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Chapter 1: Start Here First
Determining When You Shouldn’t Upgrade
Sometimes, you shouldn’t upgrade your own computer. Keep your hands off during
any of the following circumstances:
✓ When a computer part breaks while under warranty: If your new computer
is under warranty, let the manufacturer fix it. In fact, trying to fix or replace a
part sometimes voids the warranty on the rest of your computer. Some
manufacturers void the warranty if you simply open your computer’s case.
Read the warranty’s fine print before grabbing a screwdriver.
Keep track of your warranty expiration date; it’s usually listed on your sales
receipt. Lost it? Some manufacturers (Gateway, Dell, and a few others) provide
access to your warranty information through their Web sites, as described in
Chapter 21.
✓ On a Friday: Don’t try to install a new computer part on a Friday afternoon.
When you discover that the widget needs a left bracket, too, many shops will
be closed, leaving you with a table full of detached parts until Monday morning.
✓ When you’re working on a deadline: Just like kitchen remodeling, computer
upgrading sometimes takes twice as long as you’d originally planned. Most
parts install in a few minutes, but always allow yourself a little leeway.
✓ If your computer is old: Not all computers can be upgraded. If you bought
your computer before 2004, you’re probably pouring money into a sinking
ship. Check out your Windows Experience Index in Windows 7, described in
Chapter 18, and see how well your computer’s CPU rates. (Old CPUs are
expensive to upgrade, making a new computer a better deal.) Or, if you’re
running Windows XP, download Windows Upgrade Advisor, also in Chapter 18,
to see if your computer’s still powerful enough for Windows 7.
Before upgrading a computer, check these numbers: Add the cost of needed
parts (more memory, a bigger hard drive, a faster video card and/or monitor, a
DVD burner, and updated software, including Windows 7) and compare it with
the cost of a new computer. Chances are, a new computer costs less. Plus, it
already comes with Windows 7, and its parts will all be compatible.
Upgrade Do’s and Don’ts
Over the years, as hungry computer repair technicians swapped tales of occupational
stress, they gradually created a list known as The Upgrade Do’s and Don’ts. The
following tips have all been salvaged from lunchroom discussions across the nation
and placed here for quick retrieval.
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