Primary+Storage

Primary Storage

Cheap upgrades for your computers performance by Adam Arruda

Some quick and easy do it yourself upgrades are RAM or (random access memory) which is a form of computer data storage. Today it takes the form of integrated circuits that allows the stored data to be accessed in any order (i.e., at random). The word random thus refers to the fact that any piece of data can be returned in a constant time, regardless of its physical location and whether or not it is related to the previous piece of data.[1]This contrasts with storage mechanisms such as tapes, magnetic discs and optical discs, which rely on the physical movement of the recording medium or a reading head. In these devices, the movement takes longer than the data transfer, and the retrieval time varies depending on the physical location of the next item. The word RAM is mostly associated with volatile types of memory (such as DRAM memory modules), where the information is lost after the power is switched off. However, many other types of memory are RAM as well (i.e., Random Access Memory), including most types of ROM and a kind of flash memory called NOR-Flash. There are many different types of ram like DDR, DDR2, DDR3 and some others. Depending on your motherboard, it will take a certain type. When choosing your ram there are many different sizes of memory like 1GB and so on. Your OS or (operating system) can only handle so many GB of RAM so you will have to look it up. If you have Windows XP 64 bit it can hold a max of 128gb of ram.

Procedure by Jeuris Vinas

Windows tower PC running slow, do you find yourself waiting an hour for your computer to boot up completely? Your solution is probably RAM, RAM stands for random access memory meaning you can open applications and programs much faster. I’m going to give step by step detailed procedure turning off your computer and opening it to installing RAM. Your computer will run like new.

Step one: open “internet Explorer” go to [|www.crucial.com] and there is tab that says “Scan my system” you want to click on it and it will ask you to “download the scanner” click on it but first put a check on where it says “By selecting this box and clicking the download the scanner button, I agree to the Terms and Conditions. click on it. Its going to open a small window saying file “download-security warning” you want to click on “run” another windows will open saying Internet explorer-security warning click on “run” again and it will open a internet explorer windows telling you in four columns usually, it will tell you how much RAM you have currently installed in your computer and the performance of your PC also the option of putting more RAM usually computers have an empty slot for an extra stick of RAM if all your slot are occupied it usually means that you cant make any further upgrades to RAM or you can just take one out and upgrade. The columns will tell you how much your computer can handle. On the bottom of the columns, on the left side of the page it going to says “current installed memory” its going to give you a set of letters and numbers example DDR2 PC2-5300 that is the type of RAM you need, also its going tell you how many each slot can hold. RAM can 256 megabyte to 4 gigabyte the standards in computers today, more RAM means faster computer. Print out the page and go to your local pc store (Best buy, Staples, Circuit city Ect.) buy the RAM and go home.

Step two: turns off your computer disconnect all the wires (mouse, keyboard, monitor and the power cable) put it on a table on its side so the “On” button is facing the right side and where all the connectors are facing the left side. You might need a Phillips screwdriver, there are going to be usually two screws located at the top left side either they can be taken out with your hand or the Phillips screwdriver. Once they are taken out a metal panel can come out.

Step three: (warning do not touch anything inside the case until you are properly grounded) What you want to do next is properly ground yourself so you do not have any static electricity in you, so when you go touch anything inside it does not get damage. You can ground yourself by two ways you can buy an ESD bracelet (local pc store) and hook it on a metal piece of the case or you can touch a metal piece on the case away from the computer components.

Step four: After you have ground yourself you are going to see this big circuit board that everything connect to that is called the motherboard, “mobo” for short. Now you are going to look for two or four narrow slots that are going vertical on the top right usually one or two are vacant if all are occupied you need to pull one out by lifting two switches on each end of the slot and pull out. You want your new RAM handy; look at your RAM there is going to be a notch on the bottom of it and look at the mobo’s RAM slot it also is going to have a notch, align it them both and gently with a force apply the RAM you are going to hear clicking sounds. If you don’t hear anything and you think you are going to break something stop and see if anything’s in the way. And try again if the notches don’t align you have the wrong RAM, you need the right one.

Step five: Put everything back and connect your Pc and you will notice the difference.

In conclusion your computer will be faster and more reliable; your entire program will open much faster thus making you much happier.