Direct MP3 Download: Podnutz Episode 24: Renowned Author Scott Mueller Educates Us About Computer Repair

• Scott is the author of the incredible computer repair technician’s bible: Upgrading and Repairing PCs
• Learn how Scott got started in computers
• Does high speed RAM speed up your system?
• Windows Activation questions answered
• and much more…

Show Notes:

My guest: Scott Meuller

Scott Meuller’s book is in it’s 18th Edition
Upgrading and Repairing PCs

If you are a computer tech
this book should be in your possession.
Stop Googling for answers.
This book is a valuable tool.
Scott’s site
Scott’s Forum

Scott started in computers with the Apple][
but the first computer he ever saw was the Radio Shack TRS1

-Apple][ was $3,000-$4,000 dollars in the late 1970’s
-hobbiest oriented
–CP/M operating system
–Z80 card
-Scott taught VisiCalc all over the US
– A relative “got him in” to do the seminars.
-this lead him into the IBM PC in August of 1981
–Lotus 123 replaced VisiCalc
– everything moved from Apple to PC
– and he began to teach Lotus 123
– he bought an IBM XT computer
– started teaching classes dedicated to the hardware and OS
-had to write a workbook for the class
-published through Q-Publishing
-this lead me into publishing books
– He continued his focus on the hardware/repair aspect

I comment Scott on his book after I purchased and sat down with it.
His book almost removes a reason to Google.
Scott counters with the task of weeding out good web information from the bad.
He continues on this subject talking about his physical & digital reference library.

Scott still has an Apple][ system and all of the floppies.
Accessories included.
He has saved all of his systems over the years.

No formal computer training. All self-taught.
Well .. okay… he took a few classes in programming.

Franklin Computersended up getting sued.
The judge for the case was in Scott’s class to learn more about Apple in order to make a decision.

Scott talks about learning from his students:
what topics to cover in his book based on their questions and
if they asked questions he covered in his books
he knew that he was not clear enough in his text instruction.
9/11 restricted his travel and classes to get this type of information.

Scott has considered podcasting but likes his forum
for keeping in touch with his audience.
He answers every email.
His email has been published in every one of his books.

Listen to find out if RAM speed effects the speed of your computer!
Scott verbalizes analogies to explain how memory works.
Dynamic RAM vs Static RAM
Celeron VS Pentium

Steves asks Scott:
Intel or AMD?
Scott sides with Intel for the Core2 capabilities.
They have more money to throw at the design.
Pentium M sold it for him.

What is a chipset?
Scott uses more analogies to explain chipsets
.. for better understanding

Understanding chipsets to buy mother boards.

Windows activation confusion:
Microsoft keys were made
to prevent using the same MS products
on more than one machine.

Understanding Dell SLP’s vs OEM
(System Locked Preinstallation)

FYI and to keep-it-simple loophole:
You replaced that MB due to failure.
A new key will be issued no-questions-asked.

Steve asks Scott:
Improving startup times for XP —

Scott mentioned Adobe Reader 9
oh-no-he-didn’t (yes he did)
Listen to learn Scott’s tricks.

Bloatware like Adobe kills not only startup
but preformance as well.

Scott has a pet-peeve of
over-protecting a system.
But he understands the user
creates this neccessity of protection.

Windows support tools for backing up the MBR:
Lots of computers come into my shop with boot issues.
Scott covers this topic thoroughly while mentioning
the ability to fix the MBR is the first key to data recovery.

Fixboot recovers the VBR
VBR is the first sector of the active partition.

MBR vs VBR
Scott breaks it down for us.
The VBR is OS version specific.
The MBR is not specific.
The MBR just gets you to the VBR.

Scott’s laptop recommendations:
ThinkPad
More than the hinges for excuse.

Topic covered: Lenovo acquisition.
And let us not forget the PC vs Mac question.

(Show notes written by CitizenX from Tanjents.com)