Hi Emily--
You're of course talking about RAM memory sticks, not real estate on your
HD.
If I were you I'd do this. Run it with 512 MB and see how it suits you.
One tip up front. Go to
www.raxco.com and download the free trial full
functionality defragger. Defragging organizes files on your HD so that they
are easily retried/written to--and doing it often (at least once a week or
more) will do a lot to help your speed. Vista has a defragger simply
accessed by typing defrag in the search box above the Start button. You can
compare what it does to one of the better ones--Perfect Disk by Raxco with
the 30 day free trial. It's here:
http://www.raxco.com/products/downloadit/
But run it "smart"--the majority of users don't because they don't know how.
I'm going to show you. It's a little like the general population and
flossing their teeth--perhaps not the best metaphor. If after you do a few
of these "speed steps" 512 MB is not fast enough, then upgrade RAM but
remember you are not obligated to buy the RAM from Dell. You can walk into
any place like Fry's or you can go to a website like Tiger Direct, New Egg,
or Crucial and comparison shop for your RAM. The stores and the sites have
charts and pulldowns to make sure the RAM is compatible with your model of
Dell--my point being Dell may not be the best deal--and if it's a new model
RAM is much cheaper so go for higher end RAM with a "lifetime guarantee."
As everyone has indicated, the "sweet-spot" of RAM for Vista is 1-2 GB. If
you decide you need more speed after defragging regularly and trimming down
the processes and services you don't need running that Vista default starts
up with, and you can afford it after shopping you can make that box move
plenty fast with 1GB RAM. This is all dependent on how it performs at 512MB
and Emily's budget. The campus book store probably has significant
discounts as well, including possibly RAM.
Doing some of these --the most important are the first seven or so--will
help you get the maximum speed out of the 512 MB on that Dell--see how you
like it--then if necessary add more:
Speed PC and Control CPU Tips/Steps
SPEED AND CPU:
_______________
1) Trim processes you don't need in TM. Google them or "search engine of
your choice them" if you have to.
2) Go to
services.msc in run box and turn off services not needed and there are some.
SERVICE CONFIGURATION REFERENCES*
*Vista Services*
Part One
http://www.tweakvista.com/article38662.aspx
Part Two
http://www.tweakvista.com/article38664.aspx
Windows Vista Services Tweak Guide v1.0
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=87443
3) Run System File Checker.
SFC:
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html
In Vista run it from an elevated command prompt. Right click command on
start and run as administrator.
4) Run 3 or so spyware scans Windows Defender, , Adaware, and Spybot
5) Probably the most important for speed consistently and efficient resource
use DEFRAG with
www.raxco.com or
www.diskeeeper.com with 15% free space on
drive if DK and or >5% if Raxco's Perfect Disk.
http://groups.msn.com/windowsxpcentral/spyware.msnw
Download Adaware and
Spybot from here.
GOOD Overall Review for Defending Your PC:
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/
MSFT Defense Site MSFT Security:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/default.mspx
Protect Your PC from MSFT Security:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx
MSFT Windows Defender
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
MSFT MSRT: (Malicious Software Removal Tool)
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
MSFT "Windows One Care" in Wings (AV and Spyware Scans)
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/may05/05-13WindowsOneCarePR.mspx
6) Unck items from msconfig start tab you don't need starting and some
won't start--peoiple who think just uncking for many are naive because there
are 12 places things can be started including several reg keys like Run Once
keys and there are serveral.
7) Turn off Messaging service--it's a security vulnerability and it slows
you
8) Defrag very often every other day actually.
9) Turn off indexing.
10) Clear TIF and %temp% files (delete) and go to safe mode to get as many
as u can.
10) Do troubleshooting with msconfig.
11) Do Clean boot with msconfig utility and search for the directions here:
Vista RTM Tweak Guide (Tweaks to Improve Performances)
http://www.google.com/search?source...,GGLJ:2006-47,GGLJ:en&q=vista+rtm+tweak+guide
1) Task Manager lists the services on the services tab in Vista.
2) Type services.msc in run box and using the list of services, click the
service and you'll get a description of services.
3) There is a list here of the default services and a description>>click
"default settings for services" in the left pane.
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...afb8-43ce-b39d-50e6d5b89bf81033.mspx?mfr=true
4) To view service dependencies
1.
Open Services.
2.
In the details pane, right-click the service that you want to view
dependencies for, and then click Properties.
3.
Click the Dependencies tab.
4.
To view services that are associated dependencies of the selected service,
in the list on the Dependencies tab, click the plus sign next to the
service.
Many of the services but not all in Vista are the same as in XP, so in that
context:
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/services.htm
Also see the extremely helpful site:
Black Viper's Service List
http://www.dead-eye.net/WinXP Services.htm
Black Viper's Site (Many of the same services in Vista)
http://www.dead-eye.net/WinXP Services.htm
http://www.z123.org/techsupport/xpservices.htm
http://www.geocities.com/ziyadhosein/xpserv1.htm
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php
This will be helpful
http://web.archive.org/web/20041128084144/www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
______________________________________________________________________________________________
How to troubleshoot by using the System Configuration utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560/
Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308041/
How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434
How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353/
How to Disable a Service or Device that Prevents Windows from Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310602/
Also ck out these references:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,5155,00.asp
http://www.speedupyourcomputer.windowsreinstall.com/index.htm
and
http://www.extremetech.com/search_r...=how+to+speed+windows+xp&filterapp=&site=4P.S.
Defragging with a decent defrag every day will make a huge dent inefficient
resource/CPU use.
Perfect Disk has a 5 month full functionality trial on now for Windows
Vista. It can be found at
www.raxco.com
Good luck,
CH
