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| Operating system Upgrades: It's
important to remember that new operating systems are developed to keep
up with new hardware technology. That is, they are developed to work
well with the newer, faster computers that are being introduced
everyday. It is not necessary to upgrade your computer every time one
of these upgrades becomes available. If you have an old 486 or a Pentium computer with a CPU of less than 200 MHz, Windows 95 will probably perform better that Windows 98. This is especially true if you have 32 megabytes or less of RAM installed. On one unit I worked on recently, a 133 MHz Pentium unit with 16 megabytes of RAM, upgrading to Windows 98 second edition cut the computer’s speed almost in half. I believe this will be improved somewhat once additional RAM is installed. Remember when reading the minimum requirements for an operating system, the absolute bare minimum is listed. This is established to improve sales and is not always in your best interest. Check the recommended requirements instead. If these are listed, they will be much higher and realistic. If you are running Windows 95 you can improve performance much more by simply making certain that you have the latest service packs installed. Instead of spending your time and money upgrading your operating system, speed up your computer by cleaning it up. Run Scandisk to make certain your hard drive is functioning properly. Run a surface scan and let Scandisk make any needed repairs. Defragment your hard drive regularly. These two steps alone will help make your computer faster. Check your computer for old and useless files and programs. Uninstall the programs and delete the files. Remember to clear the recycle bin because everything you delete winds up there. If you want to get the most for your upgrade dollars, add RAM. Nothing slows down a computer like an inadequate memory. You should try to get your computer up to at least 64 megabytes of RAM. Anything less than 32 is inadequate for almost any modern computer. This is a reasonable investment that involves an easy install and will speed up your computer significantly. The important thing is to purchase the correct memory and install it properly. |
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