Pretty Dumb Question

Alright back in the day I made a thread and it was about adding RAM. Now I have a Dell Dimension 4700 Windows XP Home Edition . Processor is Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz and the speed of the processor is 2.73 GHz. RAM 256 MB. Anyways I barely have stuff on it and I know I need much more RAM. I went to Crucial website and checked it out and they asked the 3 questions for RAM scan. I put 1. Dell 2. Product line Dimension XPs 3. I put 4700 but they got two other options 4700c and 4700 Media Center. But I guess its 4700? Anways I was wondering I get freezes constantly and lag/slow loading and running of things(virus clean) and I was wondering if anything else could be updated other then RAM? Or is RAM the only thing Id need? Does RAM make things run better like watching videos, or loading pages? I get skipping and lagging when watching a show. And I get virtual thing in the bottom right with yellow triangle.. Like it can't handle what I am doing.. SO I am asking since my GF is getting paid with taxes what to do to make it better? Just RAM and a reformat?

 

Putting more ram in will certainly help with the stuttering also an upgraded GPU would improve the video performance but i would go with the ram first and see how much better it is.

 

I never thought about the computer slowness would be drivers and etc. I havnt touched any of those for some years. But is there an program/app that I can download and show me what you guys would like to know? I remember I had a program from MG that told me what was on my computer/installed and running. But deleted it long time ago.

 

Hm you asked about software? What kind of software you want to know?

I have 256mb RAM it says on the "help and support" under start and clicked whats on this computer. Even tho This program has me

Also I hope Iam correct about this but this Everest Program I hope I am write in thinking that as soon as I pop up this program its reading this computers info and not something else? If so thank god. Also I was going to type all of the info but I see report feature I used to make into txt is this okay? Can you guys accept and read/understand? Also can you get the info you wanted from this that Iam going to attach?

Hopefully it has the drivers and all that good info on it.

 

I am not going to give advice here as Digital is far better qualified than me.

I just noticed 256mb ram is tiny by today's standards.

This application gives your PC info in a slightly more condensed manner than Everest (not so much unneeded stuff)

 

Oh my, 256MB RAM?! I had a P3 with that much RAM and it was slow if I dared to run a second program. Check E-Bay or friends for some PC-133 RAM, verify that by going to crucial.com Sadly I already gave mine away.

 

I recommend finding out the maximum limit your computer can handle before buying any more, especially as SDRAM is getting more and more expensive as no one much uses it any more.

 

About the RAM, it's a P4 therefore it should be DDR and the Everest report identifies it as 246 MB (DDR2-400 DDR2 SDRAM). The remainder, 4MB (8MB according to Everest), being used for the Intel GMA graphics.

Apart from throwing more RAM into the mix, ensure that there is plenty of free space (25%+) on that little 40GB hard drive. You can run the Crucial System Scanner to check your 'board specs for new RAM but it looks like the 4700 series will accept up to 1GB x 4 at $26 each.

 

You said check my hard space? I thought adding RAM would add more hard space(maybe I am dumb about hard space). But I ll tell you in dummy talk that I do. I thought adding RAM would make the computer bigger and be able to hold many more programs and items, and also make the computer faster and less freezing and laggy? I barely have anything on it now. 4 main things I use 2 gaming things, photoshop, firefox, and darn I forgot the 4th one already. Also I just scanned with the crucial program I had. And it says 3 X 1 GB = 77.97. I was looking for 2GB but guess they dont work in this computer. Keeps from 1.25 to 3.25 GB

 

Think of it this way: Picture a kitchen with a chef working in it.

Got a good image? Okay.

The chef is the CPU, the one that does all the work. Programs and items on the computer are stored on that hard drive, the way ingredients are stored in the fridge and the pantry. That is exclusively storage space, and though measured in the same way as RAM it is completely different. RAM is the amount of counter space you have given your chef to work with.

If the chef is making lasagna, he's going to get the ingredient he needs next out of the fridge/pantry, prepare it, and then move on to the next. if your chef has a large counter, he can get all ingredients out at once, chop them, slice them and dice them, and have the lasagna in the oven in less than ten minutes. However, if the counter is small, your chef needs to completely clean it off and put everything away before he can move on to prepare the next ingredient, and before you know it, it takes him an hour and a half to make dinner.

Right now, your computer is giving your chef a kitchen counter that's barely large enough to support his cutting board.

Whatever other upgrades you had planned, start with RAM, at a very minimum get up to 1GB. If you want to be able to use your computer to the point where you can start narrowing down other performance bottlenecks, take it up to a total of 2GB. To be honest, I would never suggest that anyone even try to use XP on less than 1GB. It's just not worth it.

The scanner satrow gave you a link to can get you memory recommendations, and Crucial is one of the brands that give free tech support and lifetime warranties.

 

Hm, that's odd. It should have given you a list. Do you have a link?

 

http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/viewscanbyid.aspx?id=CE19D1E731D926C3

 

Here you go, 2BG kit. I picked it out of the list near the bottom of the page. It was kind of hidden behind a few links though.

 

So those are those are exactly capadible with my machine? Cause I know its strict to get the same thing. Also when I get them, I add the 2GB with the already poopy crappy one of 258MB thats in it? Meaning 2GB + the one thats in my computer?

 

Yes, and yes.

With your computer, you'll have four slots, in two different colors. Black and white, or black and blue, or some such. Take out the 256MB part and put one of the new ones in the color closest to the CPU, the put the second one in the other slot of matching color. Then put your 256MB in the first slot of the other color. Done.

 

Alright cool thanks. Now waiting for the money to arrive anytime. Also I have a question. Maybe nothing to do with this. I just assume it was low RAM and ghetto software I am playing. Anyways a question is I play at two different poker sites. They are the top two sites and trustworthy. Anyways One is lag less no freezing. Then the other I get freezes in pretty much each game I play, I freeze and lag so much there I restart my computer atleast 15 times a night. Most time I wait 10 minutes and the table/game will play sound while still stuck on white screen for my tables...and eventually it go back to working.. so Iam always folding good hands and losing pots I should win. Some other people on the forum has issues with them as well. But I don't know if its what I got. Anyways they sent me an email because I emailed them asking if its the software which I know isnt as good as the other program site I play. But they said to do a test. It had to do with testing timed out things. I open Run typed in there thingy and it did a thing (I guess for seeing how my connection is and the problem to freezes and lagging/disconnecting from there site). All was okay cept they said 1 thing was an issue. And they said they like me to chech my firewall, modem internet, wireless and etc. But I have no wireless.. I turned off firewall.. and the modem is already put directly into my computer.. so how can that be looked at?

1 * * * Request timed out.
2 8 ms 9 ms 6 ms ge-2-1-sr01.(after this dog is my town plus my ip) But they said this is a issue maybe. I dont understand it because theres others "timed out" but maybe this is diff cause numbers or something.. :confused But I was wondering if this could be due to my connection messed up or just my computer RAM and there software is? Like I said I do fine with other things its just there site I have issues with playing on.

 

Make a new thread in software, we'll see what we can do to help you. Us poker people have to stick together.

Oh, and when you do, name the sites. It will really help us with narrowing down what's causing those unfairly lost pots.

 

Well the emails I sent and got from the game site I deleted what the test instructions were. SO I am going to email them. There support is pretty slow so could take few days. Also if I made a thread and show my "timed outs" it has my IP and personal location information in it. And I dont want to post the IP and town/internet provider of mine on public forum. Can I edit my name and IP out?

 

Absolutely! Matter of fact, you should. It's smart and common sense to be wary about giving out that kind of information, and you should never post it in a forum if you can avoid it. By all means edit it out, all regulars here will understand your concern about that kind of information.

 

I made a thread in software some time ago with some info that fulltiltpoker sent me to try to test on there program/site. And I did it and sent it back to fulltiltpoker and they said the only thing they seen an issue with my internet/computer could be the section of firewall, wireless and something else.. which I have no wireless being used, firewall disabled to play the site, and so I didn't think this was an issue. Now in my post in software I believe I got a reply to (clean up) the computer. But Ive done that long time ago, and it is cleaned with virus. Also I was thinking maybe updating things on the computer like drivers and any other things I have that can be updated. But I do not know where to see on each thing if it is old and needs to be updated. And so I was needing help to see if my stuff was old. I posted that everlast or whatever it was report about what "was in my computer" and running currently But still just sitting here. Anyone suggestion what to do? How do I find what to update and where to check if they need updated and where to get the updates?

 

Alright heres my final thing in this thread. I got the money and am going to order this RAM to add to this computer. ITs a dell dimension 4700 windows xp sp3. I got little RAM and I we discussed that cucial was a trustworthy site to order RAM from. And so I am going to order from them. Does anyone have problem with me ordering from crucial site? The next thing I see when I scanned my computer there with crucial site it gives me this link
http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/viewscanbyid.aspx?id=639AEB0C31D926C3 Now it goes from 1G to 3G but I asked well what if I wanted 2G? And then I got this link submitted saying it was for the right computer http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=80ABFAD3A5CA7304 now is this for the same computer that I have the 2 G? Also How come on the 2G link of RAM and the 3 GB link of RAM(suggestion they give) its different part numbers..? They the same DIMM 240 pin but nothing else matches. And I know I need the exact same RAM to add

 

Another thing I was thinking. I was going to have a guy add the RAM and reformate fully for me. And If I remember I read that disk only have like sp1 or 2 on them. And I know sp3 better. So later Id need to update that. Also I was wondering what you people thought. Now my computer has that crappy RAm 258mb if I am correct. And It only has photoshop and firefox, internet explorer and 2 poker programs atm and 2 virus/spyware stuff on it as well. So all that is way low for my RAM now I know 2G is just good for windows xp and updates but I want something that is going to make sure it runs my videos and let me be able to add GIMP and media player back on the computer to actually do things again like it should be doing. So do you think 2G is fine or 3 G is totally needed!

 

1. Crucial has been in business for over a decade and have a good reputation. I've ordered from them before, and would not hesitate to order from them again. i like that life-time warranty they keep reminding me about.

2. The 2GB kit is for your Dimension 4700. I should know, I found you that link. Also, it says on the top of that page what it's for, Dimension 4700.

3. If you click on the buttons to check out on Crucial.com so it goes to the shopping cart, the 2BG one you found shows as "quantity:1" of a 2GB kit. The 3GB show as "quantity 3" of a single 1GB module, that's why they're different part numbers. I would assume.

4. I have 2GB and a Pentium 4 on one of my computers and it runs videos and games just fine. To be honest, since you're starting out at 256MB, anything you add will give you a significant improvement.

 

I ended up going clicking add to cart under the 3G and in the cart I ordered was 3 of these CT907826 1GB, 240-pin DIMM ? Hope I am correct.

 

This means you have chosen a bundle of 3 sticks of 1Gb modules.

 

So instead of making a new post I just searched for it. Hello to all been gone a little while. :wave And I got my 3 G of RAM and added it hopefully right. I got a question I've seen post Ive read on these forums about people having RAM or adding RAM and yet the computer "doesn't really show" it has it. So I was wondering how to see if my computer is reading the RAM correctly. Also do I need to update anything else after adding RAM(I wouldn't think so)? Now the things I have seen after adding the RAM computer was pretty instant on opening things but after few days got a little back to normal. But I do notice one thing that is different and that is internet explorer Ive posted about this issue and no one has an idea cept add RAM but I installed different kinds of IE because before I added RAM IE was like running dial up when you loaded it it would take several minutes to open and go to main page google and also just using it was to slow so thats why I never used it at all. Anyways after adding the RAM IE got quicker opening so that was my 1st test and see and it seems to work better.

 

You think correct, you don't need to update or configure anything, Widows does that on its own.

If you want to check the amount of installed RAM, right-click on My Computer and pick "Properties". On the General tab, the default one that comes up, the last line of text shows the current CPU frequency and the amount of RAM.

If your computer is not running as fast as you'd like it to, or if it doesn't seem to make a big difference, you may need to clean it up in other ways. Your hard drive might be severely fragmented, or your registry a mess. Major Attitude posted a guide a while back on how to maintain your OS to keep the computer running smoothly, you might want to glance at that and see if those steps help.

Here's the guide: Basic computer maintenance everyone should do

 

It says I got 2.99 G of RAM and I'll do that link again just for the heck of it. Even tho my computer never had anything on it. Thanks for reply

 

This means you have taken out your original RAM and just put in the new stuff, correct?