Simple clear advice in plain English

Home Computing Heroes: upgrades and maintenance

Computers are an investment and it's important to keep them running well. Practically every type of computer can be upgraded in some way, whether by adding more storage space, more memory to improve performance or with new components such as disc burners and graphics cards.

In this zone we will show you how to perform some of the most cost-effective upgrades and provide tips on PC maintenance that will help to keep your computer running smoothly. This zone is sponsored by Strato, and you will find more information about how to use your tip-top PC to create a simple website below.

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Upgrading the memory in a desktop computer

Improve performance quickly and simply

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Upgrading memory in a notebook

Adding more memory gives a performance boost

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Get five months of free server, online storage and web hosting

Sponsored article: Great offers to Celebrate Strato's fifth anniversary

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Should I save Windows Updates?

Windows XP will automatically detect any updates it needs after a System Restore

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Upgrade to a solid-state hard disk

Upgrade to a new type of hard disk that can give your PC a huge speed boost

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How to upgrade to Blu-ray

With their huge capacity, Blu-ray discs are great for storing movies and music. We explain how to upgrade

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Upgrade a graphics card

We explain all there is to know about your computer’s graphics card, and how to add a new one

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How to upgrade your PC to Windows 7

Windows 7 is here – but how do you get it and what do you need to know before installing it on your PC? We explain all

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Windows 7 Video Guide: Upgrade from Windows XP, Part 1

In this two-part video, we show how to upgrade a Windows XP computer to run Windows 7

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Windows 7 Video Guide: Upgrade from Windows XP, Part 2

In this two-part video, we show how to upgrade a Windows XP computer to run Windows 7

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Windows 7 Video Guide: Upgrade from Windows Vista

We show how to upgrade a Windows Vista computer to run Windows 7

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How can I get Windows updates automatically?

Set up Windows Update to keep you protected

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How do I fix Windows Update so it can search for new updates?

There are a couple of possible solutions to this Windows Update error

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