Computer Upgrade Service

Give new life with these simple upgrades to an old computer

Can upgrades to an old computer be effective and affordable? Yes. There might still be life in your current computer. You just need to improve the aging hardware’s speed and reliability with one of these affordable upgrades. Each tweak is simple enough that you can attempt it yourself or ask the technicians at ClickAway to do it for you.

Connect an external hard drive

When your computer runs out of disk space, it has no room to temporarily save and swap data as you work. This means your machine may begin to slow down or start crashing on a regular basis as room starts to run out. Plus, you won’t have any space left to save anything new. Plugging in an external hard drive can alleviate this problem in minutes and is the first place to start making upgrades to an old computer.

Whatever drive you choose, make sure it has the right connections and cables to plug into to your computer. For example, some may link up via USB, and others by Thunderbolt. This information should appear prominently on the device’s packaging or online description, but if you’re not sure, just ask the retailer.

Once you’ve chosen your hardware, upgrading is easy. When you plug your new disk into your computer, the operating system will automatically recognize the device and walk you through setting it up. This process differs on Windows and macOS, but both provide troubleshooting help. With your new drive connected, you can transfer videos, images, music, and other files to the new device, freeing up space on your main hard drive.

Add an internal hard drive

Freeing up space on your hard drive is great for your computer’s health—but an external hard drive isn’t the only place to start with upgrades to an old computer. If you’d like to avoid adding another gadget to your life and you have some DIY expertise, you can install a second internal hard drive inside your computer. This is a more technical and time-consuming process, but it creates a more streamlined look.

Before you dive in, be aware of a couple caveats. First, any time you’re messing around with your hardware, you need to safely back up your data before you start. Next, this process won’t work on all computers. You’ll need a device with a second drive bay, so that rules out laptops and all-in-one machines like Apple’s iMacs. If do you own that type of computer, you might be able to replace the original hard drive with a more capacious one—but that process is much more difficult and beyond the scope of this story’s focus on easy upgrades. Finally, you don’t need to be an expert to add a second hard drive, but you should be comfortable with a screwdriver.

When you go shopping for your new internal drive, make extra sure your choice is compatible with your computer’s make and model. You can also look for installation guides that reference your specific device.

Upgrade your cloud storage

The final option for increasing your hard drive’s available space sits in the cloud. Specifically, you can move the bulk of your personal files to a cloud storage service. Many of these services let you delete local copies of a file once you’ve moved the original online, which frees up valuable room on your old machine’s hard drive. (This also makes it easier to move your files to a new computer when you do decide to upgrade.)

Install more RAM

Upgrades to an old computer can also involve RAM, Random access memory. This is your computer’s “thinking” space. It uses RAM to hold data for open applications. When your RAM has too much to do—think dozens of browser tabs, way too many applications, or a huge video file—your computer’s speed can slow to a crawl. To prevent this issue, install extra RAM.

As a preliminary step, you should research the amount of RAM built into your specific type of computer and how much extra it can take. This upgrade works better on desktops, which have bigger cases with more physical space for memory. However, certain laptops do let you add RAM. As with an internal hard drive, you should remember to back up your data before you start and look up an online guide specific to your computer’s make and model.

Slot in a new graphics card

If your existing computer relies on a built-in graphics chip, it might struggle with tasks like gaming or image and video editing. Even playing oversize videos can slow it down. To boost its performance, plug in a new graphics card.

Invest in a bigger monitor

One way to improve your computer experience—even if it won’t speed up the machine’s performance—is to pay up for a bigger monitor. If you’re stuck on an old laptop with a tiny screen, think about adding another display. This provides more screen room for applications and games, allowing you to compare multiple apps on the same screen or see all the extra detail on your favorite TV show. Just make sure your computer can run a second screen: Check for a display output port somewhere on the chassis.

Upgrade your keyboard and mouse

Tired, cramped laptop keyboard with worn-out keys? An unreliable wireless mouse that makes your wrist ache? As these input peripherals age, they acquire a coat of grime and also become less responsive. So while you’re improving your computing experience, consider investing in a shiny new keyboard and mouse. As with the monitor, this won’t make your old computer run any faster, but it can definitely increase your enjoyment and stave off thoughts of upgrading your machine.

Add extra ports to upgrade old computer

If you’ve maxed out the ports on your current computer, or you didn’t get many to begin with, think about investing in an extension hub. As manufacturers knock more and more ports and slots off their machines, an external hub can replace those missing connections. This makes a particularly big difference when you’re traveling, allowing you to connect a laptop to a meeting-room projector or a hotel-room Ethernet cable.

Contact ClickAway for further explanations or to schedule a free basic diagnostic before you attempt to apply upgrades to an old computer.

SSD and HDD Differences

Understanding the differences between SSD and HDD is pretty straight forward. A hard disk drive (HDD) is a traditional storage device that uses mechanical platters and a moving read/write head to access data. A solid state drive (SSD) is a newer, faster type of device that stores data on instantly-accessible memory chips.

If you bought an ultraportable laptop anytime in the last few years, you very likely got a solid-state drive (SSD) as the primary boot drive. Bulkier gaming laptops have moved to SSD boot drives, too, while only a subset of budget machines still favor hard disk drives (HDDs). The boot drives in prebuilt desktop PCs, meanwhile, are mostly SSDs now, too, except in the cheapest models. In some cases, a desktop comes with both, with the SSD as the boot drive and the HDD as a bigger-capacity storage supplement.

If you have to pick just one, though, how do you choose? Let’s get into the differences between SSDs and HDDs, and walk you through the advantages and disadvantages of each to help you decide.

Advantages and Disadvantages of SSDs and HDDs

Hard drives are still around in budget and older systems, but SSDs are now the rule in mainstream systems and high-end laptops like the Apple MacBook Pro, which does not offer a hard drive even as a configurable option. Desktops and cheaper laptops, on the other hand, will continue to offer HDDs, at least for the next few years.

That said, both SSDs and hard drives do the same job: They boot your system, and store your applications and personal files. But each type of storage has its own unique traits. How do they differ, and why would you want to get one over the other?

SSD vs. HDD Pricing

SSDs are more expensive than hard drives in terms of dollar per gigabyte. A 1TB internal 2.5-inch hard drive costs between $40 and $60, but as of this writing, the very cheapest SSDs of the same capacity and form factor start at around $100. That translates into 4 to 6 cents per gigabyte for the hard drive versus 10 cents per gigabyte for the SSD. The differences are more drastic if you look at high-capacity 3.5-inch hard drives. For example, a 12TB 3.5-inch hard drive that sells for around $300 to $350 can push the per-gigabyte cost below 3 cents.

Since hard drives use older, more established technology, they will likely remain less expensive for the foreseeable future. Though the per-gig price gap is closing between hard drives and low-end SSDs, those extra bucks for the SSD may push your system price over budget.

SSD vs. HDD Maximum and Common Capacities

Consumer SSDs are rarely found in capacities greater than 2TB, and those are expensive. You’re more likely to find 500GB to 1TB units as primary drives in systems. While 500GB is considered a “base” hard drive capacity for premium laptops these days, pricing concerns can push that down to 128GB or 256GB for lower-priced SSD-based systems. Users with big media collections or who work in content creation will require even more, with 1TB to 8TB drives available in high-end systems.

Basically, the more storage capacity, the more stuff you can keep on your PC. Cloud-based storage may be good for housing files you plan to share among your smartphone, tablet, and PC, but local storage is less expensive, and you have to buy it only once, not subscribe to it.

SSD and HDD Speed

This is where SSDs shine. An SSD-equipped PC will boot in far less than a minute, often in just seconds. A hard drive requires time to speed up to operating specs, and it will continue to be slower than an SSD during normal use. A PC or Mac with an SSD boots faster, launches and runs apps faster, and transfers files faster. Whether you’re using your computer for fun, school, or business, the extra speed may be the difference between finishing on time and being late.

SSD and HDD Reliability and Durability

An SSD has no moving parts, so it is more likely to keep your data safe in the event you drop your laptop bag or your system gets shaken while it’s operating. Most hard drives park their read/write heads when the system is off, but when they are working, the heads are flying over the drive platter at a distance of a few nanometers. Besides, even parking brakes have limits. If you’re rough on your equipment, an SSD is recommended.

SSD and HDD Form Factors

Because hard drives rely on spinning platters, there is a limit to how small they can be manufactured. Years back, there was an initiative to make smaller 1.8-inch spinning hard drives, but that stalled at about 320GB, and smartphone manufacturers only use flash memory for their primary storage.

SSD and HDD Noise, Power, and Lifespan

Even the quietest hard drive will emit a bit of noise when it is in use. (The drive platters spin and the read arm ticks back and forth.) Faster hard drives will tend to make more noise than those that are slower. SSDs make no noise at all; they’re non-mechanical.

The overall takeaway? Hard drives win on price and capacity. SSDs work best if speed, ruggedness, form factor, noise, or fragmentation (technically, a subset of speed) are important factors to you. If it weren’t for the price and capacity issues, SSDs would be the hands-down winner. ClickAway provides hard drive replacement services to whichever drive you prefer.

Steps To Fix Hard Drive Failure

You turn your computer on and nothing happens. The first feeling you experience is panic, and then it moves to fear. The fear is that your data is gone and there is nothing you can do. But don’t panic. There are steps you can take to fix a hard drive failure. You can always call ClickAway for a free quote to get your data recovered by a professional technician. We have the tools and the know-how necessary to recover as much of your data as possible from your damaged hard drive. First, let’s discuss the recovery steps.

• Clean Out the Computer Vents

Over time, dust and debris will visibly clog up the vents on your computer. When your computer vents are clogged, air cannot flow properly through your computer case and your computer can overheat. Clean out your vents and let your computer sit overnight to cool off. As long as there is no serious damage, it should start right up the next day. ClickAway also provides a computer cleaning service if you prefer to have us do it to fix hard drive failure.

• Check the Power and Data Cables

Your hard drive has power and data cables that connect to it from the computer power supply and motherboard. Open your case and check these cables at both ends. One of the key things to remember when learning how to fix hard drive failure is to check everything. Never assume it is your hard drive that is having problems because it could be something else in your computer.

If your power and data cables are plugged in properly to your hard drive and those cables are not frayed, then check the other ends. Your hard drive’s power cable could be frayed at the power supply. If that is the case, then use a different power plug from your power supply. If the data cable is bad, then replace it.

• Check Your Bios

Your problem could be your operating system. As your computer powers up, it will give you a prompt telling you what button to press to get into the BIOS. Press that button and then make sure the computer is seeing your hard drive. If the hard drive is being recognized by the BIOS, then it is an issue with your operating system. You may be able to find a fix online, or you may need to bring your computer to a technician.

• Listen for Sounds

If your computer beeps when you turn it on or you hear a loud clicking noise, then you need get your computer to one of our certified technicians immediately. Whenever your operating system is on, it is writing to and reading from your drive. The longer you allow the damaged drive to try and run your operating system, the more data you could be losing. Instead of taking any chances, we strongly recommend that you give ClickAway a call and set up a time to bring your computer in and allow us to recover your data for you.

You’ll need to replace the hard drive in your computer for one of two reasons: either your current drive has experienced a hardware failure and needs replaced or you want to upgrade your primary hard drive for increased speed or capacity. Replacing the hard drive is a pretty easy task that anyone can complete with a little help. ClickAway hard drive upgrade services is always here if you need us.

Steps to replace the hard drive

1. First, you’ll need to back up any data you want to keep, uninstall the old hard drive, install the new hard drive, and then restore the backed up data. Backing up the data you want to keep is the most important step in this process! The hard drive isn’t the valuable thing—it’s the priceless files you’ve created and collected over the years. Backing up could mean something as simple as copying files you want over to a large flash drive or other storage you’re not using. Better yet, if you’re not backing up regularly already, use this as an opportunity to start with a cloud backup service so you never even run the chance of losing a file again.
2. Uninstalling the existing hard drive is easy. Make sure your computer is turned off and then disconnect the hard drive and physically remove it. The details here depend on the type of computer you have but in general, this means removing data and power cables or sliding the hard drive out from the bay that it’s installed into.
3. Installing the new hard drive is as simple as reversing the steps you took to uninstall the one you’re replacing! Secure the drive where the old one was before and then reconnect the same power and data cables.
4. Once your computer is back on, it’s time to format the hard drive so it’s ready to store files. Once that’s done, copy the data you backed up to the new drive and you’re set!

A free diagnosis at ClickAway can identify if a new hard drive or hard drive replacement is warranted. We are happy to replace the hard drive for you.

How to format a hard drive on Windows – internal or external drives

Your Windows hard drive may be partitioned into several different drives. Aside from your primary C drive, you may have smaller internal drives with names like D, E, F, etc. External drives are, again, hardware like USB drives or other external storage devices. Luckily, it’s much easier to reformat all of those drives, because they don’t contain the OS.

Here’s how to format either an internal or external hard drive:

1. Start up your computer as usual, but hold down the WINDOWS key and type in R to open the Run dialog box. 
2. When the box opens, type in diskmgmt.msc and then click OK.
3. The Disk Management window will open. Select the drive you want to format (internal or external) by right-clicking and choosing Format…. You can also rename drives here if you wish.
4. A Format box will pop up. That’s where you’ll choose the file system for your drive. (See above for our guidance on file systems.) You’ll also have the choice to do a “quick” format or not. A quick format is — wait for it — quick. It’ll do a basic delete of the hard drive in just a few seconds, but it doesn’t truly erase or wipe anything, meaning that it’s out of sight but not irretrievable. It’s a good option if you want to clean the drive, but also want to continue using it yourself. If you’re preparing your computer before giving it away or selling it, you should do a normal format by unchecking the Perform a quick format box. This may take several hours, but will more thoroughly wipe your personal information. It will also scan and remove any bad sectors, which prevents future corrupted files. Click OK and you’re done!
   
   While formatting your disk will wipe it clean, it also deletes your files. If you’d prefer to keep your disk clean without taking the nuclear option, you can perform some disk maintenance instead. Why is this necessary? During the normal computing process, Windows accumulates a ton of junk that bogs it down: residual files, leftover installers, temporary files, cached data, and more. If you don’t clear it out regularly, your machine will start to slow down, freeze, and serve up error messages. Need some help with that? ClickAway can quickly do this for you in our shops or we can come to your home or business.

How to format a hard drive on Mac

Formatting a hard drive for Mac isn’t rocket science, but I wouldn’t let your neighbor’s first-grader do it for you, either.

Here’s how to format a hard drive on Mac:

1. Start up your computer and log in.
2. Open Finder, click the Go drop-down menu, and select Utilities.
3. Then select Disk Utility.
4. Here you’ll be able to select the hard drive you want to format.
5. Click Erase to format the drive. A window will pop up to let you choose the file system you want, and how many times you want to overwrite the drive. Multiple overwrites will take longer, but they’re more secure (and will prevent your files from being recovered).

What about formatting external hard drives or flash drives?

The steps to format external drives and flash drives (also called thumb drives and USB drives) are basically the same as formatting internal drives. Luckily, that means learning how to format an external hard drive is fairly straightforward. See above for our step-by-step instructions on Windows or Mac. And remember that if you want your external drive to be both Mac and Windows compatible, your best bet is to use the exFAT file system.

Do new hard drives need formatting?

No! New hard drives are formatted automatically, either by default or when you first plug them in. So there’s no secret sauce to formatting new hard drives — just plug them in and you’re good to go. Further questions about how to format a hard drive can be answered by calling ClickAway.

Keep your hard drive performing at its best

Over time, your hard drive becomes cluttered with temporary files, cached data, duplicate files, apps you never use, and other junk. All that clutter will slow down your computer and could cause issues such as crashes and freezes. You can remove everything by completely wiping your drive as we’ve described above — but that’s not a long-term solution. The same junk data will quickly build up again with regular computer use. Call ClickAway for either a free diagnosis of your hard drive or to purchase and upgrade your hard drive today.