One of the most common questions I get asked as an IT professional is 'My computer is soooo slow! How can I make it run faster?' I'd need more information than this to diagnose the exact problem, however, without additional information I would guess at a few candidates. It could be due to a virus, adware, incorrectly installed software etc. However, more often than not the problem can be attributed to there not being enough RAM installed on the PC.
Upgrading RAM is a relatively cheap way (costing approx £25) of increasing a computers performance and prolonging its life span. The rest of this article will explain how you can check the amount of RAM installed on your PC, how much you need, and where you can buy it from. There is also a brief overview at the end of how to install the RAM, however this will vary for each computer and you are therefore better off referring to your PC's manual for accurate instructions to install the memory on your PC. If you would rather not risk damaging your equipment please contact us, and we will be happy to install your RAM for you (prices from £15).
(NOTE: Before you continue: changing memory on a PC involves opening the computer which may invalidate its warranty and carries the risk of electric shock. You should always follow manufacturers guidelines when upgrading your PC. Neither the author of this article or Broadbyte bear any liability for any injury or damage caused to equipment or loss of warranty by following this article.)
Check the Existing Memory in your PC
- Locate your 'My Computer' icon ('Computer' icon on Windows Vista) and right click it. (This will be located in either the start menu or on your desktop).
- From the menu that pops up select 'Properties'.
- On XP a window called 'System Properties' should open up. If you are using Vista the window will be called 'View basic information about your computer'.
- On XP ensure the 'General' tab is selected. Towards the bottom of the 'General' tab there will be information regarding the PC's processor and RAM. You want the number that comes immediately before 'of RAM' (e.g. 512MB of RAM, 1GB of RAM etc.). On Vista under the heading 'System' is a label called 'Installed memory (RAM)' next to which is the amount of RAM installed on your PC.
How Much Memory Do You Need?
So you know how much memory is in your PC, now how do you know if that is enough? As a general rule I always prefer to have at least 1GB in a Windows XP PC, and at least 2GB in a Windows Vista PC. I say at least, because it really does depend what else you have installed on your PC, and for optimal performance you should always install as much RAM as your system can take and you can afford. That being said if you are running a 32bit edition of Windows, (most likely) Windows won't recognise more than 3GB of the memory (3.5GB on Windows Vista) so there is little point adding more than that.
NOTE: If you noted down RAM with MB after it, e.g 512MB, 1000MB Equals 1GB. SO if you had 512MB, you have 0.5GB installed.
How do I know which type of RAM to use? (and where to get it from)
My preferred stockist of RAM is crucial.com. They offer a configurator allowing you to select your make and model of PC, which then returns a screen listing available RAM for your PC and the maximum amount of RAM you can install in your PC. Please click on the link below to view their website and find the right RAM for your PC. If you can't see your PC on the list, please contact us with details of your computer make and model and we'll do our best to advise which memory you should use.
How do I install the RAM?
Now this is a bit difficult to explain as each PC can have different types of RAM and it is usually located in different places. Ideally you should get a professional to install the RAM (please contact us if you'd like one of our staff to install it for you, prices start from £15).
If you'd like to have a go completely at your own risk, you should be able to find the location of your RAM from the PC's manual. If you don't have that, the usual locations are:
- On a PC: on the motherboard within the case
- On a Laptop: under a panel on the back of the laptop, or under the keyboard (if it is under the keyboard, please don't attempt to remove the keyboard and install the RAM yourself)
Once located the old RAM can be removed, by simply unclipping the clips either side. The new RAM can then be clipped into the same fittings.
If all goes well, your computer will be like new again.