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Buying and Installing RAM: A Must Read for All Computer UsersJun 06 '00 Write an essay on this topic.Ever have your computer crash when you have too many applications running? Ever sit and wait and wait for programs to open? Ever wonder why you can turn on your computer, run around the block, come back and it still won't be completely booted? If you answered Yes to any of these questions then you might need more memory. But don't worry I'm here to lend a little advice and help you through this task. A Basic Understanding of Memory Memory, or RAM(Random Access Memory) as its referred to often, is like your short term memory. The computer uses memory to store and access information quickly. Just like a grocery list you can write any number of things into your computers Memory, and have them available to you in a matter a milliseconds. Today's applications use memory to store data they need consistently while running. You may have heard the term "memory hog" while talking to or eavesdropping on a hard-core computer user you know. This refers to an application that takes control of a large block of memory to use as its little notepad, storing and reading data at will. When booting, your operating system writes and reads from the memory to load all the files it needs to start Windows, MacOS, Linux or whatever operating system you're using. Even DOS! When programs open they each ask the computer for a block of memory to work with. Some programs want more memory than others, so they take longer too load. And if there isn't enough memory? Well then you're computer's got a problem. It's got to try to stop a fight between applications bickering over memory, and often this ends up crashing your computer. The "Blue Screen of Death" as its referred to in Windows. As well, this bickering is the type of occurrence which can cause your computer to crash if you have too many applications open. The programs you have running are all fighting for the same couple megabytes of memory! The solution? Give em more and they won't argue as much! Selecting and Buying More Memory Each computer's memory has specifications which are unique to its brand or system hardware. Some may need PC100, others PC133, still others only need a 72 Pin DRAM chip. A common term you may see is ECC RAM. ECC stands for Error Correction Code. This type of memory has a special added function. It has some error checking that can make sure its more accurate at reading, and storing data. It's more expensive, but for the higher end user, the cost may be worth the benefits. Less errors, means more productivity. Before buying your memory though, decide how much you need. Your computer will seem to run almost twice as fast with double the memory. After all its got more room to think! If you currently have 32 megabytes, I would suggest at least another 32, maybe even 64. If you have 64, double it and go with 128. If you have 128, either add 64 or double 128 for 256 whopping megabytes of RAM. I have 256 on my Dell PIII 550. I wait at most 2 or 3 seconds for an application(Photoshop, Word, etc) to open. Now that's nice! To find out how much memory your computer has, select the System Icon in your Windows Control Panel. Below your processor you'll see something like 128.0 MB RAM. That means you've got 128 megabytes of RAM installed in your machine. If you have a Macintosh or iMac, go to your Apple Menu and select about this Macintosh. There you should find something similar to what I described above for windows. If you're on a Linux/Unix machine I would hope you know how to find out how much RAM is in your system, if not you might want to re-think using a Unix flavor OS. Finding RAM is pretty easy compared to rebuilding your kernel! After you find out how much memory you have, something worth noting, is that Memory comes in chips, these chips are currently sold holding anywhere from 16 to 256 MB for consumers, although smaller and larger sizes are available for older or more high end systems. Another important issue to uncover, is how many chips your computer currently has, and how many slots it has available for more memory. Current computers normally have between 2 and 4 slots, most with 3. And most computer makers just fill one or two slots. So if you're thinking of upgrading with a single chip you will most likely be ok. Memory is additive. And that's something important to note. If you have 64 megs in your computer now, you don't have to buy a 128 chip to get 128 megs. You can simply get a 64 and pop it into an open slot. The computer will now use both chips and will have a total of 128 megs of RAM available. To find out how many slots you have open and how many chips you have installed you can do one a couple things. If you are ready for it, pop open your case and take a peek inside. The memory will look like, normally green, sticks, about 3-4 inches long, with black chips attached to them. They're skinny and often are near the processor, normally a square, or rectangular "center-point" of your pc. Intel Pentium, Intel Celeron, AMD, and Cyrix chips are square. All Intel Pentium II and III chips are rectangular and normally have a huge fan casing covering them, too help cool them when the computer is on. The memory slots should be near the processor. If all this seems to confusing and you're not sure what's what, or don't even want to have to mess with opening your case, give your pc manufacturer a call. They should have all the info on your pc, including how much RAM is installed, what type it needs, how many chips you have, and how many slots you have available for more. Because finding the right memory for you're machine is so important, when you start looking around, you need to know what exactly to look for. I would suggest one of two things: 1) Find somewhere online which offers a memory diagnostic tool/utility Some web sites offer tools which allow you to find the memory right for your PC by simply picking the model and manufacturer of your computer. Most often these sites sell the memory as well, so you may be able to find some one-stop shopping. I normally check http://www.pcconnection.com, they've got a great utility and sell most all memory types, at decent prices. 2) If all else fails ask your Computer Manufacturer Just like I mentioned above, whether you have a Gateway, Dell, Micron, HP, Compaq, or Packard Bell, the company who made your computer knows what kind of memory it needs. Heck, they built it, they should know! Give a call to tech support with your model and serial number, and they should be able to help you out in a jiffy. They may even offer to sell you the memory right there. If the price is good, go for it, its worth the saving the hassle of another vendor. But if the price seems too high, shop around a bit, there's lots of retailers out there. NOTE: Your warranty may cover next-day service of your pc. Sometimes this includes installing more memory, sometimes not. Checking with your manufacturer may save your some hassle. Another point of note, If you have a laptop, definitely call your computer manufacturer. Laptop memory is more expensive, and harder to install by yourself. A technician should be able to guide you through the buying and installation process much easier than trailblazing and doing it alone. As well a technician may even recommend sending someone to your home or office to do the process for you, if that's part of your warranty. Installing your new Memory As I mentioned above, to install the memory you have to open up the case and find an open slot. Most memory slides into this slot on an angle, most often from the right side of the slot, with the gold or silver colored "leads" facing into the slot. Then you simply "twist" the memory into a vertical position, perpendicular with the motherboard, and it should snap into place. Memory is slightly delicate, so do be careful, but don't worry about giving it a good little push into place. Once it clicks into place you should be ready to rock and roll! How easy was that!!! Just turn on your PC, check your System or Mac settings and you should find a much larger number. You may have also noticed your computer loaded a ton faster! If not, give a call to tech support, and they will be able to walk you through the process once more to make sure you've gone through all the steps necessary. Above all in matters like this tech support is a great tool. They're there to help you, no matter how much they annoy you, and hopefully if you find the right person they can give you a little more insight into the specifics of RAM and your system. Good Luck, and Happy Computing!  |
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