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How to Resist the Desire to Upgrade Your Computer
Go outside.
Outside is a brave new world waiting to be explored and discovered. Up in the sky is a big bright thing called 'the Sun.' It's really cool, metaphorically.
Your friends wait for you in the front yard, where's there's no computer to upgrade. Grab a pair of roller blades or a rubber ball or a tube of sunblock and get out there. No one wants to look in your living room window only to see you sprawled on the carpet surrounded by computer parts.
We heartily endorse using the front door before deploying a screwdriver against your computer case. It's a nice day - get out there. Meet the neighbors and discuss crabgrass with them. Hand out Popsicles to the local kids so they won't egg your car when they grow up.
Build a model airplane
Once you're outside, you will need something to do after you've discussed crabgrass with the neighbors. A model airplane brings everyone together whether they like it or not. You can assemble one over a long weekend. You can destroy one over a few seconds, but hopefully that won't happen until you're hooked on the activity and you've forgotten about computer upgrades.
We love the balsa wood construction. Go to the hobby store and pick out a completely disassembled kit. Grab period-correct paint and decals. Stock up on glue, razor blades, and toluene. It's all good.
Following painstaking assembly, take your newly built aircraft outside to impress the neighbors for as long as it's in one piece. Launch it carefully from the cul-de-sac, mindful of the unprotected Lexus and the neighborhood patrol eying you skeptically. It will fly and it will completely distract you from visions of computer upgrades.
Perform Yardwork
As you sit quietly on your couch, not thinking about computer parts, your grass relentlessly grows. You can almost hear it. Go to bed on a quiet Friday evening, then wake up on Saturday morning to a veritable forest of chlorophyll engulfing your garden gnomes and the neighbor's Lexus.
This stuff must be dealt with. Instead of taking apart your motherboard, fire up the lawn maintenance machines. A weed whacker inspires much confidence. A lawn mower is always fun to push around, especially through the yard. The ultimate experience can be achieved via deployment of name-brand lawn tractors. We would much rather steer a John Deere across the back 40 than install a new hard drive.
Your neighbors will appreciate your commitment to a stunning and well-edged lawn. They all talk about you behind your back anyway: you might as well give them a positive topic. Order an electric edger and a set of battery-operated hedge shears for yourself: no one will be disappointed.
I will resist the urge to upgrade my computer by:
Things that could go wrong with computer upgrades
As an experienced computer consultant with hundreds of mostly successful upgrades on my resume, I can heartily endorse the positive aspects of going outside to play. Sometimes I wonder why I didn't become an a gardener rather than a person with an MS in Computer Science. It's a mystery how I made it this far without electrocuting myself.
If you choose to ignore my advice, please ground yourself properly. Before putting tool to computer you absolutely must connect your external skin to Earth. It's called an Earth Ground for good reason. Simply travel to Radio Shack or eBay and purchase a grounding strap. It's cheap and easy, not like Windows Vista.
Don't be deceived any more than normal: you can destroy sensitive computer electronics very easily by discharging your accumulated electrical charge into it. You may not even feel it. You do not have to drag your stocking feet across high-pile carpet to build up sufficient charge. It can happen on a dry day or a humid day. Always practice good grounding.
Things you can upgrade, but probably should not
Thing
| Purpose
| Difficulty
|
---|---|---|
CPU (CentralProcessing Unit)
| Calculating and computing
| It's hard to do. Don't even bother. You'll just mess it up.
|
RAM
| Storage for running programs and programs waiting to run.
| It's not that difficult but stil risky if you are a newbie
|
Hard Drive
| Mass storage for files
| Easier than the CPU but problematic if it's the boot drive or you already have as many drives as your computer can accept.
|