console features an I/O panel on its rear. That location is where you add various expansion options to the PC as well as plug in the standard devices shown way back in Figure 2-1.
Use Figure 2-5 as your guide for what’s what. The items you find on your PC’s I/O panel may be labeled with text or may include the symbols listed later, in Table 2-1. Also keep in mind that Figure 2-5 is only a guide; your PC console may have a different layout and sport more or fewer items on the I/O panel.
Figure 2-5: Stuff to find on the I/O panel.
Table 2-1 Shapes, Connections, Symbols, and Colors
Here are some of the things you may find on the I/O panel:
USB: Plug snazzy devices into these Certs-size Universal Serial Bus (USB) slots. See Chapter 10 for more information about USB.
Video: Your PC’s monitor can plug into one of the video adapters on the I/O panel. You may find a traditional VGA adapter, a digital video adapter, an HDMI adapter, or a combination of all three. See Chapter 8 for more information on computer video.
Network: Plug in a local area network (LAN) connector or attach a broadband modem to the PC.
The good news? You connect all this stuff only once. Then your PC’s butt faces the wall for the rest of its life and you never have to look at it again – well, unless you add something in the future or you just enjoy looking at PC butts.
✔ Connectors for a microphone and headphones are also found on the PC’s front I/O panel, illustrated earlier, in Figure 2-3.
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Even though most PC connectors are different, manufacturers have relented and agreed upon a set of common colors and symbols used to label the various holes, connectors, and ports on the console’s hindquarters. They’re listed in Table 2-1 to help you find things, in case the need arises.
Chapter 3
PC Setup
In This Chapter
▶ Putting together your PC
▶ Understanding computer cables
▶ Plugging things into the console
▶ Using a power strip
▶ Managing with a UPS
I could lie to you and say that setting up a PC is so simple that a child could do it. A Vulcan child, perhaps. Even so, setting up a computer isn’t as difficult as assembling backyard play equipment or programming 1980s VCRs. The process does, however, involve a lot of cable plugging, which must be done properly if you want the computer system to work.
Computer Assembly
Consider yourself lucky if your new PC pops right out of the box, ready to run. Many all-in-one PCs work that way – or close to it. Laptops come out of the box ready to go (well, perhaps needing a battery charge). For the rest of the lot, peruse this section on how to get your PC out of the box and assembled.
If you purchased a computer system, open the console’s box first. It may contain a roadmap or diagram of how to attach the other pieces.
As you open boxes, check to ensure that you have all the parts necessary for your computer system. Look through all the packing materials inside the box. Sometimes, manufacturers stick important items inside boxes inside boxes, or nestled in the Styrofoam. Refer to the packing slip or invoice for the list of parts. If you’re missing anything, call someone!
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✔ Don’t fill out the warranty card until after the computer is set up and running fine. If you have to return the computer, the store prefers that the warranty card not be filled in.
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The console is the main computer box, the locus of all PC activities, so you should set it up first. Put the console in the location where you’ve always dreamed it would be. If you plan to put the console beneath your desk, put it there now.
Don’t back the console up against the wall just yet, because you need to plug things into the console’s rump. Not until everything is connected to the console do you want to push it up against the wall. (Even then, leave some room so that you don’t crimp the cables.)
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✔ Avoid setting the console by a window where the sun will heat it up. Computers don’t like to operate in extreme heat – or extreme cold, for that matter. A PC is happiest when it operates at temperatures between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit or, for the world outside the United States, between 4 and 27 degrees Celsius.
✔ Also avoid humidity, which can gum up a computer. Readers in tropical climes have reported mold growing inside their PCs – the humidity was that bad! If you compute where it’s humid, do so in an air-conditioned room.
✔ Don't put the console in a cabinet unless the cabinet is well-ventilated. Shoot some bullet holes in the cabinet if it requires more ventilation.
✔ A computer by a window makes a tempting target for a smash-and-grab thief.
After setting up the console, your next job is to obtain the various other devices – the peripherals – and attach them to the console. You’ll also need to plug things in to a power supply.
I recommend setting up a peripheral, connecting it to the console, and moving on to the next peripheral. For example, set up the monitor, and then plug it into the console. Set up the keyboard,
