Upgrading Ram?

Wireneck

Wireneck

New member
I've got some extra cash coming in this month possibly and Id like to put it torwards my computer recoridng setup. (Im slowly moving away from my outboard gear).
Anyhow im debating on either buying a DVD burner/drive (for recreational use and backup) or either putting torwards getting my computer running a little faster.
Right now im running a pentium 4 , 1.80 GHZ with 256mb Ram and a 100 Gb hard drive. The unit is basically stock other than my soundcard. The computer holds up pretty well untill i get a large session going with lots of plugs and stuff. What is an ok amount of ram ? Is ram what I need to speed things up and keep the computer from being sluggish? I don't need the fastest computer in the world, i would just like it to run more smoothly.
I was looking on Best buy's website trying to get an idea for pricing but I couldn't find just "Ram". Is this the same thing as memory? Im so confused. Also how hard is it to install ram? I've installed cd-rom drivs etc.. but never added memory or ram. Thanks in advance.
 
I have always used...

Crucial.com for memory upgrades. I hear they are still the cheapest way to go. They have never shipped me the wrong thing so I continue to use them.

It's really easy to add memory if you have open slots available. Anyone can do it. Just be sure to always keep contact with the chasis while you fuss around inside, to avoid static charge damage to the CPU and other fragile circuits.
 
Just to possibly help with your decision....

I was all jazzed to finally get a dvd burner last year when I bought my new laptop. Turns ou tI've burned about 2 dvds in over a years time, and those pretty much just to play around with it.

I agree about using crucial.com. They have a neat little selector to help you figure out exactly what to buy...plus they always seem to have the best prices.

H2H
 
ok thanks digitalSmigital but how much is an ideal amount for multitracking? Im looking on Newegg.com and I see i can get sticks of 512mb for around 40-50 dollars. i could easily buy two of those (assuming i have the free slots, no clue yet) but would that be a suitable amount? That would be 1280mb of Ram with what I already have installed.
 
I was all jazzed to finally get a dvd burner last year when I bought my new laptop. Turns ou tI've burned about 2 dvds in over a years time, and those pretty much just to play around with it.
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Im sure mine will get plenty of use. I burn enough VCDs as it is right now to drive me up a wall. I would much rather have the stuff im burning on dvd.
 
Ok looking at the crucial site, already have a question, there are 3 types of Ram, which one do I want? or whats the difference, sorry for the multiple post.
 
You'll have to check the specs on your board to find out what kind of ram you need.

If you're working with plug intensive sessions get at least 1gig of RAM, you won't be disappointed.
 
I've got 1G of RAM as it is and thats perfect for most users, but I use some HUFTY plugins and virtual Instruments (The Grand... Waves... Guitar Rig... Trilogy!!!). I only have one spare slot on my Mobo so I'm off to Crucial to upgrade to 2G!!!

I know that it's also down to CPU speed but I think this'll put of an upgrade for a while longer! ;)
 
Crucial has a webpage that will ask to install a plug-in in your browser. This page will then examine your system and tell you which memory to buy. Or you can use their wizard (good if you have a off-the-shelf system like a Dell 4550)
 
Crucial has a webpage that will ask to install a plug-in in your browser. This page will then examine your system and tell you which memory to buy.
Click to expand...

I tried this but I can't seem to get it to work properly. Do you just download it and then run it or what is supposed to happen? It opens and runs but doesn't display anything for me.
 
What browser are you using? I'd try IE (yuck, I know!), take two pills and call in the morning :)

I did this last January, so it's been awhile, but I do remember it was able to scan my system, tell me what I had, and tell me how much I could put in there.

Wireneck said:
I tried this but I can't seem to get it to work properly. Do you just download it and then run it or what is supposed to happen? It opens and runs but doesn't display anything for me.
Click to expand...
 
i was looking at ncix.com and you can get 2 gigs of RAM (crucial) for 250 bucks Canadian, i may have to take my own advice and snatch that up....
 
google search for cpuz. It is another analyzing tool that will tell you what type of ram you have and how many slots, etc...
 
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