I need help to find the perfect amount of ram I need for my computer. ?

Question

If I want to buy more memory for my computer, how could I know what to ask for or what to look for? Does adding memory speed things up? I am new at computers, can anyone give me advice?

Answer 1

Ok, I goggled and I found there are different gateway models with that hardware configuration. Let's do this: download sandra:http://www.sisoftware.net/index.html?dir=dload&location=sware_dl_3264&langx=en&a=

install it

open the program

choose tab "hardware"

double click on "motherboard"

wait until it shows you the data

in "system memory controller"(down) you could see:

"number of memory slots" In my case I have 2 memory slots

"maximum installable memory" in my case I can install 8 Gb ram (2 modules of 4 Gb)

"bank 0 ..." (first memory bank occupied")

"bank 1 ..." (second mem bank occup")

etc.

in for example bank 0 ... I have ######...ddr2 1gb @ 400Mhz

400Mhz is the speed but you should read it ddr2 800Mhz

200Mhz is DDR2 400 Mhz

266Mhz is DDR2 533 Mhz

333Mhz is DDR2 666 Mhz

400Mhz is DDR2 800 Mhz



In "logical/chipset memory banks"

"memory bus speed" is the speed of the memory you already have

"maximum memory speed" is the faster speed of memory your computer accepts



For example, I had 2 modules of 1gb ddr2 666Mhz totalizing 2gb 666Mhz but my "maximum memory speed" was (800Mhz)

so when I updated I bought 2 modules of 2gb ddr2 800Mhz and I putted them where the old ram was.

now I have 4gb ram ddr 800Mhz.

You could buy the brands corsair or kingston these are the most known and compatible.

The cheapeast are:

kingston valueram

corsair value



In conclusion what you have to do is buy 2 modules of the fastest memory your computer accepts and substitute your old memory modules with the new ones.



In this photo http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=K9N6SGM-V the green/orange slots are where you put the ram

here is another photo http://www.hobic.ro/imagini/produse/M2N-SLI-Deluxe.jpg black/yellow are the ram slots



ram modules enter only one way, the hole under de ram module (http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1772/ddr2800eccprib3.jpg )must go where the division on the slot(http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/9463/ddr2slotzf5.jpg )



P.D. Perfect amount of ram? well that depends on the use you will give to the computer.

IN WINDOWS XP:

CASE1_Use word, browse internet, etc. = 512mb should be enough

CASE2_antivirus, antispyware, firewall, browse internet, p2p, music = 1GB_2GB

CASE3_3D games 2GB_3GB

CASE4_future 3d games 3gb _ 4gb



IN WINDOWS VISTA 1gb more than windows XP.

Answer 2

Yes, adding memory can help speed up your computer. A couple of things to help you out.



The memory comes in different sizes. 128mb, 256mb, 512mb, 1gb( 512mb x 2 ), 2gb....



You should know how much memory you have at the moment. Right click on the My Computer icon and select Properties (at the bottom) in Microsoft computers. Look at the RAM listing, that is Random Access Memory or memory.



Then you need to know the maximum amount of memory your computer can accept. Usually its 2 or 4GB. If you go to www.crucial.com there is a tool that can scan your computer



From there you decide how much memory you want to add. Now this can speed up your computer.



I don't know your situation but it does not speed up the internet (important), say if you are on a dial-up internet connection adding more memory to your computer won't speed things up much, if any. You need to change your internet service provider.



If your gaming a lot or do a lot of graphics intensive work you may need to upgrade things like your video card.



If you have a lot of spyware/malware/viruses/trojans etc. Your computer will still seem sluggish. You will have to handle those somehow.



There are more tweaks and things you can do. But it sounds like those three or four things should get you going for starters.



It may sound like a lot or overwhelming if your new, but it really isn't. If you need more specifics just add more info and we'll try to help you out. Serenity has a good point as well.



Take care.

Answer 3

I don't want to scare you off from adding additional RAM to your system but there are a couple of issues you need to be aware of before you do so. Most everyone here will tell you all you need to do is go to a certain website, perform a scan there, and then buy what is recommended. Please don't do that.



As you are so inexperienced I strongly encourage you to contact your system manufacturer and buy your additional RAM from them. They will know exactly what is in your system now, and be able to sell you RAM which is not only the correct "type", but is compatible, and can be installed in the best configuration. In addition, it will be under warranty, which will stand you in good stead if anything goes wrong.



There are a couple additional issues to installing additional RAM than getting the correct Type. There are only so many RAM manufacturers which are compatible with each different motherboard, and of those RAM modules only one or two from each manufacturer will be installable in the best configuration. What you want is all of your RAM modules to be installed in Dual-channel memory configuration. That is the fastest configuration, and if any of your modules are installed in Single-channel memory configuration ALL of your modules are reduced to that Single-channel mode, which is NOT the result you wish.



Additionally, if you accidentally get and install RAM modules which are not fully compatible your system can go into a reboot loop. This major error can occur anytime between the first day you install the modules to up to two years. After the first week and the reboot loop occurs, you would not think the modules were at fault because we are taught that the last change to a system is most likely the cause of the error.



Because of these reasons I simply cannot encourage you enough to buy from your system manufacturer. The modules they sell are only slightly more expensive than any you would get elsewhere, because these system manufacturers are in direct competition with the other stores. So, you would really not be paying much more, and the little extra you do pay is well worth the peace of mind you will have.



The actual installation is very simple. My daughter, who is not a bit technically experienced, installed her own modules (she listened to me about buying from her system manufacturer, thank goodness!) and didn't have a single issue. All you do is open the case, locate the empty slots, pull back the little latches on each end, firmly seat the stick into its slot, then push the latches closed, make sure each module is firmly seated and the latches properly closed.



Yes, additional RAM will add speed to your system. Even if you have a 32 bit system, still install all 4 gigabytes of RAM. If you have two, buy a pair of Dual-channel sticks and install them. A small amount of your physical RAM will not be usable by the system because the upper forth gigabyte of addressing space is reserved for system components, but by installing all 4 gigabytes you gain the Dual-channel memory configuration which is better by far than Single-channel. If you installed only one 1 gigabyte stick you for sure would be reduced to Single-channel memory configuration.



This is the advise I gave my own daughter, so please know it is the best I could possibly provide you. Please, again, I cannot suggest strongly enough that you buy from your system manufacturer.



Good luck and please have a nice day.

Answer 4

You need to tell us a few things before anyone can help you.



Computer Manufacturer, Model and Make

Processor type: Intel or AMD

Processor speed and type

Motherboard manufacturer, model and make

Current type of RAM and how much

How old is the computer, do you think?



If it is a name brand computer like Dell, HP, Compaq, Gateway, Acer, you can GOOGLE the make and model and usually find the specifications for the computer on the net. Download the manual for the computer, if available, and read up on what it has.



There is also a software called Lavalys Everest which will analyze your computer and tell you everything yhou want to know about it hardware wise:



Download and install it here and then start writing down what you find out and come back here with a modified question or a new question with the hardware information you found out:



http://majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Answer 5

Adding memory is one of the cheapest fastest ways to speed up your computer. It is also quite inexpensive if you are not going for the top of the line.

Its more than likely if you bought your computer (assuming its a PC) in the last 5 or so years it would have DDR2 Memory. If you are unsure you can always look it up on your manufactures website. A decent amount of ram to consider is anywhere from 2 to 4 gigs.

Corsair is some of the best memory you can buy, and it may be slightly more expensive but it is worth it. In my own computer i have 4 gigs of corsair ram and got it for about $80 from Frys electronics.If you are not using your computer for any high demand tasks like gaming, you can deffinatly get away with just 2.

Its also quite easy to install yourself, and usually the ram you buy gives you detailed instructions.



Good luck!

Answer 6

The amount of RAM you can add depends on your computer. Newer ones allow up to 4 GIG, older ones may only allow 1 GIG.



The site below will tell you how much you have and what your max is.



Yes, memory is the number 1 factor in determining speed.



Print off the scan results and take them to a store that sells memory. They'll even install it for you at most places.

Answer 7

Ask for Desktop memory or laptop memory accordingly. the typical amount of memory nowadays is not 2gigs instead of 512mb since a lot of people have vista now. Two stick worth of a gig each should do it.



Memory is like a bedroom. the higher the memory the more room you got. It doesn't make the computer faster. Thre reason is the processor is separate from the memory,

Answer 8

Adding extra memory does speed things up, to a point. Windows 32 bit systems require 2gig to run smoothly. 64bit systems require a minium of 3gig upwards. You should have a systems or motherboard manual that came along with your computer. Take your manual along to the nearest computer shop in you area, or google: "computers your town". Good luck

Answer 9

IDK the place you reside, yet once you have a "Milwaukee computing gadget" save around you, you could verify them out. it is the place i purchase the first public of my computing gadget components (besides eBay). a private advice to you: you will in all probability discover that 7 is greater advantageous than Vista. much less viruses, much less pop-ups, greater advantageous memory utilization, ect. nevertheless I nevertheless think of XP kicks the two their asses, i don't have faith you will detect sixty 4 bit XP, yet i'd desire to be incorrect.

Answer 10

I suggest you go online with this computer to Crucial.com, and use their Crucial System Scanner Tool. (On homepage just click on the 'Scan My System' button) This tool doesn't download anything to your computer, there's no viruses, spyware, etc., and it's FREE! It only looks at your computer hardware, and not your personal stuff, plus you aren't obligated to buy from them. It's just a 'Soft Sales' technique, in the hopes you will buy ram memory from them.



It will tell you:

1.How much is the MAXIMUM Total amount for the computer. (No, I'm not shouting! lol!)

2.How much is the MAXIMUM amount for each ram slot. (Correct 'Computer Speak' for Slot, is Bank.)

3.What type of ram it is. (Examples: DDR Sdram, DDR2 Sdram)

4.What frequency speed the ram operates at. (Examples: 333MHz, 400MHz, 533MHz, 667MHz, 800MHz. MHz stands for MegaHertz. Approximately 1 million cycles per second, is 1MHz.)

Manufacturers, a long time ago, came out with a more simplified way of naming ram memory. Examples: PC2700, is DDR Sdram that operates at 333MHz. Another example. PC6400 is DDR2 Sdram that operates at 800MHz.



How does ram memory increase speed up a computer? Crude example. You are doing a thesis for college. You have so much information stored in your brain, itself. (The processor is the 'Brain' of the computer.) When you need more information, you have it stored in the form of books. (Ram memory) Takes time to crack open a book, look to the page/s you need for your required info. What if all you had to do was click a couple of keys on your keyboard, for your computer?

Get your info off of the 'net at lightning speed? This would be a ram memory increase. (However! Ram memory is a volatile memory area.

When you turn your computer off, all the stored information on ram is gone! So ram can't really be compared to a book.)



Edit: While I appreciate the above info from the answerer above, I feel it is erroneous. Crucial.com will give you the exact ram memory that you need, as will Tigerdirect.com, and Newegg.com. The computer manufacturers buy their ram from the same source, as the above listed computer parts dealers I have listed. My source? I build custom gamer computers, repair computers, and have answered questions here for over two years. With an Internet Provider change, I have had to start all over. (I had 25,588 points, and was Level 7, lol! I re-opened the old account, and reached Level 7.)

The only time one needs to worry whether, or not ram is going to work is when SDR Sdram is concerned. Double-Data Rate Sdram, is pretty forgiving. Double-Data Rate 2 Sdram, is pretty forgiving. As long as it's the correct type,(DDR Sdram, or DDR2 Sdram), and is the correct speed,(333MHz, 400MHz, 800MHz, etc.), it will work. High-performance gamer ram memory is a different story, but we're not 'talking' about high-performance gamer ram. There's no reason to 'bump' up the voltage on the motherboard, or increase the ram timings.



Single Data Rate Sdram doesn't 'play' this way. Why? Because ram manufacturers, back when this ram was brought out, didn't all follow the 'same page'! There was no set standard for voltage, ram timings, chip configuration, and no SPD,(Serial Presence Detect). JEDEC organization came out, and set standards. DDR Sdram uses 2.5 volts. DDR2 Sdram uses 1.8 volts, and so on.

(SDR Sdram is commonly know simply as SDRAM. This is a misnomer as all ram memory from SDR to DDR3 IS Sdram!

Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory.

DDR is Double Data Rate Sdram. DDR2 is Double Data Rate 2 Sdram. DDR3 is Double Data Rate 3 Sdram.

1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SDRAM

2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAM

3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR_SDRAM

4.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR2_SDRAM

5.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_Presence_Detect

6.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAS_latency

7.http://computer.howstuffworks.com/computer-ram-memory-channel.htm

8.http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/page/memory



Edit 2: DDR2 Sdram? Gateway computer? Okay! Now we're getting somewhere! What is the model number? I can look the computer up, and see what frequency speed the ram memory operates at.

Secondly, I forgot to add about Dual Channel memory. To have your ram memory in a dual channel configuration, these following things need to be observed.

1.The ram 'sticks' must be ALIKE. For example. If you want 1GB of ram in a dual channel configuration, you must have two 512MB sticks that are ALIKE. Same speed, same chip configuration, same voltage, same SPD. That's why when buying ram for this application, it is best to buy them from the same manufacturer. This is why when you look for dual channel ram memory, you'll see two sticks listed.

2.Your motherboard must be capable of supporting a dual channel ram configuration. The ram slots you see on your motherboard? A general rule of thumb, is that if two slots out of four are the same color, this mobo supports dual channel ram. This is just a rule of thumb, and is not very technical at all. To truly find out, one consults the Motherboard Manual, for the motherboard in the computer. (Or a quick search for reviews on the motherboard will result in some concrete evidence!)

3.When ram is installed in Dual Channel configuration, the ram sticks 'piggyback' off of each other.

4.Now having said all the above, it's time for a reality check.

Tomshardware.com, has done extensive testing, and has found that installing ram in a dual channel configuration, merely 'bumps' up performance of the ram by 1 to 2%!

Whoopee! 1 to 2%!