I read the sticky about knowing those questions before you ask and I couldn't answer. So I guess the real question is this:

Where do I learn? I don't want to think that I have to go to college for 5 years to walk away being able to understand that.

I guess I'm looking for suggestions. Books, Short Courses, anything. Anyone?

in general about comupters or a specific thing?

- most of us use google, general browsing and searching for answers as well,
- reading forums like this, and even asking questiongs are aslo learning
- pc magazines and tech publications (like Australian PC Magazine here, PC Autority etc), the library, online etc
- friends, family thats in the tech knowabouts is also a good area of leeching from (and for free )
- you can go for short/proper courses at a local community centre or collage or uni if you realy want, its up to you

but most things come from experimentation, research, following good advice, especialy from people who are in hte knowhow, using common sense when needed, and experiences past and present. the tech industry is all about continuous learning, since things here have a habit of changing every few weeks or months, but if you start to know your stuff you can get stuff that will lst you a while before anything esle needs changing..

oh yeh.. welcome to techspot
N3051M

Computer Hardware specifically. Thanks for the welcome.

I found out the best way to learn is to destroy a comp. Or almost destroy it.

I had to return my Compaq Presario (an ancient 133mhz one) back to base for warranty a million times because of the crap I did to it. Of course each time I manage to cover up and said the comp's stuffing up on its own.....

But the times with the Compaq really did open up the world of computers to me, I found out what each component in the computer does (and what happens when you do something you shouldn't to it), what makes it run better (software wise), what makes things work (kicking the monitor worked for a while when it shows a blank screen), and of course, never buy a branded comp, cos they breakdown so easily.

p.s. Other people may have a different experience to mine.

Being you've posted in "Cooling and Modding", are you refering to overclocking?

If general Pc knowledge is your goal, then you've come to the right place and need to enroll in TSU, TechSpot University.
Click here to enroll

Use this to ask anything you want to know. There are virtually years of topics, covering every asspect of PC's.
Once you've used the search feature, then it's time to post any questions you may still have.
Un-asked questions will leave me in ignorance forever.

best way to learn is from experiance and research.

Yeah, like CMH said, if you have a spare pc lying around I'd suggest opening it up, and, as always, if you need help=google, if that fails=search here, if that fails=thread time.
I have an uncle who is knowledgeable in the way of hardware, but I'm trying to learn a bit myself, maybe suprise him. I've learned TONNES just from reading threads here, I'd say you can too. An old/unloved pc really would help though, and an old manual.

The whackier the stuff you do to it, the more you learn. I learnt a hell lot modding my PC (and in the process, rendered my 2 front neons and LCD temp display inoperable). Went to the extreme of shortening wires, changing and removing powerpoints (left some extra).

Currently I have only 2 power lines running through my comp, one through the back and another one through the front. The end result was ugly because of the wrong choice in sleeving, so I'm not posting a pic. Airflow seems great tho, I'm getting really nice temps in aircooling (I posted a pic of my CPU temp ).

maybe im a bookworm, but i learned alot of the basics from Toms Hardware books. He has a few versions for different exams, but his A+ Cert. Book is very good. It really can give you the ins a outs.


And of course, hands on stuff is worth 10x itself compared to books. Go to a Goodwill or Trade Show and invest 30 bucks in an old rig. Tear is apart. Become the PC

Erm yes.. wacky stuff.... although its probably the most easyest way to learn how things work (and wont work)...

My experiences of hardware is also partialy from tearing things apart (50%), and rebuilding it together, expensive, very expensive um.. "accidents/experiments" (30%) (tip: if you ever get a minidump one day, get it checked out ASAP, including if it refers to a HDD/system critical component, as i'm going through the expensive disicion of data recovery or not), and also from here, PC mags and abit of google into the mix (20%)

once you get hooked, even at hobby level, you wont stop , and most people dont need Uni Masters in IT/Comp. Engineering to work a pc.. hek i could join the industry based on experience alone...

cheers, N30