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 Your
dream PC is now a couple of years of old. Do you upgrade,
or do you simply go buy a new PC? If you do buy a new PC,
how do you ensure you get the best service? And what do you
do with your old PC? Jayant Murthy has the answers
If
your computer is over three years old and your needs have
changed over time, should you go shopping for new PC? Or can
you fix the old one? Generally, if your existing PC is more
than three years old, you may need a new one, as many key
systems, such as the way data is transported inside the PC,
the graphics display cards and memory chips would have significantly
improved in the past few years. Think of the PC as being similar
to a car. Fixing a new fuel injection system in an older engine
will enable the car to run a little faster, but it is not
the same as replacing the old engine with a new one.
Yet, for those who would still rather upgrade, there are a
number of ways to get more mileage from your PC. Here are
five simple ways:
Swap Your PC’s ‘brain chip’: Your PC’s
microprocessor is a key component in gaining sufficient power
and speed. For instance, the latest 2GHz Pentium 4 processor
can help turn your home PC into a powerful machine for digital
audio and video, digital imaging, communication, education
and entertainment and provide remarkable performance enhancements
compared to the Pentium III processor. With PC prices falling,
you can get a state-of-the-art Pentium 4 processor-based PC
for under $1,200 (Rs 57,600).
Add memory chips: No matter what type of microprocessor you
own, adding memory chips is always a good choice. 128 megabytes
(MB) is considered standard these days while 256 MB is thought
to be better at handling Windows and today’s power-hungry
programs. Depending on your requirements, I suggest you read
the ‘system requirements’ displayed on the boxes
of software you wish to buy. Like your own memory, you can
never have too much of it buy as much as you can afford. Please
ensure any installation or tinkering is done by a qualified
technician or an experienced person. Otherwise, your precious
investment may be blown to smithereens in just minutes.
Defrag your hard disk: When data is written into a hard disk,
the operating system puts information into any open areas
it can find. As a result, pieces of programs and files you
create are scattered all over different locations on the disk.
When you start a program, the operating system has to find
all these pieces and piece them together. This takes time.
However, if you run the defrag function in your operating
system (refer to your operating system documentation for instructions),
the function will gather all the data fragments and piece
it for you. Once this is done, retrieving files from your
hard disk and running your programs becomes much faster.
Upgrade your graphics card: This special circuit card runs
the monitor and makes all images on screen come to life. If
your PC is more than three years old and your pictures or
graphics are not as crisp and sharp as before, chances are
you’re due for a graphics card upgrade. To check if you
really need a graphics upgrade, you need to look at the section
in your PC manual that describes the technical capabilities
of your graphics system. Show it to a qualified technician
or an IT-savvy person and ask if your graphics card can handle
Windows 2000 or the new Windows XP operating systems and program
needs. If an upgrade is needed, insist on a graphics card
with 3D acceleration that supports Microsoft’s DirectX
technology and has at least four megabytes (MB) of video memory
(buy as much as you can afford). If all this sounds confusing,
don’t panic. Just copy all this down and show it to the
computer store manager or sales personnel. You can also cut
out this article and highlight the necessary sections for
easy reference.
Leapfrog to the future: List down all the items you need to
upgrade in your old PC. Write down the prices of the said
items and add up the cost. Sometimes it may be cheaper in
the long run to buy a new PC. This makes good sense especially
at a time when retailers are offering attractive discounted
prices on PCs.
Protect your PC
investment
When buying a PC you must consider service and support issues.
What if something goes wrong within the first year of purchase?
What then? Unless you’re a qualified technician, chances
are you’ll call the company that manufactured the PC
or the retail store where you purchased the PC. Consider these
tips when looking at service issues:
Check out the warranty. Ask questions like:
-
If you’re not happy with your purchase, what’s
the time limit on returning the PC in order to get a full
refund?
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What’s the warranty period, and does it cover all components?
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How long does it take to send a technician to your home?
How long will be taken to fix the problem?
-
Does adding a component yourself (without using the company’s
service facilities) void the warranty?
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Is there an option for an extended warranty? Does it cover
all parts?
Select a service that suits you. A number of service companies
offer after office hours service to cater for those working.
Others offer a direct line that connects you to a technical
help desk and there are those that offer a free lifetime or
specified period of technical support for their products.
Compare prices. Service charges vary with different companies.
Some charge by the hour, some others a flat fee per visit.
Consider convenience. Are you required to lug your PC back
to the shop where you purchased it from or send it to a particular
service centre? Or will the service company perform this service
for you?
Test-drive the support team. Before purchasing your PC, try
calling the company’s technical help line and see how
long you’re put on hold. Are the customer service staff
resourceful and able to troubleshoot promptly? Calling them
a number of times on different days and at different times
will give you a rough idea of what kind of service you can
expect.
When all is said and done, think through the problem and gather
as much information on it. You’ll come out ahead if you
can increase your basic PC knowledge and learn how to do basic
troubleshooting yourself.
Putting your PC out to pasture
If your PC is ready for retirement, don’t throw it out.
There are various organisations that will gladly accept second-hand
PCs. Try your local school, libraries, community centres,
non-profit organisations or even your favourite charity.
Jayant Murthy is marketing manager, South Asia, Intel
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