As long as you thoroughly inspect a used computer before buying it they can be just as good as a new laptop or computer for a portion of the price. Setting up a computer for the first time takes a significant amount of time. If you buy a used PC and it crashes after you invest a bunch of time setting it up you will not be happy. By examining some of the most important components of a used computer you can maximize your likelihood of purchasing one that will last for quite a few years. Buying a used laptop or computer is also a great way to get a unit loaded with upgrades such as a USB TV tuner for very little or for free.

Hard drives are probably the most critical component of any computer because a failure can mean losing your data. Unfortunately it is tough to inspect the mechanical components of a hard drive before you buy a computer. Buying a used computer involves a bit of a leap of faith as it relates to the hard drive. Hard drives have become pretty reliable but anything with moving parts has a chance of failure. Even if the mechanical components do not fail, a hard drive can fail due to ordinary wear and tear. The read and write heads of a hard disk are used to retrieve and write data to a hard disk that is rotating at a high speed. Usage makes older hard drives more prone to failure.

Some potential hard disk failures can be detected by performing a full system scan. The scan can detect faulty sectors of the hard disks. The scanning time depends on the capacity and size of the hard disk of the used computer. Full system scans can take several hours making it difficult to perform before buying a computer in some instances. Skipping a full system scan before buying a computer is not recommended.

The CPU is another component that is critical to a computers performance. Locking up is common failure for CPUs. Overheating can cause a CPU to freeze. CPUs have a fan and heat sink to keep the unit cool but the fan can wear out or not function properly due to the accumulation of dust and dirt which can result in the CPU overheating. Inspecting the fan can be as simple as listening to it and looking for excessive dust buildup. A properly functioning fan should be a consistent, low hum. Squeaks or variations in the sound or speed of the fan can indicate problems.

If you are buying a monitor it should have crisp colors and be bright. A monitor that is close to failing will often have dull colors and will not be crisp. Monitors should not flutter or have lines and should not make more than a very low hum. The health of a monitor is even more critical if the computer has a USB digital TV tuner.

Checking a computers operating system is also important. Over time operating systems can slow down due to programs being added and deleted from the system. A computers registry can slow a computer down as programs that are added and deleted from the computer make changes to the registry. Unless you are knowledgeable with such things the best way to test the operating system is reboot the system a few times. It should not take and excessive amount of time to boot up. Probably the best option after you purchase the computer is, if you are comfortable with it, to reformat the hard drive and reload the operating system and all drivers and programs.

Any other hardware should also be inspected. This includes, devises like CD or DVD drives, the drawers should open and close smoothing and you should be able to read data from a disc and if they are writable drives you should be able to write to a disc. Other items that should be inspected are the USB TV tuner card, mouse and keyboard.

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