How C o m p u t e r s Wor k

Table of Content

Introduction
Part 1: Boot-Up Process 1
Chapter 1
How a Computer Wakes Up 4
Chapter 2
How a Disk Boot Works 8
Pa rt 2: How Hard w a re
and Windows 98 Wo r k
Toge t h e r 1 4
Chapter 3
How Windows 98 Controls Hardware 18
Chapter 4
How the BIOS and Drivers Work 22
Chapter 5
How Plug and Play Works 26
Chapter 6
How Windows 98 Uses Memory 30
Part 3: Microchips 34
Chapter 7
How a Transistor Works 38
Chapter 8
How RAM Works 42
Chapter 9
How a Computer Performs Math 50
Chapter 10
How CISC and RISC Processors Work 54
Chapter 11
How a Microprocessor Works 58
Part 4: Data Storage 68
Chapter 12
How Disk Storage Works 72
Chapter 13
How a Floppy Drive Works 82
Chapter 14
How a Hard Drive Works 86
Chapter 15
How Disk Drives Increase Speed
and Storage 94
Chapter 16
How Other Removable Storage Works 102
Chapter 17
How a Tape Backup Works 108
Part 5: Input/Output
Devices 114
Chapter 18
How a Bus Works 118
Chapter 19
How Computer Ports Work 126
Chapter 20
How a Keyboard Works 138
Chapter 21
How a Computer Display Works 142
Chapter 22
How Pointing Devices Work 158
Chapter 23
How Game Controllers Work 164
Chapter 24
How a Modem Works 170
Chapter 25
How a PC Card (PCMCIA) Works 178
Chapter 26
How Scanners and Optical Character
Recognition Work 182
Chapter 27
How High-Tech Input/Output Works 190
Part 6: Multimedia 200
Chapter 28
How CD-ROM and DVD Work 204
Chapter 29
How Multimedia Sound Works 216
Chapter 30
How Multimedia Video Works 224
Chapter 31
How Virtual Reality Works 228
Part 7: How the Internet
Works 238
Chapter 32
How Local Area Networks Work 242
Chapter 33
How a LAN Connects to the Internet 250
Chapter 34
How E-Mail Works 256
Chapter 35
How Internet Video and Audio Work 260
Chapter 36
How the World Wide Web Works 266
Part 8: How Printers
Work 274
Chapter 37
How Fonts Work 278
Chapter 38
How a Dot-Matrix Printer Works 284
Chapter 39
How a Laser Printer Works 288
Chapter 40
How Color Printing Works 292
Index 304

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