Adding Memory

SealPoet- Crucial Memory has a site where you can determine what kind, and how much memory you can add to your particular computer:

http://www.crucial.com/

My husband upgraded my old computer from 128 to 364, and it made a BIG difference. It is not difficult to install, but you need to either wear a grounding strap (you can get that at Radio Shack)or ground yourself. If you don't, you can fry the memory chip!

You don't have to buy the memory chip from Crucial. The big computer stores offer sales on these chips from time to time. Watch the ads!

You can fry yerself, too... (but I guess you know about self-immolation, my dear bird)

Thans... I'm off to check the sight.

Great! Thanks a bunch!

You are very welcome. Here is an article about "grounding":

http://www.thepc.info/upgrade_prepare.html

I couldn't even get past step one, Phoenix! What kind of computer do I have? Good Q! The auto scan couldn't figure it out either. BUT, it did read my motherboard and give me some options. Great site, thanks Phoenix.

littlek- Right click, "My computer"- Left click "properties". The information should be right there!

The problem is that my computer was pieced together. It worked, I found out what type of memory I could take by my motherboard type.

littlek- You also need to know how many slots you have, what combinations of configurations that you can use, and what is the limit of memory that you computer can hold.

Anyway... thanks for the tip, Phoenix... up and running. No smoke, better performance.

SealPoet-Glad to have been of help!

I tried the site, but I can't figure out what product line my computer is. So, since I have a gateway, I went to the Gateway site. I did the "memory search" through there by just adding my serial number. It gave me how much memory I could use up to, the highest memory card available, which one to use, and gave me the option to buy the $280 part As you can tell, I didn't buy it. I have three "slots" to put memory. I have 128. If I add a 128 will it work as I have 256? It seems as thought it should, but Iam definately not a wiz at this stuff. I have never even seen inside my computer. I am just wondering in case I ever want to get some one to upgrade me.

Sure, touch a metal part of the PC case every now & again to ground yourself, & generally try to avoid touching the pins, but only turbo-nerds that geeks would make fun of wear grounding straps.


Yes.

Monger- Hey, so call me a turbo nerd. IMO a person who is not sure about grounding is better off buying a strap, than making a mistake.
Better safe than sorry!

That's what I did when I added memory to my old computer. Now if only I'd labelled the cables I had to yank in order to access the memory slots, I woulda saved myself a lotta time and hassles! Live and learn, as the saying goes.

Uhm...what's a turbo-nerd? *grin*

Caprice- I had never heard the term before, but I am sure that it is NOT flattering!

From the new hacker's dictionary

n. 1. One who eats (computer) bugs for a living. One who fulfills all the dreariest negative stereotypes about hackers: an asocial, malodorous, pasty-faced monomaniac with all the personality of a cheese grater.

Monger- Now, if I can find a way to work that word in, in casual conversation............................ :wink:

I wasn't insinuating that you were one..heh The majority of people who use them, prolly like you, do so because they've read training courses, etc. which strongly recommended using grounding straps. In reality though that's usually unnecessary. I almost never worry about grounding, but if I do I'll just touch a metal part of the computer (such as the power supply) for a second. The only time I'm a bit more careful than usual is if I'm installing a new, top of the line CPU or some such (since CPUs are extra expensive, & extra sensitive).