Will upgrade 2 Gigs of RAM help my Windows XP Pro?

[M. B.]

I am currently running Windows XP Pro SP2 with all of the latest patches &
updates. My hardware is ASUS P4C800 Deluxe MB running P4 3.2Mhz Prescott
and 1 Gig (2x512MB) of Crucial PC3200 DDR 400 (Dual Mode) RAM. My Graphics
card is an nVidia 6800 GT OC with 256 megs of RAM and I am running it in
1600x1200 mode on my LCD monitor. My PC is *not* overclocked in any way.

As I mostly use my computer for Stock Trading or Gaming, I often nowadays
have anywhere from 8 to 12 Windows open at the same time. At least 3 of
them are running Java applications with real-time market data streaming thru
them.

I am wondering if my machine's performance will improve at all if I upgrade
to 2 Gigs of RAM? I would buy 2x1MB of the same Crucial memory type (model
number : CT2KIT12864Z40B) and remove the already installed modules.

Although I am regularly scanning for viruses & spyware, running disk
defragger and everything else I can think of, my system seems to "slow down"
the more Windows I have open. In addition, I am hearing from folks that
newer games like Call of Duty 2, FEAR, Quake 4 are behaving better with 2
Gigs of RAM rather then just one.

Would love to hear fom the experts...

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

There will be some improvement, but nothing close to 100%.. expect anything
between imperceptible to maybe 30% better..

How much is 'up to 30%' worth?..

 

[Guest]

Your board should be able to handle 4GB of ram and should allow you to keep
the 1GB (2x512mb) you already have, read your manual for your boards
specifics..
Download your manual in PDF format...
http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us
Look in the task manager when you have all your windows active and see what
the total commit charge is.. See also, how the total, available physical
memory usage compares under a full load.. More RAM should definitely help if
your memory usage is high.. It's really your call..
j;-j

 

[John Wilson]

Man I want your system! You already have more than enough to handle
adequately and easily any game on the market.

I have a mere 1gig of memory in my comp and my graphics card is not nearly
as good as yours. I upgraded my memory from 500mb because I do alot of music
editing in the old Cool Edit Pro. I noticed the music files loaded and saved
alot faster after I upgraded the memory. The most intensive game I use is
Serious Sam. I noticed no difference in that game in regards to the memory
upgrade.

You know, alot of the things you say you are doing simultaneously are
extremely demanding of your CPU more so than your memory, don't you?

For example, I don't know what virus scanner you use, but my SpyHunter takes
up almost 90% of my CPU when I scan.

Here is how you can tell what tasks are eating up your cpu, which will slow
down your performance more than your memory. Go into Ctrl Alt Delete and
click on the Performance tab. That will show your cpu usage. It will also
show how much available memory you have left. Click on the Processes tab to
see how much memory a particular application is consuming. It is is
beneficial to do this when you are performing various tasks. For example, I
had no idea SpyHunter consumed so much of my resources.

 

[M. B.]

Thanks for everyone's replies. Here is some further info about my Task
Manager stats on no load and full load:

NO LOAD (after starting up the PC)
=========================
Handles: 10595
Threads: 388
Processes: 38

Commit Charge (K)
Total: 325492
Limit: 2520988
Peak: 973068

Physical Memory (K)
Total: 1047268
Available: 702772
System Cache: 461476

Kernel Memory (K)
Total: 110524
Paged: 64744
Nonpaged: 45780

FULL LOAD (with most Windows/Programs running)
=========================
Handles: 16612
Threads: 620
Processes: 44

Commit Charge (K)
Total: 729320
Limit: 2520988
Peak: 763316

Physical Memory (K)
Total: 1047268
Available: 175272
System Cache: 332420

Kernel Memory (K)
Total: 105348
Paged: 62052
Nonpaged: 443296

*********************************************************************

So, looking at these numbers, should I still think about going from 1 Gig to
2 Gigs of RAM?

THANKS AGAIN everyone!

 

[John Wilson]

So, looking at these numbers, should I still think about going from 1 Gig to
2 Gigs of RAM?>>


No. Your physical memory left available is just fine.

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

MB

Have you ever heard of the law relating to diminishing returns?

http://www.cr1.dircon.co.uk/TB/2/dreturns.htm

This relates to computers in that one can reach a point where the addition
of more memory becomes a burden to the system in that it has to be
accounted, but gives little or nothing back to the system in terms of a
perceptible performance gain..

As in agriculture, it is sometimes difficult to work out where the line
should be drawn.. generally, unless you are video/photo editing or designing
the wiring loom or airframe for an Airbus 380, installing anything over 1Gb
can be overkill.. pure gamers tend to 'go for gold' to get any advantage,
however small, over their opponents online or at LAN parties.. of course, in
their case, they may add more than actually required in attempt to bridge a
skill deficiency..

If you have disposable income enough that you are prepared to see where the
line is drawn in your computer, go for 2gb.. your system will thank you for
the increase in resources and in this way, you will not lose.. the
'perceptible' gain over cost of the upgrade may be harder to justify..

 

[John Wilson]

MB

Have you ever heard of the law relating to diminishing returns?

Man, you had to get philosophical on us, didn't you <g>

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

John

You would find me to be less philosophical if I was selling memory to our
esteemed OP.. "how many sticks would you like?.. what!!! only two!!!..
surely not.. the more the merrier, ya know"