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This article has been promoted back to the first page. I followed mikes advice and my computer is running 10 times faster. I recommend that you call upgrade your memory or call Mike if you're not comfortable doing it yourself....Sean Nelson  In keeping with the theme of giving that this time of year, I am going to give you a gift that keeps on giving, it's simple, inexpensive, and will save you time in 2009. "Save time", you ask? Let's face it, time is the great equalizer, whether you are Bill Gates, or Jane Doe, everybody gets 24 hours in a day, and you know what they say "time is money"!
The tip I want to share will help you speed up your computer or at least let you know if you're running optimally.
Go to your computer (Home or Work) click Start > right click My Computer > click Properties. This screen will show you how much Random Access Memory (RAM) you have, if you have less than 1GB for XP or less than 2GB for Vista, you need to add enough RAM to meet or exceed those numbers (more is better, however XP will not go beyond 3.5GB). Your local Best Buy or Fry's will usually have the memory and can even put it in for you (Google "Install Memory" if you are a do-it-yourselfer). The cost is usually under $75 for 1GB for most systems, and I have seen some sale prices as low as $15 per GB.
Now here's the real kicker, you might say, "well Mike, it's not that slow, I don't mind waiting", let's say that your computer is wasting 2 minutes of each hour due to low RAM, that equates (Based on an 8 hour day and a 20 working day month) to over 5 hours a month and over 64 hours in a year . . . that's right, 64 hours in a year! Now what is your time worth? If you're a small business owner I wouldn't put it below $75 per hour and that's being very conservative. So for an investment of about $150 you gain $4,800, I would say the Return on Investment (ROI) on that is an Accountant's dream. It pays for itself in less than 2 weeks! Start the New Year off right and add some RAM. Happy Holidays!
Mike Gonsalves |
