John Cluster said:
Getting ready to install a new 512MB module on my Dell Inspiron notebook
(Windows-XP). There are 2 memory slots in the computer and they both are
currently occupied by 128MB modules. There are 2 installation options: (1)
I can remove both existing 128MB modules and install one 512MB module or (2)
I can leave one of the 128MB modules in place and replace another one with
the 512MB module, which will give me a total of 640MB memory. Which way
should I go? I have read somewhere that the memory modules, if there are
two of them, should be installed "by pairs", say two 260MB modules. Does my
second option (128MB + 512MB) have any advantages or, perhaps, even
disadvantages? Thanks very much for your insight.
It depends.
Are you 100% certain that the new 512 mb module is fully compatible
with the old 128 mb module? If not then there is a definite risk of
problems and errors because of this.
I would start with just the new 512 mb in place and make sure the
machine runs okay. That is the lowest risk approach.
If you subsequently decide that you want to try the additional 128 mb
then go ahead and install it but be prepared for problems of any kind
(data errors, BSOD's, etc etc) that may be caused by memory module
differences.
As for possible performance benefits from having 640 mb instead of 512
mb, that is possible but only if there is some signficant amount of
actual pagefile usage with the 512 mb installed. Here is my standard
commentary on memory upgrades in Windows XP:
Adding more memory can noticeably improve performance only if the
added memory results in reduced usage of the virtual memory paging
file. Therefore if the paging file is not currently being used to any
significant extent then adding more memory will not provide a
significant improvement.
Unfortunately there is no ready way of determing actual paging file
usage provided with Windows XP - it does not have an equivalent to the
'Memory Manager - Swap File In Use" reporting provided by the System
Monitor utility in Windows 95/98/Me.
There is a free utility that you can download and run which will
provide this information for you. It was written by MVP Bill James and
you can get if from
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_pagefilemon.htm or from
http://billsway.com/notes_public/WinXP_Tweaks/
If that utility shows actual page file usage of 50 mb or more on a
regular basis then that is indicative of fairly significant paging
file activity. Adding more RAM will reduce or even eliminate entirely
this activity thereby improving performance.
This apples regardless of how much or how little RAM is currently
installed in the computer, at least up to the 4 gb RAM maximum for
Windows XP.
Good luck
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."
