Cost of extra 1GB Ram (Canadian)

I've been thinking......

I have a computer that's a few years old, and will be taking it in to have a couple of things done to it before I move into my new place.

While it's there, I'd like them to;
Dust it out.
Verify that I can connect this thing with my new ISP (switching from regular phone line internet to cable - "Cogeco").
I'd like to have them install 1 GB RAM extra. I currently have 1 GB RAM, 2.4 GHz and find it tends to be slow in opening applications and opening several tabs in FireFox 3.

In Canadian dollars, approximatly how much would it be to have 1 GB RAM installed? Just curious right now, the shop is closed.

Thanks!

 

Probably around $60.00+ and Tax for 1 GB, depending on what brand you choose.

Some sites to check out:
www.canadacomputers.com
www.tigerdirect.ca

BTW: I got 2x1 GB Crucials for $140.00 (tax included)

 

Well, I'm saving my bucks by not buying DDR but getting a whole new rig instead. Dusting you can easily do yourself and for a cable connection, all you would need is cheap NIC card and perhaps install Cogeco's software or you might have the ethernet already on your motherboard, I don't know them from experience. Oma is correct as far as prices go, might find cheaper. Make sure it's approved for your board. I'm still running with 1 GB and find it acceptable, even with Vista.

 

If running Win XP, something seems wrong here. My Win XP Pro SP2 system has 512MB and it's not slow in opening most applications and I often have half dozen or more browser taps open with no problem.

I'm thinking you need to review Basic computer maintenance everyone should do

 

Good point, I have 15 tabs open at times on FF and no reduction of performance with 1GB RAM with an X2. Only times it happened was when FF 2.04 didn't want to release the memory, when I'd get up to around 400MB, things started to be real sluggish! I'm not saying that's it, just one place to check in Task Manager.

 

The way many people run their computers, loaded down with useless Services and TSR's, it's a wonder that they even run at all.....even with 2 or more gigs of ram. You still have only ONE CPU to run everything.

I can take the average PC, that I've never seen before and clean it up and tune it up and increase performance by 100%, or more.
I've been doing this for years, so I know just how bad most PC's are.

A clean and lean PC with 512 megs of RAM will run decent with XP-Pro. It will start running really nice with 1 gig, but will get up and RACE with two gigs.

I just added another two gigs of DDR2 RAM to my own PC, for $29 per gig, USD.
I understand that in Canada, things are a bit more pricey. Although I don't really understand why an imaginary line on the ground, called a border should make so much difference.

Any computer part is much cheaper if you can buy it and install it yourself.
RAM sure as heck isn't hard to install.

But, if you have money to throw away.....pay someone else to install the ram for you.

Good Luck,
the Shadow :cool

 

RAM is very easy to add and may save you more money if you order it online and install it yourself. Importantly you want to know what RAM you currently have and the SPD values that are stated, it is ideal to try and match these as best as possible so that they "play" nice together otherwise you may have to manually define parameters in BIOS. To find out what RAM you have and the SPD values you can DL and install:

EVEREST Free Edition 2.20

Expand Motherboard and click on SPD. Also can you inform us whether it is DDR or DDR2 please.

 

Without loading more software onto your PC and getting the best information about what you need and what it should cost you,,,,my favorite path is to go to: www.crucial.com
and put in your PC's make and model # or the model of your motherboard if this is a home-made PC and they will tell you exactly what you can install and the cost.

Crucial is one of the worlds largest RAM suppliers and I would trust them to give you the real, factual and honest information you need.

Many Professional RAM sellers use Crucial as a reference source.
I do too!

That's my best advise.

The Shadow :cool

 

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

I'll leave the dusting, installing of proper RAM, and checking to see if the computer is able to use "cable" internet connection up the techie guy, I'm not comfortable in doing so, above my head, I'm a dummy to this stuff! lol I know an excellent and trustworthy fix-it shop, I'm confident that I'll get my monies worth. I'd much rather have a pro tinker with it, than for my limited knowledge hands to accidently mess things up which may cost me in the long run, snicker, snicker.

I've completed maintenance work on the computer, and still seems to be the same. Maybe the techie guy will find something that I've overlooked, or maybe I'm just too damn impatient! lol

 

If using Windows XP one can check how much RAM your CPU is using at any given real time and you can tweak it. With this FreeRam XP Pro 1.52 you can see if you really need additional RAM. It's free, here's the link and info about it:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=1670

BTW: I installed the additional RAM sticks myself. If I can do it, anyone can.