Absolute Beginners Guide to Computer Basics (2nd Edition)

These days, a lot of the devices you connect to your PC really aren't computer peripherals. Instead, these are gadgets that you use on their own, but plug in to your PC in order to share files.

What kinds of portable devices are we talking about? Here's a short list:

  • Personal digital assistants (PDAs), such as Palm and Pocket PC devices

  • Portable music players, such as Apple's popular iPod player

  • Digital cameras

  • Digital camcorders

Most of these devices connect to a USB port; some digital cameras and camcorders might use a FireWire connection. As you remember, both USB and FireWire ports are hot-swappable, which means that all you have to do is connect the device to the proper port no major configuration necessary. In most cases, the first time you connect your device to your PC, you'll need to run some sort of installation utility to install the device's software on your PC's hard drive. Each subsequent time you connect the device, your PC should recognize it automatically and launch the appropriate software program.

Once your portable device is connected to your PC, what you do next is up to you. Most of the time, you'll be transferring files either from your PC to the portable device, or vice versa. Use the device's software program to perform these operations, or use Windows' My Computer or My Document folders to copy files back and forth.

Learn more about connecting a portable music player in Chapter 34, "Using Your PC with a Portable Music Player." Learn more about connecting a digital camera in Chapter 37, "Connecting a Digital Camera or Scanner."

For example, most PDAs connect to your PC via a docking cradle. The cradle plugs in to a USB port on your PC, and you "dock" the PDA by inserting it into the cradle. When the PDA is in the cradle, the data on your PDA contacts, appointments, files, you name it are automatically synchronized with those on your PC. The synchronization program compares files found on both your PDA and your PC, and identifies the most recent versions, which are then copied from one device to another. It all happens automatically in the background; there are no buttons to push or dialog boxes to deal with.

For more detailed information, see the instructions that came with your portable device.

The Absolute Minimum

Here's what you need to know if you're adding new equipment to your computer system:

  • The easiest way to connect a new peripheral is via an external USB or FireWire connection.

  • When you're installing an internal card, make sure that you turn off your PC before you open the system unit's case.

  • In most cases, Windows automatically recognizes your new hardware and automatically installs all the necessary drivers.

  • If Windows doesn't recognize the new piece of hardware, run the Add Hardware Wizard.

  • Connecting a portable device, such as a portable music player or PDA, is typically done via an external USB port.

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