Will Adding More Memory To My Windows PC Make it Faster?
This article addresses how much RAM is needed for you to get the best performance out of your PC and also explains the difference between system memory (A.K.A. RAM) and system storage (A.K.A. Hard Drive space).
Introduction
One of the best upgrades you can perform on your computer is adding extra memory. Especially if your PC is RAM starved, of course whether your computer is RAM starved depends upon your operating system.
RAM versus Hard Drive Space
Many, new computer users often confuse system memory with system storage. What is the difference between system memory and system storage?
RAM stands for Random Access Memory, this is the primary area where the computer stores information as it is processed or used by your computer programs (i.e. Microsoft Word or other word processing software). This thin rectangular microchip is similar in size to a low-fat sugar wafer. They are usually installed (on your motherboard) in pairs.
Random Access memory or RAM as it is commonly called, is measured in megabytes. A megabyte is the equivalent of one million (1,048,576) bytes. A byte equals one unit of information. A megabyte is the measurement used for RAM, CD-ROMs, Floppy Disks and Hard Drives.
The miracle of RAM happens when you turn on the computer and double click on your favorite game or program. The contents (information) is temporarily stored in RAM, meaning it is now ready for use and appears on your computer screen.
Your program will remain stored in RAM until you exit (close) the program. Everything is removed from RAM when you turnoff the computer, so make sure you save it to your hard drive before closing your application and or shutting off your computer.
What is a hard drive?
The hard disk or hard drive is an internal storage device which holds programs and data used by your computer. A hard drive contains magnetically coated disks. These disks can hold massive amounts of information. Desktop hard drives are about the size of two iPod Classics and those that usually fit in laptops are roughly the size of one iPod Classic (just to give you a comparison reference).
Hard drives are used to store your software programs and information created from them. Imagine it being a giant filing cabinet inside of your computer, holding all your information. The benefits of this, is that you can permanently store all of your software programs such as:
* MP3 Music
* Word processors
* Spreadsheets
* Games (yeah!)
Will More Memory Make My Windows PC Faster?
Well What’s the Answer? — Yes and No — Yes adding RAM will normally cause your computer to run and feel faster but only up to a certain point. PC experts claim that increasing your RAM from 512 Megabyte (MB) to 1 Gigabyte (GB) will give you about a 50 percent boost in performance.
So why not just continue to add more RAM? Well, for starters how much RAM you can add is normally dependent upon the capabilities of your computer. Some computers (older ones) will not be able to handle more that 512MB of RAM. This is because older system boards (motherboard) and the Basic Input Output Systems (BIOS) were not written to accommodate more than 512MB of RAM. Many newer computers can handle between 2GB and 4GB of RAM.
Yes it is true that you can expect about a 50 percent performance gain when you go from 512MB to 1GB. However, there is a drop off after that, increasing your RAM from 1GB to 2GB will not yield another 50 percent increase. It will give you some improvement but not at those levels.
So How Much RAM is Enough?
The correct amount of RAM to install in your computer for optimum performance is going to also depend on the operating system (OS) that’s installed on your PC.
Windows 7 – I have been running a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate with 4 gigabyte of RAM and it runs very well, even when I have several programs open at once. Although, you probably could get away with running only 2 gigabyte of RAM. I wouldn’t go any lower than that and besides we are now living in an age where RAM is very cheap.
Windows Vista – Microsoft states that the minimum recommended memory requirements for Vista Home premium is 1 gigabyte (GB) of system memory. I have used Vista on a PC and I can tell you from experience that at 1GB of RAM Vista, crawls at a snails pace. I have found that Windows Vista works best when you add at least 2 gigabyte of memory, three gigabyte of RAM was optimum for me.
If you are using one of the older operating systems such as Windows XP or Windows 2000, you need at least 128MB of RAM for the operating system to install, it is the bare minimum. But understand this, after using 2000 and XP for some time; you will realize that it is not nearly enough.
128MB of RAM will have you pulling out your hair (if you have hair… I don’t) after opening a few applications such as a word processing or your favorite spreadsheet program. To truly optimize Windows XP and 2000, I recommend at least 1GB of RAM.
If you are still running Windows 98 or Windows 95, you can probably survive on as little as 512MB of RAM, though your computer may respond somewhat sluggish. I would add an additional 512MB (1GB) if your computer will support it.
My recommendations are based upon what I believe to be a real-world approach and based upon the type of work I perform on a computer. Your results may vary. I have also listed (below) Microsoft’s Recommended RAM Requirements for each Windows based operating system:
Windows 95 – 4 megabytes (MB) of memory (8 MB recommended)
Windows 98 – 16 megabytes (MB) of memory (24 MB recommended)
Windows 2000 – 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM recommended minimum; more memory generally improves responsiveness (4 gigabytes (GB) RAM maximum)
Windows NT – 16 megabytes (MB) of memory (RAM); 32 MB recommended
Windows ME – 32 megabytes (MB) of RAM or better
Windows XP – At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)
Windows Vista – 1 gigabyte (GB) of system memory (512 megabytes (MB) for Home Basic)
Windows 7 – 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
Johnny Rogers is a business technologist with more than 15 years of personal computing experience.You can find more of his articles by visiting his websites http://www.johnzpchut.com or http://www.Microsoft-and-windows.com
Your Computer, What Is The Next Best Thing to New?
There is one household chore that has always been green and easy to do. It is also one of the best and least expensive investments you can make in your computer health. It is a good cleaning!
So, “Clean what” you ask? Most people that I talk with just swab the keyboard with a cleaning wipe and think, “Okay, I am good to go.” Well, if you will take a look at your entire system, how it works, and what it needs, you will understand why you need to go farther. It is easy to remember if you follow one simple success system. So, what is the success system?
Fall back, set the clocks back one hour and clean up your computer! Spring ahead, move your clocks forward one hour and clean your computer. I told you it was simple!
If you take one hour twice a year and really clean your computer, you will add years to both the life and the health of your computer! Here are the simple and easy steps:
Step 1: Gather and organize your tools. Before you start, pull everything that you will need together. A quick trip to your favorite computer supply store will yield you everything you need. Here is a shopping list.
A. You need a large can of Compressed Air.
B. One package of Non-Static Clean Wipes.
C. Check your vacuum tools to see if you have a small crevice tool. The smaller the better.
D. You will need one medium size microfiber cloth for cleaning your computer screen.
E. Buy a large box of cotton swabs.
F. A small roll of Duck Tape.
G. A screw driver, small wrench, or a pair of pliers.
Step 2: Do a system power down. Shut off everything and unplug everything. You should now have your CPU, your keyboard, and your mouse, all in three separate pieces.
Step 3: Take your CPU outside or out in the garage so that when you take it apart you don not get dust all over the house.
Step 4: Take about a 4 inch strip of Duck Tape and lay it flat on the floor beside your computer box (CPU). This is the place for you to put anything that is currently screwed into or attached to your computer.
Step 5: Open the CPU case. If you have screws, place them on the sticky surface of the Duck Tape.
Step 6: Use your vacuum to suck up all of the obvious dust and other particles that have found their way into your personal computing world. DO NOT USE THE CANNED AIR YET!
Step 7: NOW you can use the canned air to clean out the hidden areas. After you have blown out the inside really good, then take your vacuum and clean it up again.
Step 8: The wipe down. Here is where you will need those static free wipes. They are not that expensive and if you use the right product for the job, you will always be glad that you did. Avoid any of the circuit boards and other connected areas. You are just looking to wipe up anything that is remaining that you could not blow out or suck up.
Step 9: Take a wipe and clean your keyboard and your mouse. You can take a cotton swab and clean down in-between the keys and the tiny areas.
Step 10: Use your microfiber cloth to clean your monitor or CRT glass or screen. NEVER use glass cleaner or other chemicals on your monitor.
Step 11: You are now ready to hook it all back up and fire up your like new and clean machine!
It takes very little time or money to keep your computer clean and running well. So, do it twice a year and you will be amazed and delighted how much better your computer life will be.
One last thing to do and that that is to find a really good computer tech company to do complete systems check of your hardware, software, and your registry. The really good firms will remotely access your system and do a complete diagnostic exam of your entire system, for FREE! If you do this twice a year along with the physical cleaning, you will be sure that your system is free from bugs inside and out.
Warren Lewis is the General Manager of PC House Call and has many years of both hands on repair experience as well as years of managing a team of PCMDs. Warren has been instrumental in designing and implementing the FREE PCMD checkup. You can click on the URL below and get your choice of either a $27 Personal PC Checkup or a FREE $197 Business Systems Checkup. You can reach Warren by visiting or by calling him at (972) 234-0655
Desktop Computer May Your Best Choice
If you are in the market for a new computer, you may be considering making the move from a desktop to a laptop. While not portable like a laptop, desktop computers offer many advantages over their mobile cousins.
Since desktops have larger cases, repairs are simpler since you have an easier time getting to the various components. Laptops are notoriously difficult to work on, especially for novice users. This is due to the components being housed in a small area, often right on top of each other.
Besides repairs, desktops offer more upgrade options. Often, laptops have several parts that are combined with the motherboard. While some cheap desktops are also built in this manner, the more expensive units will offer features such as separate sound cards and video cards that can be upgraded relatively easily.
Although the price gap is narrowing, desktops are usually cheaper than laptops and offer more features for the price. The easier repairs and upgrades will factor favorably into the overall cost of owning the desktop PC. Also, desktops average fewer problems than mobile computers.
Laptops are more prone to damage or loss. Whether knocked around in your car or accidentally dropped, mobile computers usually get quite a bit of abuse. And, they are a favorite target for thieves. The average desktop stays in one place which helps to protect your investment.
Desktops often come with higher resolution and larger monitors than laptops. While you can hook up your laptop to a bigger monitor and use that monitor’s screen instead of the one on your mobile computer, this requires an extra purchase for the monitor and the extra hassle of plugging in and out cords.
If you have children, a desktop can be a wise choice. Besides the propensity for laptops to get lost or damaged, you may want to keep an eye on what your kids are viewing. A desktop will cut down on the your child’s temptation to cart the device to his or her room to view objectionable material.
If you really need mobile computing capability, consider the option of getting a smartphone. Some have the ability to view and edit Microsoft Office documents and all can keep track of calendars and contacts. Email access is also available. Some devices have the option of adding a separate keyboard if you find using the included keyboard or touchscreen too difficult.
Also, minilaptops are becoming more common. These often run on the Linux operating system which means that your favorite applications may not be available. But, you get much of the same functionality with software designed to run on Linux. Then, you could have a desktop at home as your main system for heavy-duty use.
While laptops have many advantages, they are not the right choice for everyone. Be sure to consider the desktop computer option when selecting the best system for you.
In addition to an interest in Computers, Ryan can show you how to be a smart internet marketer at http://www.RyanEven.com
The Difference between Drivers and Codecs
Computer programs or devices which encode or decode digital data signals are known as codecs. “Codec” is a word derived from combining the words coder and decoder, making for an easy way to distinguish and remember the function of a codec.
Originally, codecs were hardware devices, often confused with modems. Codecs convert audio analog into a digital signal called Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM), then converts it back into analog so there is no compression of the signal. Modems convert digit data from a computer to an analog signal which can be transmitted over a telephone line. On the receiving end of the line, another modem then converts the signal back to digital for use by another computer.
Codecs today are considered software programs, whose function is encoding a data stream to be transmitted, encrypted, or stored. A codec likewise decodes the signal when it is time to be edited or played back. To add to the confusion, “codec” has come to be used as a generic reference for a video conferencing device.
In video conferencing and in streaming media, codecs are used in the video camera’s analog-to-digital converter, or ADC. The ADC converts the analog signals to digital, which are then compressed to be re-transmitted or stored. A receiving device must then decompress the video, running it through a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to allow end-user analog display.
Codecs are not the same thing as drivers. While drivers are also computer programs, they are used to allow a computer’s system programs to interact with hardware that has been installed on a computer.
When a new hardware device is plugged into a computer through a USB or “bus” connector, for example, the device requires the installation of a software package which allows the device to be used. This driver program is normally included in the hardware package, so the device can be used immediately upon installation of the device and the software.
A driver works when the computer interacts with a specific routine in the driver program, asking the driver to tell the device what to do. The driver is the “middle-man” between computer and hardware, making it essential to enjoying peripherals such as video devices, digital cameras, sound cards for audio, microphone headsets, printers and scanners.
Drivers do not work unless the devices they command are present and connected to the computer. When a device is plugged into the computer, the computer will send a message to the user that “new hardware” has been detected. Without the driver software, the computer cannot interact with the device, rendering the device useless.
Drivers are specific to the make and type of hardware they drive, and are also specific to the system that is using them. When purchasing a headset, for example, the computer systems which the driver can be used with are notated on the product package. Therefore, it’s important to know the type of computer operating system the device will be installed on, so the proper driver for that system can be installed.
Have a look at http://www.allpcdrivers.org for more information about PC drivers and different PC hardware.
How to Speed Up Your Computer the Fast and Easy Way
Defragmentation, or for convenience defrag, is simply a long word for the process of sorting and collating the files on your hard drive. This is a utility program that has been available as part of the Windows Operating System since the early days of DOS. The earlier versions left a lot to be desired, but were mostly functional. There were a number of third-party defrag programs that were far superior to the one packaged with Windows. Today, the standard defrag is still adequate, but lacks some features which Microsoft has acknowledged and addressed with another file management program that is available as a separate download. These programs are designed for the user to run, regardless of your level of expertise.
To fully understand the process of defrag is tedious at best, requiring knowledge of the Disk Operating System and the NTFS file structure. Fortunately, a complete understanding of the mechanics is not required. It is comparable to using an automobile: you do not need to be a mechanic or engineer to drive it, or even understand what is going on under the hood. Although, you need to know enough to be able to fill the car with fuel and maintain proper fluid levels. Defrag theory is just like that.
To use another analogy, think of how you read an article in a newspaper or magazine. You find the article by the title in the Table of Contents or in computer terms, the directory. You go to the story you want to read by the page number referenced and find only a portion of the article is shown. Then, you are directed to another part of the magazine with another directory link: Continued on Page 20. It would sure be great to have all the articles in their entirety in one place, right? This is exactly what defrag does, it makes the articles or files one contiguous piece.
Just as skipping from page to page in a magazine slows your reading down, a fragmented drive is also slowed for the same reason. This is why there is a System Tool in Windows called Disk Defragmenter. It should be run with some regularity. All users are different, some may need to defrag every day, others can go a month between defrag sessions. As a general rule, you should defrag at least once a week.
Microsoft has written a program which is an outstanding complement to the defrag program. It is called contig, which is a low-level system file management tool. A Graphical User Interface, which is available free, called Power Defragmenter is an easy way to avoid the command line interpreter syntax of DOS. A single file, folder or entire disk can be organized by this very light weight utility. In the Power mode (Triple Pass) it automatically runs the Windows defragmenter after collating the individual files and folders. This GUI is available from a number of reliable and trustworthy download services you should already be familiar with.
There are third-party defrag alternatives, however, they are hard-pressed to be a better combination than the contig and defrag program combination written by Microsoft. Several of the more well-known utility suites use the Windows defrag and scheduler to keep your system nice and tight.
At Sullmer & Associates, we hope to usher in a new era of excellent customer service. When you call us, we will provide you with an experience that goes above and beyond just fixing your computer. This article powered by SEO 2.0.