The HP Pavilion Xt963 is an older desktop computer that features a Pentium III 1.2 GHz Celeron processor, according to HP product specifications. That's not a really "fast" computer by more recent standards, but it runs Windows XP well and is still a useful computer for many everyday tasks. While the processor can't be upgraded due to motherboard limitations, other affordable upgrades can improve the overall performance and speed of the Xt963.
Instructions
Update an HP Pavilion Xt963 Computer
1. Shut down and unplug the computer from all cable connections. Open the cover. Look at the two RAM memory slots. Remove any memory sticks present by unlocking the white tabs and carefully withdrawing the stick(s) from the slots. Examine the labels. The maximum amount of RAM for the Xt963 is 512 MB. If your machine has less than 512 MB ram, you should upgrade to the maximum amount. Use PC100 or PC133 speed ram. If using two sticks of 256 MB, make sure they are both of the same speed.
2. Examine the empty PCI Expansion Card slots in the lower left hand corner of the motherboard. You should have two slots available for upgrades. Improve your graphics capabilities by installing a 32 MB, 64 MB, or 128 MB PCI-type video card in one of the slots. See Resources links for how add PCI cards. You can choose to add either a USB card or a better sound card in the second open slot. Adding more USB ports allows you to do further upgrades with more USB devices, including Ethernet and FireWire, even though you don't have any more PCI slots available.
3. Check your Optical Drive configurations. According to HP Product Specifications, the Xt963 normally came with only one CD-RW drive. You can upgrade to a second CD-RW drive, or add a DVD drive. See install a new Optical Drive in Resources section.
4. Determine the storage capacity of your hard drive. If your original 40 gigabyte hard drive is nearly full, you can upgrade to a larger hard drive. Use a program like Acronis Easy-Migrate to move your present operating system, device drivers, and all your personal files and software safely to the new hard drive.
5. Clean the processor fan and/or the heat sink. Use a can of pressurized air to gently blow away dust and debris from the fan blades and/or the metal fins on the heat sink. A build-up of dirt on these components will slow down a processor, degrade it over time, and can cause heat failure. Blow out any other dirt and dust present inside the case, including inside the vents of the power supply.
Tags: hard drive, Pavilion Xt963, CD-RW drive, heat sink, maximum amount, Optical Drive, Pavilion Xt963 Computer