BleepingComputer.com: Upgrading Gateway GM5442

I have a Gateway GM5442 and need some advice on upgrades. I like to edit videos of a dance class I teach using Windows Live Movie Maker. The problem is that once I have a lot of clips strung together my computer starts freezing/glitching. I know that I can upgrade the RAM, but someone else also suggested a video card. I don't know anything about video cards.

Any suggestions? My computer hasn't been upgraded at all since I bought it, except for a WiFi adapter I installed, so it still has the factory specs.

http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/R/1009459/1009459nv.shtml

I also use Adobe CS4 very often along with AutoCAD.

This post has been edited by Andrew: 17 May 2011 - 02:59 PM
Reason for edit: Mod Edit: Moved To System Building and Upgrading - AA

That computer really isn't geared for video editing, the processor, which is a Core 2 Duo at 2 GHz., is too slow. Chances are also good that you could not use a dedicated graphics card to offload some of the video processing due to a weak power supply and small case. My suggestion would be to do a complete overhaul, start over with a new motherboard, RAM, power supply, video card, and possibly case, if you have the money to do so. You could easily add more RAM to hold off the eventual upgrade, but your PC will still be slow with specs like that.

You can upgrade using this ram which makes it to 4GB. The case is not a small form factor or any smaller then that so, this graphics card would do along with this quality power supply which i personally own myself.

This is the case dimensions: 15.5 × 7.25 × 16.5 inches, which makes it mid ATX but the motherboard is smaller. If the computer offloads tasks to the graphics card, a very low level graphics card, like the 6450 will not cut it with CS4 and AutoCAD. With a Core 2 Duo at 2 GHz., most higher-end graphics cards would probably be bottlenecked. That power supply is also decent if you are going low-end in graphics card depatment, but anything more will require a better unit. I also doubt that your PC is really worth $100 right now given its age.

Or you can upgrade to a Wolfdale Core 2 Duo with a 6670 or a 6770 which works fine for my rig.