i want to upgrade my RAM......?

Question

ok so what do i need to do to upgrade my RAM? can i just take out the old and put in the new or do i have to do sumthin special? also whats the best product for my money? thatnks! also, what else can i do to make my comp run faster?

Answer 1

Good advice above! First you MUST find out the maximum amount of RAM your motherboard will allow.

If you can find who makes your motherboard and the model, you can look that up online. That will also tell you what type of RAM you need and whether it must be bought it matching pairs.

If you're not comfortable with this upgrade, lug your computer to the local hole-in-the-wall computer store (just take the computer - they won't need the monitor, keyboard, etc.) They will look up your motherboard (free of charge) and make sure you get the right RAM. Their price will not be the lowest on the planet, but I've never found a local store that ripped off their customers either.

Your local shop can also check all your other hardware and let you know if an upgrade will help or if the computer is so old it's time to start over with a new one.

Answer 2

Upgrading your ram isn't that easy. You must find out how much ram your system is capable of holding. Then you see how many memory slots you have. If you only have 2 memory slots than obviously you want to get the most you can and have the 2 slots equal the maximum amount of memory you can use. If you have an older computer sometimes that kind of memory is more expensive than the new types of memory. Also buy brands like Kingston and Pny with a lifetime warranty.

Answer 3

well, you see, in older computers and newer ones, there are different kinds of RAM.
first, you have to find out what is the maximum RAM capacity of your motherboard. you should be able to find it in your computers manual or support website.
Then you buy the appropriate RAM. I would advise you to buy it from your computer manufacturer just to be sure. But if you know what kind of RAM you have, go ahead, buy one on eBay. It's fairly cheap.
--And one more thing
RAM isn't everything. If you have lots of RAM but a slow processor, it won't do much.
It's like a big line that carries stuff.
The speed of the line is the processor.
The width of the line is the RAM.
So if you have a wide line, you can put a lot of stuff on it and move it, but if it's slow, it going to take forever for that stuff to get where you want it.
And the same thing with the speed of the line. If it's fast, but narrow, you can only put a little bit of stuff on it at a time, it would suck too.
So both speed and width of the line are important.
If you have a slow processor, I would suggest upgrading your motherboard or the whole computer.

Answer 4

RAM will provide a noticeable speed boost and less 'bogging down' when running multiple applications...

i'd probably buy two 512 mb chips or two 1 gb chips depending on your budget...

to determine how much RAM you can add,download and run Belarc Advisor for a detailed view of all hardware/software on your computer. then visit crucial.com (the second link) and click on 'scan my system'. they will let you know what kind of RAM you need (PC2700/PC3200/etc...).

be aware some RAM chips need to be installed in pairs,some don't,you should be advised at crucial's website....

now go shopping for the RAM you need,buy the RAM,disconnect the power to the case,open the case,locate the RAM slots,flip open the clip on either end of the slot,insert the chip,close the clip,close the case,turn on the computer,done ! ! ! no setup,no software.... done ! ! !