WARNING: Yet another long post from Zack. Basically askin about speeding up, building a new computer. Saving those that arent interested before they read on....

Alright title was a little mean lol but needed some attention. Currently running a laptop is about 2 years old and its starting to perform like..... a laptop thats 2 years old. Last night I ran my defrag system and today I can definitely feel programs loading a bit faster and just the overall speed a notch higher. I was thinking about buying a new computer and it became clear to me that if I wanted to, I could build my own pc. I would build an above average pc and re-format my laptop to nothing. Just keep the basics on the laptop and use the pc for everything. The one major setback to this is that I really don't have all the intel and info I would need to build it myself, but lucky for me I have two roomates working towards a computer engineering degree. One of which has already built a pretty fast pc. My other idea would be to just spend the money on another laptop that would be nice, but nowhere near as fast as the pc I could build. Being that both of these options involve one of the college-students worst arch-nemisis' ($$$) both of these options are looking bleak.

So from this problem, option number 3 rose out of the ash's. Why not make my currently existing laptop better/faster. But is this possible you ask. I did the basic research and found that the memory can be upgraded as well as the hard-drive. The memory is easier to replace than the battery. The "maximum memory" my computer can handle is 1GB according to some websites. One place telling me it can handle 2,300MB (=2.3Gb) Being that my comp has two slots I'd just get 2 512mb cards under the assumption that some of the mb of memory will be bad anyway. The hard-drive would have to be done at another time b/c I dont have the extra cash to toss at that right now.

Right now I have a Sony VAIO VGN-FS640/W (for anyone that knows vaio's) Running 2x256mb ram cards, Intel Pentium M 1.6 GHz processor, and I forgot the size of the Hitachi HD.

Most of you are wondering... "ok, so wtf does this guy want to know?" Is there a way, any way, that I can strip down to the motherboard and work up. I want to know if I can get a new motherboard, use my existing cd drive, upgrade the memory (which I will have already had), upgrade the processor (running at 1.6GHz now and want to be at at least 2.0-2.4), and get like a 100-140GB hd. This is all just a thought/dream of mine and wanted to know the possibilities, limitations, and lack of weight my pocket is going to feel afterwards. I do realize that maybe 5 minutes ago I typed that I dont even have the money for the hard-drive so how in the **** will I do all this. I plan to do this in december and january when I get money for the holidays and my bday. Anything that those two things dont cover, the rest will come outa my co-op job moneywhen I start in mid-January. Figure if i start learning/ planning now, I can just sit down with my budget and figure out what I want and what I need to get the computer performance I want.

If ANYONE has ANY expeience with speeding up a computer in any way, I'd like you to share the experience... trying to learn here so lets hear whats been done/ what your running right now.

Thanks in advance for any feedback guys.

 

laptops cant compare with fixed installations like the PC

 

Of course it's doable, but, unlike desktops, laptops aren't real (ab)user friendly when it comes to "upgrades." And, when it comes to speed, there are some "basic" things you should understand:

1) Memorys affect of overall speed is limited. Memory basicially determines how MUCH a given device can "think" about, at any given time (fundamentally). REAL speed comes from:
2) Processor-speed, or proc-speed. Which is married to teh motherboard (mobo). You say yours is 1.6Ghz. While not BLAZING fast, it fast enough for most stuff you'd use a laptop for.
3) If you complaint is about the speed of... GAMING, let's say, you're gonna want to build (I don't care what NEbody says, it's still cheaper to bild yer own) a dedicated rig. I've got a few links where you can prolly find all the parts you'll need, for about as cheap as you'll find them, but I'm at work and teh links are at home...
4) Periodically defraging (depending on how much (ab)use you subject your computer to) will, as you discovered, speed things up a little, but, if your HDD is at or near capacity, you ain't gonna see much benefit from a defrag. Either swap in a bigger HDD (which, along with more memory, will retun decent results) or, get you a external HDD (they're gettin cheaper everyday and, again, I can share some links with you or even tell you a simple/inexpensive way to DIY a buss-powered ext HDD for around $100.00 - powered through teh USB port, doesn't have/need a power cord), and move all your miscellaneous KRAP to teh external drive.

No charge for teh advice

 

PC - LAPTOP its hard to explain but both are great for the job they were designed for, laptop uses less maths to compute so its faster it uses reverse tech so uses less memory to convert so not as much memory is needed so faster processor response

 

wow, quick responses.. thanks.

avant: yea thats what ive heard and come to realize. a pc is just easier to go with... i love the mobility factor of the laptop and dont think that will ever be swayed by a lightning fast pc.

AWD: Also learned very quickly that a laptop by any company isnt to friendly with new parts coming in. The memory upgrade wont speed up my computer dramatically but it'll just push it in the right direction a little. A processor could only be done next semester when I'm on my co-op putting some money in my pocket. And that option isn't really even an option due to the fact that you pointed out of its engagement to the mobo. A hd and memory is really the only option that would boost performance a considerable amount. I dont do too much gaming but I've started my Diablo II phase again and I'm thinking of another game or two so when I start my co-op I'll have what to do after work. Being that I'll get back at around 6 and probably not do anything till I go to sleep around 12, I'll need more to do than just chill on AF all day. And all that advice will be for free?? No way, nothings free in todays world .

 

Huh?

Try me on the explanation. Just use some fulls entences and I could prob grasp the idea. Cant really decipher that, sorry.

 

A 2yr old compu may have a lot of fat on it.

Do you have a good spyware program that can wipe all that crap off?

Have you gone into add/remove programs and deleted programs that you don't use?

Have you removed large files that you no longer need?

Also run msconfig and see what is happening at start up. You may have 15 programs running in the background when you only need 3.

After you do all that, restart and then defrag again.

 

Yeah! What he said!

SpyBot's a fairly dependable/stable spyware removing tool, and it's FREE!, but there are others that are just as good, or even better, for little or no money, too. As I mentioned above, I can put you in touch with all the parts for a nice USB-buss-powered 100 - 120 GB HDD, for a shaed over $100.00, including shipping, if you're interested... In fact... Wait... Out...

 

You can build a nice rig for about 600$ that will last you and be better than any other system out there that you can buy for the next 4 years.

I have always built my computers and i will probably never ever resort to buying anything from a company.

Granted my pc is a gaming machine from 2 years ago, but it can still kick the *** of anything that all the best buys put together in a 10 mile radius have to offer.

Follow AWD's advice. Buidling it yourself is cheaper, it will be reliable efficient and quick as hell.

Make sure you go AMD btw

 

Go here: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=2214&Nav=|c:1204|&Sort=4&Re cs=30

And get one of the 2.5" HDD enclosures. I use the MassCool Black model, but, as you can see, there are others.


Now, go here: http://www.basoncomputer.com/WD1200UE/item.aspx

And pick up the 120GB 2.5" HDD. Bason computers ships SUPERFAST, and I've never had anything but super good relations with them.

But, if you wanna save a few bucks: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...OTC-pr1c3watch

NewEgg seems to have a good reputation, and free shipping, as well, and is $6.00 cheaper. But I can't personally vouch for their customer service like I do for BasonComputers.

Once all the parts arrive, assemble them following the simple instructions included in the nclosure kit... something along the lines of: slide tab "A" into slot "A," then slide all that into case and screw it together, then plug it in... There's details, but that's pretty much it. A 3rd grader cud prolly do it, unless they're ricers. Then they'd need help from someone driving a European car