How Can I Check What Upgrades Are Avaialble For My Laptop?

[corkman]

I was wondering, is there some online tool for checking what upgrades there are available for my laptop?

I mean to say, is there a website that I can log on, it "scans" my system for hardware and OS etc. and then gives me a report to say "you can upgrade xzy....."?

Thanks.

[CharlieH]

Might help if you said what laptop it is ?? make model etc...

[Pib]

With laptops/notebooks which usually have unique hardware/chipsets/drivers beware of generic updater programs that scan your laptop and suggest updates. Usually these programs are first looking at the name of the program/driver you are running and if it finds a later version number of the program/driver it suggests it as an update. However, if you found that same program/driver on the laptop manufacturer's support website it usually provides additional info on which model laptops the later version number driver/program will actually work with.

I have two Toshiba laptops and if I just download the latest version number of a program/driver...just for example and say an updated program/driver came out today for model numbers ABC thru EFG but my model number is XYZ it's not uncommon that the program/driver will not load (it will attempt installation but not fully complete the installation) or it will load but cause problems/conflicts.. This happened to me very recently. I have a fingerprint scanner built into my laptop and it uses a software program called Protector Suite. The fingerprint reader had stopped working although its driver was working OK and the Protector Suite software would startup. So, I decided I would try reloading the driver and software. When I downloaded/attempted installation of a update release only a few months old it would start installation but never complete the installation....and although the release identified many, many Toshiba models it would work on, my model was not on the list...somehow the program was checking my model ID during installation, determined it wasn't one of the models supported, and would never complete installation. But reloading a 3 year old version of Protector Suite download from the Toshiba website for my specific model, the software would load no problem and I got my fingerprint reader working again. It also turns out a trial version of Protector Suite was available from the software company that licenses use of the software, I downloaded it, and it worked OK also....but it was a limit/crippled version that I would need to pay $20 for to fully activate it. I ended up just reloading the free Toshiba version.

On one of my Toshiba laptops I also have to specifically tell the Windows automatic updater built into Windows not to ever download an updated Intel version of driver for my built-in Intel 3945 Wifi chip as unless I running the Toshiba driver specifically identified for my model my laptop becomes unstable in maintaining a Wifi connection.

I use Orbit Download Manager to download files and it has a built-in software update notifier and it suggests updates all the time, but it purely based on finding an identical name of a software package on the internet and assuming it will work with my laptop. I ignore the suggestions when they relate to drivers/Toshiba-specific programs as I know from years of experience with my laptops the updates wouldn't load/work on my laptops. While programs built for all computers would work(Protector Suite as an example) , if it suggests utility programs/drivers from the Toshiba website I know it just probably keying in on a update being released for another/more current Toshiba model. My laptops are around 4 years old and Toshiba has not provided any updates for over a year....usually after a model goes over 3 years old they stop producing utilities/driver updates for that model. Guess they figure they have utility/driver stability after 3 years plus it probably another way they try to get you to buy a newer model. And although Orbit has suggested the updated version of Protector Suite to me before, it would have been the trial version.

Beware of these programs that suggest updates on laptops/notebooks for drivers and certain laptop manufacturer programs--laptops can be very picky about their drivers/manufacturer specific programs. Best to go to the manufacturer's web site and look for updates specific to your model. And for generic programs that suppose to work on most any computer, desktop or laptop, usually those programs have a Check for Updates selection in their pull down menu structure. And Windows itself, assuming you use Windows, does a very good job of keeping your computer updated for generic Windows related drivers/modules and rarely cause any problems with laptops.

[Digitalbanana]

Yes, agree with above, always use the manufacturers specific driver update recommendations over generic updates, including generic Windows suggested updates for 3rd party hardware from the o/s itself. On my HP computers there's an HP Support Assistant that runs all day and recommends hardware driver updates or even updates to itself. That along with Windows o/s updates takes care of all.

[corkman]

Thank you all very much for your detailed replies - however, I was referring more to hardware.....

[rakman]

Thank you all very much for your detailed replies - however, I was referring more to hardware.....

Other than shopping, I don't know of any software that can notify you of new hardware available for your particular machine.

As noted, the best hardware drivers are found at the manufacturers site(s). Most manufacturers supply their drivers for Microsoft to incorporate in the patch bundles (sometimes only in hardware patch bundles downloaded separately), but lastest and greatest drivers will be at the manufacturers site(s).

Nearly all laptops are integrated machines with parts from other suppliers, so using the laptop manufacturer's driver(s) is better than going to the "supplier's" site, as was noted by Pib's fingerprint scanner issue.

Desktops can have more "independent" parts, using that suppliers site will usually be more beneficial, but there is the rare possible compatibility issues.

[Lifer]

There is a really good program and website where I look for download programs. Go to File Hippo website and up in the right corner they have a free download program that will go and check your system and list all the current updates for the programs you have on your computer. Then just click on the ones you want to update.

No malware or spyware in their programs or website. I have used the website for a long time. They also have one to check drivers I believe. Have downloaded update drivers without any problem. Good luck and hope this helps you.

http://www.filehippo.com/

[Pib]

Laptops are pretty much one circuit board with components soldered/mounted on and pretty much very hard to get to for the common man...not that any upgrade could be done once reaching the motherboard. Very little upgrade capability other than increasing the amount of RAM, swapping a hard drive, maybe replacing a Wifi chip, maybe sliding some special purpose card into a external side slot.

When buying a laptop and if being the kind of person who always wants to upgrade you better off buying on the high-end of laptops which usually have more power, bells & whistles, etc. I know of no software progam that will check your hardware and then display recommended upgrades to graphics board ABC, hard drive XYZ, etc....at best the program will say/imply you may be able to get more performance by increasing your RAM/hard drive size, upgrade your graphics card (and for a laptop that would mean a new laptop since the graphics chip is soldered to the motherboard), etc.

[bobl]

Laptops are traditionally not very upgradeable. You can usually upgrade the hard drive, and the memory. That's about it.

[Gone]

No one can really say without knowing what kind of note-book he has. If it's MacBook-Pro then he only has to click on the apple logo on the top left side of his screen and then click "Software Updates" it will automatically search and install new updates.

[bobl]

OP is looking for HARDWARE upgrades

[corkman]

Sorry, I forgot to mention - it is an Acer Aspire 7730 (brought with me from farangland).

Its got a 2 core T5800 2GHz processor, 4GB RAM, and 160 GB HDD

I had windows 7 put on it last year - 64 bit version.

Its about 3 years old.

So is there some way to check if the RAM and HDD are expandable..... I think this depends on the motherboard, processors, etc. limitations? How do I determine that ...... I don't want to walk into some shop and have some bloke sell me a lemon

[GooEng]

Simplest upgrade is to boost the RAM. There are slots to accommodate the board or card of RAM chips. If you have a spare slot you should be able to insert a new card of RAM. Alternatively if there is no spare slot you can replace the existing ram card in the existing slot with a larger capacity card - a 2GB card can replace a 1GB.

The ram slots are normally accessed by opening a panel on the back of the laptop - have a look on the manual.

Acer is a common brand in Thailand and adding RAM is very easy so you should have no trouble getting this work done in any shop here.

[Digitalbanana]

Sorry, I forgot to mention - it is an Acer Aspire 7730 (brought with me from farangland).

Its got a 2 core T5800 2GHz processor, 4GB RAM, and 160 GB HDD

I had windows 7 put on it last year - 64 bit version.

Its about 3 years old.

So is there some way to check if the RAM and HDD are expandable..... I think this depends on the motherboard, processors, etc. limitations? How do I determine that ...... I don't want to walk into some shop and have some bloke sell me a lemon

Other than surf the net to see what others have done to upgrade this particular model, I'd check all the drivers and BIOS are up to date then take it to a shop and get some more RAM installed along with a bigger hard drive and make sure they run ok with your BIOS. One of the best upgrades I made was sticking in a solid state drive (SSD). You can take it out and use it on the next PC when this Acer gets too old as it will soon. Not much else to change except motherboard but then it's cheaper to buy a new PC.

[bobl]

I'm pretty sure 4Gb RAM is the maximum for that machine.

Upgrading the hard drive is a very real possibility though. If you find someone who knows what they're doing you could "clone" your 160Gb drive onto, say, a 500Gb drive and be back up and running with a minimum of fuss.

There's not much point unless you're short of disc space and even if you're short of disc space, a 2.5" external (USB) drive is very convenient and a heck of a lot easier than an upgrade.

[Tywais]

I'm pretty sure 4Gb RAM is the maximum for that machine.

Yes. From the specs.

RAM / Max RAM Up to 2 GB of DDR2 667 MHz memory, upgradable to 4 GB using two soDIMM modules.

and Disk drive - Hard Disk Drive One or two hard disk drives with 120/320/500GB.

Specs here

Drivers here though it doesn't look like any updates after 2010, most 2008/2009