8 of 65

Write now Article Tools

Page 4 of 4

corner. This displays the amount of RAM in your system. If you see that your computer is running 512MB (or even worse, 256MB) then you might want to consider purchasing more RAM. Depending on the amount of available slots on your motherboard, you may be limited as to how much RAM you can put in. It is advisable that you buy single "sticks" of RAM, rather than dual sticks. For instance, if you wanted 1 Gigabyte of RAM in your system, you could buy two 512MB sticks, but that would take up two slots on your motherboard. Since most motherboards have only 3-4 RAM slots for use, you impede the ability to upgrade further in the future. Buying a single 1 Gig stick of RAM will leave the other 2-3 slots wide open for more upgrading. Keep in mind that you can only install RAM in equal amounts. If you put a 1 Gig stick of RAM in your system, you cannot put two more 512 MB sticks in to equal 2 Gigs. You would need to buy another single 1 Gig stick of RAM.

Another lesser known issue lies in the quality of the RAM you're buying. Many different companies may offer 1 Gigabyte RAM sticks, but their latency rates may be different. Latency rates affect how quickly Windows can transfer data back and forth between itself and the RAM on your computer. Generic RAM will not offer much of a performance upgrade. These days the price difference between generic and high-quality RAM isn't much of a big deal. Companies like OCZ offer "Platinum Editions" of their RAM sticks which have been tweaked to run at very fast speeds. Putting one of these babies in your system will show an immediate improvement in the way Windows runs. The same can't be said for generic RAM, which will theoretically give the computer more memory with which to work with, but will offer a "ho-hum" performance peak at best. So remember, just because it says 1 Gigabyte of RAM on the box doesn't mean it's the best RAM out there! Never sacrifice quality for price. Buy an established brand such as OCZ or Kingston, and try to get their tip-top product. Pay a bit more, and you'll prolong the shelf-life of your computer even more.

If you still wish to tweak Windows XP and have it running like a Ferrari, you can try a Google search for more in-depth techniques. These include tweaking the registry itself (dangerous, don't try unless you know what you're doing!) and manipulating the Windows development tools to trim off all the fat and have your PC running in tip-top shape. As always, prevention is the key to Windows running great. Keep your system maintained, give it a cleaning once in a while, don't surf without proper Virus/Malware protection and you should be fine. One of the biggest stereotypes regarding Windows is how sloppy it runs. This is untrue. Windows simply lacks a friendly interface that will be easy for anyone except computer experts to truly understand 100%. If kept in fit shape, Windows will never experience any major drop in performance aside from the limitations of the hardware you've chosen to put into your PC. Happy surfing!

Learn more about this author, Derek Draven.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Add your voice

Know something about How to accelerate the speed of your PC?
We want to hear your view. Write now!