reccomendation please for extra memory

[bazzaaa1974]

hi, i'm in need of some advice from someone who knows about the insides of a pc.
My pc currently runs slower than time itself and i have managed to assetain that it doesn't have enough RAM, problem is i don't know what type to add to it. My aim is to make it operate a lot fastre than current to save me replacing the pc.

Spec for my pc is as follows:

Its a Dell Dimension 3000 with an intel pentium 4 processor (2.80 GHZ, 533fsb, 1MB cache).
i'm afraid i don't know the type of motherboard fitted as it has no markings on it.
Current memory is a Promos 256mb DDR 400 MHZ,
i do have 1 spare slot but don't know what size or type i should put in it, any advice greatly apreciated.

Thanks

 

[geofelt]

Download and run CPU-Z. It will tell you what your motherboard is, and something about your memory. Alternatively go to some of the major memory vendor sites like kingston, corsair, ... etc and use their memory configurators to find a list of compatible memory.

Do check for spyware with several programs. No one program seems to get them all.

---good luck---

 

[huron]

You can download a program called SIW (System Information for Windows) that will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about what's going on in your system.

http://www.gtopala.com/ - there's the link for the SIW site

 

[bazzaaa1974]

thanks for that advice, pretty decent tool.
any advice on the size of extra memory i should go for or what my pc is cabable of taking as surely the manufacturers will just give me a list of compatible options, some of which will be too small or big to be any use?

 

[o1die]

If you have only 2 memory slots, I would add a gig to the second slot. If you have 4 slots, you may want to add a 256 meg stick to the adjoining slot of your 256 meg, then 2 more 512 for a total of 1.5 gigs. 2 pairs of same memory will allow your machine to run in dual channel mode, for a 3-5% boost in performance.

 

[bazzaaa1974]

thanks for that, steered me in the right direction

 

[eqselgonas]

Earlier this year I upgraded my in-law's Dell Dimension 3000. Their computer had a Pentium 4 processor, 2.8GHz with 512MB DDR PC2700 memory. My mother in-law was complaining that browsing the internet was really slow (and they have DSL). I added 1GB DDR PC2700 and she was quite happy.

Best of luck to you.