1. Upgrading your computer 3 rd May 2006

2. Why upgrade? Current computer will not run some new wanted software or support desired hardware Current computer is too slow for current needs

3. General guidelines When replacing a computer you should aim for a minimum of 200% improvement over the existing one, unless you have special reasons A 20% improvement may just be noticed

4. What to Upgrade? If your computer is more than 3 years old, you should be considering a new computer Some alternatives would be: To install additional hard disk, Replace the old CRT with a larger LCD monitor Add wireless capability

5. Upgrade scenario #1 Retiree with on old Pentium 1, 75 MHz CPU, 64 MB RAM, 2 GB hard drive Internet works well but it takes several minutes to start – OK as she has time Main problem: when printing just one page with graphics it takes five to seven minutes of disk activity before the printer starts

6. Upgrade solution #1 Solution Purchased a replacement computer A 750 MHz Pentium III CPU (over 1,000% faster) with XP Pro and SP-2 192 MB RAM & 10 GB hard disk Keyboard and mouse 3 month warranty Total cost $80

7. Upgrade scenario #2 A five year old computer, limited memory, disk is becoming full, no DVD support, only two USB 1 ports Requires: DVD burner, more and faster USB drives & needs more disk space There can be two solutions

8. Solution A Add more memory Install a 4 port USB 2 PCI card Install a second hard drive Install a DVD burner Total cost about $250 if DIY Overall performance will improve by 20 to 50% but probably closer to 20%

9. Solution B Suggested solution is a new computer

10. Upgrading To improve performance the two most effective items are: Add additional memory (RAM) Upgrade the CPU Upgrading RAM is cheap (from $60 for 512 MB) and easy to install. But you will reach diminishing returns

11. Replacing CPUs A faster CPU will give the most improvement but not only is it dearer, your motherboard must be capable of taking the faster CPU. Installing is for the technical savvy users Installing a new motherboard, CPU and memory is another possibility but consider a new computer as an option

12. Alternatives for the technical challenged There are many options to add / upgrade A dual-layer burner DVD - $70 UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) - $70 New speakers $5 to $500+ Video cards $100 to $1,000+ 4 port USB 2 card - $30 LCD monitor - $300 to $800+ USB keys for backups - $70 for 1 GB

13. Zero cost improvement Without spending any money, you can improve performance Firstly prevent unwanted software from starting. This not only slows the start- up process but these programs remain in memory and consume very valuable RAM

14. Zero cost improvement Startup Inspector from: www.windowsstartup.comwww.windowsstartup.com

15. Zero cost improvement Other zero cost improvements: Occasionally defragment your hard disk Update your software drivers, especially the video drivers Remove unwanted fonts if you have over one hundred If you have a physically separate second hard drive, move your swapfile to that drive

16. Do NOT upgrade because.. Support for Windows 98 & ME will cease in July As Windows 98 is stable there is no need to purchase XP Ensure that you have downloaded the latest patches and upgrades from the Microsoft site You must keep your anti-virus current even if you upgrade to XP

17. Any Questions?