How To Upgrade Your Own Laptop For Under $175
Copyright 2006 the Tech Boy
Do you have an old laptop lying around just collecting dust that for whatever reason, you no longer use? It just seems so antiquated, and slow. All you want to do is get rid of it. The hard drive is too small, and the memory sucks, plus you're already planning on getting a sweet newer laptop.
I was in the same predicament. I have a 2 and half year old Compaq Presario 2500 that's seen better days. I was thinking of giving it away, or putting it to sleep in favor of a newer laptop.
It was my workhorse for the longest time, and had seen some serious abuse and usage. I was ready to put it to sleep and move on when I decided to refurbish, and upgrade it.
Just like I did, you may not have to get rid of that old laptop just yet. I'm going to show you how I breathed some some new life into my old laptop, and I did it for under $175. Consider this a perfect time to polish off your tech skills. I will show you how I upgraded my laptop, and how you can too.
Unlike a PC, there are only a few components that can be easily upgraded in a laptop.
The main 2 are the hard drive,
and the memory. If you were skillful enough, you could replace the motherboard, and if you knew how to solder, then you could possibly fiddle with the processor as well, but we'll work under the assumption that this is beyond your knowledge.
You won't need any fancy tools to upgrade your laptop. All you'll really need is a jeweler's screwdriver set which you can get for under $10 from any hobby store.
Before you begin handling any of the internal components, make sure your laptop is turned off, and that you remove the battery. There's no sense in getting shocked. Also, make sure to get rid of any residual static electricity by touching the chassis before you dive in.
I went to my favorite online hardware store, http://newegg.com, for my upgrade purchasing.
I go to that website because it's loaded with every type of computer hardware under the sun, and they have the best deals I've found. I had to really focus on the task at hand because once there, I'm like a kid in a candy store.
The hard drive is relatively easy to get to and replace on most laptops. However, I still had to check my laptop's user manual for hard drive removal instructions. Originally, my laptop had come with a 40GB hard drive, but I wanted to double that. I found an 80GB Western Digital Scorpio hard drive
at NewEgg.com , and for only $80.99, this is the one I went with.
Next came the memory.
Originally, my laptop came with a paltry 256MB of RAM. I wanted at least
1GB because my laptop had been moving glacially slow. I'm not sure how I dealt with it for all those years. Please note, that not all laptops can support a memory upgrade so you should make sure yours can before you buy anything.
To see if mine could, I went to http://ramfinder.com. You can go there too and see how much RAM your laptop can support.
Fortunately, the Compaq Presario 2500 can support 1 GB so I went with two 512MB Corsair memory sticks, which I got from NewEgg for only $45.99 each.
Once I had the hard drive and the memory installed, I re-loaded the operating system, and all the drivers. The whole process from start to finish (after I had the components shipped to me) took about 45 minutes, and now I have a laptop that behaves like new but cost me only $172.97. Considering a new laptop with equal components would have cost me between $700-$900, I think I did pretty good, and you will too. Just follow this simple guide and you can save yourself hundreds of dollars while extending the life of that old laptop of yours.
.
Discount Laptop Cases
Laptops and notebook computers are made of tough material but are prone to scratches and other problems if handled in a rough manner. It is suggested to protect the laptop or the notebook with a durable portable laptop case, a backpack or a bag.
Portable laptop cases can facilitate to easily carry the laptop easily.
Laptop bags come in a wide variety of colors and shells.
Most popular is the hard shell aluminum as well as the soft shell nylon briefcase styles.
Laptop backpacks selection is an excellent choice for students with room for the laptop computer, as well as schoolwork.
Carrying cases equipped with separate pockets for accessories such as wireless and network cards and security cables are also available.
Laptop cases are durable and are available in many shapes, style and sizes.
All portable laptop cases are can protect the laptop or the notebook computer from damage. Laptop cases can be...
Laptop > Discount Laptop Cases
A Safe Place for Laptops and Notebooks
Arlington Texas (ContentDesk) February 8, 2006 -- Constantly on the lookout for new product applications that will serve their customers, has lead to the addition of the Secure Laptop/Notebook Cabinet (SLNC) to the ISC catalog. It can be seen at www.iscdfw.com.
The SLNC fully powered cabinet is designed to house up to eighteen laptops/notebooks with internal power bars for charging. This new secure cabinet protects your laptop as well as your information. With laptop theft on the rise all across the country, this unique innovation secures laptops as well as keeps them fully powered by charging them when in the cabinet.
The unit even has a network capability for internet updates while secured. These cabinets come with a two-piece all-steel tambour door, a lock with two keys, and a power bar for keeping each laptop fully charged. For extra protection,
a security locking bar can be added that will accept a padlock.Each private drawer has two private compartments...
Laptop > A Safe Place for Laptops and Notebooks
Removing Cryptosporidium : A guide to filtered drinking water
Copyright 2006 Marc Deschamps
Many, but not all available filtered drinking water systems remove Cryptosporidium. Some filter designs are more suitable for removal of Cryptosporidium than others.
Why is it so important to remove Cryptosporidium ?
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite affecting the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals. It is shed in the feces in the form of an "oocyst," which has a hard shell to protect it from the environment....
Laptop > Removing Cryptosporidium : A guide to filtered drinking water
Todays Leather Fashion: Its Hot is market
What is Fashion? Embracing style , trend and comfort is called Fashion.Fashion in todays world is compared to air in our planet. Its the most recent developments of our modern society. The demands are high so are the options spouting out with every moving day. LEATHER Fashion is the most recent one in the business.Leather jackets, leather coats, bikers, leather pants, leather Halters, leather skirts has made their own impact on man's look and personality. Leather fashion has made it ways with...
Todays Leather Fashion: Its Hot is market coats
Laptop > Todays Leather Fashion: Its Hot is market
keyboard How To Upgrade Your Own Laptop For Under $175 Laptop
spyware How To Upgrade Your Own Laptop For Under $175 Laptop
Researching A Car Thats Right For You
Researching your new vehicle is a daunting task in today's world. Once you have narrowed your next vehicle down to 2 or 3 choices it is time to research. Take out a sheet of paper for each vehicle and write down pros and cons for each one. Also on each sheet of paper list the attributes which are most important to you. This list might include: MPG - if you put a lot of miles on your car this factor could make a big dent in your wallet if you pick the wrong car.
Engine power - HP is a big...
car cd player
Laptop > Researching A Car Thats Right For You
Advantage Fitness Products’ New travelTRAINER Makes Fitness Convenient for Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere
Los Angeles, CA (ContentDesk) November 16, 2005 -- The need for fitness has never been greater as declining national health levels due to inactivity have consumers demanding solutions to increase physical activity on a daily basis. Enter Advantage Fitness Products (AFP) which recently unveiled the travelTRAINER personal fitness studio, a total fitness solution that can be utilized anywhere from a hotel room, to the office, or easily in the comfort of home. Furthermore, with travelers in mind,...
Advantage Fitness Products’ New travelTRAINER Makes Fitness Convenient for Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere How To Upgrade Your Own Laptop For Under $175 Laptop
Laptop > Advantage Fitness Products’ New travelTRAINER Makes Fitness Convenient for Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere