Upgrading PC... Need Advice

[greenk 0]

Okay, please don't shout at me! I don't have much clues about computer hardware!

I've got...

Intel Pentium 4 CPU

3.40 GHz

2.00 GB RAM

256MB RADEON X600 Card Thingy (Graphics/Video Whatever It Is Called)

I was looking around the web to see what I could do about the RAM and found that I could double it for

[Longbeard 0]

I am no hardware expert by a longshot, but I have an x800, and it wasn't nearly enough to run most of the things I wanted it to. I then went to a GeForce 7900 GT KO, and that was a big upgrade, and I now have a GeForce 8500 GT that blows both of those other cards away. All three of the cards I mentioned are badly dated, so surely you could use an upgrade, I think anyway.

You need to know what type of slot you have on your Motherboard before you buy a card, i.e. PCI, PCI Express, AGP, etc.

Generally speaking, the more RAM...the better, but that isn't always true. If you are running XP 32 Bit, then 3 Gb is all you need, since XP 32 Bit will only recognize 3 Gb, even if you have more installed. If you have XP 64 Bit, or Vista, you can go with more. There will also be a limit to how much RAM your MoBo will accept.

I have looked for a workaround for the 3Gb limit on XP, but haven't found one yet.

Also, some Motherboards will default to slower speeds if you have certain RAM configurations, for whatever reason. The MoBo I just got from a friend is like that, so you may want to do a little more research before you buy.

I doubt this has helped you much, and I apologize for that, but it is all things to be considered. Maybe someone else here can be more helpful.

John

[greenk 0]

It's helped slightly, more than I knew.

1. I should be able to run 4 GB RAM, running XP Pro.

2. How do i find out what motherboard I have and then how do I find out what slot I have for the card? I know how to get to DXDIAG if thats where I find it, but where. I seen that from somewhere.

Thank you for the help you have given so far!!! Anybody that can carry on would be much appreciated. :biggrin:

[mutley 4,498]

It's helped slightly, more than I knew.

1. I should be able to run 4 GB RAM, running XP Pro.

2. How do i find out what motherboard I have and then how do I find out what slot I have for the card? I know how to get to DXDIAG if thats where I find it, but where. I seen that from somewhere.

Thank you for the help you have given so far!!! Anybody that can carry on would be much appreciated. :biggrin:

Hi Kurt,

I run XP Pro and I cannot get more than 2.9 Gb recognised by XP although I have 4Gb matched memory installed and the /3GB switch in my boot.ini.

If you want to know what your motherboard and other system info is then try SIW ( System Information for Windows) from

[Longbeard 0]

I just realized that you are correct Joe, it's not XP Pro that will recognize more than 3Gb, it is XP 64 bit. My mistake.

:biggrin:

[greenk 0]

okay thanks for that Joe.

Any way to get past the restriction of 3GB on XP or is that how XP is built. Sorry for all of the questions :dance2:

I'll have a look at that download now.

[mutley 4,498]

I don't think so, a bit out of my depth now :dance2:

[ddavid 149]

I found this interesting as I'm considering a 64-bit Vista OS for my next pootah:

http://www.dansdata.com/askdan00015.htm

I don't understand all the detail but it reminds me of when I used to be involved in system design back in the days when..... (soft snoring off)

Cheers - Dai. :dance2:

[allardjd 1,853]

It has to do with the number of bits in an address, which can be limited by either the addressing scheme of the OS or by the physical width of the address bus for the CPU and/or MB. At some number of memory locations, you run out of the ability to assign each one a unique address.

Think about automobile license tags. If you have a system with only four digits and it uses decimal system numbers only, you can only have 10,000 unique license plates (0000 - 9999). If you want more than 10,000, you must add a 5th digit. Memory addresses are subject to the same limitations, but it's all binary - ones and zeroes only. That's what the 32 bit and 64 bit systems are all about - how many digits there are in a memeory location address.

John

[MartinW 0]

Generally speaking, the more RAM...the better, but that isn't always true.

For FS9: 1gb

For FSX:2gb

With Vista: 2gb in both cases.

You don't 'need' more unless you are doing things in the background, however, Vista will fool you into thinking you do because it will utilise all you give it. But it doesn't need it. For games, then yes, perhaps more will help, but not the sim. RAM is cheap though, so it's up to you.

Memory in modern systems, like the Core 2 Duo, quads etc, run on a 1:1 ratio with the CPU front side bus. This is the most stable configuration. Just because you buy super fast RAM, it doesn't mean it will run at that speed. It's just the maximum speed the RAM is tested to run at.

Unless you are oveclocking, by raising the front side bus, the memory will not run at the stated speed. Even with moderate speed RAM, AND overclocking my E6700, I am still not running at my rams stated speed.

Better to go for RAM with low latency rather than high speed RAM. High speed ram tends to have the timings slackened to accommodate the higher speed capability, that as said, you will not get unless you are overclocking.

Not sure whether the 1:1 ratio still applies to i7.

[GabethePilot 1]

Don't mess with the 3GB switch at all - I had major problems.

You only need more than 2GB RAM if you are running FSX on Vista. Otherwise...2GB is just fine.

For

[GabethePilot 1]

Just found a link to Custom PC's specs ona

[MartinW 0]

You only need more than 2GB RAM if you are running FSX on Vista. Otherwise...2GB is just fine.

Only if you're fooled by the way Visa utilises ram. Or, you happen to be plotting the trajectory to our nearest star, in the background. Games, yes.