I need to get more RAM, how much will it cost and how much will it help?

Question

So at the mo my eMachines 170 is 5 years old and is very, very slow. It takes 20 minutes to boot up when you first switch it on. I have done alot of defragmenting and disc clean ups, I have unchecked all unnessasary files in "msconfig" and . I have also removed all unessasary large files and stuck them on a 500gb ext hard drive. The PC is still slow so I need it to run faster and such before I can install my new DVD burner, also i was told the reason my windows movie maker files wont save is cause I dont have enough RAM. Will adding more memory greatly improve the speed of my PC? Also what specs do I need to determine what type of RAM I need?

Here are some of my specs:

Currently running Windows XP
eMachines 170
Pentium Celeron

My Computers > Properties:

CPU: 1.70 GHz

1.69 GHz, 128MB of RAM

Answer 1

Check http://www.pc-optimizer-pro.com
With pc optimizer pro you can safely clean, repair and optimize your computer.
It will help improve your system performance.
Good luck!

Answer 2

Okay,.. okay,.. I had to go through something to get the details.

You can install two 1 gb Memory Sticks. That would be plenty.

If you bought from a speciality Store the Estimated price of each would be 60 dollars ( you will likely find cheaper on eBay or may even find discount 2-packs at a Computer store).

You want 1GB, 184-pin DIMM, DDR PC2700 memory module ( DDR 333)

Now for the finer Details that shouldn't matter,.. but some Stores purposely sell you things not set up like these and then you get screwed because they won't accept exchanges ( it's a big scam).

Module Size: 1GB
Package: 184-pin DIMM
Feature: DDR PC2700
Specs: DDR PC2700 • CL=2.5 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR333 • 2.5V • 128Meg x 64

If you want to be absolutely certain the memory is identical, pull it out of your comp and take it with you. There are atleast 3 style of memory you will likely run into at a store... you will want sticks that look identical to yours.

To take it out you may need to flip over something or snap some things on the sides. You are likely not going to need to do that to put memory back in but you may want to note which side was faceing towards you to make sure you don't put the memory in turned around.

Only do this while your Computer is turned off and completely unplugged from the wall / surge protector.

Depending on which Windows you have you will want 1-2 Gigs. I would just go for the 2 gigs. This means one 1 gig stick per slot. Do not get a 2 gig stick.

Added: Don't get a new Computer. You'd just get something with a slightly better processor then HAVE TO PAY for memory that cost twice as much. You seriously need to upgrade your Memory. Windows wants half a gig to a gig depending on which Windows OS you have on your computer. [XP wants half a Gig all to it's self,.. so whatever Memory you get subtract half a gig from it. Since you have a DVD burner you will want atleast 1.5 gigs]

Answer 3

20 mins? WOW you probably need to reinstall windows First. (which E-machine never gives you Install Disc just some recovery disc). But something is going wrong with your computer if it taks 20 mins to load. How long did it use to take? 5?
RAM well help but with this old of computer only a little bit. Yes you would be able to run a couple of programs at the same time, but not many. (saving a Movie isn't based of your RAM). Plus Your RAM is old and probably going to be hard to find and cost you like $80 for maybe 1gb. Thats not worth it with so much else going wrong. I would back everything up on your computer. Reinstall windows and see how well it runs after that. if it is still slow get a new computer. (especially if you plan on starting to burn DVD's movies)

Answer 4

More RAM may increase your speed, but first you have to determine how much RAM your PC will run. It should be listed in the specifications in the User's Guide. (I was not able to upgrade my old Pentium IIIs because the motherboard would only run 750 mb.)

Then, if you can - with your 5-year old machine - 1gb would be nice. I'm running my old Pentium IIIs on less than 512mb RAM and have no problem, but I have the Start Menu set to open with essentials only, have wallpaper and screensavers set to none. I have two or three applications open at any one time, but do not do games or movies. These things are primarily graphics, and graphics consume RAM. It's the price you pay for playing games on a PC.

A new memory chip will not put you in the poor house, but I'm sorry to say you may have to invest in a new PC. I was told it would cost more to update my Pentium than it would to buy a new PC. I regularly watch the ads and picked up a Dell 3000 for $299 and free shipping. Still have only 512mb RAM with no problem.

This will give you some idea of cost.
http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/SearchAll.asp?search=memory&gps=205&category=PC+Memory&sort=rev

Answer 5

Most computer users have been trained that if you want more speed for your computer, then add more memory. Well, this is true, in certain circumstances. But for most of the times, it really is just bad files in your registry files. Corrupted or missing registry files can make your computer too slow.
The registry is a main part of your computer's Operating System. With time, as you use Windows and install and uninstall programs, your registry will get congested and full of errors. So your computer could slow down. So, if you can clean it up this problem can be solved.Sometimes you can speed computer up by 300%. To clean up registry,You can download a software called regsitry cleaner---Clean registry,remnant,corrupt files and temp files,history,cookies,etc.. This site:
http://www.speeduppc.info/index.php?t=makepcf
lists top 5 registry cleaner,you can download and scan for free.
Good luck!

Answer 6

Buy some ram man.it would really help. a least 1gb. go to OTVTECH.com get one from 30-60 bucks. A new CPU would also help. if you want to check what on your pc right click my computer at the bottom of the window it says you CPU speed and your ram.

Answer 7

The key is you are running a 5 year old computer...... What is it running at 750MHz???? It is time to upgrade the motherboard CPU graphic card... The whole lot! You can get cheap components from here:

http://www.gamegiants.net/index.php?cPath=1

Basically your computer is outdated and will not be able to handle current versions of windows. If you want to slap linux on it it might be ok, but say goodbye to any commercial software you might use.....

Answer 8

i do not know much about "what" you need.
but when you find out.
check out newegg.com
they have amazing products and truthful reviews.
any time I buy something for my computer I look there first. even if i find a better price somewhere else, I check there for the reviews