by Marlene Jones
Friendly Computers
Webster, TX
In today’s world, many misconceptions develop for no good reason. One that is shared by many is that everyone needs a new computer every two or three years. If you are running calculation-intense applications like engineering simulations, replacing equipment frequently can make economic sense. Most of us use computers for comparatively simple things like running Microsoft Office applications, using email and accessing the Internet. In those cases, frequent replacement can be a waste of money. Life expectancy of well-maintained computers is typically between four and five years froma hardware perspective. The key phrase is, “well-maintained.”
SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
Simple things can extend the life of your equipment like leaving it running all the time rather than turning it on and off as it is used. The main circuit board of the computer (motherboard) expands and contracts each time the computer is power cycled. This continuous power cycling of the equipment can cause circuits to fail.
Overheating can cause serious damage to computers. Fans are installed to pull air into and out of the computer casing to remove heat. Over time, dust and dirt accumulates inside the computer clogging the components designed to facilitate heat removal. At least once a year, systems should be cleaned. This simple “tune up” can significantly extend the life of your computer and is far less expensive than a new machine.
Many computers are needlessly replaced with new ones because they are perceived as being too slow. The decrease in speed occurs over time so the user forgets how its current performance compares to the way it ran when it was new. As we visit websites, various components like toolbars are added to the computer and many times the additional items aren’t even used by the computer user. Temporary files are created on the computer consuming disk space and serving no good purpose. Spyware and Adware also accumulate over time decreasing computer performance. Components of programs installed by the owner are placed in the startup group causing the computer to take a long time to boot. All software suppliers want you to be happy with their product so they cause part of their programs to start when your computer boots. This makes the program appear to start quickly when needed. Removing these items from the startup group can make applications start slower, but depending on how often the program is used, it may not matter. All of these items make the computer run slow. A general software “tune up” can significantly enhance the computer’s performance.
The memory or RAM (Random Access Memory) that computers use when running programs was very expensive until recently so most new computers were equipped with a the minimum required for reasonable performance. RAM is inexpensive now and adding memory does more to increase computer performance than anything available from a dollars spent perspective.
In summary, there are several things that can be done to increase the life expectancy and performance of your current computer that are relatively inexpensive. Depending on your situation, one or all of the following could be helpful and save money in the long run:
• Clean the inside of the computer
• Software Housecleaning
• Run anti-spyware and anti-virus programs to remove threats
• Add additional memory (RAM) to your system
By Friendly Computers at 2010-01-28
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