Can't play games

Q I have a computer that’s fairly old now, but it was quite expensive when I bought it and so quite powerful. Is uses an AMD Athlon XP 2200+ processor and it has 512MB of memory.

I would like to try some more recent games, but from what I have read about them they all require much more power than my computer is able to provide. I’m not very technical, but I would like to improve the computer’s memory as this seems to be the easiest way to upgrade it. Also, I was wondering how to upgrade the graphics card. Should I take the computer to a shop or do you think it can be done on a DIY basis?
Steve Williams

A Sadly, upgrading a computer of this age to play the latest games would be difficult: with a new motherboard, processor and graphics card needed you would effectively be buying a new PC. That said, adding more memory should give a speed boost, and you might then be able to play some older games.

Fitting memory to most computers can be a simple process, with a couple of things to watch out for: if you’re a notebook user, you may need to go back to the shop or manufacturer because it’s harder to change notebook memory than it is to change that of desktop computers.

Second, you need to make sure the computer has space for more memory. This involves opening the case and looking at the memory slots. Normally, there will be two or four slots, and either two or all of them will be full. If there are free slots, you can add memory.

To find out what type, use the memory advisor at www.crucial.com/uk if you know your PC’s make and model number (once you’ve found the right memory, you can make a note of the type and details, and then buy it from Crucial, or buy memory with the same specification from another supplier).

If the computer was self-built or it’s not on that list (if it was built by a local computer builder, for instance), you will need to look in the manual for the motherboard to find out what type of memory it requires. You can then buy this from Crucial or another memory supplier.

To fit the memory, simply slip it out of its packaging and slot it into place, taking care to sit it firmly. You can watch a video showing the entire process of fitting memory into a desktop computer here.