 |
 |
add more memory |
 | ||
| By CNET staff | ||
System memory seems to lose value faster than the Canadian dollar. That's great news for us since memory is one the primary components that affects a computer's performance. With more memory, you can have more programs and files open at once. A typical PC will ship with 128MB or perhaps 256MB of memory, but you can easily increase that amount to 512MB or even 1GB. Here's how.
The hardest part of installing new memory is figuring out what to buy. Between DIMMs and RIMMs, SDRAM and RDRAM, system memory is an alphabet soup of packages, pin configurations, types, and speeds. There are two basic types of RAM available today: SDRAM (synchronous dynamic RAM) and RDRAM (Rambus dynamic RAM). Most current systems use SDRAM in 168-pin DIMMs (dual in-line memory modules). RDRAM, which is available on high-performance systems, is packaged in RIMMs, which are roughly the same size and shape as DIMMs. DDR (double data rate) SDRAM, which is roughly twice as fast as standard SDRAM, uses 184-pin DIMM slots. All of these types of memory are also available at various speeds. The simplest way to ensure you get the right kind of memory is to visit the Web site of a memory vendor such as Crucial, Kingston, or Viking, and look for a memory configuration page. Or give the serial number and model name of your computer to the memory supplier.
Decide how much memory you need. There's no easy answer, but here are some rules to go by:
Keep in mind that if you use your PC for memory-intensive applications such as image or digital-video editing or 3D gaming, you'll benefit from having significantly more memory than these minimums.
Locate the sockets and remove existing memory. First, turn off your computer, unplug it, ground yourself or wear an antistatic wrist strap, and remove the case. In order to upgrade memory, you may have to remove some of the existing modules. If the modules are held in place by plastic or metal tabs, push down on these tabs at the same time and the module should pop out.
Install the new memory. Most modules (DIMMs) have two notches on the bottom that match the DIMM socket. Align the slots properly with the socket. Press down evenly across the top of the DIMM until the tabs on either side of the DIMM slip into place.
Turn on your system. It may automatically boot into the CMOS screen, and the BIOS will automatically recognize the new memory. You have to exit the CMOS screen for the settings to take effect, and your computer might then reboot. If you get an error message, bring up the CMOS screen, and the BIOS will automatically recognize the new memory. Exit the screen and save the CMOS settings for them to take effect. That's it.
