With the launch of Microsoft’s latest operating system (Windows 7) a lot of people may be wondering if they should upgrade their current PC to the new operating system or if what they currently have suits their needs just fine. Upgrading to a newer operating system may be a difficult or unrealistic task for older PCs simply because these upgrades have greater hardware requirements and while the goal may be to optimize your PCs performance, these changes can drastically slow down your computer if it is not built to handle the requirements of your new operating system, making even small tasks time consuming and frustrating.

Is it necessary?
Take a moment to think about what you use your PC for. By far the most common uses of home computers are Internet surfing, e-mail, digital photography storage and creating documents.  Not surprisingly, these uses by themselves do not put a heavy load on a computer system. However, software upgrades and downloads can, over time, have a cumulative effect of slowing down your PC.

Getting the most out of your PC.
Maintenance is an important part of owning a computer, regardless of its age or operating system. If it seems like your PC is beginning to slow down while performing everyday tasks, there are several things you can do to try to address the problem. 

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The Windows Registry.
Another common problem with older PCs that can cause system slow-downs are registry errors, often referred to as operating system decay.
The Windows registry is a file that contains all the settings that make the operating system function the way you expect and need it to. This includes how the operating system interacts with all of the installed programs.
Over time installing and removing different programs will leave behind remnants of their information in the registry file. Because the registry file controls how Windows functions, these remnant pieces of code need to be processed by the system causing the computer to run more and more slowly over time. Cleaning the registry file periodically will help your system process the file more efficiently.

Can old PCs learn new tricks?
Many older PCs suffer from having too little RAM (random access memory) installed to efficiently run today’s programs and updated operating systems. What was plenty of RAM when the computer was new now may be the bare minimum needed to run some of the updated software. From our experience, we’ve found Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3) really requires 1GB (1024MB) of memory to run efficiently.





If your PC looks like this, purchasing a newer computer with an up to date Operating System is something you may want to consider.

There is hope!
Upgrading your system memory may be a relatively inexpensive way to achieve higher performance from an older PC. Depending on the age of your PC and the memory configuration currently installed, memory can be upgraded for well under $100 dollars. This is significantly less than the cost of replacing your PC and will often provide enough of a performance boost to allow you to delay replacing your current system. The motto, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” comes to mind here. Are you satisfied with your computers performance? Do you become frustrated while waiting for applications to open and close? Has simply starting up your computer become a mind bogglingly time consuming task?

There are many steps between keeping your older PC the way it is or deciding to purchase a new computer with the most up to date operating system installed. Our goal is to bring to light many affordable solutions that will keep your PC running smoothly without abusing your wallet.

Aren’t sure if your PC has a virus, needs upgrades, or just needs to be replaced?
Give us a call! Our expert technicians can offer advice and work with you to ensure that your technology needs are met with any budget in mind.
Contact us by Phone: (716) 200-4479 Option 2
Send us an email: services