askerian | aaaagh. Computer woes.

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aaaagh. Computer woes.

So I got a shiny new printer/scanner/fax machine thinger for christmas. It's gorgeous. And it works just fine on my father's computer.

On mine it doesn't even want to install, because not enough memory. gnrghgn.

So after a hour and a half googling away, I learned:

-by memory they mean RAM and I don't have to trash my videos! great. (... well, it did prompt me to burn to CD and then trash quite a few, which can only be of the good in the end. I think.)

-I could possibly buy a stick-thing (not sure how that translates in english but I get it.) and installing it myself seems quite doable and unless I got it all wrong, it's likely it would help.

-THERE ARE THREE BAZILION KINDS AND IF YOU BUY THE WRONG ONE HAHAHA TOO BAD FOR YOU.

My computer: http://www.spirit-computers.com/fr/pri/?PibItemNr=platform_spirit_178

My question: What do I need to know when I go shopping for one? What do I need to write down on my shiny little list? And how do I find that out? ... Do I have to open my computer to see what's already in it? D: (that's gonna be an adventure seeing how the panel is dinged and it's always super hard to close it again... ~__~ but I can, if I really have to. I'd just like to be sure that i DO really have to. >_>;; I don't want to have to fight it twice.)

Also how much monies am I looking at? I have just about ZERO idea. Ten dollars, a hundred and thirty-seven, what?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

RAM is a great way to upgrade your computer speed. The good thing about it is how easy it is to do it yourself. Unfortunately your page doesnt say what the max ram you can have is. And I cant find it using any of the online lookups. But the beauty of ram is that it cant break your computer. If its not the right kind it just wont start.

My best bet would be to open up the computer
MAKE SURE THAT YOU TOUCH SOMETHING METAL SO YOU GET RID OF ALL STATIC ELECTRICITY.
If you dont know what to look for google pictures of ram (its usually at the bottom).
Once you find it count how many "slots" you have.
Then remove the ram. Usually there are two lever like things on the side that you pull away from the ram and make it pop up.
Pull it out and take it to a local electronics store with you comparing to the one you have.

I also found this: http://www.ehow.com/how_2020139_find-capacity-ram.html which has better instructions

OR

Take a picture of it and post it on here. I have a bag of desktop ram that I have laying around and I'm not using. If I have a match I dont mind sending it to you (even though it might take a little while to receive).
Hope this helps

oh also try going to www.crucial.com and see if they can just do a scan on your computer?

T^T ♥♥♥ Thank youuuuuuu. *rolls in advicey yay* I'll go buying tuesday. Hopefully it'll be okay.

Here's the relevant info for the RAM:
* 2 DIMM Slot
* DDR 333 support
* Non ECC support
* Max. 2G total

With 2 DIMM slots and a 2 GB max, it looks like your best bet would be 2 1-GB sticks. BUT you should make sure that the shiny new thing will actually run with 2 GB total, because some computers now come with 4 GB standard and if your scanner's that new, it may be expecting a lot. (It may also be expecting Vista or Win7, arrgh. sometimes the older hardware is easier to get running on older OSes.)

Memory's comparatively cheap as computer bits go -- I'd estimate around $40 for 2 chips, unless it's a really obscure type.

I can try to come up with a particular pair of chips that ought to work for you, if you want? Will have to do after work though, this is lunch break, shhh! :)

oh yeah, here's the link I got the RAM info from:

http://www.spirit-computers.com/fr/pri/?PibItemNr=spec_P4MA_Pro533

There are a couple more stats I'd have expected to see on there that aren't listed, but it might be somewhere in the manual. Again, if you want I'll poke after work...

You're awesome. *^O^* And oh, that's cheaper than I feared.

The scanner is expecting ... really not much more than I've got, it says I've got something around 320 and it needs 360 or something really small like that, I can't remember the exact numbers but I was pissed that it was so close.

So is the info going to be on the box? Should I write it down and show a vendor? Hopefully they'll know... Gah. *frets a bit* Wouldn't they be able to look up my computer online or -- argh. gah. I'll just write everything down !

Anyway I have XP, just like my father, and it worked fine for his computer so logically it should work fine for me as well... (haha, expecting computers to be logical. Oh self.)

♥♥♥

I can't get the chips online, I'll have to go to a shop, so I don't know if having a specific pair would be really useful? *really doesn't know jack about this* I mean, for all I know they don't have the right type... But if you're willing to look, sure, I'd like to have the info anyway, in case I can get them.

*MASSIVE LOVE* thank you. ^______^

I did some more looking and the additional info you'll need that wasn't listed on the original page is that it expects 184 pins (not 200) and pc2700 speed. So here's the full list of specs to take to your shop:

* You want 2 1-GB sticks of...
* 184 pin DDR 333 DIMMs
* PC2700 speed
* Non ECC support

I've found examples online ranging from $17 per stick to $44 per stick; generally, good brands to look at are Transcend and Crucial, though Samsung's fairly well known too. Here's some links that you could print out to take along to the shop?

Your motherboard's specific RAM recommendation from Crucial (http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=P4MA%20Pro%20533)

2GB Kit (2 x 1GB) DDR PC2700 Unbuffered Non-ECC 184-PIN DIMM - what you'll want to end up with (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009RPY96?ie=UTF8&tag=japanesehomec-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0009RPY96)

Samsung 1GB DDR RAM PC2700 184-Pin DIMM - a Samsung alternative to the Crucial set above (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YFZQMI?ie=UTF8&tag=japanesehomec-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000YFZQMI)

happy shopping! (And in response to your other question downthread? It will definitely help. Whether or not they'll totally stop lagging also depends on your CPU and bus rate limitations, but it's definitely going to give your computer more 'elbow room' to handle things like video with...)

T^T You're awesome, thank you so much. *massive love* I feel like I should draw you something. XDD;;

You're welcome! (I'm just lucky you're not needing to build a high-end video-capture-and-rendering system -- one of my RL friends wants me to build her a system for music video making, and I know NOTHING about that type of specialized hardware; I keep pointing her at my friend the professional anime translator, who builds his own computers because nothing off the shelf has the stuff he needs for all that subtitling and rendering work. But RAM is comparatively easy once you know the motherboard, and every computer's got some. XD)

Heh -- first make sure that the info I gave you produces RAM that actually fits and works! I'm totally going by the online guides here; if I was in your neck of the woods I'd pop the current RAM out and take a look at its own labeling just to be extra sure, but this is the best I can do long-distance.

a-and if once your computer is all fixed up and shiny and talking to that scanner, I might be working on some ofic that might theoretically be glad of some illustrations, if you end up looking for something to do to make sure the new scanner and new RAM are playing nicely with each other and all...

--wtf i didn't answer this comment. I really thought I had. Gahh. DX DX DX

Anyway -- scanner's working now!! ^o^ Thank you so much. Now tell me about that ofic of yours. ^______________^

I have no idea what you could do, I just wanted to give you a hug and a cookie to cheer you up :3

So cute! :D

Ram is, as has been said, the poor man's PC upgrade. You will probably notice your computer being less slow and sluggish in general. :D

Now, reading the other replies, you've already being given some GREAT help.

Ram really is super easy to install. It's just popping something into the mother board. There are no drivers, nothing to install like that :)

Crucial is a very well known RAM merchant/manufacturer, so you can trust their website. :) Their PC Scanner works quite well.

It should beable to tell you if you have any empty RAM slots (available memory slots compared to total memory slots)...
However, it's generallyjuse easier and better to wholewhoel new ram.... because sometimes it needs to be paired up (and I'm not sure what the rules on that are) So.. if you have 2 slots and can only suport 2 gigs, buy (as chibirisuchan suggested) 2 sticks that are 1 gb each.

That said, looking at crucial, for what has been described... I think it's going to cost you about 80 american to get this upgrade.

That said... If the extra money is laying around, maybe its' time for a new computer.. ^^;

but yeah, also, check out (or post) the printer thingy so we can make sure it'll work with only 2 GB of RAM.

also, be calm. this is easy stuff :D

There are videos on youtube showing how to install ram. watch enough of them and it'll give you a solid idea. just made sure the levers are in the right place and the cards are facing the right direction and don't be afraid to push a little. :D

Thank you, hon ^^ and the printer should work with 360 ... something so yes, 2 GB should work just fine. XD

... hey, hey, will that make my videos stop lagging as well? o___o at first I thought it was the codecs but...

♥

It might should help, yes :D

that MIGHT be more video card related, but I'm not sure :D

and good deal :D Let us know what you figure out! us geeks and demi-geeks like knownin' this stuff XD

I'm technologically stupid, so I can't help much. :-(

My suggestion would be, if you don't want to buy a stick, you could make a network with your computer, your dad's and your printer, and then when you want to print something you can print it through the network.

Yeah but then it would have to be in his room, and NUUU MINE. also i often want to scan stuff when I'm up at night, and i doubt they'd like seeing me pop in at two AM to start their computer. XD;;

*lovesquishes*

looks like chibirisuchan has nailed it.
You can go to www.crucial.com. Their downloadable tool will analyze your computer to tell you how much RAM you have now, and how it is installed (1 stick, 2 sticks, how big etc). So you don't have to open the case yet unless you want to.

This tool will also try to figure out what you can buy. If it gets stuck, your manufacturer is VIA Technologies, step 2 All Models, Step 3 select P4MA Pro 533 (your motherboard per your link)

They have site for France to get you local costs and shipping. or print the page for shopping reference.

Good luck :-)

Thank you for the link ^___^ I'll go there. Whee for awesome tools!

I wish I could buy stuff online though, that sounds so much more practical than going to a shop and having to choose from rows of confusing boxes. DX

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

aaaagh. Computer woes.

poor you

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