Valuable Tips For Buying A Used Computer

The fastest and easiest way to get a computer without a lot of money is actually to buy used. I found the best deals to be at garage sales. Often people at garage sales may not know what they have and because of that will sell a used computer for less than it is worth.

If you can find a computer at a garage sale here are the things you want to look for. It is absolutely essential that you boot up the computer so you can see if there are any obvious problems. If the system boots, you also need to check and see what the speed of the processor is and how much RAM is installed. The size of the hard drive is an important element too that you also want to check. A word of common sense caution here, as with anything you buy used you may be buying junk if you are not careful so if you do get a dud, you have to be prepared to throw it away and start over. I have found the risk reward ratio to be acceptable if you quickly check the system before you purchase it.

It is not unusual to be able to buy a used computer at a garage sale for under $40. The main thing that has to be done once the computer is at home is they have to be cleaned up. Most people never do any maintenance on their system making a quick and easy process for anyone with the knowledge. Anything that is not essential to the system operation needs to be taken off. Often times they are older processors are not as fast as cutting-edge equipment, so you need to lighten the processing load as much as possible.

Almost always you need to add RAM which is a relatively inexpensive proposition. If you effectively do these two things without a doubt you will end up with a computer that although not the fastest on the market will be quite effective for basic computing needs.

They are good systems for the college student that just needs to write term papers and send e-mail, they are great for those just starting out and really only know how to surf the web or send e-mail. Although basic, these systems will work for the vast majority of those people that have or want a computer.

There are a lot of things that could be done to optimize a computer but just cleaning them up and adding RAM will make a huge difference in the way they operate. To find more ways to optimize the system I recommend that you read forums online or find a book that takes you step-by-step through the process in great detail

If you follow these simple steps, in the amount of time it takes you to search through a few weeks of garage sale junk plus an afternoon cleaning and optimizing your used computer you will have a great little basic machine for under $100. It will work perfectly for surfing the Internet, writing letters and sending e-mail.

Copyright Detro Canaro (2008) Detro Canaro is a husband, a father, a writer, a proud dog lover and a co-owner of several websites that support he and his family along with his traditional business Boulder City Computer Repair

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