Computers II: Upgrading your computer

Computer technology is advancing so fast that most computers need to be replaced every two to four years, especially if they are connected to the outside world in any way, whether via the World Wide Web or by swapping discs with a friend or colleague. Usually monitors, keyboards and mouses (computer people insist that I should not call them “mice”) can be retained for a bit longer than the CPU unit, but still, the new purchase is costly to the consumer and seems to waste a huge amount of plastic and other materials. It is common to find old computers stuffed away in some out of the way cupboard somewhere, because we are just not told what to do with the things.

First of all, when you find your computer needs more memory or a faster modem, you need not replace the whole thing. This is obvious to many people, but my mother for one, who thinks she’s a bit of a whiz now when it comes to these machines, simply goes and buys a new computer every time she wants an upgrade. In fact, she has taken to leasing her equipment, she upgrades so often. A CPU tower is easy to take apart, just to have a look inside. Simply slide off the front cover and you will see a huge amount of free space and some slots with chips inside. If you can decipher the tiny labels, or have a friend who knows these things, you can see if you have extra slots available for more memory chips. If not, you can carefully take out your memory chips and see if they are 24-bit or 48-bit, because if they are, then you should be able to replace them with a 64-bit memory chip. This is a great deal more cost effective than buying a new computer. Without installation, it should cost you about US$60.

As for modems, of course you can buy a faster one for about twice the cost of the memory chips, but users should be aware that sometimes it is not the modem at fault when it comes to speed, but the internet service provider. When logging on at busy times, it is common to be connected at 28 bps rather than 56, even if your modem is the faster type. You can check what speed you are connected at when online.

Other components such as fans can be replaced in this way, but I recommend having a trained technician install the fan rather than doing it yourself, unless you are very good with fitting mechanical parts.

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