The problem is that the answer is different for everyone. Someone doing a heap of video editing needs a (much) more powerful machine than someone who is checking their email and surfing a few web pages.

The second problem is most people have very little idea of how fast or powerful their current machine is, and what it might need to perform better.

Lets answer that second question first. In What version of Windows am I running? we learnt how to bring up the “System Properties” page (hint [Windows] [Pause Break]) and have a look at the appropiate section (Computer in XP, System in Vista)

How much is enough? For “Normal” home or basic office use, Any Pentium IV or Celeron above 1.7GHz with at least 1Gb of RAM will run Windows XP happily enough. If you have Vista then you will be wanting at least a Core Duo 2.0GHz with at least 2Gb of RAM. If your needs are greater, you will need a faster processor, and possibly more RAM.

Can I upgrade my computer? The short answer is yes. Most of the problems people have with slow computers is caused by not enough RAM. 512Mb is not enough to make any reasonable use of XP and even 1Gb is not enough for Vista. Extra RAM is cheap, and only takes a few minutes to install. Upgrading the processor is more difficult, and usually not worth the effort. Check back soon for another article on finding out which type of RAM you have in your machine.

The easiest way is to press the [Windows] key and the [Pause Break] keys together (roughly the bottom left and top right keys on the keyboard).

Or, if you don’t have a Windows Key, you can go into Control Panel and open the System Control Panel.

Alternatively, you can right click on the My Computer icon, either on the Desktop or in the start menu and click properties.

Doing one of these things will open the “System Properties” page which will tell you a lot of things about your computer including what Version of Windows you are running. Windows XP comes in two main Editions, Home and Professional, though Media Centre is another one that crops up occasionally. The service pack level is also listed, and will hopefully read “Service Pack 3″ as at October 2008. If it reads something else, you probably should run Windows Update

How do I tell which version of Windows Vista I have?

Again, the easiest way is to press the [Windows] key and the [Pause Break] keys together, or, you can go to the Start Menu, click on Control Panel and open the “System” Control Panel, or right click on the Computer icon, either on the Desktop or in the Start menu and click properties.

Again you will see the “System” page which will allow you to view basic information about your computer.

Vista comes in a range of editions from Home Basic, Home Premium, Business to Ultimate Edition. I’ll review the differences in a follow up post.

Again, the service pack level is listed, and will hopefully read “Service Pack 1″ as at October 2008. (with Service Pack 2 due towards the end of 2008 or early 2009) If it reads something else, you probably should run Windows Update

On the Windows side, Microsoft have released a patch to reconfigure Windows to the right dates and times, and have in fact created a web page dedicated to the Australian time zone changes. The basic steps are:

for Windows XP:

1. Click on Start (Windows icon in the bottom left hand corner of your screen) > Control Panel > Programs and Features > click on ‘View installed updates’ (in left hand navigation bar)

2. Scroll down and look for “Update for Microsoft Windows (KB951072)”. If you have Automatic Updates enabled, this update should have been installed in August 2008.

For Windows Vista:

1. Click on Start (Windows icon in the bottom left hand corner of your screen) > Control Panel > Programs and Features > click on ‘View installed updates’ (in left hand navigation bar)

2. Scroll down and look for “Update for Microsoft Windows (KB951072)”. If you have Automatic Updates enabled, this update should have been installed in August 2008.

If the update is installed and your Date, Time and Time Zone are set correctly, everything should be fine.

Apple has released patches for the 2 most recent releases of Mac OSX (Tiger 10.4 & Leopard 10.5) that should have automatically installed on machines if they are kept up to date. Other items that may need to be patched include Microsoft Office for Mac which can be updated by going to the Help menu in any office Application and clicking Check for Updates.

Servers of all sorts also need to be checked, If you have any problems relating to daylight savings, please call the office on 1300 TECH DR (1300 832 437) or drop us a note at daylightsavings@techdoctor.com.au

Have a Great Weekend!

Ask the Expert Q1: What is Vista, and should I upgrade?

A: Microsoft Windows Vista is Microsoft’s latest Operating System, the replacement for Windows XP which has been on sale since October 25 2001. Vista ships in 4 forms: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business & Ultimate with prices ranging from $385 to $751 for a brand new copy (upgrades from Licensed copy of XP are cheaper).

The Home Basic version’s biggest push has been towards fixing security issues, but only time will tell if it really is more secure. The more expensive versions build on this with the new “Aero desktop experience” with glass-like menu bars and Live Thumbnails, as well as Media Centre functionality, expanded backup, Drive encryption, DVD Maker and New Games!

Should I upgrade? The answer is probably not on your existing hardware. Vista needs quite a powerful machine, so unless you were also intending to upgrade your existing hardware, especially in terms of memory and graphics processing, it might be better to wait until it is time to buy a new machine and have Vista pre-installed.

For more information, to upgrade or buy a new machine: contact the Tech Doctor Network on 1300 TECH DR or www.techdoctor.com.au

re-printed with permission from Leader Newspapers