Simple RAM Replacement (not for gaming) Advice?

[DDTenn]

Hello!

I have a Sony Vaio laptop (SVE-series), and I believe the memory is failing. In my task manager, it shows total memory (MB) of 3996, cached 1022, available 1107, free 87. I don't think I need more memory (correct me if I'm wrong) and do not do gaming, but I do think the memory is failing, as I have had a few instances of trying to start my laptop and only receiving a black screen. After draining the power (several times), I can get it to work again, but if I try to run a memory diagnostic (via VaioCare), the black screen reoccurs. I want to do a simple replacement, hopefully without having to change any settings, as I am definitely not a computer expert (I can do some simple repairs, but that's it). Is it possible to do a simple replacement (just swapping what I have with new memory of the same capacity) without changing settings, taxing the system, etc? Also, which brands are best and most reliable?

ETA: I just looked at the box my laptop came in, and it seems I am supposed to have 6GB of memory, but my Task Manager now shows 4GB. Should I assume I have a 4GB and a 2GB, and the 2GB has failed?

Thank you!

 

[Victorion]

I think your laptop has 2 ramslots. Try flip it over the other ramslot first.
Other things to test, is doing a disk-check and also free up some space if you almost filled it up.
Close unnecessary programs/processes and make sure they don´t start up automatically with windows. Because your have dangerously low free ram.

If you need help, run hijackthis and post the log here

 

[DDTenn]

Thanks, Victorion! I do have 2 ramslots, and just edited my original post to add that I am supposed to have a total of 6GB, but my Task Manager is showing only 4GB. I just did the scan on the Crucial site, and it shows 2 slots, one with 4GB and one that is empty (even though both slots are actually filled). Should I assume one of these is 4GB and the other 2GB, but the 2GB has failed?

I think your laptop has 2 ramslots. Try flip it over the other ramslot first.
Other things to test, is doing a disk-check and also free up some space if you almost filled it up.
Close unnecessary programs/processes and make sure they don´t start up automatically with windows. Because your have dangerously low free ram.

If you need help, run hijackthis and post the log here

 

[Victorion]

Thanks, Victorion! I do have 2 ramslots, and just edited my original post to add that I am supposed to have a total of 6GB, but my Task Manager is showing only 4GB. I just did the scan on the Crucial site, and it shows 2 slots, one with 4GB and one that is empty (even though both slots are actually filled). Should I assume one of these is 4GB and the other 2GB, but the 2GB has failed?

I think your laptop has 2 ramslots. Try flip it over the other ramslot first.
Other things to test, is doing a disk-check and also free up some space if you almost filled it up.
Close unnecessary programs/processes and make sure they don´t start up automatically with windows. Because your have dangerously low free ram.

If you need help, run hijackthis and post the log here

Sounds like an odd number, to put in 2 GB stick and 4 GB stick. Did you get 4 GB on purchase and later add 2 GB stick?
If so, they have to be of the same speed, type and timings. And be set up correctly in Bios.

Either way, it is possible that BIOS will recognize the full amount of RAM that is installed, but Windows will recognize only a part of the RAM. If the machine has a redundant memory feature or a memory mirroring feature that is enabled, the full complement of memory may not be visible to Windows. Redundant memory provides the system with a failover memory bank when a memory bank fails. Memory mirroring splits the memory banks into a mirrored set. Both features are enabled or disabled in the BIOS and cannot be accessed through Windows.

 

[DDTenn]

Thanks, Victorion! I do have 2 ramslots, and just edited my original post to add that I am supposed to have a total of 6GB, but my Task Manager is showing only 4GB. I just did the scan on the Crucial site, and it shows 2 slots, one with 4GB and one that is empty (even though both slots are actually filled). Should I assume one of these is 4GB and the other 2GB, but the 2GB has failed?

I think your laptop has 2 ramslots. Try flip it over the other ramslot first.
Other things to test, is doing a disk-check and also free up some space if you almost filled it up.
Close unnecessary programs/processes and make sure they don´t start up automatically with windows. Because your have dangerously low free ram.

If you need help, run hijackthis and post the log here

Sounds like an odd number, to put in 2 GB stick and 4 GB stick. Did you get 4 GB on purchase and later add 2 GB stick?
If so, they have to be of the same speed, type and timings. And be set up correctly in Bios.

Either way, it is possible that BIOS will recognize the full amount of RAM that is installed, but Windows will recognize only a part of the RAM. If the machine has a redundant memory feature or a memory mirroring feature that is enabled, the full complement of memory may not be visible to Windows. Redundant memory provides the system with a failover memory bank when a memory bank fails. Memory mirroring splits the memory banks into a mirrored set. Both features are enabled or disabled in the BIOS and cannot be accessed through Windows.

When I purchased it (new) three years ago, it came with 6GB. I just checked it, and one is a Kingston 4GB, and the other is a Samsung 2GB.

By the way, I did stop some processes (and changed what runs automatically at startup), as you suggested, and the free ram increased immediately to more than 900, so thank you! I'm running Memtest86 on it now and hope that will provide some more clarification.

 

[Victorion]

It´s very very odd to buy a laptop with 2 different brands of ram, unless you bought it used. Mixing ram-sticks are never considered entirely safe, and the risks that follows just aren´t worth it.

Anyways for freeing up RAM:

Go into control panel and uninstall the programs you know you don´t need. That´ll clean a few things up.
Then for the programs you don´t use all the time, make sure they aren´t set as startup-with-windows-automatically.

Then you gotta run hijackthis, and remove any processes that you don´t want to startup automatically.
Becareful, because some processes are necessary for windows to boot, graphics card to run correctly or sound to work i.e.
You can post your hijackthis log here or you can google each process that shows, if you are in doubt.

Hijackthis can be downloaded here free.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/hjt/