Ram memory: Install : How hard ?

i have 1 gig ram, asus motherboard, desktop gamer, built 11/06: how hard is it to install more ram ? do i need to know the exact asus model ? i have some open slots; the only other time i did this was 1988: tweezers/chips, my first pc (radio shack!); do the directions come with the memory ? i was thinking of buying the memory on amazon; will i notice a faster machine ? xp ; thanks

 

It's easy to install more RAM, you just have to push it in the slot and make sure the tabs lock into the notches. The easiest way to find out what RAM you need is going to Crucial.com with IE and run their app. Also, you can buy it from there or take the info and get it elsewhere.

The only thing to watch for is to add the memory to the same coloured memory slot. You may find you have a pair of 512's so depending how much more RAM you want, either a pair of 512's or a pair of 1GB's Yes, XP works best with 2GB's and since you bought a gamer machine, I'm sure your games will run faster if that was the bottleneck. Enjoy.

 

Whoa! Not so fast. Actually, MUCH more important than that, because using the wrong colored slot will not destroy anything, you MUST ensure you UNPLUG the computer from the wall before doing anything with the RAM. This is essential because the ATX Form Factor standard for PC power supplies requires +5Vsb standby voltages be present across several points of the motherboard, including RAM slots, at ALL times, even when the computer is powered off. This is so such features as Wake on LAN, Wake on Mouse, and even the front panel power switch work. Note that some power supplies have a master power switch on the back of the supply, but many supplies do not. There is no requirement for a master switch. Pulling the plug is a sure thing, depending on a 5 cent switch is not, so unplug. If you don't do this, removing and inserting RAM with this +5Vsb present may destroy your new RAM.

Also critical - it is essential to discharge any static in your body BEFORE reaching. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) can easily destroy ESD sensitive devices, which includes densely packed integrated circuits (ICs) such as memory chips and processors. And it is important to note these destructive discharges can be so small, humans are not even aware they occurred - they are below the threshold of human awareness. Therefore it is essential you and the computer are at the same potential before even reaching in. This is simple to do, however. Again, with the computer unplugged from the wall, open the side panel of the case, then touch bare (not painted) metal of the case. Any static buildup in your body will be discharged to the case, putting you and the case at the same potential. Since wiggling around in your clothes will start the buildup again, stay in contact, or at least touch the bare metal frequently to keep the buildup at bay.

Never touch the electrical contacts - not only for ESD damage, but also to keep skin oils from attracting dust or promoting corrosion.

Finally, while the modules are keyed so they only go in one way, many have been damaged by using too much force when trying to insert backwards. Use good lighting and double check before pushing in.
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Maybe. 1Gb is a decent amount for XP machines. Without knowing more about your hardware, it is hard to say if any improvement will be that noticeable. If you are using on-board graphics, more RAM may help, but adding a graphics card may yield better results. This is because today's computing environment is very graphics oriented. Just about any card will have a better graphics processor (GPU) than the on-board GPU, and the card will have it's own dedicated RAM tweaked for graphics processing. Adding a card will allow the on-board graphics to be disabled, freeing up the large chunk (potentially up to 128Mb) of system RAM that is snagged and dedicated to graphics processing. So adding a card generally gives you a better graphics solution, and in effect, a RAM increase in the process - and yield a noticeable performance boost.