1) Identify
2) Get Specific Information
3) Ask Your Self Some Questions
4) Check Out the Manufacture
5) Buy the Product
6) Perform the Upgrade

First - You need to determine what motherboard you have.  Visit my motherboard Identification page for details on how to find out what you have.  This is important because the motherboard will determine what can and can not be upgraded.

Depending on the upgrade you are performing you may need to identify serial ports, printer ports, PCI Sockets, USB Port etc..  You will need to find out where the upgrade plugs in and if your system supports it.

 Next, You need to find out what options you have for upgrading.  This is done buy finding out as much about your system as possible.

Here is a list of places to get information about your system.
• Visit my Pentium System Quick Reference Guide for some info.
• Also you can Contact Packard Bell (Click Here for PB E-mail addresses)
• PB is also expanding their web site, so you can try this page.  Some times you can find just what you are looking for from PB.
• The Packard Bell manuals will often times have the info you need, get your manual here.
• If you are luck I have written a page on your system and you can get information from my web site.  Check out my Systems Page for the systems I have written about.
• You can also join a place like PBUSER, if you want to spend the money, and
• I recommend posting a message in the PB newsgroups, and/or my message board there you will find experienced PB owners that are willing to help you for free.
• Visit other PBCNET web sites, they have a lot of good information as well.
• You Can also Read Upgrade Stories From Packard Bell Owners and after you upgrade you can add your own stories.  Hopefully this database will grow to share with others the upgrade options tried by other Packard Bell owners.

Now that you have Identified your motherboard and gathered some info you will need to ask your self some questions.  This way you will know what else you need to find out and hopefully prevent you from buying the wrong thing.

Once you have decided what you want to upgrade you should check out the web site of the manufacture  of the products you are considering buying.  This web site can give you an idea of many things.

First - some manufactures have have lists of compatible systems that they have tested their products on.  This will help you ensure that their product will work on your system.

Second - read about their support.  Do they have a data base on line to help you solve problem?  Do they have an 800 number?  Do they have email? You need to know, because when you have a problem with their product you will need to get a hold of them.

Third - do they have detailed instruction on how to instal their product.

Buy only from retailers that will allow you to return the products that you have trouble with or do not live up to your expectations.  This can save you lots of money.

Learn about electro static discharge (ESD) and avoid it while performing the upgrade.
 

I learned the hard way.   The first upgrade I ever did was to add a hard Drive to an old 486 25MHz Packard Bell,  I had no clue as to what I was doing.  I could not get it to work and I ended up paying someone $50 to install it properly.  Of course I did not have internet access then, if I did I am sure I could have found the answer.  I also did not call the hard drive tech support, some of these companies are quite helpful.  If I had followed the steps above I am sure I could have saved the $50.

Following these simple steps will allow you to perform a well thought out upgrade and when things go wrong you will know where to look for answers.

Happy upgrading!