Don't throw away your old laptop. Upgrade it with these 8 steps

If you have an old forgotten laptop somewhere forgotten in a corner, don't throw it away. Check out eight basic steps and tips to get it back up to value and ready to use again.

laptop, notebook, computer

Laptops have entered our daily lives for good, since they are easy-to-use tools, suitable for both work and entertainment or anything else. But using them constantly can quickly make you feel worn and old.

Accumulation of files, external and internal dirt, scratches on the case, a damaged hard drive and a whole bunch of other things will reduce both their performance and their appearance, and you might think it's a good idea to buy a new and fancy machine.

Even if you've got a new laptop and your old one has been languishing in a cupboard, there are things you can do with your old laptop to fix it up, so let's look at eight tips to make your old laptop work again new.

1. Clean up your files and apps

laptop, notebook, computer

When te your laptop regularly, it's easy to accumulate a bunch of files and apps you no longer want or need, but are still taking up storage space because you never did a serious cleanup.

Additionally, randomly storing your documents and images without any sort of system can be very confusing. So, it always helps to clean and organize your apps and files.

Η a set of folders to categorize your files into will clean up your laptop massively, and getting rid of old images, screenshots and documents will free up more storage space than you can imagine.

It's also worth cleaning out your recycle bin, as deleting files often just moves them there rather than removing them permanently.

Finally, do a good cleanup of old versions and restore points of your operating system, as well as any applications you don't need. When your disk has enough free space then the whole system works faster.

2. Clean the outside of your laptop

keyboard

You'll be surprised how much better it will look your computer after a chassis cleanup. Dust, oil and other substances can quickly build up on your device and make it look worn, so a quick five-minute clean will make all the difference.

To clean your screen, you need to be careful what you use. If you have a glass screen, any glass cleaner is a good choice, but if not, you'll need to use something else.

A small amount of dish soap along with a small amount of water is a great option. But you should never spray or apply anything directly to your screen. Put a small amount on a microfiber cloth (not a paper towel) and apply in small, gentle, circular motions.

The same goes for the rest of your laptop. Make sure you avoid ports and other gaps in the frame and make sure you only clean gently. You may also find that there is dirt under your keyboard causing some of your keys to stick. So check out our article about it safe and effective cleaning of your keyboard, if you want to tackle this part of your laptop as well.

3. Add more RAM

laptop, notebook, computer

We've all been frustrated with a slow laptop. Over time, our devices may start to perform less efficiently, but that doesn't mean you have to go out in the market for a new model.

In fact, adding more RAM to your laptop can significantly improve its processing speed, and without spending an exorbitant amount of money.

Depending on how much RAM you want and which brand you prefer, prices will vary. It can cost you anywhere between €10 and €200 to buy a new RAM. If you have two RAM slots, just make sure you buy the same RAM that you already have installed in your computer.

In general, the RAM memories in a pair should be identical, so that the computer can work smoothly. If you only have one slot (which is unlikely) then you will have to replace the old one with a new one with a higher capacity.

4. Update your operating system

laptop, notebook, computer

OS updates exist for a reason. They are designed to improve the performance of your computer, whether it's a laptop or desktop, but also your user experience.

Therefore, it is always worth considering updating your laptop's operating system as this could fix and add new features that can make your device more enjoyable to use.

If you haven't received any update notifications on your laptop, an update may not be required. However, you can still check it in your device settings.

The process for doing this varies depending on the make and model of your laptop, but simply typing “update” in the settings search bar will bring up the necessary result that you can use to check for updates.

If you really have an ancient laptop and the upgrades only burden it more instead of making it better, or even if there are no upgrades at all due to the oldness of the operating system, seriously consider installing linux. If you already have linux installed, consider installing a more lite version of linux.

A lite version of an operating system based on linux, will rid your computer of unnecessary goodies, lighten it by keeping only the essential points of an operating system, as a result of which you will see your machine coming back to life.

5. Buy a laptop cover

laptop case

If your laptop is scratched or bumped, buying a nice laptop cover could be the answer.

We are not talking about a suitcase-case for a laptop, but about a case that can be opened just like the screen of the laptop and so it will always be integrated with it and cover any defects.

The case solution is also a great way to personalize your device. After all, most laptops come in black, gray or white, so it can be nice to add a cheerful color to really make it your own.

A number of online stores sell laptop cases. Alternatively, think of the solution to put large stickers where there are scratches, which will either cover the defects or highlight them, with the final result being elegant.

6. Remove the old worn stickers

And since we mentioned the word stickers, we know that it is quite common to beautify your laptop using stickers. But old stickers can quickly become shabby when they start to peel or fade.

So, if you want to get your laptop clean and polished again, you can remove the residue from old stickers using a number of different methods, from rubbing them with a solvent or even applying heat with a hair dryer.

7. Clean the fan

laptop, notebook, computer

Your laptop's fan plays a critical role in its performance by removing hot air from the inside and keeping the components cool and safe. But as time goes by, dust accumulates on these fans, which makes it much harder for them to do their job effectively.

So, if you have noticed that your laptop heats up easily, you may need to clean the fan.

Depending on the laptop you have, the procedure for removing and cleaning your fan may differ. Therefore, it is best to search online for a method to clean the fan of your particular device to get the best instructions.

8. Replace your hard drive with an SSD

ssd vs hdd

While many newer laptops already contain SSDs, this is not the case with older laptops. If you are not sure what exactly the laptop has, you can look up its specifications online.

If you find you have a classic hard drive (with spinning platters), then you can replace it with a faster, more efficient SSD.

An SSD can greatly improve your laptop's performance (up to ten times in some cases) and is also quite affordable. You can get a reliable SSD for around €70, although this price will increase depending on storage capacity, read speed and brand.

If you want to remove your hard drive and install the SSD yourself, we recommend that you search online for the specific procedure required for your laptop model.

Also if you want to clone your old drive to the new one, see our article that mentions how to clone a HDD disk to SSD.

Don't buy a new laptop before trying these 8 steps

Before you start shopping for another laptop, consider the above tips to fix processing, storage, and ugly looking issues.

You might realize that your laptop is fit to survive for a few more years with just a few changes and a little money.

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laptop, notebook, computer

Written by Dimitris

Dimitris hates on Mondays .....

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