This week, a reader writes:

I have a computer that is several years old. My kids would like to use it to play games and such but it either won’t run the programs or it just doesn’t run them well. So my question is, is it more cost effective to upgrade my current machine or just purchase another one? If I just purchase another one, what can I do with the old one? When does someone just need to make the decision to do away with the old to get the new? And, how can I do either one without spending a lot of money?

I’m rather conservative when it comes to upgrading. The first question I ask: “What does your computer not do that you want it to do?” In your case, you’ve got software that needs more “oomph.” I’m lacking some important details about your particular situation, but I’ll give you an overview of what you should be looking for.

First, there must be a reason that the PC doesn’t run this software. Does it give you an error message? Does it make any suggestions? If so, that will be key to determining what you need next. Is it saying that your “display adapter” needs to be set at a different resolution? Try changing those settings before giving up, or spending money. Does it run, but slowly? Check to see if your PC is running a lot of other programs – look down by your PC’s clock. If there are a lot of little icons down there, those typically represent programs that are started when you launch your computer, whether you’re using them or not. Try closing several of them and see if that improves performance. If so, try to configure them to not run at startup.

If your software won’t run because your operating system (OS) is too old, you must next determine if your PC will handle a newer OS. (If you’re already running any flavor of Windows XP, this is most likely not your issue.) I do not recommend upgrading to Windows Vista. It requires a lot of horsepower to run, and I’ve not yet met one person who has enjoyed their “Vista experience.” Stick with XP!

Windows loves memory. If you don’t have at least 256MB of memory, you need more. Fortunately, this is not an expensive upgrade, and it’s very easy to install. I recommend at least 512MB total, and more if your wallet and your motherboard can handle it.

There are certainly other considerations, such as your processor, your hard drive, your optical device (CD or DVD drive) and your video card. I’ll tackle these other upgrade options in next week’s edition. For now, if you’re already running XP, look into more RAM, and check to see if there are too many superfluous programs running.

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[Author’s Note: “Ask the Geek” is published weekly in the Stratford Star - the penultimate reading experience for residents of Stratford, Texas, population 1,920. It is posted on WritersCafe.net for posterity. Feel free to comment, but I can’t promise you’ll make the Star.]