Computer Upgrade - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Don't toss that old computer simply because it is slow. If your computer is 3-5 years old, you may speed it up by cleaning up unused software, a Windows rebuild, an operating system tune-up or spyware removal. If it takes you forever to download a web page, you may consider upgrading your dial-up connection to cable or DSL broadband.

Speed up Computer by Removing Junk Software

Many brand-new computers come with cheap software or trial software loaded by the manufacturers. These software have little value, but they can use up valuable computer resources and slow down the performance. It is very simple to remove these unwanted software - simply go to "Settings" - "Control Panel" - "Add or Remove Programs". Select from the list any software that you don't recognize or don't use and click the "Remove" button.

Upgrade from Dial-up to DSL or Cable Broadband

Switching from dial-up to broadband internet connection can greatly shorten the amount of wait time while using your computer. The most popular broadband connections are DSL and cable internet. Many software, including Windows XP, anti-spyware and anti-virus programs, constantly need to download the latest updates through the internet. Such download activities take place in the background and can slow down web surfing or other online activities. Having a broadband connection will reduce the amount of the time the computer takes for such download.

Upgrade RAM Memory

Most of the older computers came with 256 MB or 512 MB of RAM. If you are using Windows XP, consider upgrading the memory to 512 MB or 1 GB. Having more memory will increase a computer's performance noticeably, especially if you often run several programs at the same time.

Upgrade Windows Operating System

If you have an older computer that runs Windows 98, Windows 2000 or Windows ME, you may consider upgrading to Windows XP. However, DO NOT upgrade to Windows Vista on those older computers. Windows Vista requires a faster processor and a large amount of memory. Windows Vista performs very poorly on older computers.

Upgrade Hard Drive

Are you running out of hard drive space to store photos and MP3 files? Any easy solution is to buy an external USB hard drive which costs about $150 - $300, depending on the size. Internal hard drives are less expensive if you know how to install it yourself. We offer hard drive installation to increase your storage space.

Since the new hard drives run much faster than the old hard drives, upgrading to a new drive can increase your PC's performance.

Upgrade Old vs. Buy New

It can become difficult to decide when to buy a new computer and when to upgrade an old one. Even if upgrading an old computer costs almost as much as buying a new one, upgrading still makes sense under some circumstances. If you have a lot files and programs on the old computer, it can become very costly to transfer those files and programs onto a new computer. In such a case, if the computer is less than 3-4 years old, upgrading may be the better choice.