RAM help

  • Thread starter Thread starter JamieA.
  • Start date Start date
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JamieA.

How do I tell what type of ram is inside my pc? I was thinking of
upgradeing 512 to 1024
 
JamieA. said:
How do I tell what type of ram is inside my pc? I was thinking of
upgradeing 512 to 1024
Click to expand...


You've already gotten an answer on the "how do I" part of your question. I
wanted to address the "I was thinking of" part. For many, even most,
people, adding RAM over 512MB is a waste of money.

You get good performance if the amount of RAM you have keeps you from using
the page file, and that depends on what apps you run. Most people running a
typical range of business applications find that somewhere around 256-384MB
works well, others need 512MB. ALmost anyone will see poor performance with
less than 256MB. Some people, particularly those doing things like editing
large photographic images, can see a performance boost by adding even more
than 512MB--sometimes much more.

If you are currently using the page file significantly, more memory will
decrease or eliminate that usage, and improve your performance. If you are
not using the page file significantly, more memory will do nothing for you.
Go to http://billsway.com/notes_public/winxp_tweaks/ and download
WinXP-2K_Pagefile.zip and monitor your pagefile usage. That should give you
a good idea of whether more memory can help, and if so, how much more.
 
JamieA. said:
How do I tell what type of ram is inside my pc? I was thinking of
upgradeing 512 to 1024
Click to expand...


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

Lavalys' Everest Home
http://www.lavalys.com/products/overview.php?pid=1&lang=en

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

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