[SOLVED] RAM and deterioration over time

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dajjorg

dajjorg

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Apr 30, 2020
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Hi all,

I’m looking to buy a new PC. I don’t game or video edit, i only use my PC to make very basic powerpoints and for web browsing. I bought a dirt cheap 4GB ram laptop that worked sufficiently fast for my very basic needs the first 2 years, but has been dirt slow the last 2 years 🙁

Would buying a pc with more RAM (8, 12, or 16GB) also mean a longer shelf life for getting decent speeds out of it? Or is any PC, regardless of how many GB’s of RAM it initially has, gonna become dirt slow after a couple years use?
 
Solution
USAFRet
dajjorg said:
Well, both SSD and Ram stick have been ordered. Youtube tutorials seem to abound on how to install them both, and yeah, the clean install before I put in the SSD.

USAFRet, thank you immensely. If you ever find yourself back in Madrid, dig up this old thread and hit me up, drinks will be on me. My word is my bond.
Click to expand...
You're on!

(but the clean install happens AFTER you install the new SSD)

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
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Word! My uncle was in the Air Force. Well thank you for serving sir...

I've been living in Madrid myself 3 years now. Probably a bit different now from what you'd remember it as.
 
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And how about the RAM stick. Should I open up my laptop to check and see if there are multiple RAM slots, or are you guys positive based on my laptop specs that I posted that there's only one slow and I'll need to get an 8GB-er?
 
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Bad news. Looks like one of my housemates took the set of small screw drivers to his gf’s house before we went into lockdown. No way i’m screwing off the bottom panel. I guess i’ll have to also buy a set of those from Corte Ingles.

Did you want me to check just to see if there were multiple RAM stick slots? Or did i need to check out the current RAM stick specs to find out compatability?
 
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dajjorg said:
Bad news. Looks like one of my housemates took the set of small screw drivers to his gf’s house before we went into lockdown. No way i’m screwing off the bottom panel. I guess i’ll have to also buy a set of those from Corte Ingles.

Did you want me to check just to see if there were multiple RAM stick slots? Or did i need to check out the current RAM stick specs to find out compatability?
Click to expand...
Mostly just to verify 1x or 2x RAM slots.

It is almost certainly 1x, but I personally wouldn't purchase without eyeballing the interior.
 
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USAFRet said:
It needs the L.

https://www.quora.com/Can-I-install-DDR3-RAM-in-a-laptop-which-support-DDR3L-RAM
Click to expand...

Ok, and if i can find an 8 GB that’s DDR3L but not 1600, is that fair game?

If it needs to be both DDR3 and 1600 then it looks like i will need to buy off Amazon and wait it out the couple of weeks. How much temporary relief will the SSD provide on its own until the RAM arrives? I’m losing multiple hours a day to the speed at which my laptop is currently functioning.
 
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dajjorg said:
Ok, and if i can find an 8 GB that’s DDR3L but not 1600, is that fair game?

If it needs to be both DDR3 and 1600 then it looks like i will need to buy off Amazon and wait it out the couple of weeks. How much temporary relief will the SSD provide on its own until the RAM arrives? I’m losing multiple hours a day to the speed at which my laptop is currently functioning.
Click to expand...
The SSD will give a bigger boost than the added RAM.

Plus...you WILL be doing a clean install on this new drive. Full wipe and reinstall, which will ALSO give a hidden boost.
Flushing out 5 years of old gunk, and starting fresh is usually very beneficial.

Prepare for this full install.
Document all your username/passwords. Serial numbers/license keys for any licensed software. All that stuff.
Save all your personal files to some other location. External USB, flash drive, in the cloud somewhere...
This will be like the first day you turned it on.
 
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USAFRet said:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
Click to expand...

Backing up everything and doing the clean install is something I do before the change right? So when i pop out the HDD, it is already back at factory settings?

And once I’m on the SSD, i’m assuming I can update back to the most recent version of windows 10 no?
 
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dajjorg said:
Backing up everything and doing the clean install is something I do before the change right? So when i pop out the HDD, it is already back at factory settings?

And once I’m on the SSD, i’m assuming I can update back to the most recent version of windows 10 no?
Click to expand...
Backup ALL stuff you want before you touch ANY hardware.
When you put this new SSD in, it is a blank drive.
You're doing a clean install.

Creating a new Win 10 install USB today will be mostly the most recent version. There will be some small updates it will do.
 
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It may be worth it (before buying new hardware) just to clean-up your current system. I have a laptop from 2008 with 4GB of RAM and still using it and it's fine. I would have had to replace it many years ago if I had not from time to time gone through and removed unnecessary things mostly files but also software that was installed earlier that I no longer need.

Beware, these are the things I do and may not be applicable to your situation, talk to friends, google, and such if you are in doubt. Also make sure you have good backups before proceeding.

Some things I do:
1)
Start "File Explorer:
In there right-click your C: drive and select "Properties".
Now you are at the MS clean-up disk drive tool.
Then if checked, then uncheck "Allow files on this drive etc etc"
Then select "Disk Cleanup" (this may run for a long time).
When "Disk Cleanup" after a while puts up the next screen it has not yet done anything to your files. Now examine the things that MS has checked or unchecked as ready for removal. Personally I select everything except "Downloads", but again beware as mentioned above.
Now in the same screen I also push the "Clean up system files" and off it goes again, and gets rid of what it has been told to do.

2) Having done the above I go through my "Downloads" folder and remove anything I KNOW I don't need anymore.

3) Next I press "Windows Key + x" and click on "Apps etc"
Here I remove programs and features that I have installed MYSELF and that I know I don't need anymore

4) Reboot Windows

5)
Start "File Explorer:
In there right-click your C: drive and select "Properties" and then "Tools" and run "Optimise". In the new screen I make sure the C: drive is selected and click "Optimise".
It will run a long time, perhaps hours.

6) Reboot Windows

Just my 10 cents, that works for me.

Regards and good luck with saving your PC from the dump.
Peter Kobl
 
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Hi again USAFRet,
Looking back at your initial posting you write that you only do basic PowerPoints and browsing on your current HW.

So, I think the next thing to do to save your current HW from the dump, would be to do a browser cleanup.
It's easier if you write what browser you are using.
What is/are you current browser/ browsers?

Also do you use browser "bookmarks" and do you use the feature where the browser offers to save "passwords"?

You have any browser extensions/add-ons installed?
Would be nice to know.

--Peter Kobl
 
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