UPGRADE WITHOUT MEGABYTE ON THE WALLET.

Byline: Steve Lohr The New York Times

At age 2, a television, stereo, radio or telephone is still in its prime, going strong. But a 2-year-old personal computer seems positively antediluvian.

What to do? The computer industry's self-interested advice is to buy a new computer every two or three years. But shelling out $2,000 or so every few years is awfully expensive. An alternative is to upgrade your old computer, either by yourself or with help from a professional.

So, this month I decided to try a PC makeover. The best age for overhauling a PC is when it is two years old, said Linda Rohrbough, the author of ``Upgrade Your Own PC'' (IDG Books Worldwide; $29.99).

My machine, a 2-1/2-year-old Compaq, was a bit old, she said, but it still could be upgraded substantially for a fraction of the cost of buying a new PC.

Keep in mind, though, that PCs come in a variety of configurations. An upgrade strategy that works for one brand may be impractical or impossible on another.

Many retailers offer PCs in ``bare bones'' configurations, which might include a new case, power supply, motherboard and floppy drive. The user then would add the hard drive, video card, monitor, CD and modem. These may be a more cost-effective alternative than replacing individual components.

My upgrading effort was a mixture of success and setbacks. I chose to take three steps: adding more memory, getting a faster modem and installing a new microprocessor.

For the third step, installing the new microprocessor, I definitely needed the help of a professional: Bruce W. Stark, the president of CTSI Consulting/Computer Tutor in Manhattan.

And I balked at attempting to put in a new hard drive, the computer's permanent storage, figuring it was too difficult for me and most people.

Following is an account of a typical PC overhaul - what worked and what didn't for me - with advice from Stark, a longtime PC consultant, who was on hand throughout this upgrading experiment.

Preparation required

Before buying parts, do a little research. Retailers say 20 percent of components bought for upgrades are returned because people buy the wrong items.

The upgrade options for your machine can be found on the Web site of the company that made your machine or in the user's manual.

Major computer retailers usually offer a broad selection of upgrade components. Always understand the return requirements when purchasing new components.

Memory: Increasing a computer's memory, also called RAM (random-access memory), is the most cost-effective upgrading step. Memory chips temporarily hold the data that a computer is currently working on - a letter or a Web page, for example. With too little memory, your PC slows to a crawl. Since 1995, the main reason for adding memory has been the arrival of Microsoft's Windows 95, a real memory hog.

My 1994 Compaq ran Windows 3.1 and came with only eight megabytes of RAM. I decided to go to 32 megabytes - the amount computer experts recommend to run Windows 95 programs.

It is easily done. First, turn the computer off, unscrew the housing and remove the casing. Your user's manual will show the location of the sockets in which new memory modules - slender, 4-inch boards holding chips - can be placed. A module has a small rectangular notch on one end, so it fits into the socket only one way. Little clips at the ends of the socket have to be pulled back. The memory module slips into place and is gently pushed with both hands into an upright position. It clicks into place.

Remember that different motherboards have different memory requirements as far as adding modules. Your new memory should be the same configuration and speed as your old memory. If your motherboard uses individual memory chips, don't even consider adding more memory - replace the motherboard.

When you turn on your machine, the screen should indicate that you have 32,768 kilobytes of memory (or 32 megabytes), and it should ask you to press a key to adjust the PC settings.

A memory upgrade can be done in a half-hour or less. The 24 megabytes of additional memory cost about $125. Other memory upgrade options may be pricier.

Modem: The modem enables a computer to communicate across telephone lines. It translates the digital language of computers into the analogue syntax of phone lines and vice versa (``modem'' is shorthand for modulator and demodulator). A modem is necessary to send and receive e-mail, using an online service such as America Online or surfing the Web.

My 1994 computer came with an internal 14.4-kbps (kilobits per second) modem. For the upgrade, I attached a 33.6-kbps modem and decided it should be an external one. The little white box connects by cord to a serial port, or socket, in the back of the computer. Many experts recommend external modems because they have tiny red lights that indicate when phone connections are made. After connecting it, I altered the software settings in Windows, telling the computer to sidestep the old, internal modem and to use the souped-up, external one.

The current high-end speed for modems is migrating to 56.6-kbps. There are two rival standards. Before upgrading, check with your online service provider or Internet service provider and ask which modem chipset it supports.

The need for speed

A fast modem doesn't guarantee speedy data transfers. An inefficient phone line will impede your online travels just like an eroded road surface will disrupt your commute. Online services, or the Internet, only have so much user space available.

A modem upgrade can be done in a half hour or so. My new U.S. Robotics modem cost about $150, though discount stores, I learned, offer the same model for $100.

Microprocessor: The microprocessor, often called the brain of a computer, is the chip that controls most of the PC. A faster processor - the speed is measured in megahertz - will perform computing tasks more quickly.

For most, a processor upgrade is not necessarily recommended. But my machine had an older 486 processor running at 66 megahertz. One option was available: installing Intel's Overdrive processor, which emulates Intel's newer Pentium processor and runs at 83 megahertz. It cost about $200. The Intel kit includes the microchip, clear instructions and even a little crowbarlike device for prying up the old processor. Pulling the old chip from the pinholes is a delicate job. But the real problem comes in pushing the new processor down into the pinholes. It goes in, but not all the way. Forcing it, I reasoned, would risk cracking the computer's motherboard, the equivalent of a chassis. Undaunted, Stark, the upgrade pro, folded some cardboard under the motherboard as a cushion and pressed down hard on the new chip, which finally slipped firmly into position.

Before you invest in one for your computer, check out the ads. Retailers frequently offer full replacement motherboards with Pentium 133 (or faster) microprocessors for slightly more than a 486 overdrive chip.

So ended this upgrade adventure. It was unrepresentative in two respects. I was accompanied by a professional, and I did several steps at once. My advice for all but the daring or truly skilled: add memory and a modem yourself; leave the rest to a pro.

Is the process worth it? Well, that depends. The computer industry has complicated the equation by making $1,000 PCs, that have half the memory but faster processors than my overhauled machine. The equipment costs for my upgrade totaled $475. But add $90 for Windows 95, and $100 or $200 worth of time from a computer consultant, and the savings become less.

Still, I had learned a little about computers, and I had moved up sharply to at least the trailing edge of modern technology. For me, that seemed about right.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--Cover--Color) DON'T TRASH IT

How to revive a dinosaur computer

Photo Illustration

(2) Installing a new modem, memory or motherboard can increase your computing pleasure.

David Sprague/Daily News