Introduction
In this section I will evaluate the how the changes and
upgrades to a system will improve performance and also mention any
disadvantages that may occur.
Software
Improvements to the software were made in several ways. The
operating system was updated with the latest service pack and then was
configured in certain ways; the accessibility options, power management and
user account controls were all configured. Anti-virus software was also
installed, configured and had the latest updates applied.
Firstly I looked at how the changes would improve the
accessibility. Overall I felt that the changes made would benefit the user and
make the general day to day use of the computer quicker and more efficient.
Some of the changes made would only benefit specific users, for example
changing the left and right mouse buttons would not suit everyone; however, the
advantage of having several user accounts is that each can tailor the setting
to their needs without affecting anyone else.
Changing the power management options to set the computer to
hibernate after 5 minutes will reduce power usage when the making is left
unattended. I think it is a useful tool, especially when people are more
conscious of unnecessary energy use but I would say that 5 minutes is too short
a time. A computer does take longer to wake up from a hibernated state that if
it had just been locked, for example, 5 minutes could easily pass during a
comfort break and the user will be faced with a small delay when they return
their workstation.
Setting the user accounts and ensuring that only the correct
files were shared is also good practice when configuring a computer for multi
users. By doing this, the users can keep private any files they wish but they still
have access to shared folders if they wish.
Configuring the anti-virus software is vital as it ensures
that any malware that may infect the computer is quickly discovered and action
to remove it can be taken. Setting a weekly scheduled scan for once a week is
frequent enough to provide sufficient protection without taking up valuable
resources. The time of Friday at 6.00pm is also a wise choice as by that time
most people’s working week has finished and the scan can run uninterrupted over
the weekend. The only issue that may occur is if any problems are discovered
during the scan and there is no one in attendance to deal with it.
Hardware
The hardware upgrades I carried out were to the CPU,
motherboard, RAM and hard drive.
The first upgrade required was the motherboard; the one
installed was an older model that would not take any upgrades. The new
motherboard is compatible with the other planned upgrades and will introduce a
degree of ‘future proofing’. This means that if upgrades are desired in the future
there will be no need to replace the motherboard again. The other advantage of
the new motherboard is the higher spec built in graphics that negate the need
for an additional GPU expansion card, saving money for the client, and space
within the computer.
The CPU upgrade has increased the overall performance of the
computer; the model chosen is faster than the one it replaced but, more
importantly it is a dual core processor; this allows it to run several
applications at once, which is generally considered better than a powerful
single core CPU that can run one application well but struggles when asked to
multi-task.
The RAM was upgraded to 2GB from 768MB; this took it well
over the minimum requirements for the new operating system and allowed the
computer to run current versions of other required applications, e.g. Microsoft
Office. The motherboard had four RAM slots available but only a single 2GB RAM
was used; if further performance upgrades are required in the future it will be
a simple job to add another 2GB RAM module to one of the free slots.
Finally the hard drive was upgraded.
The machine in question will be connected to a network and will have access to
a central file server, so large data storage capacity was not a priority;
however, the new drive uses a SATAIII interface, replacing the older drive’s
PATA interface; this will give increased read/write speed and which will be
beneficial to the performance of the computer overall. The operating system and
major applications are still stored locally on the individual machine.
Conclusion
The software and hardware upgrades made to the computer have
had a combined effect of greatly increasing the performance and useable life of
the machine. The hardware upgrades are sufficient to ensure any updates or new
software that may require installation in the future will be stable and there
will be enough physical space to store the data. The software upgrades have
ensured there will be no compatibility issues arising from attempting to use
older versions. Another major advantage of using the latest versions is that
manufacturer support of the products will continue for some time; the majority
of updates for software are security based, this means that newer software will
be safer to use for longer. Upgrading the computer was cheaper that replacing
the whole unit; much of the existing parts were reused, including the keyboard,
mouse, monitor and case, saving money for the business and also leaving less
waste to be disposed of.
