In case you haven’t noticed, PC makers are constantly changing the specs of their units. I once checked a model that I planned to buy at a local computer shop. I waited for about a couple of months before I decided to adopt it and make it my new pet (or life partner). However, to my astonishment, the salesperson told me that the apple (no, it wasn’t a Mac) of my eyes has been plucked out of their shelves as a new model had already been released by its manufacturer.

Many people are already becoming hesitant in swiping their plastics for a new PC. Who wouldn’t, considering that the unit that they’ll be buying may become outdated as early as Valentine’s Day. That prospect certainly isn’t enticing, even if it’s already the season to be reckless in spending.

At the risk of branding this article as a falsity, one can’t really future-proof his PC…. well, at least not for five years or more. Let’s face it. PCs compete with dogs in adding exponents on their ages. However, PCs can cheat their way to death or obsolescence. A good example is by way of an upgrade.

Upgrades are to computers as transplants are to humans. A PC’s innards can be replaced in order to prolong its life and improve its performance. Hence, in order to ensure that your PC would live long and outlast the airing of your favorite soap opera, make sure that your unit can easily be upgraded. You can ascertain this by inspecting the motherboard. Check if your motherboard is built to support future releases of the processor that it is hosting. Some motherboards are only built to house a specific chip.

“Mobos” should also have an ample number of slots for SIMM modules. This is very important as future software releases would certainly glut on RAM. The main board should also have an AGP slot. Some boards don’t have one. Instead, they have integrated video engines. Avoid them. Insist on a motherboard that has an AGP slot so that you would be able to upgrade your graphics card.

Upgrades can prolong the life of your PC. Keep in mind, though, that it is not the Holy Grail of computers. Time will come when upgrades won’t be feasible anymore and that a replacement would be the better (and maybe the only) alternative or solution.

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Is there such a thing as a “memory overload” in PCs?

If my own memory serves me right, I think I’ve already mentioned around four to five times that the best upgrade that your PC could ever get is by adding a few RAM modules in it. It’s definitely better than changing your unit’s graphics card or even processor.

This doesn’t mean that you should drain all your coffers for RAMs that rival your hard drive in terms of size. Too much of anything is not good, and this holds true with PC upgrades. Your unit’s motherboard may be able to handle 40GB of memory, but your OS may not.

The 32-bit editions of Windows XP and Vista cannot hold or use memory in excess of 4GB. It would be a waste if you’ll insist on attaching extra RAM modules on your unit if it’s running under Microsoft operating systems that are built on a 32-bit architecture. Unless your PC is running on a 64-bit version of XP or Vista, don’t increase your computer’s cranial capacity to more than 4GB.

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PNY, makers of advanced memory modules slashed the price of their high-end 4GB PC6400 RAM. The memoery module that happens to be compatible with PC5300 as well now costs around $31 a piece.

The cause of the big price slash is undisclosed. The price already includes the VAT and shipping fee. PNY’s 4GB PC6400 memory module is compatible in both Windows Vista and Windows XP operating systems. The company provides DDR2 memory modules with PC2-4200, PC2-3200, PC2-5300 and PC2-6400.

The PC6400 module is also compatible with computers and laptops powered by Intel’s Pentium, Celeron and Centrino, AMD’s Athlon and Sempron Socket AM2 processors, and others. So users from all over the globe can practically use the chipset. The upgrade chip is also suitable for computer system built by over 500 manufacturers, including Apple, Compaq, DELL, Gateway, HP and IBM.

DDR2 memory modules have the same dimension as DDR. The only difference in them is the plug-in connector configuration. This is why DDR2 modules should not be used in DDR computers and vice versa.

The DDR2 module comes with a lifetime warranty.

Source: ITP Portal

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Even before Vista was released, experts have already warned about the operating system’s appetite for RAM. Indeed, it’s the most demanding program as far as system resources are concerned. 2GB would usually already suffice for Microsoft’s latest OS. However, you might be in for a surprise when you take a peek at your system’s gauges.

Being the OC that I am with regard to system performance, I usually check on the meters as to how my PC is doing. Upon checking my RAM, I was surprised to discover that only a tiny fraction of it was left available. I nearly panicked, thinking that one or both my SIMM modules are either defective or totally went dead on me.

Before rushing to the phone to call my RAM maker’s customer service hotline, I decided to pour ice-cold water on my simmering fear and anxiety first by researching on the problem. I was only a few pages on Vista’s guidebook when I discovered that the OS has a unique way of handling Alzheimer’s. A lot of RAM was still left in my PC after all. What happened was Vista just placed the unused memory space in a cache labeled as SuperFetch.

SuperFetch allocates memory space to programs or processes as they need them. This ensures that each kilobyte is used to its fullest. This is definitely better than leaving memory to rot in idleness.

So the next time you check on your RAM meter, don’t be surprised if you see that you only have a few megabytes left to burn even if you’re not running any program at all. But this doesn’t mean that you can be complacent when your system slows down. Don’t just blame it on the possibility that SuperFetch might be conking out on you. Consider every possible problem. Who knows, your PC’s slowdown might really be caused by a bad memory module.

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One’s marriage to a computer only lasts for about 2-3 years on the average. The union gets rocky after a year, with the human spouse beginning to complain that his or her electronic partner is not as sweet and reliable as it was when they first tied the knot. By the second year, a divorce is already in the works. Depending on how patient the human husband or wife is, the tie is usually severed by the third year.

If actual human divorces weren’t so expensive, I think that it would be much shorter than the separation of the union between man and computer. Clothes are not the only items that people change frequently. Everybody or everything seems to be expendable nowadays.

Needless Change

Unless you’re a collector of vintage items, you’ll definitely prefer an electronic partner that’s younger and faster. The desire to quickly ditch the one you have is made even much stronger by the fact that computers are being sold at very tempting prices. It’s not surprising then that many people treat their laptop, desktops, and other electronic gadgets as sort of wardrobes that they could quickly change every time their whim demands it.

For those who do not have the resources to shuffle PCs as if they’re cards, all they could do is either minimize their expectations or decrease their reliance on their e-spouse. This may be a cost-effective way of saving the marriage. However, this stagnates the union and the growth of both partners, especially for the one who’s breathing. But this doesn’t mean that one should immediately jump on the gun when his partner becomes a drag. There are ways by which such relationship could be revitalized.

Mindful

Many attribute their computer’s sluggishness to old age. Processors usually become obsolete after 2-3 years, while RAMs shrink in comparison with new models. As with humans, old age also brings about poor or deteriorating memory. Physicians usually solve this problem through food supplements and series of mental aerobics. For PC technicians, they tackle this problem by simply increasing the computer’s memory.

PC users often commit the mistake of tagging their aging processor as the culprit in their unit’s constructive demise. While they do get a bit of improvement in speed after a processor “transplant,” they soon realize that their computer’s old illness comes back to haunt them. The solution to this problem doesn’t lie on Intel’s new creation. It may surprise many and disappoint those who went through several processor and peripheral upgrades to know that all it takes to give their PC a shot in the arm is by injecting a gigabyte or two of RAM into their system. This cheap and simple band-aid beats most types of upgrade by about a mile and a half.

Before conducting a major upgrade on your PC, make sure that you’ve considered all the simple and cost-efficient solutions first before digging deep into your pockets, as well as into your PC’s casing. PC Optimization is not an esoteric or an expensive endeavor.

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I was at a local mall yesterday when I came across several desktop and laptop units running on Windows Vista. Although the sight was a bit common nowadays, I was still curious as to processors that were powering the units since the price tags did not seem to suggest that they were high-end ones.

True enough, they were merely Celerons! It’s quite a surprise considering that many touted Vista as a gas-guzzler. In fact, the first PCs that got the “Windows Vista Capable / Ready” seal have at least dual core processors in it.

Celeron chips were originally planned to be interred with XP. However, this cheaper alternative from Intel worked perfectly fine when it played the new Microsoft OS. Could it be that the chip’s maker injected some steroids to the processor which gave it extra strength to load and run Vista?

I’m not sure of Intel made some modifications to their low-end chip. However, I noticed that the manufacturer of the units which featured Celeron processors flooded their product with a least a gigabyte of RAM. Now we all know that adding more RAM to one’s PC is like getting a complete processor upgrade altogether. This news should give hope to those who want to jump to Vista but are quite apprehensive as to the capability of their hardware.

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Great advances have been made or achieved in hard drive design and architecture over the past 10 years. In case you haven’t noticed, hard disks are one of the few PC peripherals which you can immediately use without having to go through its manual. Of course, installing it can be quite tricky, but everything’s definitely smooth sailing after that.

As with any other PC component, hard drives will eventually reach that point when it won’t be able to retrieve or save data as efficiently as it used to be. This is especially true for data storage devise that are used in laptops. Laptop hard drives are more susceptible to damage or wear and tear because they are constantly being exposed to stress, such as shocks and jolts.

The Old Fashion Way

So how could you prolong the life of your hard drive? If you’re going to ask your parents or grandparents about this, chances are is that they’ll just give you a shrug. For old timers who know a thing or two about PCs, they might suggest methods or procedures which would seem logically sound, but is actually unnecessary and outdated already.

Take for example the common practice of leaving the computers on so as to protect the hard drive. Sounds absurd, huh? I mean, how could letting your hard drive spin needlessly for long number of hours be actually beneficial for your primary storage device?

Believe it or not, this was a sound and even necessary practice in order to stretch the mileage of the component. Subjecting the hard disk to frequent starts and stops back then actually meant exposing it to unnecessary and damaging stress. Hence, many were constrained to leave their computers on for long periods in order to prolong the lifespan of their disks.

It’s Safe to Turn It Off

This wasteful practice of having to leave your hard drive spinning even if you’re not using it is already a thing of the past. Hard drive manufacturers, such as Seagate and Samsung, already guarantee that their products would last around 5 years of more, regardless of whether you leave it spinning constantly or turn it on and off occasionally.

While storage makers can guarantee that constant shut downs would not affect the longevity of their products, other factors can definitely affect its mileage and performance. Heat is a problem that affects every computer component, especially hard disks. The longer your computer is turned or kept on, the greater the heat that it produces. Hence, it is definitely unwise to needlessly keep your computer on, especially when you’re not using it. Not only is this practice wasteful, but it is also damaging to your unit as well.

At Your Every Beck and Call

At a time when everything needs to be done at a heartbeat, it’s not surprising when users would opt to just leave their computers on so that they could immediately use it. Boot up time has tremendously improved over the past several years. However, one would still waste around 3-5 minutes on the start up stage alone. If you don’t want to be wasteful but would want your computer to be immediately available at just a second’s notice, then you might probably opt to just set your PC in standby mode whenever you’re not using it. You would still be wasting electricity on this mode, but the consumption is greatly reduced since power is cut to almost every computer component except the RAM.

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