Hello,
I have an older 1998 PC system that for hardware compatibility reasons is irreplaceable to me and would like some suggestions as to how to extend its life for as long as possible — ideally for the indefinite future. Specifically, I have a few questions to address this:
(1) When and/or how frequently do I need to change the PC internal battery? (I have been running on the same original battery since 1998, which is still functional.) I have read about the numerous horror stories that can occur if the battery dies, but could not find any specific info on when to replace it.
(2) How long can the internal hardware components (i.e., sound card, CD drive, hard disk) be reasonably expected to work properly without needing replacement parts? (I did buy a brand-new hard drive in late 2004.)
(3) For discontinued hardware parts that are no longer newly manufactured, what are the rules of thumb on buying these to as replacement parts?
(4) If the PC does become defective or stops working properly due to its age, does anyone have any suggestions as to the best way to obtain repairs/services for obsolete PCs?
(5) Is there anything else besides having the PC cleaned periodically and avoiding frequently turning it on/off that you can suggest for maintaining a long life span?
Unfortunately, I cannot simply buy any brand of older PC if mine breaks down, since I need the drivers provided by the vendor of this specific model for its own custom hardware configuration. E-bay listings for this item are also extremely rare as I have only seen one come up in the past 3 years.
Thanks!