Upgrading?

[NunchakuSteve]

I'm thinking of upgrading my comp..can't seem to handle as much as it used to..I guess thats how computers are..but I'm fine with the amount of space on my hard disk. But say for more RAM, and a new Graphics card..howdo you upgrade them onto a computer really? And is anti virus software really that good? I think it might fix my comp up a bit.

[OverDrive]

I would need more info to tell you how...



Is your computer a brand name computer? (compaq, dell, hp, emachine)



Are you comfortable with opening up the case and looking inside? if so, open it up and have a look on the motherboard to see if you have any slots free. Which ones are free, which ones have what cards in them?



white slots are PCI - these have normal cards in them, like a network card or modem or soundcard

Similar in size to the PCI slots but the colour of brown (there will only be 1) is an AGP - Do you have one? Is it in use? - this is reserved for Video cards (AGP= Accelerated Graphics Port)

Small brown slot (only 1, if any.... about 1 inch long) - does your computer have one? this is an AMR slot (Audio Modem Riser).



Look for some other slots on the motherboard - usually in a group of 3 or 4 in close range, the same size as each other and they have stablizer prongs on each side of the slot - These are your RAM slots. How many do you have, and are any of them empty?



For RAM upgrades, the only thing you really need to know is what type of ram you need (we can help you with that), but to install it, you just insert it (you can only insert it one way) and snap it down with moderate force so that the prongs snap into place on the side of the RAM - THAT'S IT.



For video card upgrades, you unscrew the current video card, remove it, replace with a new video card, screw it in, and turn on the computer. - The only exception is if your video card is DIRECTLY on the motherboard (called built-in video cards). Then you just install the new video card into the appropriate slot (AGP or PCI slot as directed by the card you buy - 99% of the time now it is an AGP slot you put it in).