Tag Archives: Upgrade

Q. Can I use faster RAM with the slower RAM I have?

Posted on May 17, 2011 by quill

For example, your machine has PC2-4200 (533 MHz) DDR2 memory in it, and you have another module of PC2-5300 (667 MHz). Can you use it? Your motherboard’s memory speed will always be set to the speed of the slowest module … Continue reading →

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Q. What is a Dell Service Tag and where do I find it?

Posted on May 17, 2011 by quill

The Service Tag is Dell’s name for a serial number, and allows Dell to identify your individual machine. It should be on a sticker glued to the bottom, back or side of your computer case. Using Internet Explorer 5.5 or … Continue reading →

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Q. My computer is broken and I need the data

Posted on May 14, 2011 by quill

If your computer has a broken screen, failed motherboard or bad power supply, the data on the hard drive is probably still OK – so you want to be able to get it copied to a new machine or another … Continue reading →

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iMac 2011 models, the end of upgrading?

Posted on May 13, 2011 by quill

Apple has thrown a curve ball at iMac owners with the latest 2011 “Thunderbolt” models.  The 2011 models use pins on the SATA power connector to transmit SMART temperature information from the drive to the iMac motherboard (previously, the temperature … Continue reading →

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Hybrid SSD/hard drive setups

Posted on May 13, 2011 by quill

Lately there has been a choice to make between conventional hard drives and flash based Solid State Drives (SSD).  The decision boiled down to speed vs. cost vs. capacity.  SSDs can be blazingly fast, but they are expensive, and limited … Continue reading →

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Q. What will adding more RAM to my computer do?

Posted on May 10, 2011 by quill

The key to computer performance is having enough RAM memory. RAM doesn’t speed a machine up, however. Rather, adding RAM removes a barrier to speed.  It’s like your car – taking your foot off the brake doesn’t speed it up, … Continue reading →

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Q. Will this new video card work in my machine?

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Trevor

The questions you always have to ask when installing a new video card in a desktop or tower machine are: Is there an available PCI-e x16 slot with space beside it for the video card’s fans? Is there physical room … Continue reading →

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