Your Computer:  Upgrade or Toss?  

By Andrew Doyle (Published in the Charleston Mercury March 2009)

This is a question that sooner or later every computer owner will be faced with, and in most cases, the answer to which will not be a straightforward one.
With the price of equipment dropping to a level that would have been unbelievable just a few years ago, it would appear to be a no-brainer.  For as little as 4 to 5 hundred dollars you can drive to any number of local stores and purchase a replacement PC that is much faster,  better equipped, and much prettier than your current one. Your purchase will also include a warranty which of course provides some peace of mind.  At first glance, buying a new computer to replace the old one is the obvious course of action, or is it?

The performance of an existing computer can often be improved dramatically, by changing a few system settings. Removing unnecessary files and programs, and adding some inexpensive hardware upgrades will also improve performance. Viruses, adware and spyware can also cause a dramatic reduction in performance, and may need to be manually removed as security software is never 100% effective. After taking these steps, your computer should be much faster, your data and settings remain intact, your printer and other gadgets will still work, and you have saved a few hundred dollars. Negatively, you still won’t have the fastest and shiniest computer in town, but hopefully one that does what you need.
The decision essentially comes down to whether or not your existing computer can do what you require. If you only use it for typing letters, looking at spreadsheets, surfing the Internet, and sending email, you should probably keep it. If alternatively, you wish to play the latest computer games, edit movies, record live TV, and dazzle your friends with the sheer speed and beauty of your latest toy, it is unlikely that anything other than a new computer will do the job.
By Andrew Doyle

Andrew Doyle is the owner of Opus Technologies based in downtown Charleston. He has been involved in Information Technology for 15 years, previously gaining experience at Bloomberg L.P. in New York and as a technical Support Manager for a leading Internet Service Provider in New Orleans.

A major consideration is the time and effort involved in transferring data, personalized settings, and installed programs to the new computer.  This can often take many hours or even days and be very frustrating. Although transferring files such as photographs and word processing documents is relatively simple, many programs and their licenses do not transfer easily, often due to the built-in copyright protection features of the software. A lengthy phone call to the software manufacturer may be required to resolve these types of problems. Those who currently have the Microsoft XP operating system will find that many of their existing programs will not work when they try to re-install it on a Windows Vista PC, and will be forced to either search patiently for a downloadable fix from the software manufacturer, or worse yet, be forced to purchase a newer version of the software.  
Faithfull items such as your printer, scanner or camera, which currently perform their duties with relative ease, may also not be compatible with a new model, and may have to be replaced. This situation may be exacerbated by the forthcoming release of Microsoft Windows 7, which will replace Windows Vista. Often, these problems  mean that professional help is sought to ‘fix’ your brand new computer.  The resulting professional fees along with possible software and hardware upgrades may mean that your new computer leaves your wallet much lighter than expected!
The failure of a major component of your existing system however usually means a new computer is the most cost-effective solution, as the cost of repair may be higher than replacement.