Dual core systems

Spending the time as I do fixing people's systems, it is amazing how often these slow, old PCs are considered adequate for what they want to do. Typically an old Intel Pentium 4 class computer with just 512Mb memory and full 80Gb hard disk drive running Windows XP SP2 is a system that I have a half an hour to wave a magic wand and make it a speed demon.

Usually the adding some more memory, stopping all the programs starting up and removing old programs and temporary files is enough to make a noticeable improvement and a happy customer, who calls me back six months later to do it all over again. Doing this all day I then go back to my 'lean and mean' modern dual core CPU system which is immediately responsive and instantly reacts to my every click together with Virgin Media's 20Mbps broadband connection speed make me realise what modern computing is all about.

It seems that adding an extra CPU core or more plus 4Gb of memory and Windows 7 makes for a really responsive system the purchase price for which can be about £300+. A really impressive replacement of a five year old computer. It is difficult to describe and persuade people that in today's multitasking environments this is what they need.