Upgrade An Old Laptop?

[phetaroi]

I have a Compaq R3000 laptop that dates to 2004. I use it only when on the road...but for me its main purpose then is preliminary work on photography (my major hobby), after which I finish processing my digital pics after I get home on my desktop. But, anything with photography is a memory hog.

The laptop is so sloooooooooooooow. I've been told two things. Upgrade the memory for speed. And -- it's too old to upgrade the memory. So, I'm considering buying a new laptop.

Or, should I be able to upgrade the memory on an otherwise functional computer.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[garyh]

If you have it wiped and reinstall windows it will perform the way it did when you bought it. Usually makes quite a difference, extra ram will help if you can't buy new it should not be too hard to get around one of the bigger computer centres.

[Beggar]

More memory will bring faster loading of Windows, application software and data if you really have not enough memory.

But in respect of processing data it will not bring so much. The applications get more and more demanding. Just take the browser and the internet - more Flash, more Java and so more CPU load. But try it with more memory - go with your computer to a shop where they sell (used) memory and let them put it into your computer and check there if it works and what it brings. But I would not spend too much for it.

On the other hand - if you use CS4 for instance for your photos then a little bit more memory alone might not do the job - it needs a lot. And when the system starts to swap out to the old harddisk then you are back to square one.

[Gary A]

I have an old Lenovo T43p laptop. It is about the same age as yours. I now have Win 7 Pro on it and it does just fine with the single core processor and a gig of RAM.

[bendejo]

My laptop that died last year (Fujitsu) was about the same vintage. When I tried to upgrade the memory the year before I found out (in both Malaysia and Thailand) that it cost at least double the price of the latest, faster memory -- it went from 'how do we get rid of this old crap?' to 'hey, we can charge more because they don't make this anymore!' Consider the cost of the RAM, the falling-apart factor of the machine, and the falling price of computers... In the past six years CPU price/performance has improved greatly, hard drives got faster (and a new protocol) and new style memory is cheaper. On the other hand, if you're using Windows you probably won't be able to use XP, due to new hardware that XP doesn't support (like SATA drives). Oh, you can make XP work on a newer machine but it'll take some effort to set it up (enough websites out there to help you along), but workarounds get temperamental and will at times cause lockups, crashes, or just plain weirdness. I tried, after about a month or so I surrendered and installed Vista (and have since installed W7).

Personally, I don't think a RAM upgrade will improve performance for photo rendering all that much.

[Beggar]

Oh, you can make XP work on a newer machine but it'll take some effort to set it up (enough websites out there to help you along), but workarounds get temperamental and will at times cause lockups, crashes, or just plain weirdness.

XP is not that bad I have 6 HDs running on WinXP SP3 with RAID 0 and AHCI and this for many months without any problems.

[TigertheCat]

You will have difficulty even finding the old DDR memory,you may be lucky and find secondhand as its not even made anymore,as far as I am aware,this presumes it has the DDR and not DDR2 memory installed,newer machines have DDR3.

You will also be restricted on how much more memory can actually be installed,maybe its maxed out already.

You could change the hard drive to a 7200rpm unit which would help also,yours is most likely a 4800 rpm unit.

As stated earlier,a fresh install of windows would liven up the laptop.

[Gary A]

My T43p takes PC2-4200 DDR2 533 SDRAM SODIMM. I ordered a one gig stick but was informed that it had doubled in price to about 1,320 baht. By the time I got the new price I had already installed Win 7 Pro and it runs fine. I decided that the extra gig wasn't needed. The Thinkpad accepts a maximum of two gig.

[Spoonman]

You will have difficulty even finding the old DDR memory,you may be lucky and find secondhand as its not even made anymore,as far as I am aware,this presumes it has the DDR and not DDR2 memory installed,newer machines have DDR3.

Google tells me the OP's lappy has DDR ram, goodluck finding some of that.

[damole]

http://www.jib.co.th/TH/prodetail.asp?Lang...ID_Product=7024

I think it's become easier to find lately after a period when it was quite scarce.

[robblok]

To be honest i dont understand why people would use a laptop for work like this. Its much cheaper to buy a desktop and it still has more power then and a bigger screen. Even a 15.000 baht desktop would be an improvement over that laptop.

Just my 2 cents.

[garyh]

To be honest i dont understand why people would use a laptop for work like this. Its much cheaper to buy a desktop and it still has more power then and a bigger screen. Even a 15.000 baht desktop would be an improvement over that laptop.

Just my 2 cents.

As the OP said "I have a Compaq R3000 laptop that dates to 2004. I use it only when on the road."

[robblok]

To be honest i dont understand why people would use a laptop for work like this. Its much cheaper to buy a desktop and it still has more power then and a bigger screen. Even a 15.000 baht desktop would be an improvement over that laptop.

Just my 2 cents.

As the OP said "I have a Compaq R3000 laptop that dates to 2004. I use it only when on the road."

My bad, sorry i still dont understand the OP.

Why work on the road if you can do it better at home. I can understand it a bit if you were on a long trip. Still i would get anoyed and do all the work on a desktop. I just hate laptops for anything else as easy work.

[PoorSucker]

I have two 500 MB old DDR memory = 1 GB

PM me if interested.

Edited February 22, 2010 by PoorSucker

[phetaroi]

Thanks to all who responded to my OP...well, almost all.

The various points you've all made convinced me to buy a new laptop.

[TigertheCat]

The best option,buy a new laptop

[robblok]

Thanks to all who responded to my OP...well, almost all.

The various points you've all made convinced me to buy a new laptop.

Thank you too.. just a difference of opinion about working behind laptops.

[phetaroi]

Thanks to all who responded to my OP...well, almost all.

The various points you've all made convinced me to buy a new laptop.

Thank you too.. just a difference of opinion about working behind laptops.

Now, how'd you know I was talking about you?

But to explain. Photography is my hobby. When I am out on a photo jaunt, it may be for 3-5 hours, or it may be a week or 10 days. If I'm on the road I download maybe a hundred photos in a day onto the computer, "flip through" them to decide what to discard, and do some very preliminary editing (mostly cropping...which also saves memory), identify them with a file name, and then put the photos that are keepers on a USB stick. I also enjoy doing this because I tend to be a very early riser on the road, often up around 4 or 5 a.m., so it occupies my time until it's time to get back out and about.

Once I get back home I get on my desktop and do my real editing, etc.

Again, it's a hobby and it's the way I enjoy working on it. Not to mention that I like to keep online during my little trips for email, etc.

[astral]

You may be able to get some second hand memory, 512Mb or better 1Gb

A new hard disk, IDE of course, will be faster and offer you more storage, expecially if you shoot RAW.

All in all a new laptop is best, if you have the money?

It will also be lighter to carry around.

[robblok]

Thanks to all who responded to my OP...well, almost all.

The various points you've all made convinced me to buy a new laptop.

Thank you too.. just a difference of opinion about working behind laptops.

Now, how'd you know I was talking about you?

But to explain. Photography is my hobby. When I am out on a photo jaunt, it may be for 3-5 hours, or it may be a week or 10 days. If I'm on the road I download maybe a hundred photos in a day onto the computer, "flip through" them to decide what to discard, and do some very preliminary editing (mostly cropping...which also saves memory), identify them with a file name, and then put the photos that are keepers on a USB stick. I also enjoy doing this because I tend to be a very early riser on the road, often up around 4 or 5 a.m., so it occupies my time until it's time to get back out and about.

Once I get back home I get on my desktop and do my real editing, etc.

Again, it's a hobby and it's the way I enjoy working on it. Not to mention that I like to keep online during my little trips for email, etc.

Just a hunch you were talking about me But if its just that what you want to do it can be done with a desktop. I was thinking heavy photoshopping not just labeling. Labeling is not that hard and you dont have to pay too much then for a decent laptop.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Thanks to all who responded to my OP...well, almost all.

The various points you've all made convinced me to buy a new laptop.

Sadly, you've been given cringeworthy bad advice. The most cursory check would reveal that model was supplied with as little as 256MB RAM. That would be the reason for the slowness that you experience.

All the other silliness about processor and HDD speed is hardly relevant in your case. The laptop specification is most adequate for your usage, other than the RAM.

A 512MB or 1 GB PC2700 DDR333 SODIMM module would bring you up to speed.

I have no idea why someone would advise you to spend 15000 baht plus, when a maximum of 2000 baht for the 1GB module would do the job.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

It really irks me to see the rubbish written here, especially as it supposed to be a technical forum. robblok is still pushing for you to get a new laptop when he knows your needs are few just smacks of face saving.

The laptop is more than adequate for the job.

Examples of RAM: 512 MB or 1 GB

If you choose to use ebay, look for the description; Low Density.

[fantuzi]

Thanks to all who responded to my OP...well, almost all.

The various points you've all made convinced me to buy a new laptop.

I had same dilemma and similar comp HP.My advice? - buy new and..upgrade old one.Upgrade will cost you not much;you could do it all yourself,BUT!

in my case - only one PCClinic had chips,which were the match.Another chips - which were described as compatible - did not work.There is website

which helps to find matching memory chips,but HP is special case - you have to talk with competent people.HD you have 40 or 60G?Fix new - 250G.

Having two comps is very usefull and helps in troubleshooting,back-up etc.You can use it as multimedia device - for movies and videos security center to watch house or as a fax machine.

Upgrade will cost you may be 5000B and is easy like morning porrige.If you do not do it - your old comp will be useless soon.

[robblok]

It really irks me to see the rubbish written here, especially as it supposed to be a technical forum. robblok is still pushing for you to get a new laptop when he knows your needs are few just smacks of face saving.

The laptop is more than adequate for the job.

Examples of RAM: 512 MB or 1 GB

If you choose to use ebay, look for the description; Low Density.

I believe you have to read before you post. I was pushing for a desktop (after i misunderstood how he used it), and only after the poster said he has made up his mind about getting a new laptop i said he could buy a cheap one because his needs are not that high.

If his laptop only has 256 mb of memory and the rest is good (i really havent looked into that because im not a laptop fan) he could just upgraded his laptop.

I just said he could buy a cheap laptop because i been to pantip recently to help a friend get one and she got one with 3 gb of memory for 15.000 baht. (no operating system). But i repeat i only said this after he made up his mind about getting a new laptop.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

It really irks me to see the rubbish written here, especially as it supposed to be a technical forum. robblok is still pushing for you to get a new laptop when he knows your needs are few just smacks of face saving.

The laptop is more than adequate for the job.

Examples of RAM: 512 MB or 1 GB

If you choose to use ebay, look for the description; Low Density.

I believe you have to read before you post. I was pushing for a desktop (after i misunderstood how he used it), and only after the poster said he has made up his mind about getting a new laptop i said he could buy a cheap one because his needs are not that high.

If his laptop only has 256 mb of memory and the rest is good (i really havent looked into that because im not a laptop fan) he could just upgraded his laptop.

I just said he could buy a cheap laptop because i been to pantip recently to help a friend get one and she got one with 3 gb of memory for 15.000 baht. (no operating system). But i repeat i only said this after he made up his mind about getting a new laptop.

I did read before I posted. The poster appears to have chosen to get a new laptop based on flawed advice, including the nonsense just posted by fantuzi.

You had an opportunity to rescind your opinion, but didn't. But I don't want you to think I'm singling you out....

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Thanks to all who responded to my OP...well, almost all.

The various points you've all made convinced me to buy a new laptop.

I had same dilemma and similar comp HP.My advice? - buy new and..upgrade old one.Upgrade will cost you not much;you could do it all yourself,BUT!

in my case - only one PCClinic had chips,which were the match.Another chips - which were described as compatible - did not work.There is website

which helps to find matching memory chips,but HP is special case - you have to talk with competent people.HD you have 40 or 60G?Fix new - 250G.

Having two comps is very usefull and helps in troubleshooting,back-up etc.You can use it as multimedia device - for movies and videos security center to watch house or as a fax machine.

Upgrade will cost you may be 5000B and is easy like morning porrige.If you do not do it - your old comp will be useless soon.

Sorry, HP is not a special case. In most instances, unless you are running Servers etc, Low Density RAM is what is needed. High Density will work, but only half the capacity will be recognised.

When did HDD replacement come into it?? Agreed the upgrade could cost 5000 baht if you include a new 250 GB HDD, but unless it's necessary.... So 2000 baht max including delivery.

[phetaroi]

Today I went up to Fortune Plaza and looked around at laptops after doing a little research on the internet.

Along with the advice gotten here, I had come to the conclusion that buying a new laptop was a good decision for other reasons, as well. A little over 2 years ago when I went to the Canadian Rockies for 3 weeks I remember still being very pleased with the speed at which it accomplished the tasks for which I use it. A year ago -- shortly before moving to Thailand -- I went on a 3 week trip to the national parks in Utah and southern California, and while it still did the job, it seemed like things were slowing down. Then, when I first moved here -- but before buying a desktop for here -- I had to use my laptop and it almost seemed like it was grinding to a halt.

I ended up buying an HP Pavilion DV3, which I guess is somewhere in the middle of things.

What was funny about the experience is that it's clear that Fortune isn't as used to farangs. Very little functional English spoken at IT City, but they were very nice. And then, after it's all paid for and they have it out of the box to do set up (etc.), the main clerk comes and asks for my passport. "Why?" Well, they didn't seem to know why...they just needed it because it's required. "No, there's no requirement for me to show a passport to buy a laptop computer." "Oh yes, must have." "NO! Not a requirement at all." I did have my driver's license, but they said they needed my address...which I pointed out wouldn't be on my passport...but was on my license. "No address on license." So, even though I can't read it myself, I showed them where my address is printed -- in Thai -- on my license. It was funny watching how flustered they were getting while I just sat there. Of course, finally they realized I didn't need a passport and really didn't need the license, although they didn't seem to believe a farang could actually live in Thailand.

But, I guess I'll live happily ever after...and faster, too!

Again, thanks for all the advice.

[robblok]

You had an opportunity to rescind your opinion, but didn't. But I don't want you to think I'm singling you out....

He made his decision... flawed or not.

So i told him he could get a cheap one as he did not need much. How was that wrong given the fact he made his decision already. It would have been bad if i had advised him to buy the most expensive one.

You seem to have misread it i only advised a cheap one after he made his decision.

[robblok]

@phetaroi

So you finally got a laptop ? Can you tell me what specifications it has ?

[Jiu-Jitsu]

You had an opportunity to rescind your opinion, but didn't. But I don't want you to think I'm singling you out....

He made his decision... flawed or not.

So i told him he could get a cheap one as he did not need much. How was that wrong given the fact he made his decision already. It would have been bad if i had advised him to buy the most expensive one.

You seem to have misread it i only advised a cheap one after he made his decision.

I didn't misread anything. He was given very poor advice. A RAM upgrade was all that was necessary. A new installation of XP SP1 will appear to run ok on 256 MB RAM. But as as you update with new Service Packs and install software, without added RAM it will appear to grind to a halt.

The addition RAM and a general clean up would have made it run much better than it did when new. Sadly, the OP wasn't given this advice.

Hopefully in the future he will use a proper technical forum rather that take the very poor advice offered here.