, 1408pp, ISBN: 0201403994 fourth edition, 1/2002, to be published, ISBN: 0201596164

An almost complete PC bible

This is the best book i've ever read. It covers almost every single importand part of the PC, and better up, it does it with great depth.

Great reference

You do, of course, need some extensive background on assembly language and basic knowledge computer architecture. If you have that, you'll be treated to quite a wide scope of material. This text is very clear, and the welth of information is staggering. From all Intel chips (alomst all, rather) to chipsets, to support chips to storage hardware. I have just this one book (in addition to some manuals from Intel) and I never needed any more sources.Also, if you need even more info, you can supplement the book with free manuals from Intel.