Pollock Computer Services

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  Phone 9533 5002 Fax 9502 0050 Mobile 0412 543841 
  Office Hampton Victoria Australia


Purchasing or Upgrading a Computer


Whatever model or brand of Computer you purchase today will most likely be unable to be upgraded within the next 2 to 3 years as the technology continues to advance.

This includes all the different types of RAM, Main-Boards, Video etc.  It makes NO difference whether you purchase an AMD Duron or Athlon or an Intel Pentium CPU or Celeron CPU because the technology changes apply equally to all models and brands .

A Celeron Processor differs from the more powerful Pentium in that it has less "on-board" memory (Level 1 & 2 Cache). There are also some special instructions that the Pentium responds to that are not present in the Celeron. Neither of these differences will affect the performance for 95% of Computer users. People who use a Computer drafting programs (AutoCAD), large Graphic programs, Video editing or a very demanding Games program are the only users who need the extra power (and cost) of the Pentium.  

Sometimes well meaning "Experts" will advise friends and colleagues on what to purchase. Heed their advice with care as they are possibly just passing on doubtful advice from some other "expert." Many Journalists constantly write about the latest Technology and devices on the market, recommending to the normal, average user, advanced product which is now and will possibly always be for the lifetime of their Computer, well in advance of the user's needs and therefore a waste of the user's money. These Journalists often falsely write as though they are at the "Front-Line" of Computing, designing and building Computers every day!. The truth is at times much of their article's content is sourced from others who also source ideas from others etc and so the myths are spread.

There is also the belief that an "over engineered" Computer purchased today will be better able to handle the Technology into the future. This is certainly wrong!

Purchase a Computer today for your needs as they are today. By the time your needs change it will be time for a new system offering the latest hardware which will be many times faster than today and possibly half the price.

Computer purchasers should be aware that a "Cheap" Computer is just that ... a "Cheap Computer".

The profit margins (major brands such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, Dell excluded) are so slim for the Computer supplier that if they are offering a Computer with the same paper specifications as someone else at a lessor price then the cost of the components must be less. Be aware of potential traps such a suppliers calling a Celeron CPU a Celeron/Pentium CPU. The cost to the supplier for the Celeron is approximately $150.00 less than a Pentium while they also confusing the purchaser. Be aware also of systems with all the components (including Sound, Video, Modem & LAN on the Motherboard of the Computer. Whilst there is nothing wrong with this system, in fact most of the major brands utilise this technology. These systems should cost less than one with individual component cards.

Be aware of potentially recycled Hard Disk Drives, Video Cards, RAM and other internal components. It is almost impossible to verify the origin of some components. Deal with a reputable supplier, someone who you feel you can trust not just the cheapest. Invariably some of the "cheap merchants" produce inferior machines which may develop Hardware problems and when you go to claim warranty you can find they are no longer in business.

The real secret to upgrading a Computer is to select the correct Components for a well balanced system.

There is no sense for example, in upgrading the Motherboard and Processor to the latest without replacing the Hard Disk Drive and Video Card as both of these devices contribute to the overall performance of the Computer. There are also skills and knowledge involved in selecting correctly matched Components rather than just looking at Specification sheets and reading Technical Reviews in magazines. A good Computer System Builder will specify the correctly matched Components, use reputable brands, assemble the system professionally and finally test the whole system with specialised "Burn In" Software to ensure all components operate correctly together.

Some users also wrongly blame the Operating System for all their Computer problems however in almost all cases this is not true. A Computer which will not work correctly with just the Operating System installed most certainly has Hardware problems. A Computer with lots of Software installed may exhibit stability problems but most times this can be traced back to things like poorly written Utility Software, Virus attacks, Owner fiddling with the setup etc... .

A faster processor (these days) has no relationship to Internet performance (unless you have a Broadband Internet connection). The speed of the Modem, quality of the phone line and ISP are the major influences on Internet speed and performance.  A quality external 56K V92 Modem may assist in this area.

Ample RAM is advisable, 256 MB being the minimum entry level and sufficient for many users however 512 MB is becoming the normal configuration as RAM prices remain very low. A Computer which is using Windows XP must have a minimum of 256MB of RAM to ensure smooth operation. If  costs remain low then 512 MB is a worthwhile investment. Hard drive entry level is 80 GB at this time.  Processors are Intel Celeron 2.66 GHz and Pentium 4  3.0 GHz.  Video cards have a minium of 128 MB RAM.  Main-boards have an ATX power supply and include USB connections as well as PS2 mouse and keyboard connections in addition to the normal two COM ports and Printer port.

CD Recorders and DVD Recorders (Burners) are popular and can be used for backups. ZIP Drive (either 100 MB  or 250MB internal drives) are still in use however the USB Memory Stick devices are now replacing ZIP drives. Memory sticks are very popular for backup and file transfer. A good size to purchase would be a 512MB unit.

Many users "Partition" their Hard Drive to have many Drive letters. This may make organisation and separation of programs and data easier BUT provides no security in the case of a Hard Drive failure or other catastrophe. Backing up to a removable drive like a ZIP Disk or Memory stick or external Hard Drive is the better approach. particularly when protecting valuable data from Viruses and the like. Be sure you have a reputable Virus Scanner installed and you keep it up to date at least 2 to 3 times a week. 

Make sure you backup your important data files regularly to protect yourself from a Hard Drive failure, Theft, Fire or Viruses.

When installing new software it is advisable to disable other programs that are currently running (particularly Norton Anti-Virus) so that the installation completes correctly first time. Be aware that you have control over where the program installs itself as well as what the installation consists of. Take control over which folder it is loaded to and also use the "custom" install to check what options may be installed. Should you decide to remove installed software be sure to use the "Add Remove" programs option in Control Panel. 

DO NOT remove the programs folder first as this will remove the "un-install" instructions needed by "add remove programs". The net result of such an action is that many files will be left behind on the Computer and many entries will be left in the registry.

It is the direct result of the size of the registry that has to be loaded when the computer starts and programs are loaded that slows down a computer over time. Therefore it is wise to only install software which is known to be useful to the user. Be aware that many "Utility" programs such a Norton System Works do little to improve the performance of the Computer and many times actually slow down and hinder normal operation. This is particularly so these day with many versions of the various Operating Systems installed on users Computers. 

 

All material remains the copyright of Pollock Computer Services and may not be reproduced in any manner without the express written permission of Pollock Computer Services. 
  
Last updated on 3rd September 2005 
 

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