Repair Or Replace – What To Do With Your Old Computer

We all have an old computer or phone around that we don’t want to part with.  Once you have your computer humming along the way you want, it can be a real pain to change to something new.

There is something to be said for the old maxim – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  This can be particularly true when upgrading or replacing your computer system.

When it’s time to decide whether to repair or replace your computer, here are some things to consider.

Diagnose The Problem

If you are having computer problems, the first thing you have to do is diagnose the issue. Your computer is made up of many different components, any one of which might be the cause of the problem.

Make sure you don’t have a software issue.  Run a virus test and make sure there are no infections in the background.  The best practice is to run multiple tests with different virus checkers.  Their virus definition files can be different, and one anti-virus can pick up something that another one doesn’t.  There are several free anti-virus engines that you can use.

Check your computer’s resource usage and make sure one program isn’t gobbling up all the CPU and RAM.  If that turns out to be the case, go ahead and uninstall the offending program and reinstall it.  See if that fixes the problem.

If you can’t isolate the problem take it to someone who specializes in computer repairs.  Have them diagnose the issue and let you know what the problem is.  It’s worth paying for a professional diagnosis to know what your best course of action is.

Repair

You can usually get away with repairing your computer or device if it’s relatively new and the cost of updating is minimal.  Most repairs will be easier and far cheaper than replacing the entire system.

If your computer can still fulfil its intended function there is no need to replace it.  Obsolescence comes in two forms.  Technical obsolescence comes about when your system is older and has been surpassed by newer technology.  Functional obsolescence results when your computer or device no longer can do the job you bought it for.  Your computer can be technically obsolete, but if it still gets the job done, you don’t have to replace it. It is not functionally obsolete.

If you don’t have a specific failure, but just want improved performance, consider upgrading your existing computer.  In some cases, it makes more sense to make targeted upgrades to improve your computer’s performance.

Replace

If major components are failing such as the CPU or motherboard you should replace your computer.  This is particularly true if the system in question is over 7 years old.

There is no magic age at which to replace your computer, but the older it gets the more likely it is that you will benefit from a new one.  Technology progresses so rapidly that the performance improvement you will see can justify the cost of a new computer.