How to tell if it's time to recycle my geriatric computer or buy a new one?

I have a Compaq with Windows 98 and it takes forever to bring up pictures I have taken with my digital camera. I am trying to run Adobe 6.0 on it as well to edit them (which lags often). I have 184MB RAM with a AMD-K6 3D processor. Is it time to retire this one and get a new computer or would I be able to upgrade it far enough (and cheap enough) to warrant the effort? Any suggestions would be helpful! Thanks!

Replace, prices are way down, and you will likely need so many components to properly upgrade that it won't be worth it.

I am in the same situation that you are in. I am a compaq with windows 98 that I purchased back in 1998 and it moves like molasses. I am thinking about just breaking down and buying a new one because it takes forever to load anything. Good luck

if you want to keep using your digital camera, then you buy more RAM and upgrade windows, depending on the price of the ram and the version of windows you buy, it might just be cheaper to buy a new pc with a better processor. Intel's new Core Duo 2 is the best processor there is now.

If you wish to stick to Windows then I'd buy a new computer with Windows on it.

Or you could switch to Ubuntu Linux.
Ubuntu loads no stupid software in the background like Windows does. Loading programs during boot always uses resources.
I switched to Ubuntu and found my system works faster.
It does take a bit to learn but I found in the end it was worth it.
Ubuntu is free at www.ubuntu.com

Your Windows 98 is one of the best computers ever put ot by Microsoft, but is limited to upgrades.

Keep in mind that Microsoft keeps developing new computers every other year or so. Windows 95 came out and about just as fast the 98 replaced it. 98 was the only computer to hang around the windows Product line as long as it has. It's still a top of the line computer, but XP has taken over it's usage.

The real desion is left up to you. However Do Not invest into up-grades for your 98 as it will hot carry the up grades. It has most likely served you very well, so let it rest and maybe it's time for a new toy.

Don't get read of the good old 98 as it's good to keep as a back up.

**** luck.

the amd k6's did not go that high on today's standards. you could find one cheap on ebay, but you wouldn't get that much more out of it.

the main things you would try to upgrade on machines that old would be the memory and the hard drive space. you can go to compaq online to figure out how much memory your computer can max out on. although it is not very easy to do this because some major brand computers will only take replacement parts from them. so you can't go to the computer store and buy your own memory. Compaqs though will take a great range of memory.

as for the hard drive, you would want to reinstall windows onto the new hard drive to give you the most benefit. just adding a second hard drive will not speed up your computer because it does not give your operating system the room it needs to operate. that will only give you secondary storage for your pictures and music.

my advice would be to sell that old thing for somewhere around $50-$100 and get a new computer.

if you have $1300 buy a new computer, if not buy more ram and go to http://www.anysoftwares.com/default.aspx and get a copy of windows xp

The typical life cycle of a computer is three years. Truthfully if you are no longer to function comfortably using your current computer you should upgrade.

As technology advances you will find using your computer to be more difficult.

Was in a similar situation about a year ago and this is what I did. (I'm not saying you should do the same, just giving you something to consider). I bought a new comp and set the older comp aside. As money became available I'd buy upgrades for the old (larger HD, more Mem, etc.) Then I bought a wireless router and wireless adapters and setup the old comp as a print server and mass storage server. Now I can use the primary comp while my daughter uses her laptop to do her school work and we both have access to printing. BK