Can't work out best way of upgrading PC

[MPwannadecentincome]

I'd try three things:-

1) Up the memory to 2GB
2) Defrag the hard disk a couple of times
3) Set it to hiberbnate to disc instead of shutting down when you push the power button

Hibernate option is in Control Panel > Power > Hibernate
You still need a proper reboot for updates and if it grinds to a halt but I find return from hibernation much quicker normally.

If they don't help, splash the cash and get a new one!

HTH

1) Thanks but not much point really the 1Gb I have in there already has memory spare, in contrast to my work laptop where I have multiple windows open all the time and the service center who installed the extra memory in my laptop said 'what do you need more than 1Gb for on XP you will never use it'

2) The hard drive is partitioned into a system partition, recovery partition and data partition, the system partition is 50% empty and has been defragged a zillion times.

3) For some reason on this PC Hibernate takes 15 mins, then some event would trigger it to come out of hibernation - I never did trace what it was.

RE the other posts about a new PC having a better processor / graphics card - that is part of the problem, its only for the kids, if I get a new PC it will have to have more than the basic requirements and hence will cost double - A £200 PC is not going to last that long, so if I can upgrade for less than £150 I will be happy!

For those that referred me to the web-sites - many thanks I'm checking them out now.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Motherboard bundles:

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/bundles.html

Thanks - and the prices listed on there means I should get something decent for well under £150 incl 2 Gb memory - leaving room for a more modern graphics card with support for DVI/HDMI output

[dinker]

Thanks for that. I might make use of that myself. I used to have a chap do the building of PC's for me, but I've lost contact with him. I'm a bit of a scaredy-HAB to do it myself.

I enjoy building PCs, send me a PM if you want me to do it.

[ctdctd]

ctdctd, why would a defrag have to be done twice?

I've found that the 1st defrag does a poor job, especially if the disc is running > 70% full.
Running the disc analysis after the 1st defrag complete often suggests running it again.

However it sounds like MPwannadecentincome is ahead of me!

Mind you it sounds like the old PC may have more wrong with it than old age
Hibernate is taking 15 mins when all it does is dump 1Gb to disc?

[ferret]

Its running XP Media Center with 1 GB of memory.

Get more RAM, as much as the machine will allow. Reformat the hard drive and reinstall the OS. Much cheaper than getting a new PC. P4 2.8GHz should run most stuff fine with a decent amount of memory IMO.

[umbongo]

re-install windows

I always found that windows just bloats itself up and gets slower and slower and slower, without changing anything hardware related a clean install of XP makes it run alot faster....


then again what do I know, I use ubuntu on a netbook.

[Durbs]

umbongo

Way down deep in de middle of de Congo, a hippo took an apricot, a guava and a mango.

I'm going to have that going round my head all day now, thanks.

[centurian]

Buy a new one.

If you're dead set on upgrading rather than buying new, then you can probably get away with upgrading just one component.

Just plug a new base new unit the mouse, keyboard and monitor(s) and violla - one upgraded PC

HTH

[Clippy]

I really would look at formatting the HDD and doing a fresh install of XP before you go spending any money.

[umbongo]

hehehe

Way down deep in de middle of de Congo, a hippo took an apricot, a guava and a mango.

I'm going to have that going round my head all day now, thanks.

my work here is done