Memory Upgrade

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sipleybeck

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I added 128 MB of PNY memory to my Gateway E4200. But it doesn’t seem to run any faster.

The computer recognizes the additional RAM, but I don't notice any improvement in the way the computer runs. Maybe I don’t know what to look for.

How do I find out how optimally compatible the PNY stuff is for my system?
 
it won't make your comp. run faster. It will simply make it run smoother.

THe performance increases of adding ram changes with different operating systems. Windows 98 for example only handles 97 mb ram efficiently. Not to say that if you add more ram it won't make a difference, but it won't make as much of a difference that going from 32mb to 96 or 128mb.

The newer OS's (Operating systems) handle ram differently
 
sipleybeck said:
I added 128 MB of PNY memory to my Gateway E4200. But it doesn’t seem to run any faster.

The computer recognizes the additional RAM, but I don't notice any improvement in the way the computer runs. Maybe I don’t know what to look for.

How do I find out how optimally compatible the PNY stuff is for my system?
Click to expand...

Compatability isn't really a worry. If it detects it than it's working.

Let me explain what RAM does.

The hard drive holds information.
RAM is used as a hard drive for information which is currently being accessed, because it's much faster to be accessed in the RAM than in the hard drive.

So if you have a song editing program open for example, in the RAM is things like the sound files, the program information etc..

The processor is what makes things "run faster". A faster processor can do math quicker, thus programs open faster, video games run better at higher resolution etc..

So, the RAM holds recently accessed material. Basically, if you have 128 megs of ram - it will be holding the last 128 megs of stuff you accessed.

And once it's full it will put the oldest stuff back into the hard drive, so if you go and access it, it will take a bit longer.

So the more ram means more quicker accessed material.

RAM isn't something one would notice unless they're constantly using it all up and then they get more. You should notice that you can have more programs open, and more stuff going on, with less lag...

It's a suttle thing - but an important one.

SO if you're editing a huge song with maybe 50+ audio files, and you hit record - the program might lag while recording (but still record fine) because it's having to keep track of the new info while playing the 50 tracks etc...

Hope that helps!
 
It may be working, but it is working poorly.

The computer recognizes the memory upgrade, but CDs stutter when I play them.

A friend of mine who is a story-teller wanted five copies of a CD with her stories on it. After making one copy I listened to her original (in order to pick out the names of the stories) and noticed that it stuttered in places - and not always in the same places (I say "stutter" because I don't know what the proper term is).

I thought maybe the problem was with her CD, so I played a CD I have played many times before on my computer, without any stutter, and it stuttered too!

The only thing I can think of to do is to remove the new memory and see if the stutter disappears. I don't want to pay Gateway $70 for 128MB of RAM, but I don't want to keep buying and installing memory until I get lucky, either. What's the solution?
 
FYI- i think youpaid too much. Sorry i cant help withanything else usefull. How fast is your puter?
 
Just a note.

I have a Pentium II Dell R400 which had 64MB of RAM.

I maxed it out with 384MB of RAM, and I notice that it is faster in everything it does. It opens files quicker, it does everthing quicker. So, with 128MB it should be a little quicker. But try maxing it out.
 
kremit,

The PNY memory was $34.95 at Staples, and came with a $20 rebate offer. So, if I send in for the rebate it will have cost $17.05 for 128MB.
My computer is a Gateway E4200, and runs at 450MHz, with a 100MHz buss speed.


Guitar,

I have been running 128MB ever since I bought this computer in 1999, and decided recently to spring for a memory upgrade. I called Gateway to see how much they charge, and they wanted $139 for 256MB of RAM!
I swallowed their line about some after market products being more compatible with my motherboard than others but, no way was I going to pay a hundred and thirty-nine bucks - even if it did include tech support and a #### job.
I dropped in at Staples to get some printer cartridges and just happened to ask if they had memory for my computer. That’s how I ended up buying the PNY stuff. I thought I would start with an additional 128MB just to see how compatible it was.
Now, today, I don’t hear the stutter. Perhaps something was running in the background the other day, when the stutter appeared. It’s quite possible.
I’m going to give it a couple days, and if there are no other problems I’ll go pick up another 128MB.

Thanks for your help, guys.
 
Ram issues...

RSM was correct in what he was saying... Let me try to explain it a little bit better though.....

Let's take a person, and let's say this person isn't too bright... As a matter of fact, when this person goes to sleep, he forgets EVERYTHING and has to even learn how to tie his shoes in the morning... that's pretty much how your computer is... when it's sitting there, it only knows the very basics.... The one thing it CAN do, is read.... and he has huge book telling him how to do many things...

Now, remember, this guy isn't too bright... he has a photographic memory, but he can only memorize 128 pages of any text... this book, however, holds 40,000 pages.... he certainly can't read the book... so, he memorizes the index to know what's in the book, and will read the pages as he needs them... the table of contents is 64 pages long.... so now, he can only memorize 64 more pages (64+64 = 128)

Now, he needs to fix his carburetor on his car.... He turns to the pages... and finds out that there's 1000 pages on how to fix it.... Well, he can only memorize 64 pages at one time.. So, he reads 64 pages, does what the instructions tell him to do, takes a time out to read the next 64 pages then continues..... he has some blank pages at the end of the book, so he writes down any important information he might need later on the last 128 pages instead of having to flip through the book to find the instructions again.. instead, he only has to look at the last few pages... Eventually, he'll get his carburetor fixed......


Now, that's pretty much what's happening in your PC. the "book" is your hard drive... the 128 pages he can memorize is your memory. However, he can (and your computer) can only work so fast... that's considered your CPU speed. Increasing your memory may mean you don't have to take a time out to read your hard drive, however, if you don't need to know more than your current memory, then it won't increase your speed at all. If you load all your programs, and run them... and it equals... say... 96 "pages"... then you're not slowed down in any way... Chances are, you just need to buy a new computer (faster idiot). If you're doing many things at one time... which you're already doing now... AND you increased your ram..but still experience slowness, then it's probably not a memory problem...

Now, as far as one memory being faster.... Well, there IS such thing as ram speed... but the speed difference wouldn't be that drastic in your case... You can probably run your memory at both PC 66 AND PC-100 speeds.... Nowdays, they have memory up to "800" (I'm being vague to all you techies).... but those will only work on newer machines.

I hoped that helped a bit in your understanding.... And if you can see the increase in memory in your windows, then it is working fine.
 
It is extremely unlikely that your RAM was causing your CD problems. It is probably good.. if your computer is functioning well. The Guys at gateway were trying to rip you off.

Now.. your CD issue.. is it still gone?

xoxo
 
dreamingfool,

Your explanation of how a computer utilizes memory surpasses all others. Thank you very much.

camn,

My computer is functioning properly. And I did manage to make six copies of the Story-teller’s CD, without problems. Nevertheless, the stutter happened again when listening to a CD.
I have had a very busy week, and have not had an opportunity to run this problem to ground. The fact that it seems to be intermittent leads me to believe that I am overlooking something obvious.
 
thedreamingfool - That was by far the best explanation of RAM and it's role in the PC I have ever read.

Dare I say, even better than my own "you have this huge pool, and 64 buckets..." analogy!

Now please excuse me while I try to put my idiot on steroids without killing him. (overclock my CPU, hahahaha)
 
My Brother warns me not to mix RAM strips by different manufacturers. He claims it is very dangerous. He has suggested that I get rid of the original stick and just go with 384MB of new RAM (the E4200 maxes out at 384).

This is what he says:

Yes, the PC-133 will work with a PC-100 computer,
> but
> the PC-133 may allow the computer to access the RAM
> one cycle faster, improving the performance slightly
> over a PC-100 version.
>
> Did you remove the old RAM yet? If you don't, you
> are
> risking corrupting the hard drive and the OS. Make
> sure you remove that asap.
>
> Never mix RAM sticks, especially PC-100 and PC-133
> sticks and most especially (is that even correct?)
> sticks from different mfgr's.


Any commments on his comments?
 
you can over clock your pc100 ram to run at pc133. So if you have a stick of ram that's pc133 set EVERYTHING to run at pc133 and you should be fine.

Because when you overclock the cpu on your computer your speed on your ram increases also. So if you overclock the cpu a lot (and it can be done quite safely) then you ram might run at a speed up to 145.

I can be done....Been there done that, no problems.
 
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