RAM upgrade

[tuuf]

Maybe it's just bad luck but the 2 times I've tried to upgrade my computer's
ram it has not been successful. When you receive a factory computer is the
ram matched better? On my older HP pc I upgraded from 512 to 1GB and it
seemed to run slower. On my current HP m9040n it has 3GB and I tried to
upgrade to 4GB and it seems a little slower also. The bios says I have 4GB
but "system" under control manger says I have 3.25GB. Should all the memory
be the same brand?

mike

 

[Big_Al]

Maybe it's just bad luck but the 2 times I've tried to upgrade my computer's
ram it has not been successful. When you receive a factory computer is the
ram matched better? On my older HP pc I upgraded from 512 to 1GB and it
seemed to run slower. On my current HP m9040n it has 3GB and I tried to
upgrade to 4GB and it seems a little slower also. The bios says I have 4GB
but "system" under control manger says I have 3.25GB. Should all the memory
be the same brand?

mike

The 4 gig issue has been explained over and over on these newsgroups.
You can try searching using google.groups but the jist of it is, XP 32
bit can only access 4 gigs of memory, and the video needs to use some of
that space for its own ram and thus it takes up some of your available
ram. Thus you get 3.2 to 3.5 gig. That's life.

As for speed, some computers use dual channel memory and require 2 each
chips, like 2 1gig chips. And they have to support dual channel.
Normally I would not think you would see a slower PC. But then I'm not
sure I understand it at all.

If you want, download from CPUID the CPU-Z program. Its great at
detailing your memory hardware. Also the Crucial.com site has a
program you can run online or download, that will suggest what memory to
buy.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Maybe it's just bad luck but the 2 times I've tried to upgrade my computer's
ram it has not been successful. When you receive a factory computer is the
ram matched better? On my older HP pc I upgraded from 512 to 1GB and it
seemed to run slower. On my current HP m9040n it has 3GB and I tried to
upgrade to 4GB and it seems a little slower also. The bios says I have 4GB
but "system" under control manger says I have 3.25GB. Should all the memory
be the same brand?

mike

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. (Incidentally, Crucial is the only company from
which I ever buy RAM. I've never been disappointed.)


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[db.·.. >]

there is a correlation
to the ram and the
virtual memory.

one extreme example
is that regardless of
how much ram was
installed, if the v.m.
was set to 10 megs,
your system would
run as fast as 200
year old turtle on
caffeine.

 

[Twayne]

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. (Incidentally, Crucial is the only
company from which I ever buy RAM. I've never been disappointed.)

Isn't Crucial also the one that will look into your machine and read the
RAM specs/slots used, and report them to you?

Twayne

 

[PD43]

Isn't Crucial also the one that will look into your machine and read the
RAM specs/slots used, and report them to you?

Yup... but from what I've seen, it only works with branded machines.
Home-built machines, ya gotta know what's installed.

 

[Twayne]

Yup... but from what I've seen, it only works with branded machines.
Home-built machines, ya gotta know what's installed.

Umm, actually diy machines are exactly what I had in mind; they go in
and read the number of slots plus the memory already installed and
report back the results, and then can source the same RAM specs.
Why would it fail with a branded machine? I could see if it was just
a lookup table, but it's not; it quite accurately told me exactly what I
had installed and where and what slots were still available. That seems
to me like a great service. No?

 

[PD43]

Umm, actually diy machines are exactly what I had in mind; they go in
and read the number of slots plus the memory already installed and
report back the results, and then can source the same RAM specs.

Umm, not on mine.

Why would it fail with a branded machine?

I never said it would.

I could see if it was just
a lookup table, but it's not; it quite accurately told me exactly what I
had installed and where and what slots were still available. That seems
to me like a great service. No?

Is your machine branded or diy?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Isn't Crucial also the one that will look into your machine and read the
RAM specs/slots used, and report them to you?

Twayne

They do offer that service, although it only seems to work with WinXP
and Internet Explorer. If you have Vista or use a different browser,
they offer a downloadable utility to perform the scan.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[PD43]

They do offer that service, although it only seems to work with WinXP
and Internet Explorer. If you have Vista or use a different browser,
they offer a downloadable utility to perform the scan.

And it didn't work on my home-built Vista machine.