How to Diagnose and Fix Everything Electronic, Second Edition

This is an excellent book, and I am glad I bought a physical copy. I am a long-time electronics hobbyist, and many of the things in this book were not new to me, but the explanations and folksy (in a good way) descriptions made them so much clearer, even for things I mostly understood. The advice in this book is simplistic without being simplified so much that it doesn't teach, which is just right. Yes, there is an assumption you know some basic electronics terms, so it is not a book for the person starting from zero. Frankly, if you don't have the electronics experience to have gained the vocabulary necessary to get value from this book, those warning labels about "no user serviceable parts inside" are for you. For the right audience, this book and the advice was a bargain for the price, and it is a keeper.

I almost didn't buy this book after having read some of the reviews. They complained that it didn't really give much useful information, that is was "wordy" and it didn't really tell you how to repair "everything". I'm on my second read-through, so I've found it far from useless. It IS written in a narrative style with anecdotal tales and a touch of humor, so if what you're looking for is dry, scientific fact, then this book is probably not for you. However, I personally comprehend more when material is presented in a narrative style.The author presents numerous topics including a philosophy of why to repair broken electronics; the test equipment necessary to make the repairs and a basic guide to using each piece; the common components that make up electrical circuits and how to identify and test them; a logical approach to reading schematics (very valuable!); how to identify common failures in electronic equipment and then methodically find the component(s) to replace; and the methods for opening seemingly impenetrable cases on laptops, tablets, phones, etc. and getting them back together without destroying them. Finally, he takes the reader through a number of real-life repair scenarios to explain how he identified the problem and brought the unit back to life.So bottom line: does this book tell you how to repair 'Everything Electronic'? No and yes! Obviously, the author cannot cover every single electronic item with a blow-by-blow description of the diagnostic and repair. What he does give are the basics to understanding common circuit function, how to identify the culprit of failure in a circuit and a logical method for repairing the circuit to correctly functioning status. I went into this book with a basic knowledge of electronics, but I understand it much better now. The book has given me the confidence to attempt repairs on my own instead of paying someone to do the work. I highly recommend this book!

Overall, I learned a lot from this book and I can still learn something new every time I pick it up. Geier has a great writing style and a deep knowledge of his subject. He's an Electron Whisperer. This is not a book for beginners. It requires at least a working knowledge of components and soldering; he covers them but not in any detail. There is also very little formal explanation of theory so don't buy it for that. But the book is laced with practical advice from a guy who has been in the trenches and that part is invaluable. His oscilloscope training and suggestions are very good as far as operating the device. But if you want hands-on description of how it's used for diagnosing and troubleshooting, look elsewehere. He devotes one long chapter to advice on workshop and tools: immediate essentials vs. what to put off and in what order to buy them.And there are stories. He also tells many stories of tough jobs and how he diagnosed and fixed them. These stories are entertaining and informative, and each one is there to illustrate his methodology of troubleshooting. However, including so many of them took up space that could have been put to better use. We don't all think alike and what the reader expects (based on the title) is practical advice that will help him/her develop their own knowledge base and troubleshooting style within their own field of interest. I would have been happier if the book had more directions, more rules of thumb, more flowcharts and tables. there is much good information here, just fragmented and scattered throughout the book by his folksy and (admittedly) entertaining style. But the style is too conversational. We could have used more of "Do this, then do that, etc." without having to hear so much of what went through his head as he was learning it.But I can't give it five stars because of that title. Sadly, it will NOT teach you "How To Diagnose And Fix Everything Electronic." It covers too much territory, and too many types of electronic devices. Most devices are not covered in any depth, just a few quick hints and any necessary warnings about the critter in hand. What's missing is a systematic overview of how the technician approaches a non-working device. Like Golfer's review I would have like to see a lot more tables with step by step instructions, or flowcharts showing what to test and then branches to take depending on the outcome of each previous round of tests. My main interest is in guitar amps, and how to troubleshoot amplifiers is given only superficial coverage, and scattered around the book. Whatever your main interest is, you'll probably feel the same way: a few interesting stories, a few bits of good advice, and then sent on your way without much in the way of solid skills in diagnosis or troubleshooting.I hate to be negative because in its own way, it's readable and informative and encouraging to someone trying to learn more. But in a way, it's more of an autobiography of his career fixing a large variety of products. "My Life Fixing Electrical Things" might have been a better title.

WOW! This book seems to be packed with all the info you'll need to fix electronics on your own. And its content is printed in a tone that makes it easy for newbies or wanna-bes to understand. It clearly expresses everything from all the downfalls of fixing things yourself and most common mistakes that you'll want to avoid. Attempting to fix electronics can be scary, especially if you don't know what most of the small components within the unit are or what they do. However, this book sums everything up clearly for you.After reading it completely, there's no guarantee that you'll become a repairman, and even if you never do, you will take away a lot of info that you can benefit from when dealing with broken down electronics in the future.The only thing is the print is rather small as compared to most books and the ink is a bit light, making it harder to read. There are a lot of illustrations and pictures in it, but the bulk of them are in black and white.Overall, if you have great vision and want to learn more about electronics, this book is definitely a must.