Computer Systems Upgrades Are Easier Than You Think
We have all been bombarded with news about the poor economy. Jobless numbers are increasing, corporate profits are tanking and, in the technology sector, computer systems sales have dropped significantly.
One upside to all this negativity is an increase in ingenuity and the resurgence of an old-fashioned "do-it-yourself" attitude. In the spirit of saving money, many business owners and IT people have embraced the idea of upgrading computer systems instead of opting for replacement at the first sign of trouble.
Is A Computer Upgrades Right for You
Do a Google search on computer system upgrades and you'll find tons of advice. One of the best came from an article on about.com: do an upgrade if the cost of the upgrade is half (or less) than that of replacing.
IT professionals know all about upgrading. Business owners who do their own IT or who contract out the job should also learn all they can about upgrading. Why? So they know what can be done and can arm themselves with the knowledge they need to avoid costly upgrades that net them little in performance gains.
First, it helps to know the basics about your computer. Learn what types of memory are out there and what kind your computer currently has. (You must replace your current memory with the same type or your machine won't work.) Educate yourself about hard drives too. To increase hard drive space, you can opt for any number of external hard drives, or update the one you have.
As the about.com article notes, the cost of upgrades can quickly escalate, and eventually total more than a replacement. Plan your upgrade carefully. Do some comparison shopping to see what a new machine would cost, and lay out a budget for your upgrades. Shop around for parts too. If your machine is more than a few years old, you may need to find a vendor of used or discontinued computer parts. Good news - there are lots of them and their parts tend to be very affordable.
One more caveat - desktops are typically easier to upgrade than laptops. You should proceed with caution in either case, and call in a professional to help if you feel you are in over your head.
Two Basic Upgrades You Can Try Before Replacing Your Computer
The main complaint of most computer users is speed. Signs of speed issues include files take that take too long to open or too long to save. To remedy this problem, you need a memory upgrade. Be sure that you know how much room you have (number of expansion slots) and the correct type of memory for your machine before you buy more memory. (To find out all you need to know about your memory, you can download a free System Information program.)
Another common complaint is hard drive space. Of course, if you work on a network, this shouldn't be a problem for you. (The IT people in your organization have to deal with storage space on enterprise computer systems.) But if you work in a small business with no network, hard drive space can be a problem. You can replace your internal hard drive with a bigger one, or simply add on an external hard drive to back up files (which you should be doing anyway).
If these two upgrades can't solve the problem with your computer systems, then you should probably consider replacing the units. Be sure to shop around. Whether you buy new or used, there are great deals to be had, especially in today's economy.
(ArticlesBase SC #912862)
Article Tags:
used computer equipemtn
Do You Need a Memory Upgrade?
Learn how to tell if your computer needs a memory upgrade, and how to perform a memory upgrade if needed. (02:28)
How to Upgrade the Memory in Your Netbook
Learn how to upgrade the memory (ram) in your netbook. This video shows you how to open the case and insert a new stick of memory into an MSI Wind U100 netbook. (01:20)
How to upgrade an account in WHM
Learn How to upgrade an account in WHM (01:16)
Adding Memory to an iMac G5
nstalling iMac Memory can seem like a daunting task, but it's really not too difficult once you know you're way around. Make your iMac really blaze with a computer memory upgrade. (02:24)
How To Change The RAM On iBook G4 (Part 1)
Learn how to change the RAM and upgrade an Apple iBook G4 laptop computer - part one. (06:24)
Although printers are becoming more affordable with each passing year, the cost of maintaining them for daily use remains high. This article will teach you five ways to lower your printing costs this year.
Passive Income It is becoming more and more standard practice for domains that are registered and not being used to be looked after by a domain parking service company. Although there are various reasons for this, often it is so the domain owners can earn passive income from a domain that...
Passive Marketing There
Electronics is something that has blended into our lives. The written matter that is now being read has also been written with the aid of electronics or more specifically electronic equipments. Therefore as a part of life, electronics and electronic devices and equipments hold major significance. We regularly use television,...
Internet has provided innumerable benefits with not only making the world a smaller place, in terms of communication ease but has also revolutionized the concept of carrying on business not only in the local markets but in the global market scenario. Electronic commerce or simply e-commerce is the order of...
Over the past year the performance of enzymes very active market demand is expected in 2009 and 2010, its sales will scale new heights. Among them, Adisseo 's Marketing and Business Development Director John Geuss said: The United States has moved from the enzyme only in the occasional use of...
You use your PC or Mac on a daily basis and it is probably a critical part of your life. Have you considered what you would do if it all went away. What would happen if you lost all of the data on that machine? Your files, pictures or movies all gone! Make sure you back it up and store it in a safe place!
Tip#1: Before you start to download DSi games, make sure that you have got all the necessary devices ready with you. One of the most important things that you will is a homebrew development flash kit. These kits will help you to not only download DSi games but they would also help you play mp3 music, movies, apart from allowing you to check out the latest photos from your digital cameras.
We have all been bombarded with news about the poor economy. Jobless numbers are increasing, corporate profits are tanking and, in the technology sector, computer systems sales have dropped significantly. One upside to all this negativity is an increase in ingenuity and the resurgence of an old-fashioned "do-it-yourself" attitude. In the...
April is the time that PC computer manufacturers and other high-tech industries announce their first quarter (Q1) results. The numbers for 2009 do not bode well for sales of new machines, but may indicate a boost in the secondary computer market. First - the numbers. PC Shipments Decrease Around the World Research firm...
With general retailers, banks, and restaurants using digital media to increase sales and customer satisfaction, it is no wonder that the hospitality industry is also investigating the benefits of digital media in general and narrowcasting in particular to improve their own businesses. Narrowcasting services boast a host of advantages, including: - the...
The business world can get to be a pretty complex one, but digital signage has proven to make it all just a little simpler. Focusing your general information, advertising, and marketing efforts into digital media frees up time and effort in these areas, combining them into a single endeavor. Delivering...
If you are concerned about optimizing your corporate website and pulling in the most amount of quality web traffic as possible, link building should be a major part of your overall Search Engine Optimization and management strategy. It is one of the most important elements to any SEO and SEM...
There are many elements that come together to create a successful corporate website. Of course a website should offer visual interest, including appropriate and compelling graphics within an interesting but clearly laid out site. A professional corporate website should also be well written and navigable. This is often where small...
0