Do I need more ram?

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duo17

duo17

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I'm running Windows XP home and I have 128mb of Ram. When I have more than 6 windows open, it says that I'm low on memory. Would more ram fix the problem, or is it something else? If Ram is the problem, then how much more should I get? Thanks in advance for the help.

OA
 
Yes you definately need more RAM!

With programs of today they are memory hogs....they suck it all up!

I would recommend at least 512mb of DDR 333 RAM. It should keep your computer going smoothly for atleast another year or so until programs get overly memory hungry.

The more RAM the better and faster performance!
 
Thanks and a few more questions: How do I know what kind of RAM to install?, and If I take out my old memory, will I loose any information?

OA
 
With Win XP, you definitely need at least 256 MB of RAM! :)

As far of what kind your motherboard supports - it's probably easiest to contact the motherboard or computer manufacturer. They'll be able to tell you what you need most easily.
 
Well, I didn't have the 200 dollars needed to buy the full 512mb of ram, so I just bought 256mb and added it to the 128mb that I already have. Thanks for all the help everyone, and my computer is running a lot faster.

OA
 
Originally posted by risingson77
What kind of RAM did you get, duo?

FWIW, I have 256 with XP and it's just peachy.
Click to expand...

I got 2 sticks of 128mb RDRAM. Looks kind of like this just with silver metal:

sec-rdram.jpg


Originally posted by Viper Zero
$200? Rip off!

I got two 256MB DDR PC2100 sticks for $80 each.
Click to expand...

Where!?

OA
 
What's there to drool about over RDRAM (sorry about my ignorance, as I have lost Tech TV to digital cabe, when we have basic).

OA
 
RDRAM has 4GB of bandwidth, DDR PC3500 has 3.7GB. RDRAM is also more expensive, only used with Pentium 4 processors, and is down right evil.

I got my memory from Circuit City. Right now, they have PNY DDR 256MB sticks for $64.
 
That makes sense because I'm running a P4 1.8GHz. Once again, sorry for the ignorance...damn Adelphia...

OA
 
so i guess PC133 ram sdram should be pretty cheap now, eh? lol. not that i need anymore than 288 megs anyway. i need a new computer.
 
The P4 was built to use RAMBUS memory because it had higher bandwidth than SDRAM or DDR RAM.

Although RAMBUS is faster, DDR memory is catching up very quickly. New P4 chips now use DDR memory instead of RAMBUS. :lol:
 
Originally posted by Viper Zero
RDRAM has 4GB of bandwidth, DDR PC3500 has 3.7GB. RDRAM is also more expensive, only used with Pentium 4 processors, and is down right evil.

I got my memory from Circuit City. Right now, they have PNY DDR 256MB sticks for $64.
Click to expand...

Viper Zero makes 5 points about RDRAM:
1. True.
2. True.

The difference though is that DDR RAM uses some clever technology to increase the bandwidth. Basically, the system timer signals the on/off pulses that the memory uses to change state according to the data flow. RAMBUS memory has a very high speed of pulse, and so changes state on the high/low voltages. DDR instead looks for the change in the voltage rather than the voltage itself, and is therefore able to change state on the switch between low and high voltage, and then again on the switch between high and low voltage. Hence the name, Double Data Rate.

There are factions within the industry that feel that DDR RAM is inherently less reliable than RAMBUS RAM.

3. True, because of the higher clock speeds.
4. False. It's used with later Intel boards, specifically those used to handle the Coppermine processors onwards. I have a PIII/1000 on an Intel board using RDRAM.
5. False. RDRAM is expensive, but it is extremely high quality and highly reliable. It is able to perform above the level of DDR SDRAM without resorting to voltage trickery, which is more likely to induce state errors in situations of unreliable voltage. I have noted that DDR-equipped computers are significantly less reliable when deployed on construction sites than virtually identical machinery equipped with RDRAM.
 
Originally posted by Viper Zero
The P4 was built to use RAMBUS memory because it had higher bandwidth than SDRAM or DDR RAM.

Although RAMBUS is faster, DDR memory is catching up very quickly. New P4 chips now use DDR memory instead of RAMBUS. :lol:
Click to expand...
Well, my chip isn't exactly new (1.6ghz) is it? I mean, the newest chip is 3.06ghz (Pentium 4).
 
Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Viper Zero makes 5 points about RDRAM:
1. True.
2. True.

The difference though is that DDR RAM uses some clever technology to increase the bandwidth. Basically, the system timer signals the on/off pulses that the memory uses to change state according to the data flow. RAMBUS memory has a very high speed of pulse, and so changes state on the high/low voltages. DDR instead looks for the change in the voltage rather than the voltage itself, and is therefore able to change state on the switch between low and high voltage, and then again on the switch between high and low voltage. Hence the name, Double Data Rate.

There are factions within the industry that feel that DDR RAM is inherently less reliable than RAMBUS RAM.

3. True, because of the higher clock speeds.
4. False. It's used with later Intel boards, specifically those used to handle the Coppermine processors onwards. I have a PIII/1000 on an Intel board using RDRAM.
5. False. RDRAM is expensive, but it is extremely high quality and highly reliable. It is able to perform above the level of DDR SDRAM without resorting to voltage trickery, which is more likely to induce state errors in situations of unreliable voltage. I have noted that DDR-equipped computers are significantly less reliable when deployed on construction sites than virtually identical machinery equipped with RDRAM.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I'd never thought about it before, but it makes sense.

Perhaps I'll go to the Dark Si-err, Intel on my next PC. :D
 
RDRAM might be faster and more stable, but I will like to see how long RDRAM lasts when a stick of RDRAM 256MB costs $91 and a PC2100 DDR 256MB stick costs $45. Even PC3500 sticks cost less at $86.

You can get a PC2100 DDR 512MB for $91, same price as the 256MB RDRAM. If you build your computer right, DDR will have no stability problems.
 
I really should have got that P3 Asus board that supported RDRAM instead of the Gigabyte one. Damn PC133 crappo.

So hold on we have 2 types of DDR and another type of ram called RDram, am I right?
 

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