More RAM?

How do you add more RAM to your computer? That would make a big program run smoother, and improve the graphic quality (of a game), right?

 

That's a whole big can o' worms. All sorts of factors affect application performace, not least of which would be processor speed. For games, your graphics card is also gonna be a big factor. If you have a fast processor and good graphics card, then memory may be your bottleneck.

As your fitting it, do you know what type of memory you have? Is it SDRAM or DDRAM or RAMBUS? RAMBUS is slightly more complicated as it needs to be fitted in matched pairs.

The physical fitting involves opening up your case and slotting the chip into a spare receptor on your motherboard. You'll need to make sure you earth yourself (touch a grounded mettle pipe) before you do this, or built up static can fry components.

 

That is why you should build a computer just for games.

 

Heheh. I did

 

The hardest part about adding RAM is knowing what you got in your box, and what you need, as far as putting it in there it's a 15 min jobs tops and that's with unhooking all your periphials.lol I swap RAM around all the time in my old shitty computers, i have about enough to make two good computer or three meh computers, it's easier to swap ram around than hard-drives so i am stuck moving it all over the place .

 

blah. hard drives are just as easy as ram to move around.

 

also be aware of you ram limit. this can be found in your manufactorers documentation or on its website

 

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 9/25/2004, 01:32:42
Machine name: SVOBODA
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2.030422-1633)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: n/a
System Model: n/a
BIOS: Award Medallion BIOS v6.0
Processor: Intel Celeron processor, ~1.0GHz
Memory: 256MB RAM
Page File: 234MB used, 383MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.0001.0904 32bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 Model 64/Model 64 Pro
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: RIVA TNT2 Model 64/Model 64 Pro
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_002D&SUBSYS_88081462&REV_15
Display Memory: 32.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (16 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Korea Data Systems Visual Sensations VS-7i
Monitor Max Res: 1280,1024
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6177 (English)
DDI Version: 7
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 7/15/2004 11:42:00, 3740032 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: No
WHQL Date Stamp: None
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
Mini VDD Date: 7/15/2004 11:42:00, 2459712 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-436D-11CF-F36F-02A8B4C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x002D
SubSys ID: 0x88081462
Revision ID: 0x0015
Revision ID: 0x0015
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_B ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run


Gameport Devices
----------------
+ ALS4000 Audio Device (WDM)
| Location: PCI bus 0, device 17, function 0
| Matching Device ID: pci\ven_4005&dev_4000&subsys_40004005
| Service: als4k
| Driver: drmk.sys, 8/29/2002 01:32:34, 57856 bytes
| Driver: portcls.sys, 8/29/2002 02:01:00, 134272 bytes
| Driver: stream.sys, 7/9/2004 04:27:28, 48512 bytes
| Driver: wdmaud.drv, 8/17/2001 22:37:04, 22016 bytes
| Driver: ksuser.dll, 12/12/2002 00:14:32, 4096 bytes
| Driver: als4000.sys, 10/22/2001 12:46:08, 28919 bytes
|
+-+ Standard Game Port
| | Location: Avance Audio controller
| | Matching Device ID: *pnpb02f
| | Service: gameenum
| | Driver: gameenum.sys, 8/29/2002 01:32:44, 9856 bytes



There's all the info from DxDiag, I know you computer people can do something with it. By the way, the game is the Sims 2- it runs alright, but it's a bit choppy sometimes..

The minimum specs on the bottom of the box say

CPU: 800 MHz or faster
RAM:256 MB or more
Hard Drive: At least 3.5 GB Free space
Video/Sound: Direct X 9.0 compatible
Video Card must have 32 MB or mroe memory and one of these T&L capable chipsets: ATI Radeon 7200 or greater; NVIDIA GeForce2 or greater

I'm lacking in the video card, I believe




Thanks you guys! You're a big help

 

you need to look inside the computer and see if you have any loose slots, and how many sticks of ram are their already and what size they are, also might need to find out what type

 

huh?

 

ok, umm. open the computer and look for the things that look kind of like this -> |[]|[]|[]|[]| (stick of RAM)
there may be one or two (possibly more, but unlikely(hopefully not more, because the less there are the more room you probably have for more)) they will be right beside each other along with probably some open slots (ussualy there are at least 4 slots all together.) there should be a sticker or writing on the stick of ram that says what type it is, (like SDRAM DDR-SDRAM (most likely one of these two)) and how much memory it has (probably 128 or 256, though it could be lower(the lower it is the more sticks you will have)). ok now write the ttype and size down and go buy some of the same type and size (might not have to be same size, but just in case). then you just stick it in the open slots.
now for the graphics card... actualy ill get to that later. hope this helps!

 

i just did a quick search and found
this site maybe it will help?

 

i think i'll call the computer guy we go to.. first I have to get some money though, i'm 300 in the hole and my sister stole 200 from me, so it might be awhile

 

its really not hard and ram is fairly cheap nowadays. you can bet some computer repair guy will probably rip you off though.

 

nah he's real good, he does some stuff for free for us. how much does RAM usually cost (in general)

 

oh! i forgot about my neighbor! we went to school together for 9 years, he's a real computer whiz- he always helps me out when i ask!

 

ok cool, just giving you a heads up

 

but how much does it gererally cost to get more RAM?

 

like 50 - 100 bucks

 

for how much??