FREE COMPUTER ADVICE cteckpc.com

This page contains computer advice for the beginning or novice computer user.

1. Do I upgrade or Buy a New Computer
2. Ways to Upgrade

3. Considering Cost
4. The Motherboard
5. Computer Size
6. Hard Disk Storage Capacity
7. Software
8. Buying a New Monitor

TOP  1. Do I upgrade or do I buy a new computer?

Note: Before you buy a new computer, be aware that the next generation software is out now and will replace the existing types available by mid 2007. So make sure to ask if your new computer has hardware that is 64 Bit compatible. Ask if your computer has EMT64 capabilities and what they are. Ask if your new machine has an EMT64 CPU installed, or if one can be installed in it in the future. EMT64 means Extended Memory Technology with 64 Bit processing capability, which is twice the current 32 Bit systems.

Also, there is a new technology that was introduced by Intel about two years ago called Balanced Technology Extended, (BTX). This type of computer case is designed to be thermally advantaged, and run ultra quiet. The motherboard, has built in thermistors, or thermal resistors that measure temperature and control the fan to run fast or slow depending on the temperature. Intel came up the design to help with its need for increased cooling requirements on the latest Pentium 4 Socket 775 Central Processing Units. This technology does run cooler and is very much more quiet, so you might also ask for BTX systems before you buy.

A sure way to tell if you need a faster computer is to ask yourself:

Do the applications on my computer open up fast or slow?
Do I need to install any of the latest programs?

If your computer has applications on it that take more than five seconds to open up, then you should probably consider upgrading or buying a new computer; (Not including Start Up).

Most of the latest computer programs will start and run properly on a computer with a 1200 Megahertz Processor, and 256 megabytes of Random Access Memory. However it is probably best to use 512 megabytes of RAM or higher. Some of the newer programs like Microsoft's Business Solutions Software, demand 1 gigabyte of ram.

Upgrading your old computer to a 1200 megahertz micro processing speed is possible. You will need to know who made your motherboard.

If you bought a proprietary system, in order to find out how further your computer can be upgraded, you will need to check with the manufacturer.

Most any computer can be upgraded. However, computers like Dell, Hewlett Packard and Compaq are sometimes more difficult to upgrade, because they use proprietary components. The parts for these machines can only be bought from them. And, they don't come with the motherboard manufacturer's manual, which is useful when you want to know what kind of memory and how much memory you can install, and what kind of processor and how fast it can be. Gateway computers are made of components you can buy off of the shelf, but they don't have a motherboard manual either. Emachines are part proprietary and part off the shelf components. They have limited support information on their website and they don't provide a motherboard manual.

Keep in mind, if you upgrade your computer without using qualified technician while your warranty is in effect your warranty becomes void.

It is possible to upgrade almost any computer at least a little, however for upgrading purposes, the Generic Computer like ones that we build are the best buy for your money. A generic computer will have interchangeable components that can be purchased off of the shelf for less money, but it will cost a little more to have it built because it is not mass produced.

TOP 2. Ways to Upgrade a Computer

There are several questions you will need to know about your computer before deciding on upgrading or buying a new computer.

Here are some ways to upgrade your machine.

In most cases, you must Flash Your BIOS in order to upgrade your machine. You should consult a technician for this, because it is a very tricky procedure that takes some experience. Or you can buy a BIOS Upgrade by eSupport.com. They provide you with a disk that all you have to do is put it in your computer, turn it on and let it run.

TOP 3. Considering Cost:

If you don't have enough money to buy a new computer, you can upgrade your old computer. But if you do have some money saved up and want to by a new computer, there are a few things you should consider before you buy.

The cost of the computer is an important factor but not one that should keep you from buying the right computer for you. If your budget is for an $600.00 computer, and your needs are for a $1500.00 computer, the best way to get around this is buy a computer that is upgradable.

There are a few questions you will need to answer for yourself before buying a new PC.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts for a computer generally have a minimum one year manufacturers warranty. You can have a computer built with parts that have three year and some five year manufacturer warranties. These warranties are for the manufacturer of the parts not the OEM System Builder. They can be exchanged by any computer repair person or the owner of the computer directly from the manufacturing plant. They usually are a little bit more expensive, but not that much to make a huge difference.

Beware the loss leader machines. Loss leader machines, (machines that are set at the lowest price to bring in customers), because they usually are made from parts that are outdated and sometimes out of warranty. If you buy a loss leader machine, then you should also spend the extra money for an extended warranty.

The best insurance for your computer is an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). A UPS will help protect your computer from power spikes, and forced shutdowns that cause issues when running programs cut in an improper sequence. The price on a U.P.S. has declined considerably in recent years. One that will work for protecting your home computer should have around 12 minutes of time before shutdown. It should also include a type 45 and type 12 connector for the telephone and or network wiring configuration bypass spike filter.

With the new Automatic Power Control Interface (ACPI) built into Windows XP, when power is cut, the U.P.S. will close any running programs and turn off your computer automatically. Using a UPS can save you hours of work trying to recoup your lost data and help protect the parts inside the computer from Electric Static Discharge (ESD).

TOP 4. The Motherboard

The motherboard is the main component of a computer. When you swap out the old motherboard you are building a new computer. Legally you can not use any OEM software on the new system, unless the motherboard needed replacement, and then you should try to find the original motherboard because the drivers will need to match. Windows XP has a Hardware Abstraction Layer to it that records and stores all of the computer systems drivers on it and once you install XP on your machine, you can not change the Motherboard Drives without doing a complete reinstallation. If your computer comes with restore disks and doesn't have the Operating System disks, then your system can not be rebuilt without a duplicate of the originally installed motherboard.

The Motherboard is the most critical part of your computer. The CPU, the Memory, the Hard Drive, and all other components connect to it. The type and quality of the motherboard is a vital decision you must make before buying or building a new computer. Motherboards can range in price from $50.00 to $500.00 depending on its quality, configuration or contemporary nature. The configuration of a motherboard is dependent on what kind of CPU it accepts, and what kind of hard disk drive it is built for. The newer the motherboard the more contemporary its components, and the more expensive it will be. You can buy the latest motherboard and install a slower CPU and less memory at first to save money, and after a while when the price of components decrease, you can install a faster cpu and more memory on your motherboard.

The type of Hard Disk Drive interface also helps determine the cost of a motherboard. The more expensive boards use Small Computer System Interface or SCSI for short. SCSI drives generally transfer data at twice the amount than that of the latest Integrated Drive Electronics or IDE drives. You can buy a SCSI adapter for your machine if you wanted to go with SCSI drive interface. The SCSI adapter connects to a PCI Slot.

You can find the more information you may need about what motherboards are and the best buys, at Toms hardware, or Motherboards.org These web sites report tests on motherboards and other computer components.

TOP 5. Computer Size

In order to decide on the type of computer case you buy you will need to know a little about the sizes and types of cases available. You must first decide where your new computer is going to go, and then measure the space where it is going to be placed.

Once you have figured out how much space you need, you'll have to know what size computer you to use. Below are some examples of the different sizes of computer cases on the market to help you make this decision. These are the most basic computer cases.

TOP 6. Hard Disk Drive

The size of your hard disk drive is determined by the amount of data you are going to be storing on it. If you are downloading songs and videos then it is good to have a hard disk drive that holds a large amount of data. With the new Window's Media Edition out now, music and videos are more readily available and easier to download and manage. Your computer can become a TIVO machine or a Video Recorder and a Television or Radio. One hour of video can take two gigabytes of hard disk space.

Guidelines for determining the need for storage space are as follows:

The size of your storage space on your hard drive must be adequate enough to fulfill your software needs. Windows 2000 and Millennium  take up about 700 million bytes of space, or 700 megabytes of space. Windows XP takes up about 1.6 gigabytes, or 1.6 billion bytes of space. You will need to have enough space for your operating system, and your other programs.

The following are some questions you can ask yourself for determining your need for storage space:

Computer games take up a large amount of space. A typical game is about 50 Megabytes.

Having more than one user will take up more space. Each user has their own files and settings.

If you have a backup program on your computer such as Norton Ghost or System Restore, you will need more space, because these programs create back-ups for your system, and put the data on your hard drive in a special place.

A hard drive that is 20 gigabytes, should be adequate enough for the average user, who doesn't download music or videos. However new hard drives start at about 40 gigabytes in size. In order to get the most warranty coverage for a hard drive, it should be the latest model.

If you do word processing or other office applications  you will need enough space to put office programs on your computer. There are three main providers of office programs on the market today, Lotus, Corel, and Microsoft.

TOP 7. Software:

One of the most expensive parts of your computer is software. You will need to know what software you want installed on your computer before you buy it. It is recommended that you use a utility program with antivirus right out of the box. If you want to use your computer for digital video production, you will need video production software. If you want to use your computer for a small office you will need some kind of office software. If you want to connect your computer to other computers you should use XP Professional, or Window's Small Business Server.

There are many uses for a computer and what you want to use your computer for should be taken into consideration before you buy that way you can have the software you need installed in it from the manufacturer. Original Equipment Manufacturer software is usually the least expensive software, and in most circumstances must be installed with a new machine.

There are several different kinds of software that are meant for different uses, and they are all under the License Agreements presented by their manufacturer. OEM software is Original Equipment Software and is considered only used by one machine. That is, OEM software can only be installed on the machine that it came with. OEM software is some of the most pirated software you that is on the market. It is easier to package and duplicate. For more information on software piracy you can go to: http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/default.asp.

FPP means Full Package Product. This is retail software and usually will cost the most. It will come in a box with a manual and a product installation code.

OEM software is almost the least expensive way to purchase software. If you buy a machine from a system builder, he can install OEM software on that machine. Ask ask system builder for the latest prices on OEM software.

Be wary of the Gray Market on software purchasing. If a retailer is selling OEM software without the hardware to go along with it, you will have illegal software on your computer. OEM operating system disks must be purchased with a non peripheral hardware component. OEM applications software like Office XP or Office 2003 may only come installed with a complete computer system. You can be fined if you have non legitimate (gray) software on your computer .

Retail software can be used on any machine. It is usually purchased in the stores like Office Max, Office Depot, and the like. Retail software is the most expensive way to purchase software, but it can be installed on any one machine at a given time. So if your old machine gets worn out and you want a faster computer, you can use your old software for your new machine. Licensed operating system software can only be used as an upgrade to a system which already has an operating system installed.

A third method of acquiring software is by buying licenses and disks. You can do this from the manufacture or their representative. This way usually saves you some money, and the software can be transferred. The website for Microsoft licensing is http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/default.mspx.

Another type of software that is the least expensive way to purchase software, is Educational Software. Educational Software can only be purchased by a person who works at or is attending school and or has child in school who needs it for learning purposes. It is intended for learning purposes only, but works the same way that retail software does.

TOP 8. Buying a New Monitor

There are two type of monitors that you can buy. One is a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) and the other is a Liquid Crystal Diode Monitor (LCD). The CRT monitor has been around longer than the LCD monitor. It is heavier and takes up more room, but costs less than the LCD Monitor. The LCD monitor has come down in price to more affordable levels. There are three things that help determine the quality of a LCD Monitor: the brightness level, the contrast level, and the angle of view. The higher numbers will mean a better monitor. An example of a decent LCD Monitor is 160 degree angle of view, or almost half a circle, with a 400 to 1 contrast ratio, and a 250 brightness level. A monitor with these ratings will be adequate to suit most people needs. Another thing to consider is the adjustability of the monitors; can it move up and down, or pivot on its pedestal.

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