I am running an old like 6 year old computer with an AMD 1.4 CPU and it had 256 RAM...
I am getting or building a new computer soon but I figured until then i'll add more RAM (a few months ago). So I purchased a matching 256Mb stick that was the right type and everything...
My friends say "Oh you'll notice a big if not huge difference once you add it in", but I have not noticed anything better. If anything my computer has just gotten slightly slower since then...
I ran a bunch of diagnostics and they all recognize the new memory stick and say its functioning fine, what could be wrong?
Well before to buy memory you must be sure it is the meory that is the problem (called bottleneck)
It can be that you have to little hard disk space.. CPU too slow etc...
If you run Windows and your computer goes slow.. hit: CTRL + SHIFT + ESC and see in task manager if it is memory that is used 100% or CPU 100% etc... defrag your disk also.. that often helps or reinstall windows... makes it faster.. _Ussually AntiVirus program can slow down your computer.
If you run Linus you can see with command: ps -aux
to see what process takes your resourses.
my computer opening slow could jus be corrupt dlls or a registry/windwos issue, unless your pc is so starved of ram it is booting off swap file, adding ram won't increase its speed.
installing additional ram will make a HUMUNGOUS difference in the following instances
1)you running say xp with 256megs of ram
2)you play a lot of games
3)you do cad/cam/cae
4)you play around with video editing/rendering
5)APPLICABLE to most people - you multitask, ie, at any given time, you would hav several apps open such as itunes, ie6, word, messaging client, system tray apps, av/firewall; in this instancem adding ram would nearly always make a difference
obviously as LethcanAernis said, if u have enough ram, the bottleneck would be a different issue. as a general guide, this is how much ram u would need to run window comfortably with several apps open -
win95/98 - 256-384 is fine
nt/me/2000 - 384+, maybe 512+ if ur a power user
xp 512+, 1 gig if u can afford it
if ram isnt an issue, things u could check for are:
viruses/adware/spyware slowing down pc
uninstall unneeded apps
close some system tray apps
disable unuse services
try reinstallign windows (after 2 yrs of use, u won't beleive how much trash build up)
hope it helps
If it is easy for you - reformat, plain and simple. That usually fixes every problem. Try updating windows, if you're running it. I would also try running a registry cleaner or temporary files cleaner (Window washer, tuneup utilities). Hope this helps, good luck 
The speed of a computer depends upon the clock speed that is the processor speed. The RAM is only for primary storage (HDD is the secondary). Having a lot of RAM will reduce paging of files in HDD and thereby increasing the total perfomance. Also it may be so the program U r using is not efficiently build n so U see some lag. So inorder to make a good system U need both RAM and a good processor.
| Jaan wrote: |
| If it is easy for you - reformat, plain and simple. That usually fixes every problem. Try updating windows, if you're running it. I would also try running a registry cleaner or temporary files cleaner (Window washer, tuneup utilities). Hope this helps, good luck |
I personally recommend that people stay away from utils like these (reg cleaners especially) I have to work on at least one pc a week where reg cleaners screwed up the OSback up all the files and reinstall ure OS.. thats what i say.. and thats what i do so often i just zip all my files load up my 512mb mem stick and reinstall the OS and it runs faster and its all good.. just have 2 reinstall winzip after the reinstall..
No, no, no. You can't just add a stick of RAM and expect it to work all on it's own. You need to go into the BIOS and adjust the amount of RAM usable there. By changing the numbers. Increasing it, of course. That should do the trick, no re-installing of the OS is required.
| dan751 wrote: |
| No, no, no. You can't just add a stick of RAM and expect it to work all on it's own. You need to go into the BIOS and adjust the amount of RAM usable there. By changing the numbers. Increasing it, of course. That should do the trick, no re-installing of the OS is required. |
Hehehe how old computers are you working with? all with BIOS from 1997 or later self detect RAM in BIOS... and he could see the memory in his OS so he doesn't need to adjust anything in BIOS.
Then if you run Windows 98 it cannot use more memory then 128MB anyway.. but if you run a real OS like Windows XP or a Linux distrb you probably will have a good effect of adding memory.. of course the rest CPU, buses needs to match the memory.. always check where the bottle neck is and upgrade that.
Witht he information we have now we don't even know if it is a hardware problem or just a bad isntallation of the OS.Get a better CPU... 
With 1.6Ghz CPU and 512MB Dual-Channel you have a rather tight bottleneck. | LethcanAernis wrote: |
| dan751 wrote: | | No, no, no. You can't just add a stick of RAM and expect it to work all on it's own. You need to go into the BIOS and adjust the amount of RAM usable there. By changing the numbers. Increasing it, of course. That should do the trick, no re-installing of the OS is required. |
Hehehe how old computers are you working with? all with BIOS from 1997 or later self detect RAM in BIOS... and he could see the memory in his OS so he doesn't need to adjust anything in BIOS.
Then if you run Windows 98 it cannot use more memory then 128MB anyway.. but if you run a real OS like Windows XP or a Linux distrb you probably will have a good effect of adding memory.. of course the rest CPU, buses needs to match the memory.. always check where the bottle neck is and upgrade that.
Witht he information we have now we don't even know if it is a hardware problem or just a bad isntallation of the OS. |
Unless you have a graphics adapter (video card) that shares RAM from the main system RAM, you can edit the option of reducing or increasing the actual RAM your system uses and how much is alloted to the Video Card.
I beg to disagree with Widows98 not being able to utilize more than 128MB of RAM. I have had experience with my first PC that runs on Win98, It runs on Pentium III 350MHz, The more RAM I put in the better my old PC can handle multi-tasking.
I do AGREE that you should not use Win98 anymore.
To the original poster, you really have to give more information so that we may help you better.
Aside from a screwed-up OS, I can think of one other bottle-neck. What is the capacity of your Hard Drive? How fast is it's spindle speed? 5400RPM? 7200RPM?
Does your hard drive have bad sectors?
Because based on my experience, for everyday computing. Your processor speed and RAM should be sufficient without sufferring musc slow-downs. Meaning, unless your run processor-intensive applications like MAYA, PhotoshopCS2 and the likes, you should be cruising fine.
Hope this helpsI have to agree with what some of the others have said. Just get a better CPU, or clean install windows and wipe your hardrive, but be sure to save what you need to an external disk! I personally go to http://www.newegg.com/ and order all of my parts seperatley from there to get what I need. Everyone isn't the same in this aspect. Others may need blah more than the other needs blah blah. Get what you need, and be done with it.
