Where & Why Buy RAM?

[CeNaTyLeR]

I would like to start off saying that I am no hardware expert and I think you guys can help me decide if I need more and where to get it.

I've only looked at crucial.com and it costs $38.99 and I was wondering if that is a good price. I have a Compaq Presario SR1000Z.

The reason I want RAM is because I downloaded a new game (Combat Arms) and it loads ungodly slow and sometimes lags out while playing. Whenever I start the game my CPU usage goes right to 100% and maxes out. I think that more RAM would make the game run at a reasonable speed, as well as make other applications work smoother. Right now there's only 512MB and I was wanting to get an addition 1GB.

My understanding is that this will triple my comps speed and my game will, as well as other programs, will go three times faster. Is this right or are there other factors that will cause my games and applications to run slowly? What factors are these?

Link to Crucial's suggestion:
http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...SR1000Z Series

If this will solve my problem is this as cheap as I can get it? I saw at BestBuy they sold similar products for around $70.00 which is a little expensive.

[TACO_HATER]

Your CPU being at 100% is due to your processor. And with RAM you need to make sure it is the correct socket type and everything. and 38$ seems quite cheap.

[CeNaTyLeR]

Ok so the processor, it's a AMD Athlon XP 2800. Is it a problem to be running CPU Usage at 100% or is that not what's causing it to be slow?

Also how do I tell what socket type I need to get for RAM?

[TACO_HATER]

Custom build or stock? 2800 is pretty old nowadays. And yes it is a big problem 100% usage. And that'll definitely slow it up. Try opening task manager and figuring out which processes are using most of the cpu.

[CeNaTyLeR]

This comp is pretty old. I'm not sure when we got it, but it was when DVD/CD burners were the shit and we got a combo. No hardware has ever been changed from the way it came to us.

Normally before I start the game iTunes and Firefox are off. What else can I turn off safely? And I know things like iTunes helper and AppleMobileDevice will come back on even when I end them so how do I keep them off?

[TACO_HATER]

You so far have 1 gig of ram and it runs at 100% with a game you said yes?

[CeNaTyLeR]

now there's only 512MB and I was wanting to get an addition 1GB.

The grand total after the purchase would be 1.5GB of ram then.
Would that much make the CPU Usage go down and make the comp run/load the game faster or is that the processors job?

[TACO_HATER]

Processors job. You're only using 1/4th of your memory in that ss.

[Spart]

Ram may help with your game but you are in dire need of a whole new rig if you want to play any newer or more demanding titles.

[winningfreak]

It will probably run smoother with new ram and a desent video card but that processer has to go for gaming.

there really is not taht much I can see in your processes that you can close and I would suggest using www.newegg.com to purchess your parts, there fast, trusted, reliable, and have a great return policy as well as super quick shipping!

[Spart]

Winning did you even look at the system requirements for that game he plays?

[CeNaTyLeR]

Side note, someone should make a site that you could put game reqs and your specs into and it would tell you what you need to improve.

It needs:

• Windows 2000 or XP
• Pentium 3, 1 GHz
• 256Mb RAM
• GeForce 2 MX or equivalent video card
• DirectX 9.0C
• 2Gb Hard Disk Space
• 128 kb/s Internet Connection

I have:

• Windows XP Home Edition V5.1 (I thought I had Pro, but this one shows file extensions)
• AMD Athlon XP 2800+, MMX, 3D Now, ~2.08 GHz
• 512Mb RAM
• Nividia GeForce FX 5100
• DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904) <not sure what those numbers mean
• 14.2GB Free Space on Local Disk (C:)
• Internet Connection Speed (down/up): 1536 / 896 Kbps

Could the massive slow speed be the GeForce? Wikipedia recommends using 5600.

EDIT: I should also note that sometimes I have trouble running Photoshop and iTunes at the same time, well really anything along with Photoshop = massive lag.

[winningfreak]

Winning did you even look at the system requirements for that game he plays?

nope, at the time of posting it I was posting on my iphone...

Side note, someone should make a site that you could put game reqs and your specs into and it would tell you what you need to improve.


It needs:

• Windows 2000 or XP
• Pentium 3, 1 GHz
• 256Mb RAM
• GeForce 2 MX or equivalent video card
• DirectX 9.0C
• 2Gb Hard Disk Space
• 128 kb/s Internet Connection

I have:

• Windows XP Home Edition V5.1 (I thought I had Pro, but this one shows file extensions)
• AMD Athlon XP 2800+, MMX, 3D Now, ~2.08 GHz
• 512Mb RAM
• Nividia GeForce FX 5100
• DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904) <not sure what those numbers mean
• 14.2GB Free Space on Local Disk (C:)
• Internet Connection Speed (down/up): 1536 / 896 Kbps

Could the massive slow speed be the GeForce? Wikipedia recommends using 5600.

EDIT: I should also note that sometimes I have trouble running Photoshop and iTunes at the same time, well really anything along with Photoshop = massive lag.

nVidia own a site that allows you to compare a games requirements vs yours:

http://cyri.systemrequirementslab.com/srtest/

[CeNaTyLeR]

EDIT: It also tells me why...
Suggests a new video card would make it better. Just like I asked before. Thanks for that site, I've always wanted a site like that that made it easy to check my shit. Good find!
Edit:
So after I get the video card do I still need to add more RAM or will that take care of the speed issue? Also do I need a new faster processor?

[O2zi3]

i think you may be wasting your time but you could try. Usually the RAM type appears as the computer POSTS...like about 2 secs after turning it on, but i guess if you installed CPU-z that would also tell you. just buying 1 gig stick though would not be the best, i'm guessing you'll have dual channel RAM that means to get it to run in dual channel mode you need 2 sticks of the same...therefore buy 2 x 1gb sticks

[CeNaTyLeR]

On "Can You Run It" is there a way to see where I would be at if I did get a new gfx card?

[winningfreak]

On "Can You Run It" is there a way to see where I would be at if I did get a new gfx card?

you would need to know what your motherboard can support ( PCI, AGP, or the best PCI-E )

[CeNaTyLeR]

How can I tell that?

[mdc4115]

check this out, it scans ur pc and tells you how much ram you can install and what type.
http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/index.aspx

[CeNaTyLeR]

I says I can match sizes of RAM, but would I need to if I just got a new gfx card? Probably the GeForce FX 5600 or better.