This page is for those of you love computers and may want to build or repair yourself. It may be useful but is still under construction.

Q). My computer is too slow.

A). You're right...throw it out!     Just kidding!  We need to find out where it's slow. 

This is how it works...or doesn't. 

Everything you see on your screen or on small little icons on the bottom of you're screen is an "open" program -  that is data in you're RAM (Random Access Memory), which is like the papers (data) on you're physical desk. When you "save" your work onto you're HD (hard Disk), you now are filing those papers away into the "filing cabinet" (HD). 

Important:  If the top of your desk  "RAM"   (not Windows desktop) is too small to handle all of you're papers (open documents or programs), then it dumps some of you're RAM data back onto your hard drive and pulls out the newly requested data. Windows uses a portion of you're HD as "virtual memory". for data "swapping" which is why you're PC can slow down after time. If you add "RAM" then the "top of your desk" can handle more work, open folders, etc.

What speed do I need? 

The faster, the better but with older procesors consider a high "bus speed". Think of a "BUS" crusin down the road. This is you're DATA. Your BUS SPEED determines how fast your DATA will "cruise" down the road.  Example, I have a 733mhz Pentium 3 processor thats faster in some regards than my 1.3ghz Celeron! The 733 has a 133mhz bus and the Celeron has a 100mhz bus so essentially, the Celeron has 5 lanes of "traffic" going to 4 lanes as compared to 733. But I also have a Pentium 4 with a 400mhz bus, 16 lanes of data traffic as compared to the Celeron! So processor speed is part of it, Bus speed and memory is the other.  FSB (Front Side Bus) is where the processor slaps right down to the board. that is the fastest Data Transfer Rate your bus will have.

Recommendations - Get a new motherboard with "built in" audio and AGP video and save some big bucks!  Those boards you can get a FRY'S for $59.00- $99.00.   The price of a decent video card! 

Considering cost, I recommend the AMD XP 1900+ about $129.00. Great chip and though "overclockable", don't do it. By the time you spend what you need on adequate cooling, you could have bought a faster processor!

Do you hear you're hard drive grinding alot when your working? (accessing and replacing data).   Check you're HD space vs. capacity...Go to My Computer, right click on to C: and go to properties. Is that "pie" mostly pink (Good) or blue (Full)?  You can try to delete files and spend a few hours sifting through old junk or...buy a new 40GB drive for less than $100.00  I vote for #2,

You can REALLY speed up your PC by Changing to a new ATA 100 hard drive. The new Western Digitals even come with a PC slot drive controller.  Maxtor utilizes 133 ATA!  

Hard Disk Install -  Insure drive is set to "cable select".  Open case, find availible 3.5" space and see if there is another connector on the old drive's IDE cable (the flat, wide one). See if it reaches the new drive. Yes? Good.   No? get a longer cable. You can disconnect the CD ROM and use that connection in the mean time. (May have slower performance) Connect your 4 pin power cable and start it up!

If you receive error messages upon boot, you may have to check your CMOS settings.>>> start PC and hold either "delete", "F1" or "F2". (Depends on brand)  and note "IDE settings". If your new at this, write down all your changes and make as few as possible to get it working. Save and exit.

Open "My Computer", right click on "D" (your new drive) and click format. (this WILL delete all data on the new drive)  

Software Recommendations

Utilities: I recommed Norton Utilities for Win 98-2000 users

Photo: ACDSee photo viewing software.

                Corel Printhouse (editing for occasional users)

                Adobe 4.0+  (editing for advanced users)

Cameras: HP (typical users)

                       Olympus (for more advanced photography)

                       I Recommend at least a 2 megapixel camera with an optical zoom.

Not ready to fork out the dough for a "digital camera"?

No problem!  take your rolls to WOLF and they will put them on a disk for cheap! No "upgrade" necessary.