You should now install your memory modules. For the purposes of this step, we are assuming that you have already chosen the appropriate memory for your PC in Step 1. So, we will jump right into installing the memory.
It is important that you consult the manual for your motherboard to see about any particular sequences in which memory should be installed on your board. Some boards require particular sequences of memory installation, usually depending on the memory capacity, type, etc. Other boards have no required sequence at all, and you can choose any slot you wish to install your memory. Most new boards support Dual Channel RAM. This is a technology that allows a performance increase when using 2 or 4 matched sticks of RAM. Consult your motherboard manual on which slots to use for dual-channel. It is not always slots 1 & 2.
The installation of module modules is basically the same regardless of type, even though each module type looks a little different.
- Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal object. This will discharge any built up static electricity in your body.
- Pick up the memory module by its edges.
- Decide which slots you are going to use and orient the memory module over it. The module slot will have a small plastic bridge which will be off-center in the socket. This matches up with a notch in the pin array of the memory module itself and ensures that you insert the module in the proper alignment.
- Insert the memory module. With DIMMs (SDRAM or DDR RAM), they go straight in. Make sure the notches in the RAM line up with the little bumps in the slot.
- Lock the module in place. With DIMMs and RIMMs, all you have to do is continue to press the memory module down until the ejector clips on either side of the memory slot automatically get pushed into the closed position. Sometimes, you may need to help the ejector clips close, but the idea here is that those clips need to close so as to lock the module into place. If they do not close, it is because the module is not inserted all the way into the slot.
- Repeat this procedure for any other memory modules you are going to install.
- If you are using DIMMs (and most are), then you are done. If you are using RIMM modules, then you need to fill each remaining RIMM slot with a continuity module. A continuity module does not contain any actual memory, but its purpose is to simply act as a pass-through circuit so as to provide for a continuous channel for the memory signal. The installation of a C-RIMM is exactly like that of a normal RIMM module.
MY PC ONLY AS 40 GB CAN I MAKE IT BIGGER SO MY PC ROUNDS FASTER AND STORE MORE ON IT
David:
He is talking about RAM not Hard Drives. And 40 GB is good enough for just like office use, but if your gaming it might be wise to upgrade a couple hundred GB’s. And yes adding more RAM should make your pc faster.
Also, if your doing a lot of gaming, you will want a “gaming” hard drive. Most hard drives these days are @7200 rpms…. a good gaming one will have 10,000 rpms..I’m buying a velociraptor 300GB 10,000rpms blah blah blah and it quotes an increased hard drive speed of about 30 percent over a 7200rpm one.
Yes, while it costs 3 times as much for less then half the memory.
7200 1TB=100$ = .1
10,000 300gb=230$=.7666
So you are paying 7.6x as much for the 10,000 RPM per gig. Right now the velociraptor is a rip-off, wait a year to get it and the price will go down a lot.
I do believe you are looking at the wrong page. This page is talking about the installation of RAM. You’re looking for a hard-drive upgrade.
one thing to the people talking about gaming hardrives. he having a lot of room is important, but 7200 RPM is good enough and a 10,000 RPM hardrive will only cut down load time. i guess u would buy them if your impatient, but there not necessarily meant for gaming
Can anyone tell me about Windows XP not recognizing memory unless it’s UNDER 3 gigs. I’m getting new MB which is capable of 8 gigs of ram & wanted to run with 4 gigs for now.
I’m not sure what problems you are having with XP not recognizing memory unless it’s under 3GB. The OS should have nothing to with the amount of RAM you use. You need to make sure that your motherboard & CPU can safely run the RAM upgrade you want.
Good Tip: Go to (www.crucial.com) and use their “Crucial System Scanner Tool” this will tell you how much RAM you can use in your system (1GB,2GB,4GB ect…) and what type (DDR1, DDR2, ect…). I have used this before and it works flawless!!!
You can also use belarc advisor.It does the same thing.
Windows XP (32 bits) will not recognized more than 3 Gigabytes, and 32 bits systems in general will only recognize up to 4 Gigabyes (do the math: 2^32 = 4294967296 addressable or recognizable byes). In order to use more than 3 Gigabytes you would need to upgrade to a 64 bits version of Windows (Windows XP 64, Windows Vista 64, Windows 7 64, etc).
this is because you’re running a 32-bit architecture operating system which only recognizes up to 3GB of ram, most new operating systems have a 64-bit version which can recognize up to one exabyte of ram which is roughly 16 000 000 GB or something cant remeber but it will take decades to even get close to an exabyte of ram so either buy windows xp 64-bit if you really wanna stay with xp or get windows 7 or vista 64-bit it doesnt matter if its home premium or proffessional or ultimate
I went to the ‘crucial’ website and checked for compatible memory for my MB and it said that the 32 bit windows will only recognize and utilize up to 3 GB. It said if you want to use more than 3 GB on memory, you need to upgrade to a 64 bit OS.
Technically, Windows XP (being 32 bit) can recognize up to 4GB of RAM, however your video card’s video RAM is subtracted from that 4 GB total. For instance if you installed 4 GB in an XP system that had a video card with 512 MB of video RAM, the total amount of *usuable* RAM would be roughly 3.5 GB (4 GB – 512 MB).
The 64 bit version of Windows Vista doesn’t have this limitation.
Thanks on that.
My vista 32 bit system same (will only run 3 GB)I guess its all 32 bit OS.
I can stop wondering now.
Denman. Windows XP will only recognize more than 3gig of RAM if it’s the 32bit OS. If you get a 64 bit OS then it will recognize more RAM. Still use the 4 gigs but it only operate as 3 until you upgrade the software to the 64bit OS.
To Robert:
no, Denman is, in fact, correct. 32-bit Windows OS’s only support up to 3gb of RAM. Bad news for 32-bit XP and Vista users. You need a 64-bit OS to make full use of more than 3gb of RAM in Windows.
32 bit Windows will support up to 4gb of RAM, not 3.
but actually that 4gb includes graphics, mobo memory etc so depending on what graphics card etc is installed you may be able to see more than 3GB
32 bit Windows will support up to 3.25 GB of RAM!!!
2^32= 4294967296 around 4GB for a 32-bit OS.
Vista 32 and XP 32 support a maximum of 4Gb total memory. Vista 64 and XP 64 will run more then 4 GB of ram (total depends upon which version). The total includes video card ram, i.e., so if you have a 512 MB video card then Windows XP 32 will only recognize 3.5Gb of 4Gb installed ram.
Another tip for when installing new memory is to seat the memory once, remove it, then seat it again for the final time. The reason for this is that sometimes there is a very thin protective coating over the contacts on the memory. This “coating” usually is scraped off during normal installation but MIGHT not come off all the way causing the memory to not be read. This is usually not necessary but something to think about if you boot up and your PC does not read all of your memory. If the memory is previously used, you will not need to worry about this.
This is probably a stupid question but something I dont understand about memory. Ive read that XP will accept 3-4 Gb of memory. I just built my first computer and it is running excellent. But the Mobo says it can run up to 16gb of memory. If the OS will only accept 3-4Gb why do they make boards capable of running so much (16Gb in my case)? After reading all this I’m kind of surprised my computer works. I have(2) 2Gb sticks in my board but my graphics card also has 1gb on it. I’m running XP home. The bios shows all 4 Gb but clicking on system info windows only shows 3. Dont know why I would ever need it but what would happen if I put in 16Gb? Would the computer make use of it but only recognize (display) the 3gb? I’m just trying to learn folks. Sorry for all the questions.
Chuck, there is a 64-bit version of Windows XP (and another for Vista) which will use 16 GB of RAM. If you use the 32-bit version, any memory above 3.25 GB is completely wasted, unused.
Also, Windows is not the only PC operating system….
The memory on your graphics card is separate.
…is 2gb enough RAM for most modern games?
Yeah. Usually most games don’t require more that 1.5GB of RAM. As far as I know, Crysis Warhead requires 1GB of RAM and GTA IV requires 1.5GB of RAM. There is no game requiring more than that. So you can safely rely on 2GB of RAM to run most modern games for the time being at least.
I would like to upgrade my Dell Inspiron6400, as it only have 1 g in the ram right now. I am not sure how to do it please give me a heads up for installation, ram brand, and bios update?
What will happen if I upgrade the memory of my PC to 4 GB and the only maximum memory is 2 GB…
How ‘matched’ must my memory be? I have two Legend 256Mb-DDR266 chips matched up in the first two sockets. I also have a spare Veritech 512 Mb-DDR400 chip I’d like to add on board if it will run in tandem.
Any ideas, feedback, advice?
Adding 1 stick of ram is ok but you wont be running dual channel anymore.You must do it in pairs to be running dual channel.Also its always best to by a matched set of ram.Dont buy one and buy another later.They wont be matched.I dont think the ram your using is very good.You can buy memory very cheaply right now.They are almost giving it away.There are many good brands of ram that are much better than what you have now.You could use crucial,kingston,G skill,Geil,mushkin,corsair,etc.
did u install r memory correctly?
what if my motherboard says “ddr3 standard” or something like that in it’s specs? Dose that mean I can only use ddr3 or can I use ddr2 and so on?
It will just waste 2GB then… Only 2 will get used if it only supports 2.
Also, as a note to people, if you have a 32-bit OS then do not put more then 4GB of memory into it. lol I see people who do that but the truth is a 32-bit OS will only use upto 3.5GB. Rest is basically waste.
Like Gord said… The 32-bit OS will only support upto 3.5 GB of memory. The rest is waste. Your mobo can support more so that if you had a 64-bit OS it could take advantage of that. The reason your windows only shows 3 is because of this, 4 is installed but only 3.5 is utilized. And the Graphics card’s memory is seperate from your RAM on your mobo. Hope this helped =)
Just installed my GSkill Flares 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 SDRAM 2000! Works like a charm, thanks for the guide!!!