Repair, Replace or Upgrade?

One of the first questions I commonly get when addressing a problematic computer is "Is this computer worth fixing or should I buy a new one?" There is no quick and easy answer to this question. However, there are some things to consider, and this applies to both desktop and laptop computers.

Windows 98/ME/SE - Yikes
Even though it is 2008, I still have customers with PCs running Windows 98, Windows ME and Windows SE. If this is your case then I would highly recommend that you replace the computer as soon as you can. Generally speaking these computers are not "strong enough" to support Windows XP or Windows Vista and many software products, services and upgrades do not support these unreliable systems.

More than 5 Years old?
If your computer is five or more years old then it is also probably time to buy new. Even if it is running Windows XP, these PC's are probably not strong enough anymore to support all the updates and service packs that have been added to Windows XP over the past few years.

Less than 5 Years but it's oh so slow?
Many times the reaction to a slow computer is one of "Well shall I just replace it with a new one". Fortunately this is not case and most of the time, when a computer that is less than five years old, and running Windows XP it still has a lot of life in it. The reasons these computers run slow can be many fold, however, the solution can be as simple as adding more random access memory also known as a RAM, and what I like to refer to as the computer's "short term memory". Or maybe there are just too many processes running on the computer at the same time. Sorry, I did promise not to get technical. "Running too many processes" does not mean you have too many programs on the computer, or that you have too many pictures or too much music downloaded on your computer. What it does mean is that there are too many "software gadgets" running in the background of your computer. For example, I have found that HP printers install many such pieces of software and can slow the machine down to a snail's pace. In general, all of these issues on a PC that is less than 5 years old, and running Windows XP, can be addressed with a single service call from your preferred provider [hopefully me:-)].

Mac or PC
If your decision is to replace the computer, you basically have two options. You will either decide to purchase a PC running Microsoft Windows or one of the new highly marketed Apple MacBooks or iMac desktops running the Macintosh operating system. While I am a big fan of Apple products in general one cannot move from a PC to a Mac environment without considering the following. First, if you've been using a PC then you probably have experience with the Windows interface, have purchased PC software and have peripherals such as printers and scanners that run on the PC. Introducing an Apple product into the mix can cause frustration and costs not originally planned for. For example many printers are only supplied with PC software and will only print from a Windows PC. Be sure to check your printer specifications before you purchase if you plan on adding a Mac to your computing. Secondly, the software currently running on your PC will not run on your Mac, at least not without putting Windows onto the Mac, and that is an added expense that makes no sense. If you're running a mixed environment, in other words, you have both Windows PCs and Macs; you'll probably want to share resources between those computers. First of all sharing an Internet connection is never a problem. Secondly, as I previously mentioned, most printers will support both Mac and PC, however the question is whether this is a network printer in which case it should not be a problem but if it's a printer that is interfaced through a direct PC connection this can also be problematic. Also, Apple does provide the ability for its files to be viewed on the PC so sharing data at least between them usually is not a problem, provided you have the same or compatible programs running on each. Finally, unlike the PC where there are many hardware vendors to choose from, if you choose to buy a Mac you'll be buying from Apple as they are the only company providing the necessary accessories. Philosophically, I have a problem with this, being that when you have a single vendor they basically dictate price, the sale conditions and the cost of ownership, so buyer beware...

What to buy?
If you decide to buy a Mac you will need to either purchase online through apple.com or you will go to one of their stores in the area. If you buy a Mac I strongly recommend you purchase the extended warranty as this is specialized hardware and is expensive to repair should it fail. You do need to take this into account when evaluating the costs this device. By the way I do service Apple products from a software, networking and training standpoint. But you will need to go to Apple for any hardware failures.

Those of you staying with PCs first need to decide whether you want to purchase a desktop computer or a laptop computer or a new category that has emerged which is called the desktop replacement, which in essence is simply a large laptop. As far as I'm concerned it's very simple; if you're traveling frequently and need to carry your documents and you’re computing with you, buy the laptop. If not, I strongly advise you to stay with the desktop computer as they are generally less expensive, more reliable and less expensive to maintain. With respect to hardware manufacturers, I don't spend a lot of time researching this aspect of the PC. This topic is much better done through the various publications such as PC Magazine, Consumer reports and the like. However, for many years I have promoted and suggested that people buy Dell computers. I know some of you out there will cringe at this because you have had a bad Dell experience. More than likely your experience was of poor support rather than poor product. Unfortunately today many of the major computer manufacturers degraded to similar levels of support and frankly it's probably why I'm in business. Having said that, I do believe that Dell gives the best value for the money, the most reliable product, and from a person that has been supporting Dell computers for many years, resources that are second to none in the computer industry. If I need to find out what software driver is required for a Dell computer, whether it is a month old or five years old, that task is extremely simple and straightforward. By the way, I am not paid by Dell to say these things.

Finally, many new PC buyers out there that try to go it alone or trust the advice of the salesman at the local store, more than likely being sold a computer that has far more functionality than you will ever need. Also at this time, I have to say that you should avoid the Windows Vista operating system. Again Dell, as an industry leader, has recognized that customers still would like to purchase the Windows XP operating system and have continued to supply a large variety of PCs with this configuration into 2008.

If you're still confused about repairing, updating or replacing your computer then please allow me to help you make the right choice for your needs.

Until then, Ctrl-Alt-Del

Steve Holder