BOOT CAMP 426 (30/05/06)

Spring Clean and Upgrade part 3

On most PCs there are three things you can do to make them run faster and more efficiently and they are increase memory capacity, upgrade the CPU and add a second hard disc drive.

Upgrading your PC is very simple, most jobs require nothing more complicated than a Philips screwdriver and it could postpone the need to replace your machine for months, if not years and here’s something else to consider. Windows Vista will be with us early next year (watch out for a Boot Camp on this very topic soon). Although the latest information from Microsoft suggests that it will run on quite modestly specified machines (800MHz processor, 512Mb memory and a 40Gb hard drive) to get the most out of the new operating system your PC will need a significantly faster CPU processor, a lot more RAM and a great deal more hard disc space.

In the meantime, from a cost/benefit standpoint the most significant gains usually come from more memory, though only if you are starting out with an under-resourced machine, which in the case of Windows XP would be 512Mb or less. XP runs best with at least 1Gb of RAM under the bonnet, more on machines running demanding graphics-based applications (fast action games, video editing, 3D graphics and so on). We looked at memory upgrades in some detail a few months ago and you will find a simple step-by-step guide in Boot Camp 409.

Whether or not you can upgrade your processor depends to a large extent on the design of your computer’s motherboard. The CPU fitted to your machine was probably the fastest one available at the time it was built and although faster ones may now be available the chances are any improvements will be fairly marginal. Otherwise the only solution is to replace both motherboard and CPU together, at which point the cost becomes prohibitive, possibly only slightly less than buying a new PC.

For most PC owners users adding a second hard disc drive is an essential step if the existing one is more than half full. Drive overload is difficult to avoid if you’ve recently installed broadband, which almost always leads to a big increase in large files downloads. A second hard drive is also necessary if you want to try your hand at video editing. This can swallow up tens of gigabytes of hard disc space but more importantly, a second drive, used exclusively for storing large video files, frees up the main hard drive to run Windows and your editing software. Everything operates more smoothly with less chance of crashes and glitches.

There are two ways to add a second disc drive. The simplest option is to plug an external drive into the PC’s USB or FireWire port. External drives have a number of advantages over internal drives, fitted inside the case or ‘System Unit’. They are a lot quicker to install -- there’s no need to remove the lid -- and being semi-portable means that they are better suited to secure and ‘off site’ backup. However, this also makes them more vulnerable to theft or damage. They also tend to be more susceptible to failure, they take up valuable desk space and they cost between 10 and 20 percent more than internal drives of similar capacity.  

AS well as being cheaper -- 160Gb models cost under and 300Gb drives start at around £70 from on-line sellers like Aria and Ebuyer -- internal drivers are generally more reliable due to the fact that they run cooler inside the case and suffer less from mechanical shock. The downside is that it is necessary to open the case to fit one and although it is a very straightforward job -- as we shall see next week -- it’s not something novices or anyone who doubts their DIY abilities should attempt.

However, before proceeding it is important to establish whether or not your PC is capable of supporting a second drive. The main considerations are that there is room inside the case and a spare data lead and power cable is available. Most desktop PCs meet these criteria but in the end the only way to be sure is to remove the lid.

Before you do so unplug the PC from the mains, and once the cover is open, look but avoid touching anything. An empty drive ‘bay’, if you have one, will normally be at the front of the case, above or below your existing hard disc drive. The spare data ribbon cable and power lead may be harder to find as they are often tucked out of sight, or tied back to other cables, so be very careful when moving cables to avoid dislodging connectors. The spare data cable connector should be on the end of the ribbon cable going to your main hard drive. Ensure that it is long enough to reach the rear of the empty drive bay with plenty of slack. The power connector is a small white plug with four coloured wires (red, black and yellow). If everything checks out you are ready to move on to the next stage.

NEXT WEEK - Spring clean and upgrade, part 4, Fitting a Second Hard Drive

JARGON FILTER

CPU

Central Processor Unit - the main microprocessor chip in a PC

FIREWIRE (aka IEEE 1394 and ‘I-Link’)

High-speed serial data connection system, commonly used for connecting PCs to external storage devices and digital camcorders

RAM

Random Access Memory, a computer's working memory, where the operating system and running programs store data

TOP TIP

How well is your PC performing and is it time for an upgrade? There’s an easy way to find out and that’s to run a series of tests to establish a benchmark, which you can compare with industry norms and periodically check, to see how much its performance has deteriorated. PassMark Performance Test is a comprehensive suite of test programs that checks everything, from the CPU to the CD drive, generating an easy to understand pass/fail display for each component. A fully functional 30-day trial version is available for download, and if you want to continue using it registration costs a very reasonable £18. For a complete archive of past Boot Camp top tips pop along to: www.rickmaybury.com

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© R. Maybury 2006, 1005

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