How would I increase the physical memory (RAM)?

B

bkaras

9:51 PM 1/6/2007

How would I increase the physical memory (RAM)?

I have a Dell Inspiron 8600 with SP2.

Thank you,

Barry Karas
 
M

Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows Shell/User

Go to www.crucial.com to determine which type of memory is required, then
purchase it from wherever you can get the best deal..
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Frankster said:
You can buy Dell memory from Dell, here...

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...en&s=dhs&cs=19&category_id=4325&mfgpid=162801

I would not buy anywhere except Dell myself. From my experience, Dell memory
is very "picky", and will likely not work if you buy it somewhere else.
Click to expand...

What nonsense. Dell doesn't manufacture memory chips, so there is no
such thing as "Dell memory." Dell, like all other computer "assemblers"
(no, they don't really "make" computers, either), purchases the memory
modules they need from whomever gives them the best price for the
quantity needed at the time.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
 
B

Bruce Chambers

bkaras said:
9:51 PM 1/6/2007

How would I increase the physical memory (RAM)?
Click to expand...

Purchase more RAM and install it.

Bear in mind that it is absolutely essential that any new RAM
module(s) be fully compatible with both the motherboard and/or any other
RAM module(s) already in the system. Additionally, there are sometimes
jumper switches on older motherboards that need to be reset for new RAM
configurations. Consult your motherboard's manual or the manufacturer's
web site for specific instructions and compatibility requirements.

If you cannot lay your hands upon the computer's manual and the
manufacturer doesn't provide a support web site, you can use these
utilities to help determine the correct type of RAM needed:

SiSoft's Sandra
http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/index.php?dir=&location=sware_dl&lang=en

Belarc Advisor
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Unlimited Possibilities' AIDA32
http://forum.aumha.org/overflow/aida32.zip

Also, Crucial Memory's web site (www.crucial.com) has a database to
help to find the right RAM for your specific make and model computer
and/or motherboard.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
 
M

michail iakovou yos

What nonsense. Dell doesn't manufacture memory chips

you say nonsense...

dell will find his computer on their database of customers, see what type of
memory
he has, and give him a compatible stick
 
K

Keith Manning

bkaras said:
9:51 PM 1/6/2007

How would I increase the physical memory (RAM)?

I have a Dell Inspiron 8600 with SP2.

Thank you,

Barry Karas
Click to expand...

Actually it's very simple but they've complicated it all so much that not
even the experts can agree!

May I suggest that you just take it down to your local PC dealer and ask
them to install 1Gb of RAM - simple!
 
D

DanS

You can buy Dell memory from Dell, here...

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/category.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&
category_id=4325&mfgpid=162801

I would not buy anywhere except Dell myself. From my experience, Dell
memory is very "picky", and will likely not work if you buy it
somewhere else.

-Frank
Click to expand...

Uh....yeah. That's a load.

The "Dell" 1G module for this notebook is $165....plus sales tax (8.75% at
my location....$14.43).....plus shipping (?).

Or, I can buy Kingston brand, from many online retailers for around ~ $110-
$120, no tax, free shipping.

$180 vs. $110-$120....
 
F

Frankster

Okay bkaras, I suggested you go to Dell for this memory due to my experience
with Dells, specifically. Regardless of what others are telling you, it's up
to you if you want to take the chance of memory not working and needing to
get RMA numbers and return the stuff within the return policy period - and
go through that hassle.

Or... just go to Dell and get the right stuff to begin with.

I say this knowing full well that for 99 percent of the computers out there,
you can buy the memory anywhere (as long as you get the right type, or
matched, or whatever the MB requirement is) without incident. I do it all
the time. I have tried that a number of times with Dell, had to get RMA
numbers and return the stuff and eventually just went to the Dell site and
got the right memory. It's up to you though.

I'm not going to bother to answer my critics on a tit-for-tat basis. I'm
sure someone has made various suppliers' memory work on their Dells. It is
possible. But it is also very possible with Dells, in particular, that you
will have trouble. For Dells, I use Dell. For other boxes, I use generic.

Your choice.

-Frank
 
P

Peter Foldes

Dell buy's memory modules are from suppliers. I know because one of my former clients has ordered 1 from them a couple of years ago and when the shipment arrived it was a memory module from Kingston. Would have been much cheaper for him to get it from a retailer that from Dell. I am presuming that Dell procures these modules from different suppliers depending on pricing.
 
K

Ken Blake, MVP

bkaras said:
How would I increase the physical memory (RAM)?

I have a Dell Inspiron 8600 with SP2.
Click to expand...


I'm not sure I understand what you're asking here. RAM is hardware. You buy
the kind that matches what you have and insert it in free slots on the
motherboard (if there are any free slots). If there are no free slots, you
would need to replace some of your RAM with larger modules.

Or do you mean something else by the question?

By the way, what makes you think you need or could benefit from more RAM?
How much RAM do you presently have and what applications do you run?

Despite what many people tell you, more RAM is not always better (although
it never hurts). The issue is with the page file and with what applications
you run. If the apps you run need more RAM than what you have, Windows will
use the page file instead and since that's on a hard drive--an
electromechanical device instead of an electronic one--it slows you down. If
you are in that situation, more RAM will improve performance. However if you
already have enough RAM to keep you from using the page file, more RAM does
almost nothing for you.

How much RAM you need to keep you from using the page file significantly
depends on what apps you run. For most people who run a mix of common
business applications, somewhere between 256-512MB is all that's needed.
Only if you run very memory-hungry applications--doing things like editing
large photographic images or videos--will more than 512MB help you
appreciably.
 
R

Ron Martell

I would not buy anywhere except Dell myself. From my experience, Dell memory
is very "picky", and will likely not work if you buy it somewhere else.
Click to expand...

In my experience Dell is no more "picky" in this regard than some of
the other manufacturers such as HP or Toshiba.

Major memory suppliers, especially Crucial and Kingston, provide a
compatibility guarantee with the their memory modules and I have never
encountered a problem using RAM from either of these companies on
Dell, HP, Toshiba, or other brands of computers.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."
 
F

Frankster

Ron Martell said:
In my experience Dell is no more "picky" in this regard than some of
the other manufacturers such as HP or Toshiba.

Major memory suppliers, especially Crucial and Kingston, provide a
compatibility guarantee with the their memory modules and I have never
encountered a problem using RAM from either of these companies on
Dell, HP, Toshiba, or other brands of computers.
Click to expand...

Yes, Curcial and Kingston provide a compatibility guarantee. Unfortunately,
I've had to use it more than once when working on a Dell. HP, no problem.
Can't speak for Toshiba. Perhaps some of the issue is that I work on servers
a lot.

-Frank
 
P

Paul Johnson

Please avoid quoting in backwards order.
http://wiki.ursine.ca/Best_Online_Quoting_Practices
Okay bkaras, I suggested you go to Dell for this memory due to my
experience with Dells, specifically. Regardless of what others are telling
you, it's up to you if you want to take the chance of memory not working
and needing to get RMA numbers and return the stuff within the return
policy period - and go through that hassle.

Or... just go to Dell and get the right stuff to begin with.
Click to expand...

Given the hassle of finding parts and just dealing with Dell in general,
wouldn't the right answer be "buy from your local OEM where you can meet
the guy who built your machine face to face" and not "just buy Dell
everything?" The latter will cost you more time and money in the short and
long term compared to the local supplier option.
 
P

Paul Johnson

michail said:
you say nonsense...

dell will find his computer on their database of customers, see what type
of memory he has, and give him a compatible stick
Click to expand...

That just shows that Dell sells memory. There's a huge difference with
being a vendor and being a manufacturer.

(unnecessary quotes trimmed about an article later than they should have
been)
 
F

Frankster

Actually, you qouted in backwards order.

Paul Johnson said:
Please avoid quoting in backwards order.
http://wiki.ursine.ca/Best_Online_Quoting_Practices


Given the hassle of finding parts and just dealing with Dell in general,
wouldn't the right answer be "buy from your local OEM where you can meet
the guy who built your machine face to face" and not "just buy Dell
everything?" The latter will cost you more time and money in the short
and
long term compared to the local supplier option.
Click to expand...
 

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