Year: 2021

This is a question I am often asked. Much like cars, different people have different needs and attitudes to PCs. Some like a new one every 3 years, while some prefer to stick with an older one that they understand. A large part of the decision on whether to upgrade or not comes down to personal choice. However much like a car can fail an MOT, certain factors mean that your current PC is no longer safe to use and an upgraded or replacement should be considered.

MOT Failures for PC include:

• Older operating systems such as Windows 7 or 8 that are no longer safe on the internet.
• A mother board or other major component has failed and cannot be economically replaced.
• The processor (engine) in the PC is an older Pentium or Celeron model and is no longer “fit for the road”
• The amount of memory in the PC is less than 4 GB which is a minimum for a modern operation system such as Windows 10.
• The hard drive has or is about to fail leading to loss of data.

A rule of thumb I use when considering if it is time to upgrade or replace a PC is to look at the colour of the USB slots in the PC. If they are black this means they are the older USB 1 or 2 style. If at least some of them have a blue insert they are the newer USB3 version. In my view any PC with only black USB slots is ready for replacement rather than an upgrade.

Other factors to check and consider in deciding if upgrade or replace is the most economic route:

• Only certain components in laptops can be upgraded.
• Windows 7 and 8 can be updated to10 only if the PC passes a hardware compatibility test.
• Windows 10 will be supported until 2025.
• Windows 11 can only be installed on newer PC due to tighter hardware requirements.
• Is installed software, including certain antivirus packages adding bloat to your PC by offering addons or because you have more than one installed.
• Do you have a particular piece of software or hardware (printer, scanner) which will not run on an up-to-date operating system?

Tests can show what is the real reason for your PC slowing down?

• Lack of processor power
• Lack of memory
• Poor hard drive condition.
• Bloated windows installation
• Low space free space on hard drive.
• Spy ware or bloatware installed on PC.
• Type of hard drive installed.

Once factors above have been considered the economics is the final hurdle. Replacing individual components and operating system can be time consuming and cost around £150 to £200. A replacement desktop may be around £250 to £300 while a new desktop may be around £500 -£600 depending on specification.

Finally, when looking at replacement PC online make sure that you understand the specs and only buy a new PC which is suitable for you needs. Check processor, memory, and hard drive size carefully.

So Microsoft is about to release a new version of the windows operating system. Yes, I know they all said Windows 10 would be the last version but soon we will have Windows 11!

The new operating system, as with all previous has a much higher recommended minimum PC spec. You can check to see if you PC is compatible by downloaded the scanning tool from https://www.whynotwin11.org.

There is no need to worry too much as windows 10 will be supported for another three or four years before you may have to consider buying a new PC if your fails the upgrade test.

With more children having access to the internet, it is important to know how to protect them. The following has some good advice.

We are all using more mobile devices out and about. Some for GPS or tracking and some just to pick up emails or catch up with social media.  In coffee shops this may mean logging onto Wi-Fi but more and more of us now just the mobile data bundles with our mobile phone contract.

Coverage and capacity of mobile phone service on Anglesey has always been an issue. It is hence good to hear that one operator , EE, has announced it is to update 14 rural site sin North wales by the end of the year.

The investment is part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) initiative to extend coverage in rural areas.

SRN is a programme between the UK’s four mobile network operators and the UK Government to extend 4G coverage to 95% of the UK’s geography by the middle of this decade.

Although EE will be upgrading their masts, all three main mobile networks will be able to use the masts. Hence, coverage will improve for users of all networks.

On Anglesey the mast in Llanerchymedd will be upgraded.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/shared-rural-network

Most of us use google for searching the web or even email. This allows google to collect a lot of information about us which then then use to serve us with “relevant adverts”. Google are able to build up a picture of who we are based on what we have searched for. If you want to know, what google thinks it knows about us, log into your goggle account and then cut and paste “adssettings.google.com.” into the top of the space bar. Under ad personalisation, you will see the information… unless of course you have already turned it off.

With the current lock down it is difficult for families to find enough devices to connect to the internet to allow their children to carry on with the remote learning schoolwork. If there is an xbox or playstation in the house these can also be used to connect to the internet and access some of the Hwb online learning resources.