RAM help needed, please

What's the maximum amount of RAM your computer can hold?

 

Don't think you can do much gaming with that onboard video processor. Time to spend $150 on a good AGP video card. But wait, your CPU and bus speed are too slow to handle the latest games. Time to swap the motherboard and CPU. Ah, but we need to upgrade the RAM to PC3200. Ya see the picture?

As is, you're NOT going to multi-tasks when you play game. Gamers reboot and shutdown ALL applications for the best gaming experience. 250MB of UN-USED RAMs should be more than adequate with the onboard video.

It's smart to avoid piggy software, even if you have the latest high-end rig...just common sense. KAV won't pull more than 50MB of RAM, but it will slow down your PC, even with 512MB. I don't over upgrade to anticipate new technologies. Why? Cause things are very dynamic in the PC business.

I'm not going to tell you to go with 512 when 384 will do the job. You can always add another 256 to that 3rd slot, later. Note that you don't have a high end PC. The power supply may not be able to handle a very powerful AGP video card.

Unless you plan on editing video, this PC will never pull more than 384MB. You can get sloppy and auto load everything to exhaust the physical RAMs, but then your system will slow down because your bus speed and CPU speed are FIXED. Save the $ toward the purchase of a better PC in 4/5 years.

I've seen out-of-the-box PCs pulling over 200MB of RAM. This is because the PC vendor auto-load everything at startup. Yeah, these PCs come with 512MB, but they run like a turtle. Adding another 512 module isn't going to improve system performance.

You have the knowledge to custom configure your PC. Always keep it light if you want a stable PC.

 

Hi ICE,

I know you gotten some of this advice before, regarding regaining/freeing some used memory. I'm sure you already know about BlackVipers website ... but incase you do not or Someone else does not.

XP Home & Pro Service Config --> http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
Super Tweaks for XP --> http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/supertweaks.htm (Will both speed up your system and can free up between 12 - 70 MB of Ram)
Main Index Page --> http://www.blackviper.com/index.html

BV provides loads of info here ... take your time and read it carefully before preceding.

Steve

 

sorry, nadirah, i dont know how much RAM it can take, but im sure it can take 512MB.
nod, if i want to play a game like this will the more intense graphics need a better video card? and around 350MB will be fine? thanks

dog, i dont normally use Black Vipers' tips, and use the eldergeeks' instead. just because, his (BV) tweaks are abit more extreme, and in the past i didnt fully understand what i was turnning off until something didnt work. i understand which things do what now, so i'll take alook. thanks

 

You will benefit with a better AGP card. 250MB of free physical memory should do the job. Again, you should try this game with your current setup and monitor the PEAK COMMIT CHARGE. If is is less the 350MB, then you don't need the 512MB module.

 

Iceni: Since I know you aren't exactly a minimalist type of user (judging from your screenshots and all the great links you've provided ) I think 512mb would ultimately keep you happiest in the long run, if you can. It may cost a little more initally, but after that you'd have more freedom to run all the things you want without having to make every MB count.

Regarding 1 512mb vs 2 256mb, it depends on your motherboard. If your motherboard supports dual channel memory, get 2 (matched pair), if not then get 1.

 

thanks, nod. i'll give the game ago in the morning, either way, at this point i'll just get the RAM for now as thats what i really need. i was just thinking about what i should get, i may just get the 256MB because if i want more i can order an identical 256MB. i know you think it's a waste, but i still might get the 512MB as it's so cheap, but then i dont know if i should get two 256 or one 512. anyway, im very thankful for your help, i really didnt know anything about RAM at the start of this thread and you and others have taught me alot, so thanks

 

No problem. I like your plan. Try it out with 256MB. You could always add more later. With Ding Dong GWB at the wheel, I suspect the US currency may go lower in 2005. The US is running a huge deficit, and the idiot wants to privatize Social Security. Right now, SS is a revolving door. The US taxpayers will have to borrow more $ so they can put their SS $ in the stock market. Only in America!

 

You should use the $40 savings to purchase a DVD burner. Great for imaging or backing up your DVD movies library. I just picked up a Plextor 712 12x DVD writer for $49. The drive is very quiet. 1st class burner.

 

512MB are the fastest modules you can buy (latencies 2,2,2,5). The gig ones seem to run slower for some reason. Your computer system sounds similar to mine in which case it would probably take around a gig max. I would recommend the one 512 at this point because 1) the best advice with PC upgrades is to get the best you can afford right now, it'll save you headaches later on and 2)I'm sure you'd appreciate the headroom seeing as how a recent test I saw showed that XP users saw a big increase in performance up to 1 gig and not much afterwards. And the big reason is .... the number of ICs.

Older chipsets will only see a number of memory chips on a particular module per side and a total from all modules. So if you can find a 512 module with only eight chips on one side that is the best module to go with because it gives you the most amount of memory possible on the lowest amount of chips possible.

EDIT: I just remembered why 1 GB modules are slower, because none of them have less than 16 chips. Yeah, 8 will run faster.

 

Sorry if that post seemed kind of confusing. I was kinda all over the place with that one. If you need me to reiterate I will. Please don't ask me where I saw this test cuz I don't remember. Also, a note I wanted to add about chips, if you do go with an eight chip module make sure it is a GOOD piece of RAM otherwise your system will most likely fail. Like I said, you can go with a sixteen chip module and that would increase your chance of having a stable system with a cheaper piece of RAM but then you may have the issue of your mobo chipset not seeing the ICs on the other side which might have worse consequences than you might think.

One last note, DO NOT PUT IN A PIECE OF PC2700!!! Your system seems to already have PC2100 and you DO NOT want to mix them!

 

OK, thanks for the last few replies, Notok, nod and erik. if i dont get my act together, this will turn into the never ending thread . im going to order this sometime in the next 12 hours, so if anyones sees a reason why its not compatible with me, please let me know thanks all

 

i filled in the order form at crucial. opening some javascript windows on the site throughout the order form. then at the end it asked for some credit card secure validation thing, saying you had to click the sumit button for the order to go through. THERE WAS NO SUMIT BUTTON. it was java script, and i filled in the form anyway, but the javasrcipt didnt work.

im going to the shops tomorrow and im going to ask for
512MB
with the following infomation -
• DDR PC2100
• CL=2.5
• UNBUFFERED
• NON-ECC
• DDR266
• 2.5V
• 64Meg x 64

is the above infomation correct?
which make should i get?
thanks

 

this is what i think i need to tell the shop. do i need more info? -
184-pin DIMM
DRAM Slot 512 MB (PC2700 DDR SDRAM)
is this all the infomation i need? thanks

here are 2 screenshots, i need DDR PC2700 not DDR PCPC2100?

 

heres the second.

 

Try IE. Also clean up your cache. You can also phone in the order.

Samsung RAMs are resonably priced. Just make sure the RAM carry a lifetime warranty.

 

thanks nod my cache is already set to 0KB in FF

i'll try and phone the order through, i just found the no.

is this info correct then?
184-pin DIMM
DRAM Slot 512 MB (PC2700 DDR SDRAM)
thanks

EDIT
i mean is that all the info i will need to get the right RAM? the info is correct. i got the 184-pin DIMM from the top of the order page after filling in the infomation about my soltek motherboard.
from the bit that says - These 184-pin DIMM modules are compatible with your system. on this page. thanks

 

The Crucial PC2700 will be backward compatible with slower PC2100s. They have $ back guarantee so you can purchase with confidence. If you are going to go with one 512MB module, then I'd remove the old RAM module. There should be NO compatibility issue with this approach.

 

the reason i was talking about PC2700 is because in the screenshot from post#114 the highlighted part says PC2700 . the sreenshot is from everest. i'm confused now because i just looked with PCwizard and it says PC2100.

does the quote mean - PC2700 will work with PC2100 - i think you said it would earlier, i just want to check i understand

below in red are the bits im not sure about, can you confirm what they should be? i feel bad for taking up so much time; thanks for your patience. can you write down what i should ask for.

184-pin DIMM
DRAM Slot 512 MB
PC2700 DDR SDRAM

 

dont worry i re-read some of the thread i understand now. this is what i'll get. and i'll take the RAM out that i have in now

184-pin DIMM
DRAM Slot 512 MB
PC2700 DDR SDRAM

thanks for the help