Computer help please

[Minty Seagull]

To be perfectly honest i know nothing bout computers. I was just wondering how i can increase the speed of my PC. I want it to be faster when loading Word, games (FM2006 mainly) etc. Is it a simple case of increasing RAM or would i need to get a new computer which i dont really want to do as it is expensive and i dont want to lose my data thats on here.

And come to think of it - where/how do i increase RAM.

Or do i need to incrase MHz (whatever that is?)

Im on 128MB of RAM apparently at the moment and its really slow.

Thanks for any help/suggestions - MS

 

[Goodfella]

RAM is Random access memory, the more you got the more progs you can have running at the same time, and the Mhz is the processor speed the higher that is the faster progs will respond.

You ideally want 512 mb RAM and and a 2 gig processor. that will see you for most stuff.

 

[Minty Seagull]

oh ok thanks m8 - ill look into it

 

[Another Berkshire Seagull]

In general you've named the 2 things that will most help you improve the performance of your PC.

A faster processpr allows more computer instructions to be run, more RAM allows the computer to store more data that it needs on a medium that is much fatser than the alternative which is a disk (essentially a mechanical device).

The long and short of your actual answer is depends. If your processor is old then most probably your motherboard (the main board in your computer that houses the processor and memory) will also be old and only support other older porcessors and maybe not as large/quick ram.

If all this is old your upgrade path may be motherboard, processor and maybe new memory (to fit the new motherboard). If this is the case you may be best (finanically) to by a new machine? or maybe get the cast offs on ebay etc.. from some speed freak nerd ditching their old gear.

Basically if you can give a better idea of what exactly you have as a CPU it may give a better idea as to what your likely to be able to upgrade. You find this kind of detais in the BIOS (the stuff that appears on the screen as you first turn on and the menus that you can launch at this early stage).

 

[Scarface]

If you want to run FM06 at a decent speed you will want 1GB of RAM. Should cost around £100 and will easily slot in next to the current RAM.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Corsair_XMS.html

You may want to check out how much your OS can handle. For example I was told that I wouldnt be able to add more RAM on my machine because I have Windows ME which apparently cant hack more than 512MB.