Advice Please.

[MikeO]

Few things. Firstly Josh is getting problems with games running slow on his laptop...and the performance generally is slow. Will increasing the RAM solve this, it's currently only 256Mb and I've looked at the site someone on here posted a while back (>>>Crucial.com result<<<) and it's not too expensive to do. Thinking £30odd is good for 1Gb. Is it easy enough to change...like just unscrewing a panel off the back and plugging in the new chips?

 

Also on my desktop since we moved house the fan is coming on really often...warmer spot I guess...is there anything I can do about it. It's a bit dated and completely out-performed by new PC's selling for less than £300 now . Maybe I need to take the plunge and get a new one or is is worthwhile (or possible) to upgrade what I've got?

 

Any suggestions, helpful or otherwise, gratefully received.

[Zed]

iVE UPed the ram in my desktop only, but it was pretty straight forward, ram was on a plug in board, unless anyone lets you know I will ask our IT bos man tomorrow

[Zed]

I was in Lidl before and there was a offers brochure, the PC in it look pretty impressive for 299

[Bill]

""Few things. Firstly Josh is getting problems with games running slow on his laptop""

 

............

So thats how he's getting all these high scores.

 

 

Some good deals now for PCs, much better layout to the old one i had, new one cost me £319 Pounds with extra USBs, and headphone sockets at the front, also a card reader for camera instead of the old floppy disc bay they used to have. Shop around Mike for the best Deals.

[Foxon]

Yes improving the ram will make the computer run alot faster esp if it 256mb and u upgrade to 1gb it will be 4 times faster.

 

Changing ram on a laptop is normally easier than a Desktop

 

there should be like a squaire latch with a screw in the middle of the bottom

 

you unscrew that it should be there slide the old one out and put the new on in.

 

i am refering to laptops that are 3+ years new

[Mac]

As a total technospazz, if you increase the run speed don't you need to improve the motor for the fan to keep things nice and cool?.

 

This is not a statement, it is a question, we need to give our PC a little ummpf, I am concerned the fan won't be able to cope with a heavier demand on it.

 

ATB

 

Mac

[Foxon]

As a total technospazz, if you increase the run speed don't you need to improve the motor for the fan to keep things nice and cool?.

 

This is not a statement, it is a question, we need to give our PC a little ummpf, I am concerned the fan won't be able to cope with a heavier demand on it.

 

ATB

 

Mac

 

are you referin to the ram

 

if so no you wont need to increase it as it is the same as the 256mb ram as was originally in but is just more hightec and faster you will not need to do anything to the fan

[Mac]

Cheers.

 

ATB

 

Mac

[TrueBlue]

It also depends on what game you are trying to play. Of course 256mb is below the minimum RAM for most new games now. It also depends on what graphics card is built into the laptop as this would give you a lot of issues if it's not a very good one. I'm not a whizz on computers but found those two things effected my computer massively, had to improve them both before being able to play modern games on it properly.

[Foxon]

It also depends on what game you are trying to play. Of course 256mb is below the minimum RAM for most new games now. It also depends on what graphics card is built into the laptop as this would give you a lot of issues if it's not a very good one. I'm not a whizz on computers but found those two things effected my computer massively, had to improve them both before being able to play modern games on it properly.

 

i was guessing he wanted to play the games that are already on it but make them run smoothly.

 

if he wanted to ply new games he would need to get a new laptop as the CPU, Graphics card etc. would nt meet them requirements

[TrueBlue]

Well he's not on about 3D Pinball, Solitaire or Freecell, so the game must have been installed by Mike, thats why I asked what type of game it is. Also, I was referring to a modern game as a game made in the past 4 years or so.

 

An example of this is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. A great game by the way, but it was made in 2003 and the bare minimum requirement is 256mb RAM. When I played this with the 256mb RAM on my comp it was so choppy when in large spaces, it became solid to even move as I'd jump from one end of the map to another. As soon as I improved it, it was much better.

 

I also have another game where I had enough RAM but my graphics card was awful. This led to the game being unplayable but a new graphics card sorted that and it worked fine.

[MikeO]

Sorry if I wasn't clear....was talking things like LOTR Battle for Middle Earth, SIMS, Simpsons Hit and Run and a Grand Prix SIM (which actually works fine, but it's a few years old). I've opened up the back and had a look and the RAM upgrade looks fairly straightforward and obvious, so I'll try uprating that to 1Gb and see how it goes....thanks for the advice.

[TrueBlue]

Lol, no one really gave you any advice tbh.

 

But, 1GB RAM extra RAM should be more than efficient

[Louis]

Hi Mike...

 

I wouldn't bother going up to 1gb when 2gb is not much more expensive Mike, 256mb will be slow, 1gb will still be slow (but still quicker - I have 1gb of Ram and pc takes about 3-5mins to start up) but 2gb will be a lot quicker and for £60 you can't complain about the cost

 

The laptop processor is 1.7ghz and this should be enough to cope with demands of some of the newer games, not all though because the graphics card is built into the laptop so you will find that some games will simply not run (im thinking the likes of farcry, doom and half life 2 - basically anything resource intensive. The likes of Pro Evo Soccer will have no problem).

 

Also I would take the plunge into getting a new computer if your pc is being outperformed by those selling for less than £300. The motherboard, processor, RAM and fan upgrade will cost about £200 for a decent set but you have to consider getting a new one for aesthetics purposes

 

Stick to Acer for a desktop, they are a great brand. Personally I favour AMD over Intel processors (generally cheaper but just as good). I recommended one to Romey about three or four months ago.. I don't think he's complained about it yet!

 

This one is decent http://www.ebuyer.com/product/123447/produ.../rb/27961902215 and it's 0% finance until february which works out just less than £50 a month until its paid off The only downfall to this one is the graphics card is built in (onboard) similar to your laptop.

 

[MikeO]

Thanks for that Louis...I've actually been looking at this...>>>Acer T180<<<...although if I could find the L100 without a monitor it may be an alternative....not long bought myself a new one so seems a bit daft to pay for another.

 

Actually just found the T180 cheaper at Comet (although they want £499.99 for the L100 without the monitor)...>>COMET<<<

 

What's the easiest method of transferring files from old onto a new PC btw? Programmes need to be re-installed I think .

Edited May 20, 2007 by MikeO

[Louis]

Purchase a USB hard drive caddy.. take out the Hard drive from your old computer and put it in the caddy. Remove the jumper from the back of the hard drive (small U-shaped piece of plastic connecting two pins). Then plug the caddy into the pc using the cable supplied and it will appear as an extra drive in My Computer.

 

You can just copy and paste the files you need to your new computer, unfortunately some programs will need to be installed on new comp.

 

Not sure about Comet's customer service to be honest Mike - I've had problems with them in the past and the people who work in Speke store don't know much about computers (in my opinion!).

 

Here's a caddy:

 

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/120659

 

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/124997 <-- This one is apparently a 4200 and has a spare port for a graphics card if Josh or you ever decide you want to play more demanding games. It is £80quid more but that can (my opinion) be justified by the increase in speed..

 

One thing to mention Mike, the newer PC will obviously eat up more energy.

[Romey 1878]

Louis is right I love the pc and I might upgrade to 2gb RAM myself. The only thing I didnt like about the pc is the speakers arent the best so I just use my old ones

[fcssl]

My PC speakers were awful, however, using the audio out, I connected mine using 3mm jack to 2xaux leads into the rear of my Technic's SU-600 stereo amplifier. By playing it through the amp, I can listen to all my sound/music through 2xB&Wi 980w each speakers. The sound is unbelieveable and is far better than any mix and match set-up I have had before (and I have had a few!), plus, I have around 400 albums on my PC which I can play instantly without loosing the CD case or sleeve!

 

 

If you are happy with your PC and the sound is an issue, get a semi decent amp and set of speakers and you will enjoy it forever...well, almost anyway!

[MikeO]

I've not upgraded the laptop yet....currently though I'm having a problem with it slowing down to a ridiculous extent every twenty minutes or so, sticks around for five mins like that then it's fine again for another twenty....any ideas?

 

Also (sorry) my wi-fi connection is getting a bit unstable...keeps disconnecting itself. Think it may be that the base unit is too close to my phone....difficult to get them too far apart as I've only got one phone point....would that be the cause.

 

Any info again gratefully received.

[aaron]

might be the laptop yano. On my laptop i get DC all the time but on my brothers laptop it never happens, tbh ive not known my brothers one to DC. Not sure how to fix it tho sorry.

[fcssl]

I was having a problem with the missus's laptop which kept disconnecting. It turned out to be a battery/power issue. In the first instance, make sure it is connected to the power lead or fully charged.

 

If it keeps slowing down, check how many applications you have running (by ctrl, alt, delete) and stop any which you dont need. Alternatively, if it is you internet browser which keeps slowing, you may have spyware, so download Adaware and/or Spybot for free and clear you cookies, cache and history,

 

[Louis]

Also some wireless adapters are affected by neighbours cooking food their microwaves and their wireless tv senders.

[MikeO]

Speeds been sorted out by some anti-spyware (AVG...the "free" ones you mentioned wanted paying for fc, but thanks for the advice, daft of me not to have thought of it).....there were 256 bits of adware on it . Thought as it's in Josh's room and consequently fairly heavily filtered that not a lot would get through....wrong. Still disconnecting on occasion but not too much of a prob...thanks people.

 

Also some wireless adapters are affected by neighbours cooking food their microwaves and their wireless tv senders.

 

Have to be a bloody powerful microwave Louis...we're semi-detached and our only neighbours are in Australia at the mo .

Edited June 4, 2007 by MikeO

[Romey 1878]

Speeds been sorted out by some anti-spyware (AVG...the "free" ones you mentioned wanted paying for fc, but thanks for the advice, daft of me not to have thought of it).....there were 256 bits of adware on it . Thought as it's in Josh's room and consequently fairly heavily filtered that not a lot would get through....wrong. Still disconnecting on occasion but not too much of a prob...thanks people.

Have to be a bloody powerful microwave Louis...we're semi-detached and our only neighbours are in Australia at the mo .

 

 

Ad-Aware is free Mike, but you can get the better version by paying. I've got the free version myself.

[Bill]

Ad-Aware is free Mike, but you can get the better version by paying. I've got the free version myself.

 

Yeah, i'm also on the free AVG and its been OK, SPYBOT search and destroy, which i also have is another freebie.

[MikeO]

Dragging this thread back up I've just bought a new laptop. It's a Gateway which may not be the finest make but it's got 1GB RAM and 80GB hard drive for £368, which I thought was pretty good. Was a little concerned about Vista but had no problem so far. Runs so fast compared to 256KB, feel like I've emerged from the dark ages .

 

Although strictly speaking it's the lads.....games all run perfectly now .