Community Newsletter: Q&A: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced?
- 4/27/07 2:22 PM
Replace... or Maintain?
by bkspeck - 4/13/07 5:09 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Being "in the business" of computer consulting, I'm asked this question a lot. Here's the "Reader's Digest" version of my typical answer:
Business PC:
Expect to replace your PC's every two (2) to three (3) years. If you can justify holding onto a computer longer than that, fine. Businesses do well doing what they do best, not worrying about old computers breaking.
Personal PC:
A decent computer should last at least three (3) years. You can get more usage from it, if you maintain it properly, and don't require newer, faster hardware. Expect to upgrade or replace some components after the three year mark. if you're good about maintenance, you should get five (5) years or more of use out of a computer; again, assuming that newer, faster hardware isn't required, and that you haven't had any major hardware failures.
Maintenance:
ALL computers need to be maintained, business or personal. You can get by with what comes with your computer to do your maintenance, but if you want easier, better, and automatic maintenance done, you'll have to spend some money.
Keep in mind that most Broadband providers offer bundled software for free or minimal extra monthly charge. The bundles typically include Spyware, AntiVirus and other software.
Run the following in order when you have performance issues:
#1) Viruses
Every computer needs AntiVirus protection, and most computers come with some sort of virus protection. McAfee and Norton have long been the leaders in the field, but as of late, I've been recommending other AntiVirus software:
- AVG AntiVirus FREE Personal (not for business use)
- Trend Micro AntiVirus
#2) Spyware, Adware, Malware
This is the #1 reason I've seen a computer run slow, generate errors, or not run at all. Here's a few great FREE adware programs you can use:
- SpyBot
- AdWare Personal (not for business use)
#3) Clean It Up!
There's a very handy software title called CCleaner that does an excellent job of finding and deleting the junk files on your computer.
- CCleaner
#4) Fragmentation
Over time, your hard drive's files become fragmented, meaning that each file is broken into 16 kb fragments, and those fragments are scattered all over the hard drive, making file retrieval like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, with one BIG add-on: The 500 pieces of your file are mixed-up with thousands of other files' fragments! Run a Defragmenter at least once a month:
- Windows Defragmenter (free with Windows)
- Norton SpeedDisk (part of Norton Utilities or SystemWorks)
- DiskKeeper (set it and forget it features)
There you go. You can find most of these software programs on cNet's www.Download.com.
After maintaining your computer for a few years, the time still comes when it's best to just get a new one. Don't buy the cheapest one you can find; try to go up a level or two. The "pricepoint" systems are typically very difficult to upgrade or replace parts on later.
I hope this helps you!
Never Rid Yourself Of the Desktop
by hfwashington - 4/13/07 5:17 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I been involved in electronics since the 1970s. I was a hobbyist since I was a kid ( born in 1950). I Have been hit with viruses. I operate a wi-fi commercial network and many websites today. My three desktops contain redundancy backups of software that I have purchased over the years. I have had laptops to fail. Now, I maintain an external hard drive to capture all of my downloads from each desktop. If anything fails, I can salvage some, if not all, of my purchased programs. A laptop cannot do this alone.
hfwashington
warning signs
by ezbesthost1 - 4/13/07 5:21 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Multiple component failure is a "too late" criteria to be a warning . So look for the system to have frequent errors, programs crashing, and bluescreens. Some other warnings are hot-smell, clicking or screaching noises, and shutting off without notice. Then total failure is on the horizon. Granted, some repair parts may be inexpensive, on the other hand, parts that match may be almost impossible to find. When a system will cost more than a third of the cost of a whole new computer to replace small hard drives, install PCMIA cards, upgrade the OS or otherwise repair or upgrade then you should consider a new PC. Old PC's can be auctioned for parts, sent to the recycler, or stripped for a backup drive and more.
When you can't add any more RAM and you need to, replace
by Technojunkie3 - 4/13/07 5:24 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you have a well maintained (virus/worm/spyware-free) PC, adding RAM usually has the biggest performance impact. You may have an old Pentium 3 PC that's limited to 512MB, or an old Athlon limited to 768MB. Today's bloated software packages combined with necessary background tasks (antivirus, etc) can swamp those limits. I buy used memory DIMMs on eBay and Craigslist to help refurbish old PCs. If you can't add any more RAM and your PC is still too slow, replace it. Adding a video card to a PC with integrated video often helps too.
If you don't have a well maintained Windows installation, wiping the HD and starting from scratch can do wonders. Even the Windows installations of PC experts can get bogged down by entropy after a year or two of software experimentation.
It may be more cost effective to simply give your old PC to a neighborhood teenage hacker with time on his hands, after backing up the Windows activation files (http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web/29/) for him and securely wiping the HD (http://dban.sourceforge.net/), and buy a new machine. He might help you properly secure your new PC as part of the deal.
The right answer depends on your skills, time, funds, and desire for shiny new toys 
.
Time for a new laptop
by jedi2b - 4/13/07 5:29 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Janet,
A lot depends upon your skill level with computers. If you don't mind opening up the case, you can do a few things. Also, how old is the computer? What do you use it for?
I would first of all backup all your data before trying anything. Put it in a media that you can use later.
Then do a format and reinstall of the operating system. Does it work better? Install the programs you need most. Does it still work to suit you? Then you have rescued the computer for a few more months or maybe a year.
However, if you still get messages for the hard drive, it's probably a good idea to invest in a new computer. The cost is low, the quality is good, and you can usually tailor your computer to your needs at a reasonable cost.
If you do buy a new computer, make sure you completely wipe the hard drive before donating it. There are a lot of programs available for this.
Hope this helps.
Not so fast on replacing the computer
by Sith840 - 4/13/07 5:31 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You need to see what is causing it. It could be hardware problems, but is more likely infection (Malware or virus).
Step 1 should be to let the BIOS run a bunch of hardware checks. When you start the machine, the screen should tell you to press some key to enter the BIOS. This is usually F1 or Enter or Delete. Be careful what you change. You want to look at the "Startup" or "Boot" page and look for running tests; it is likely disabled. You enable it and let it boot. It will run memory and disk and heat checks. This will likely tell you if you have serious hardware problems. A lot of people skip this step, but the risk is that you run chkdsk and the like and end up ruining your hard disk (due to moving bad data around).
Step 2 is to run chkdsk. Let it do a full scan. To do this, bring up windows explorer (or My Computer). Click right on the C: drive and select properties. Click on tools and then "Check Now...". Select both check boxes and then press Start. It will tell you it has to reboot to do this. That is fine. This will find if it is a disk error somewhere. If there are problems (e.g. bad sectors), it may be fixable (it marks them as bad and stops using them). If not fixable, then you need to replace the hard disk, and that may be the time to change computers.
Step 3 is to look for viruses and malware. This is the most likely cause. Depending on how bad the infection, you may have trouble getting tools installed to fix it. You can use two free tools to help quickly check for common viruses and malware. One is from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
You run this and it tells you if you have an infection. It will not fix it, but the 1st step is to find if you have one. Then run the McAfee Stinger detection program:
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/
If these find something, you know what tool to use to fix it (you can usually use the Microsoft Defender program or buy or demo an anti-virus application from a major vendor or a lower cost one). You may also want to download and install "HiJackThis", which helps others help you fix your problem (it says what is running and hidden). It is from:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php
Step 4 if nothing was found is to see if you you can clean up your system and registry. This rarely just happens. But, if so, CCleaner is a place to start. It allows you to clean your registry. It tends to show suspect applications and DLLs and "hooks" (programs that are started when you use Explorer). It can be downloaded from:
http://www.ccleaner.com/
After that, you should be finding more stability. Note that if possible, it is best to run these steps with your computer off the network (cable unplugged or radio off). This tends to thwart a lot of malware (many are using your computer to do things on the internet) and so give you a chance to get things cleaned up.
Best of luck.
The Signs To Get A New Computer
by winsoftwareman - 4/13/07 5:31 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The signs that you have to get a new computer are it crashing, corrupting documents, and it acting slower than it should. I encourage people to get new computers if you notice these signs, and if you are a mobile user, maybe go to a nice 17 inch laptop. I am currently running a Lenovo 3000 J Series, AMD 64 Atholon x2, and a nice 19 inch widescreen monitor, and Windows Vista Home Premuim. Of that sounds nice to you, it is! I DO NOT ENCOURAGE BUYING GETTING SMALL MONITORS ON YOUR PC OR LAPTOP. ON LAPTOPS, BIGGER SCREENS MEAN YOUR LAPTOP WILL BE A LITTLE, JUST A LITTLE HEAVIER. PC'S, THE BIGGER THE SCREEN THE BETTER. THESE ARE MY TIPS. I DID NOT USE CAPS LOCK ON PURPOSE, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
new computer or not????????????????????
by sandgatefc - 4/13/07 5:39 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Janet, I have five computers in my house, starting at a Pentium 11 up to a P4 3.2ghz and all of my old ones that my children are using are all running fine and as I am a computer technician they are cheap to fix for me, but if the computer is failing at the task entered by you then it is time to replace certain components in the computer, which can mean that a new one might not be needed, like the RAM, from 128mb to 256mb etc, a bigger newer hard drive, new graphics card etc or even a new cooling system can make the computer act better when doing multi tasks, most computers can take a bit of an up-grade, all you need is the make of the system and the manufacture can advise you to the extent of the components in your system, this doesn’t mean that you need to replace all the components in your system a simple up-grade may all that is needed. If you have knowledge of computers you can change the components yourself or just ask friends and one of them might know a reliable technician for you. Good luck Chris C
pc CPR
by markske100 - 4/13/07 5:42 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
what you describe is a quite unstable system, which can be caused by various defective components.
my best guess is that your pc is already a few years old and that your hard drive is starting to show signs of wear and tear, so back up your documents and stuff as soon as you can and install a new drive.
This can be tested using HDtune , which can be downloaded here :click her
If Hd tune detects any errors in its test for bad sectors , of its read/write rate is about 1MB , your hard drive is probably defective.
installing a drive really isn't tha hard when you consider these few simple rules:
first you need to find out how your drive is connected, there are two popular ways to connect a drive to your motherboard, IDE and SATA , IDE connects to your motherboard trough a wide 40 or 80 wire cable, SATA is a much more slender and way less wide then IDE , click here for an IDE cable plug on a motherboard
click here for a sata plug on a motherboard
one is SATA, which is simply plug and play, if you plug it in it should work.
The other is IDE. you should always turn off your pc when changing drives, most SATA drives will work plug and play, which means you can add a drive while the pc is still running, IDE (parrallel ATA) requires that you turn off your pc
you need to look at the size you current drive has. if you have a 40GB model now , it shouldn't be a problem upgrading to a bigger drive, however, if your pc is older than 6 years you might be experiencing some problems. The drive may not work at all or only a portion of the drive may be regconised.
if you have figured out what type of drive to choose and what size, you probably want to install your new drive. sata is quite simple to install: turn off your computer and remove the old drive, then install the new drive.
IDE is pretty much the same, but there is a catch: IDE had two drives on one channel: one master and one slave. usually your boot drive is master and the other one on the channel is slave (if there is another drive present). it would be wise to set the new drive identiwally as the old one: if your old drive was set as slave , set the new as slave also.
If it's not your hard drive giving you a headache, it must be something else: download a memtest86 ISO image to test your RAM. you let the test run for about 6 hours, if you get any error's, your RAM is faulty, and you will need to replace it.
the rest of your computer can be tested using an ultimate boot disk. verifying that your cpu is stable is required and thus it is recommended you run prime for an hour or two.
"Obsolete" is now a verb
by ehymel - 4/13/07 5:44 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Janet, I think I had best answer your question from a professional perspective, though I have no way of knowing what kind of use you make of your PC. In general, by the time your PC is noticeably on its last legs - disk failures, spurious motherboard errors, I could do quite a list, it is actually way beyond where you should have replaced it. At that point it can, at any time, suffer a catastrophic failure, and most or all of the data you have is irretrievable. You don't want to ever get to the point that that happens.
So my solution is simple - I replace my laptop (I haven't used a desktop since the early '90s) when it becomes noticeably slower. This isn't normally due to old age, but to new software capabilities that the original architecture was not designed for - Javascript, Explorer 7, what have you, over time software becomes more complicated and begins to require more horsepower, and often more memory (this takes its toll on the hardware, too!). Upgrading diligently, as I am sure you do, and installing new types of virus scanners and spyware detectors, you'll notice over time that your PC is slowing down - to the point that you'll sit there and have to wait for it to open a Word file, it no longer "pops". Or perhaps you would like that shiny new 1600x1280 monitor, but the graphics adapter built into the motherboard can't get to that resolution.
That, to me, is the opportune moment to start shopping for a new system. Doing that on a timely basis will let you take the time to find a good deal - buying a replacement under the pressure of a failing system will normally ensure you spend more than you really need to. Then, too, file transfer becomes much easier - you install the new system, turn on file sharing on your old system, and you can take your time over finding your files, cleaning out what can be discarded, and perhaps you'll leave the old system sit there and function as a file and print server, it'll last forever for as long as you vacuum its innards now and again, and you can back up your new machine automatically every night and never have to worry about losing your data again.
Perhaps this isn't the answer you were looking for, but ask yourself this: when you bought a new car because the old one ended up in the shop three times in three months, didn't you think you could have saved yourself a ton of money if you'd replaced the old jalopy sooner? That is what it is like with cars, toaster ovens, as well as PCs. Don't wait until you "see the signs", because chances are you won't be able to use it at all the very next morning.
More than one reason to get a new PC
by bethlowg - 4/13/07 5:45 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
When hardware starts to fail, it can cause the computer to behave in unexpected ways. There are so many parts in one computer. One part may fail while the rest of the system continues to (mostly) function. But when, like a cancer, the vital organs start to fail (memory, video card, cpu, motherboard) you will need to operate.
It takes time and experience to troubleshoot problems like this. Many people opt to get a new computer at this point instead of trying to fix the old one. But you could save yourself a bundle of money by having a local computer repair tech take a look at your system. If your computer is new enough to still be under warranty (or extended warranty), then use it! Many people forget they have service agreements 2 or 3 years down the road. Make sure to get an estimate up front for any repair. If you spend $150-300 in labor, you may save yourself the cost of a new computer which could be 10 times that price. Maybe you'll get another 6 or so months out of your old computer before it absolutely has to be replaced.
If you do take your computer in for service and the tech recommends you get a new computer, then get a new computer. Usually these guys (and gals) will try to fix anything with circuits and a keyboard (so long as they don't make a big profit on new sales). There is a point where someone has to pronounce the patient dead.
Businesses often replace their computers on 3-5 year cycles. If your computer is nearing that age and you are contemplating buying new, then go for it and pass your old system on to a friend or relative who has an even older computer. Sometimes that's reason enough to trade up.
If instead you just have upgrade fever and a 1-year old computer is obsolete in your eyes (then you probably wouldn't be posting here on your own, only here at the intervention of someone close to you) then you don't really need a reason not to buy new.
Once you do decide to buy you are in for a dizzying array of options and add-ons that can make the problems you are having with your system now look simple. (that's why Macs were invented!)
How old is this dinosaur?
by elbet3 - 4/13/07 5:47 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Janet, I have never kept a computer long enough for it to do any of the things you mentioned but sounds like it is time for a new one. The prices are so low right now with new Windows Vista to look forward to and so many interesting new add ons, I'd just retire that thing and "drive" a new model.
This is bad advice
by genotypewriter - 4/13/07 6:02 PM In reply to: How old is this dinosaur? by elbet3She didn't say anything about her computer being a dinosaur. All her problems could be caused by not running Live Update and not having an anti-virus program. The same problem could come up in Vista if she does the same and nothing can stop computer-illiteracy from getting a computer user into this sort of trouble.
If her computer really is a dinosaur then she might be knowing a bit more not to take your advice. Do you at least sell computers or something?
The signs...
by genotypewriter - 4/13/07 5:51 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Short answer: Your PC probably doesn't need replacement.
Long answer: Although I hate to say it... you might need to re-install Windows. Basically, you need to replace/repair the hardware of a computer (e.g. "the box" or what's in it) only when there is a hardware fault. A hardware fault is a lot more serious than what you've been experiencing and usually involves error messages as soon as you push the powerbutton (i.e. BIOS start-up screen) or nothing comes up on the screen at all, or involves funny "broken" or irregular sounds from within the "box" itself.
Usually, everything that comes up after saying "Starting Windows..." or similar is a problem with your software and a clean re-install of operating system (in your case, Windows) does the trick for most people. This alone is not enough if you don't know how to maintain a computer and the same problem will rise sooner or later even if you spend $5,000 on a brandnew PC.
Apart from hardware failure, the only other real warning sign that tells you to replace/repair/upgrade is when your fully functional software isn't functional enough for your computing needs. If you decide to get newer software, they might have hardware and other software requirements that might require you to replace/upgrade hardware.
If nothing (hardware) is broken, there's isn't a thing that even a 5 year old PC can't do today if you learn how to maintain it (i.e. reinstall Windows and run Live Update in most people's cases) and discipline your needs.
Simple indicator
by vdblu - 4/13/07 6:04 PM In reply to: What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Let me put it in the simplest way.
If the recommended system requirements of software that you need to run is above what your system can handle, then it's definitely time to replace.
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