How to add more RAM?

Question

I know that you can add RAM to your PC but need to know how ... someone told me that you could just add more RAM cards and that would work. Like I have 128mb of RAM and I could add more 128mb RAM cards to equal up to however much I wanted. I don't know if that is true or not ... so can you do that? Also, how do you actually add it to the PC?

Also, how do you replace you processor?

Answer 1

Your motherboard has a number of RAM card slots...the number depends on the motherboard....but usually 2 - 4 slots. You can add as much RAM as the slots will allow. You should check the website of your motherboards manufacturer to see specifically which RAM is needed for your board. I bought some really fast overclocked RAM cards and they caused system instability with my motherboard....because they were not approved for my board. Anyway, there are a few things to know. It is best practice to add the same brand and type of RAM....don't mix and match 2 different RAM sticks together. You can have odd amounts though....like 3 x 256 mb cards making 768 mb...but if your board supports dual channel RAM then you will want to match memory in slot 1 and slot 3...not slot 1 and slot 2 for example....there is specific order to achieve the benefit of dual channel. I know that is a lot to consider, but in general memory can cause instability if you don't obey some basic recommendations. As far as processor goes....you really need to know what chipset your board is using to know what processor is supported....

Download and run this application to get the information: http://www.snapfiles.com/get/aida32.html
This will show you all the details of your computer with links to your manufacturer's website.

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Answer 2

We need more information on your computer. If you're running windows 98 - you won't really benefit from additional ram (64 is nice to have with 98) 98 will not manage memory like XP so more can actually screw up your computer. I wouldn't go higher than 96 mgs of ram with 98 - not necessary.

If you have XP, you need to get your motherboard sheet out (where it tells you exactly what KIND of ram you have and how much ram your computer can take. This is really critical - if you don't have your motherboard sheet, you can typically go to the manufacturer's site and plug in some numbers off the machine - and it will give you the information. Once you know what kind of ram you need, you can find it pretty cheap on e-bay and it's just sticking it in the slot (motherboard will tell you which order to insert and how much each stick should be).

The motherboard and chip are very 'attached' to each other - it's not as easy to just replace a chip. You have to really research things. As cheap as computers are today - with you needing new ram and a chip, sounds like it would be just as cheap to get yourself a new-updated computer. You can get a great computer for around $500......sometimes that's cheaper than all the pieces and parts you need to buy, install, and get aggravated with.

Answer 3

This is easy, open your computer ( turn it off, unplug it, get a screwdriver) first get some canned air and clean all the fuzz bunnies out of there. Second, take out your ram chip, it looks like a computer chip it pops in and out easily, go to best buy or somewhere show them what you have and they will recommend what you should buy. ( also look at how many slots or spaces you ahve for ram) you can add additional or replace what you have with a bigger one.It will make your programs run alot faster, your computer will automatically recognize the new chip(s) once it is installed.

Answer 4

Crucial.com has a great scanner program to tell you the type of ram you need and how many bays are open. But use with caution as it sometimes makes mistakes on how many bays are still open. Just check it visually after the scan, just before you buy new ramm. And stick with major quality brands of ramm. Cannot tell you how many times I've had bad ramm cause me major headaches! Data gets corrupted, and the OS is messed up. Not worth it.