Re: Hardware upgrades

Thanks,

I have no problem running business or photo graphics software.

The underlying reason for improving my hardware is to run the latest MS
flight simulator (Flight Sim X). I am advised by its user group that it
needs a very high spec pc.

Thanks again

KK


"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:uujkEXgIHHA.3424@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
KK wrote:

I have a Compaq Presario about 3 yrs old, Pentium 4 (2.5 Ghz), 512Mb
DDR, 80Gb hard disk, and 'Integrated Graphics, up to 64 Mb shared
video memory'.
I'm thinking of upgrading the hardware.


Why? Are you unhappy with the computer's performance? Has the poor
performance always been there or is it something new? If the latter, it is
very likely attributable to something other than hardware, and upgrading
may not help you at all.



I assume I can install a
faster processor


Maybe, maybe not. It depends on what your motherboard can support.


& more RAM.


Again, maybe or maybe not; it too depends on what you motherboard can
support.

Over and above that, what makes you thing more RAM will improve anything?
You often see advice telling you the more RAM the better, but that is
*not* accurate.

The issue is with the page file. If you don't have enough RAM, the
operating system will use the page file to supplement your RAM, and the
page file exists on your harddrive. Reading and wring from the page file
on the hard drive is a mechanical process, unlike the electronic one of
reading and writing to RAM, and is many times slower. So if you don't have
enough RAM to keep you from using the page file, the extra hard drive
access slows the system down. If you are in that situation, more RAM will
improve performance.

But do not assume you are in that situation. In fact, with 512MB, most
people will *not* be in that situation. Most people running a typical
range of business applications find that somewhere around 256-384MB works
well, others need 512MB. Almost anyone will see poor performance with less
than 256MB. Some people, particularly those doing things like editing
large photographic images, can see a performance boost by adding even more
than 512MB--sometimes much more.

If you are currently using the page file significantly, more memory will
decrease or eliminate that usage, and improve your performance. If you are
not using the page file significantly, more memory will do nothing for
you. Go to http://billsway.com/notes%5Fpublic/winxp%5Ftweaks/ and download
WinXP-2K_Pagefile.zip and monitor your pagefile usage. That should give
you a good idea of whether more memory can help, and if so, how much more.


I don't need a bigger disk.

But what is meant by 'Integrated Graphics, up to 64 Mb shared video
memory',


It means that you don't have a separate video card, but that your
motherboard has video-card-like circuitry built into it. It also means
that, since you don't have a separate video card, there is no separate
video memory, and 64MB of your 512MB is "stolen" for that purpose,

So effectively, you don't have 512MB of RAM, but only 448MB. But even
448MB is enough for most people who don't run especially demanding apps.


and can this be upgraded ?


Not directly, but you can buy a separate video card, install it and
disable the motherboard video support. But again, do not assume that doing
this will make any perceptible performance improvement. Unless you run
demanding graphic apps (many games fall into this category), it probably
will not.

Not all upgrades result in real performance improvements, and in many
cases are just wastes of money. You can take the stock engine out of your
Ford and replace it it with some souped-up racing engine, but it won't
make a bit of difference if all you do is drive it on a road where you can
never go faster than 60 MPH.

For more advice, tell us more about what performance problems you are
experiencing, and how long you've had them. Also tell us what apps you
run.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup



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