When To Have Your Pc Upgraded And When To Purchase A New
Computer Instead?
Today I have a hint; some information about upgrading your
PC or laptop vs. purchasing a new one; a great Cheap Prices
web site and my next Question and Answer.
A hint –
Many of you have been e-mailing me because you are being fooled
by Internet ads that look like real Windows error messages.
Get the scoop on how to determine when an error is actually
just an ad at: http://datadr.com/redir.cfm/FalseErrorMessages/
When to have your PC upgraded and when to purchase a new computer
instead?
When you decide to upgrade your old desktop computer, ask
yourself these things:
• Is it already three years
old? If so, it may be time to upgrade everything by simply
replacing it! Remember, the computer industry changes so rapidly,
and costs continue to plummet, that it is often best to upgrade
by replacing everything at once instead of piecemeal.
You will also want to avoid potential warranty issues with
some new, some old parts. An “upgraded”
computer can quickly become a money pit!
• If you upgrade one part, will
you need to upgrade others to make them all work together?
Upgrading can quickly become a struggle to coordinate older
parts with newer ones because standards change and incompatibilities
arise! Upgrading is not just a matter of putting in one newer
part; the parts have to work together - so you may have to
upgrade a few components at a time to keep everything in sync!
And even though your computer may be “technically”
upgradeable, the parts may no longer be manufactured. For
example, your computer manual may say that your 486 can accept
a second hard drive, but you may have great difficulty finding
older-styled controller cards to put older-styled hard drives
into the system.
• Will the cost of upgrading
exceed the cost of buying a new one in the near future? Beware
the trickle-effect of upgrading. Especially, watch the service
hours involved! An upgrade part may only be $100, but when
you add an hour or two of technical service, your upgrade
can cost you $150 instead! If the cost of upgrading parts
and service time exceed 30% of the cost of a new computer,
it is probably worth simply replacing everything and starting
your next three-year journey!
DO NOT expect to upgrade your laptop. Usually you are stuck
with what you initially get in a laptop - and even if you
can add more hard drive space or RAM at high costs (the parts
are physically smaller and more expensive to buy) you
probably cannot ever upgrade the processor. So consider your
laptop investment carefully because it may be worth configuring
for slightly more than you need and want to spend to protect
the unit’s usefulness over a longer period without upgrades.
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Favorite LINK: http://www.brucebriscoe.com/thecheapest/cheaplinks.htm
one site with many links to sites that will search the net
for the ‘cheapest’ prices for computer hardware;
airline tickets; books; and more.
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Q: What’s the best way to protect my computer from all
these viruses? Bill in Tabanan
A: There are 3 things EVERYONE needs to do to protect
their computer from hackers & viruses & adware.
1. Purchase and install some Anti-Virus
software. (Make sure it watches for software viruses AND email
viruses). Once it is installed, ensure that it always
launches when you start windows (it’s an option).
Perhaps weekly, check for updates to the virus information
the software uses.
2. Download (free) Zone Alarm at:
http://www.zonealarm.com. It watches for any program
on your computer that may try and send information from your
computer without your knowledge (some adware that was added
when you installed some new software does this).
3. Download (free) Meaya Adware Remover
at: http://www.meaya.com/adware.htm . This will search
your computer for any of these adware programs that may be
‘watching’ and ‘reporting’ on every
site you visit.
For my Anti-Virus software, I use Norton System Works.
It was easy to install and automatically checks for updates
and then installs them for me.
Have a question or problem? Write me at BaliPCAdvisor@GMail.com.
I’ll try and answer as soon as I can.
PakBruce, your Bali PC Advisor!
NEXT time: Computer Supplies - where to buy computer paper,
printer cartridges, CD-R supplies, etc
