Well, my computer has only 512mb of RAM. And 30gb of Hard drive left.

 

 

 

For the RAM, well I play computer games (like call of duty 4 and do graphic design). So how much more do you reccomend I get?

 

 

 

And is it worth me getting an external hard drive, or an internal one?

What operating system do you run, and what is the total size of your hard drive?

I say get more ram. Also, if most of your hard drive space is taken up by like movies or songs you probably want to get an external just so you can take those files off your hard drive.

What operating system do you run, and what is the total size of your hard drive?

 

 

 

I run on a windows xp, home edition. My hard drives total size is 150gb.

 

 

 

I say get more ram. Also, if most of your hard drive space is taken up by like movies or songs you probably want to get an external just so you can take those files off your hard drive.

 

 

 

 

Most of it is programs, i'd say. What then?

That is a small hard drive. Hrmm, I'm not really sure what your best would be. But a external hard drive is also good no matter what, even if its just to back up your files. You should probably wait for Old Joe or Nadril to post, they know better then me.

RAM is always a plus. Can always buy a hard drive later on.

 

 

 

EDIT: Since you're on XP, your best bet is probably 2GB, btw.

RAM is always a plus. Can always buy a hard drive later on.

 

 

 

EDIT: Since you're on XP, your best bet is probably 2GB, btw.

 

 

 

I'd say get as much as your mobo can hold, but no more than 4GB.

 

 

 

RAM is cheap, no reason to not fill the computer to max capacity.

 

 

 

As far as the hard drive, do you see yourself installing more programs in the near future? Personally, I think you're fine for now. When you get to about 10-15GB remaining, then you might want to look into an additional hard drive.

RAM is always a plus. Can always buy a hard drive later on.

 

 

 

EDIT: Since you're on XP, your best bet is probably 2GB, btw.

 

 

 

I'd say get as much as your mobo can hold, but no more than 4GB.

 

 

 

RAM is cheap, no reason to not fill the computer to max capacity.

 

 

 

As far as the hard drive, do you see yourself installing more programs in the near future? Personally, I think you're fine for now. When you get to about 10-15GB remaining, then you might want to look into an additional hard drive.

 

Im pretty sure XP can only utilize 2-3 GB of RAM, so it would be pointless to get more.

 

(I think.)

Get 4gb of RAM, it's only about 50$ and you will see a great increase in performance. (xp only recognizes 3.25, but it still use the rest).

 

 

 

Second, get an internal 5200RPM, 500gb harddrive, those are like 80-100$, and should help you alot.

RAM is always a plus. Can always buy a hard drive later on.

 

 

 

EDIT: Since you're on XP, your best bet is probably 2GB, btw.

 

 

 

I'd say get as much as your mobo can hold, but no more than 4GB.

 

 

 

RAM is cheap, no reason to not fill the computer to max capacity.

 

 

 

As far as the hard drive, do you see yourself installing more programs in the near future? Personally, I think you're fine for now. When you get to about 10-15GB remaining, then you might want to look into an additional hard drive.

 

Im pretty sure XP can only utilize 2-3 GB of RAM, so it would be pointless to get more.

 

(I think.)

 

 

 

You'd be wrong. XP utilizes over 3GB of RAM.

Thereotically it could, but 2-3GB is enough I find on XP when it comes to gaming and such. I rarely use over 2GB, that's even with modern major release games, and things like steam + Xfire. Only way I could someone needing more would be for intensive graphical editing, but I don't think OP wants to do that.

 

 

 

RAM is cheap, no reason to not fill the computer to max capacity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If it can even cope with excessive RAM?

Download CPU-Z, open it up, go to spd and see if it says DDR or DDR2, also click on where it says "slot#" and see if you got 1 or more free slots available.

Get 4gb of RAM, it's only about 50$ and you will see a great increase in performance. (xp only recognizes 3.25, but it still use the rest).

 

 

 

Second, get an internal 5200RPM, 500gb harddrive, those are like 80-100$, and should help you alot.

 

 

 

How can it use more RAM that it recognizes? It uses what it recognizes, it doesn't have enough adresses to use all the RAM because it's a 32bit OS.

 

 

 

And why a 5200RPM drive? 7200RPM are just as cheap and are faster. It's at the cache of the drive you should be looking, most are 16mb of cache, but nowadays it's 32mb of cache.

I'm on DDR. I have two slots of space free, so what do you sugtgest? In the near future I see me installing mroe programs and games, because I have the ram to handle it. Oh, and how much are graphics cards? Do you reckon i'd need to get one as well?

If you don't already have a dedicated graphics card, it might be worth looking into. You can get an inexpensive graphics card for around $100, and it will increase performance over an integrated card.

 

 

 

Drac, I have 2GB in my computer, but only because I got it at a time when 4GB was excessively expensive (I would have needed to get 2x2GB, I have a microATX board). I find it mostly sufficient, but I use Photoshop sparingly, and the extent of my gaming is Runescape. If he's going to be gaming and graphics editing, especially if it's in Photoshop, might be worth it to have 4GB.

 

 

 

MrShiny, how many slots are currently filled in your PC? And, as far as hard drives go, you're probably better off upgrading, considering how much space many modern games and programs fill.

I have 2 slots left.

I got that, but how many do you have total?

2. 2 256mb cards.

I would get 2x512mb, even if it's DDR, it will be a noticable speed jump. DDR costs more than DDR2 due to it's old, on it's way out and modern computers use DDR2 or DDR3. 2gb will cost alot, and not really worth it on such a computer. Could you open up CPU-Z again and tell me what speed it is? E.g. PC-2700.

 

I'm guessing you either got an Athlon XP or P4?

 

What's your current graphics card? (download GPU-Z, open it up - graphics card; name and bus interface.

 

And it could turn out that your power supply might not be strong enough for a newer card, and in that case... I wouldn't really suggest buying a new psu for a new card (especially if you got AGP), i would then suggest saving money for upgrading quite alot of your components as it would give you more for the money.

 

But let's see what you got first.

It says:

 

Max Bandwidth: PC3200 (200mhz)

 

 

 

Here are my settings:

 

 

 

Aye good good.

 

Where do you live? If in USA, two of these - PQI 512mb PC 3200 - 17$.

 

 

 

Good that it's a pci-e card. I asked earlier, what's your cpu?

 

Also, a card that i'll recommend won't be any power hungry, but i still want to know about your power supply. Open up your case (be grounded just for safety), if it says FSP, Hiper or something (manufacturer) please tell, also the total wattage, total wattage on +12v rail/s if possible and also amps on the +12v rail/s (very important to know).

 

 

 

I hope you know how to put stuff in, or if you know a family member or someone to do it.

Aye good good.

 

Where do you live? If in USA, two of these - PQI 512mb PC 3200 - 17$.

 

 

 

Good that it's a pci-e card. I asked earlier, what's your cpu?

 

Also, a card that i'll recommend won't be any power hungry, but i still want to know about your power supply. Open up your case (be grounded just for safety), if it says FSP, Hiper or something (manufacturer) please tell, also the total wattage, total wattage on +12v rail/s if possible and also amps on the +12v rail/s (very important to know).

 

 

 

I hope you know how to put stuff in, or if you know a family member or someone to do it.

 

 

 

I live in NZ. And I don't know how to put stuff in, I was going to get it done at a hradware store, albeit being really easy to install the stuff, I just want the security that it is in safe hands. Is there any way to find my wattage withough opening my case?

Yep, sounds good. Costs about 40 (convert to NZ).

 

Only other way is if you have have a prebuilt-machine or if you have a recipe about what components it is, and then say what it says on psu.

 

If you can say one of the things, i'll try to find out what you got. Otherwise you'll have to open the case.