Replace or upgrade???

[progressoid]

My computer is about 7 years old. It's starting to really drag. Especially when I'm running Lightroom.

It's an ASUS with:

-Intel Core 2 Quad. q8300 2.5 GHz
-8 Gb RAM
-Crucial 240 MB SSD (two years old)
-Original on board graphic card
-Windows 7 Home Premium

Here's the catch. I'm on a tight budget for a while. So what should I do?

Clean install of OS and programs? New graphic card and some more RAM? New CPU? A used, slightly better computer?

[Still In Wisconsin]

1. I would def. try the clean install first.

If that doesn't work you can roll the dice with something used and probably be OK... can usually get a decent machine for a couple hundred. I don't see a graphics card helping at all and by the time you change out a CPU...

[progressoid]

6. Yeah, that's where I think I'll start.

If it doesn't help, I guess I'll look for something economical.

[earthshine]

2. To replace, you'll need to replace everything except the SSD.

That SSD is the only thing that will be usable in newer computers.

You do need a newer computer (more cores) to run modern software effectively.

[progressoid]

7. Right.

I was kind of afraid of that. Guess I'll have to start saving my pesos for something else if a clean install doesn't help much.

[earthshine]

13. Clean installs are great, but I don't think it's the problem.

You're trying to run a sports-car app (Lightroom) with a 2/4 cylinder engine (Intel Core 2 Quad).

I don't think you should take the well-meaning advice offered in post #5. Do not upgrade to Win 10, but do ensure that your Win 7 is 64 bit.

Start > Control panel > system

One thing I used to do to speed up my system was create a RAMdisk
with the upper memory and pipe my temporary files there. This helps a lot with old-style HDDs, and less so with SSDs. It does speed up certain operations, but you pay the price in free memory.

I think you need total replacement. Try Craig's List for used computers locally in your area. If you can do the clean install, you can probably deal with a used CL computer and do your install on that one.

Money's tight. I hear that. But, don't skimp. Get a good processor, like an i5, and 16Gb on the RAM.

[progressoid]

14. Yeah, the latest upgrades to Lightroom have not made my computer happy.

I do have 64 bit but it has really been sluggish lately.

Although I've put this off for too long, I'll probably have to put if off for a little longer. Hope to have a little time and money in a couple months to make some changes.

Thanks!

[canetoad]

3. This

Clean install. Format HDDs. Reload all programs. If you can be bothered, remove CPU heatsink, clean up and replace thermal paste. Dust & polish and you'll be good to go.

[progressoid]

8. I've never done the paste thing but it looks pretty easy.

Thanks to YouTube!

[Egnever]

4. 7 year old onboard grafics would be the first thing I looked hard at

Especially for grafics editing.

That said a board that old is going to throttle a new card.

Bang for buck in light room is going to be a graphics card imho since you already have an SSD.

That said a clean OS is always a good thing.

[progressoid]

10. The SSD helped when I first got it.

But the recent upgrades to Lightroom have really taxed they system. Since $ is tight, I'll try the clean install and see how that goes first.

[ucrdem]

5. You can probably get a performance boost from upgrading to 10 pro.

IIRC 7 home premium is a 32-bit version but it looks like your system can probably handle a 64-bit OS in which case you can download the 10 pro installer to a USB drive and simply add it to your existing boot store. In other words if you create a partition for it and install it now, before you even wipe your old drive, it will create a boot menu automatically, giving you a choice to boot into 7 or 10 at start-up. You won't be able to activate it without a new license but in most cases you won't need to:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/software-download/windows10

p.s. if it gives you grief about the COA at any point either click "skip" or if that doesn't work try your 7 COA.

[earthshine]

9. Win 7 home premium comes in both 32 and 64 bit versions.

This user probably has 64-bit since the system has 8Gb.

[progressoid]

11. Yes, it is 64 bit.

I forgot that part

[progressoid]

12. Oops, I forgot to include that mine is 64 bit.

[ucrdem]

15. It's sped up every machine I've put it on

and you can't beat the price of free!

p.s. the only time I didn't wind up adopting it full time was a Win10 home version which was annoying. But Win10 pro beats every earlier flavor by miles.

[jrandom421]

16. Check the pricing of the components you want to upgrade

The general rule of thumb is: If upgrading components is going to cost more than 40% of replacement, go for the replacement.

[Sunlei]

17. get a second computer and use both.