upgraded my desktop computer last week, but I didn't really want to.
Actually, I was forced to upgrade my system - thanks to the fast-moving world of microprocessor design, the tyranny of just-in-time inventory, and the second law of thermodynamics.
It all started two weeks ago. I had turned off my computer's screen for the weekend on Friday, but in my rush to leave the office I had neglected to turn off the computer itself.
Monday morning I found the computer humming, just as I had left it. But the moment I turned on the monitor, I knew something was wrong. The computer was frozen in the middle of its power-on self-test. I hit a few keys, with no response. So I turned the computer off, waited 15 seconds, and turned it back on. This time, I didn't even get the self-test: There was nothing on the screen.
Times like these are when trained computer professionals get that sinking feeling in their stomachs. So with my screwdriver in hand, I pried the case off my computer's box and peered inside.
What I saw wasn't pretty. Sometime during the weekend, the tiny fan that sits atop my computer's central processing unit had stopped spinning. Deprived of its supply of fresh air, the 200 MHz AMD K6 microprocessor had overheated and apparently self-destructed. The fan, meanwhile, had melted from the resulting heat buildup.
The easiest way to fix my computer, I decided, would be to go out and get a new 200 MHz K6 microprocessor. After all, the data on my hard drive was presumably still good, and I had spent a lot of time setting up my computer with just the right combination of add-ons. Moreover, my desktop had 256MB of RAM. I really didn't want to buy a new computer.
But when I went to my local computer store, I learned that the 200 MHz K6 chip isn't sold any more. The store could special-order a 233 MHz K6 chip; it would cost just $35, but it might take a few weeks to come in. The store did stock a 400 MHz K6-2 chip for $100, but that chip was no good: My computer's motherboard could only go up to 233 MHz. So I took out my cell phone, called around to a bunch of other stores, and even had a friend search on the Web. The result everywhere was the same: no slow chips.
So in addition to replacing my microprocessor, I ended up having to replace my computer's motherboard. And since the new motherboard used a different kind of memory, I had to buy new RAM chips as well. An hour later I walked out of the store, having spent just over $400.
I went back to my office, unplugged all the cards and cables from my old system board, and removed that board. Then I screwed in the new system board, reattached all the cables, crossed my fingers, and turned it on.
The computer should have booted right up into Windows 98, but it didn't. After four hours of fiddling around, I discovered why: For some reason, my antivirus software wasn't quite compatible with the new system board. I removed the offending program and tried again. A few minutes later my computer was booting up just like it had before the disaster, except now it was running nearly three times as fast.
I'm not the only person I know who has been forced to upgrade because of the lack of a part. Last year a friend's mother bought a computer from Compaq. Six months later, the hard drive stopped working. When the Compaq technician came to replace it, she was told that her computer's hard drive was so small that Compaq didn't carry a replacement in stock: The drive would have to be special-ordered.
A few weeks later she was told that small drives were simply unavailable; she would have to get a newer drive with twice the storage capacity. But alas, when the new drive came, it wasn't compatible with the rest of her computer. After a few more frustrating service calls, Compaq ultimately replaced the woman's entire machine.
Just a few years ago an upgrade was a thrifty way to prolong the life of an old computer. But today, computer technology is moving so fast, and new computers are so cheap, that many people are passing up upgrades and simply buying new machines. Does it still make sense to upgrade old equipment? The answer depends on what you are contemplating, your skill, and the kind of system that's on your desk.
If you are running low on disk space, installing a new hard disk drive is a fairly easy task and usually well worth the expense. Although most PCs come with a single hard drive, most cases have room and the appropriate connectors for two. To add a second hard disk, all you need to do is open up your machine, screw the new disk down, and plug it in.
Since you can purchase an 8 gigabyte hard disk for just under $130, or 20 gigabyte disk for around $200, it is hard to justify buying a new computer just to get more disk space. Just one word of advice: As the experience my friend's mother had with Compaq shows, it's easier to add a second drive than to replace your only drive.
On the other hand, if what you crave is a faster machine, upgrading can be more complicated than most people want. My case is typical. Today's faster CPUs require faster motherboards, faster memory, and sometimes better fans or power supplies.
For many people, the convenience of buying a prepackaged system is worth the added cost. But if you are willing to mess around with all of the wires and screws, you can save yourself a few hundred dollars by buying a new motherboard. Just be sure that you buy one that fits.
Technology writer Simson L. Garfinkel can be reached at plugged-in@simson.net
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