I HAVE A 5 1/2 YEAR OLD GATEWAY DESKTOP STILL RUNNING XP....

If it isn't broke don't fix, comes to mind. If you're happy with your system now, basically allow it to age gracefully. If it does everything you need it to do, the value of a new system may not be all that important.

The upgrade path, is to get whatever it can be able to allow. Maybe more memory, a better video card and they needn't be new, used does fine provide they work. Even the cpu could be swapped out, again if the system supports it. That's the key, what does your old system support, you need to review the specs and/or manual to see what can be had. The cost will be less than new. However, if the cost is placed into a new system, then you need to decide. However, 5 1/2 yrs. is along time for a PC system and it has been eclipsed.

Look online via their websites the offering Gateway, Dell, HP, etc. offer either in brand new system or refurbed ones. -OR- visit a local Best Buy, Fry's Circuit City, even Wal-Mart for offering an hands approach, they too offer online viewing. check it all out. You might want to check laptops as well, if that interests you. ther is also "custom builds" or the DIY approach. read the forums here and get a feel.

tada -----Willy

you will be amazed.

You cannot run Vista on this machine. Too old.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

If you keep it, XP will run 2BG of RAM. Do yourself a favor and buy the RAM memory.

This will tell you what you need for RAM memory:

http://www.crucial.com/store/drammemory.aspx

This thread untracked

I HAVE A 5 1/2 YEAR OLD GATEWAY DESKTOP STILL RUNNING XP.

I have a 9 yr old no-name desktop still running w98.
It does everything I need it to do.
It does it quite speedily I might add.
As long as it does what I need I see no reason to go looking for trouble.

If your machine does what you need....enjoy.
You might enjoy a bit more if you were to 2x/4x/8x that ram.
I suspect that small ram size is acting like an anchor...not to mention your driving your HD crazy...swapping.

........UPDATING THE RAM TO 1024(2-512MB CHIPS) IS THE OBVIOUS WAY TO MAKE THE BEST

IMPROVEMENT DOLLAR-WISE. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MEMORY ON THE EXISTING

256MB RAM CHIP???

I'M Planning on having BEST BUY'S "GEEK SQUAD" install it, as I don't

have the correct wherewithall to try it myself.

WHAT INFORMATION WILL I LOSE BY YANKING THE 256MB MODULE OUT???

PLEASE HELP.

Sincerely,

Riverledge.