If you are using a computer with 128 mb of memory or less, it may be time to upgrade! If you have 256 mb and do lots of multi-tasking or access large graphic files, you will probably benefit from an upgrade also. A few years ago, this upgrade was more expensive than it is today, but it was much simpler then since the types of memory were limited to only a few variations. Today, however, technology is advancing so rapidly it is almost impossible to keep up with all the changes, especially when it comes to computer memory. The most recent and by far the fastest memory is DDR (double data rate) that has the ability to perform multiple functions during each cycle. Simply stated, it speeds your computer up significantly! Unfortunately, however, memory is not "backward compatible", so you will have to have a new motherboard that was built to handle the newer type of memory or you are stuck with the older and slower types. That doesn't make your 3 year old computer obsolete; it just means your memory upgrade will have to be done with the slower memory, but you will probably still see a significant performance improvement if you double your memory. A 512 mb DDR memory module (like that pictured above) will cost you less than $100 at most retail stores, so similar upgrades of slower types of memory will usually cost less. To determine how much memory is installed on your computer, right click on "My Computer", then left click on "Properties". The window pictured below should appear where you can view your system memory.
You can upgrade your memory yourself, but there are several things you need to know (in addition to the information above):
You will need to know what your current memory physical configuration is so you can be sure you have empty memory slots available unless you plan to replace your existing memory.
You must determine what type of memory your motherboard will accept.
You must determine the maximum amount of memory you can install on your particular computer.
There are several ways this can be accomplished, and none are particularly complicated, but it will take a little time:
You can remove the memory currently in your computer and take it with you to the computer store to be sure you get the correct type for the upgrade.
You can log onto Crucial.com (owned by Micron Computer) and enter your computer manufacturer and model to see a list of several dozen options available.
If you have a Dell PC, you can click here to go to the special Dell website for your upgrade. Simply enter your service tag number (a 7 or 8 character code that contains both numbers and alpha characters, usually found on the back of your computer tower) and a list of compatible memory upgrade options will be listed, including the current pricing. (Note: depending on your model, there may be more than one type of memory available! It is imperative that the new memory match your current memory speed exactly!)
You can contact me at 214-773-7377 for assistance.
As computers continue to get faster and internet connection speeds go up, programmers are adding more and more features to their software to be used on your local hard drive as well as the internet. While all the fancy colors, 3D buttons and animation are really nice and often quite helpful, they are all resource hungry and you will have to keep up with the growth or your system will eventually slow to a crawl! If you are still using a system with 128 mb of memory or less, you will probably be surprised at the improvement you will see with a relatively inexpensive memory upgrade. Most computers in use today should be running 256 mb and 512 mb is even better. For more information about memory and how it is used, click here.
Please contact me at 214-773-7377 or send me an email if you need assistance or have any questions.
Last Update: 03/10/2008
