Upgrading Your Computer Memory
Adding memory is a very simple task and can be done in a few minutes. First you need to find out if you can add more and what type to buy. Memory or RAM is the computers storage system that the computer uses when it is processing programs and information. If you have too little, it uses your hard drive which can make your computer programs run slower.
Go to you’re computer manufacturer’s web site to see what type of memory you need and how much. This is the best and easiest way t find out and be sure you get the correct memory card. There is different types of memory, and you need to make sure you have the correct kind.
They should be able to tell you if you can add more memory or not. Usually computers have a limit to how much memory you can have. Check and see what your manufacturer says is the limit and then see what you computer is at now.
You can right click on the my computer icon and click on properties to see how much ram you have on your computer.
To add more you need to make sure you have open slots inside the computer. The memory cards are small cards about an inch tall and three to four inches long. They will have small black circuits on them that are sitting all next to each other.
I have included a picture with this article that shows some common ones.
You do not need to worry about what the different kinds of RAM there are, if you would like to know there are plenty of web sites that will explain them. Basically they are all the same as far as what they do, they just have different connectors and different types of chips on them.
Inside your computer you can find them on the motherboard. They should be easy to find but you may find them behind some things like cables.
When you find the connectors note if there are any empty, this will tell you if you can add more or if you need to buy a new one and replace one of the existing ones with a larger one.
If there are empty slots you just need to go and get a new memory card. Have the kind you need and amount you want to upgrade to written down when you go. You can tell the amount by what your computer has and what the maximum is. If you just want to upgrade a little you can usually buy ones around 64 MB or maybe smaller, they go in multiplications of 8.
If your computer has a limit of 1024MB and you have 512 MB in yours you can get 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 or 512 MB of memory. Some manufacturers do not make all the increments that I have used as an example but you just cannot go over the limit the manufacturer has for your computer.
If your computer has all the slots filled you may not be able to add more. Look at the ones that are there and read them, see what the little labels or whatever printing on them says they are. If your computer has all the slots filled but you do not go over the maximum you can take one of them out and get a larger size of memory for that slot, as long as you don’t go over the limit.
When you figure out what type and size, go and buy one. When you get it home you want to turn off the computer before you install it. Make sure you unplug the power cord from the wall also. You should not poke around inside the computer with it plugged in as it could be dangerous. The power goes inside and there are things that still have power even though the power is off.
Take off the cover and your ready to install your new memory. To get to the memory slots you may have to remove a cable or something else. If need be you can do this if you feel you are able. Whatever you remove be sure it goes back in the same way as you took it out.
Turn off and unplug computer, if your upgrading from one memory card to another you need to remove the old one. There are two types of clips that hold the memory cards in. One is the type with two small clips on each end of the card. The other is two tabs about the same as the clips. Push or pull these according to your users guide. The memory card will rotate to the side and you can pull it out of the computer.
To put the new one in it will go in reverse order if you took one out. If you did not take one out you need to slowly push the new one in at a slight angle. You should see the tabs are slanted and the cards will go in as they are slanted.
Put the new one in and then push the tabs or push the memory module to the side like the others are. Then you should hook anything you had to unhook to get to the slots. Look around inside the computer to make sure you did not mess anything up and then put the cover back on.
Plug the computer back in and you can turn it on as normal. The computer will automatically detect your new memory and will run through a quick routine that will add it in.
That is all you need to do. If there is a problem the computer will tell you that the memory is not working and you should take it out. You may have not gotten the correct kind. Look at the card and read the printing on it and compare it to the ones inside the computer.
They should be almost identical to each other. If they are not you did not get the correct kind. Go to the manufacturers web site and ensure you took down the information correctly.
Memory in a computer will help the computer keep up with today’s ever faster programs and games. Putting more memory in your computer is a simple task and can be done with relative ease.
