How to increase access to RAM. Computer RAM

Surely many have encountered this problem: you launch several applications or a browser with 10 open tabs at the same time, after which the system begins to slow down terribly.

There can be many reasons. One of them is a problem with RAM. Usually it's a lack of it. However, this problem is completely solvable. Many people mistakenly think that their RAM performance is too low and try to improve it in every possible way, including using all kinds of optimizer programs.

It’s worth mentioning right away that increasing performance and optimizing RAM are 2 different things. Productivity can only be increased in two ways:

Changing the frequency and supply voltage of memory modules in the BIOS (if supported);

Replacing memory modules with more efficient ones (frequency + capacity).

Note: When purchasing new RAM, check in advance what type and maximum amount of memory your PC supports. Otherwise, the modules you purchased may not be compatible. You can find out information about this either in the PC documentation or through third-party programs, for example, AIDA64.

Using third-party programs that “supposedly” free up memory and increase its performance can only aggravate freezes. The principle of these programs is that they simply trick the Windows Memory Manager, forcing it to dump as many running programs as possible into the (slower) page file. Thus, the program will freeze for a long time until it loads itself back into RAM, and the optimizer will again show an alarm about lack of memory. And so on in a circle.

Optimizing RAM

If it is not possible to buy additional memory modules, then you can optimize the current one. By disabling unnecessary functions and programs, you can free up a larger share of RAM, thereby increasing the performance of your computer as a whole. Below we will tell you exactly how best to do this.

Disabling hardware components

First, disable any unused hardware components. Let's start with the hardware components, for example, the LPT1 printer port (the average user practically does not use it), the PS/2 port keyboard and mouse (if you use a USB connector to connect them, the RS-232 port, etc. All of them can take up a certain amount of memory memory, even when not in use.

To disable them, you need to right-click on the “Computer” icon, and select “Manage”, then “Device Manager”. As you can see your equipment is divided into several different sections. Click on the plus sign next to each section to see which devices are working. Right-click on the hardware you would like to disable and click Disable from the pop-up menu.

Disable software running in the background

Next, you should disable the software that is running in the background. Microsoft, as well as other programs that you install on your computer, can run in the background, also consuming a certain amount of RAM. At the same time, some of these programs are most likely simply not used.

To disable unused services, right-click on the “Computer” icon and select “Manage”. look in the right menu, find "services and applications", then click on services. You should now see all the software running in the background, including standard Microsoft services.

Spend some time searching Google for detailed descriptions of each service to gain a broad understanding of what each does. You can then stop or disable services that you don't think you're using. To stop or disable a service, right-click on the selected service, click on “properties” in the pop-up menu, click “Disable” in the “startup type” option and click OK.

Removing programs from startup

Another way to optimize memory is to remove programs that boot from Windows. Over time, there can be quite a lot of such programs (for example, utorrent. Messenger, etc.) and you will not even suspect that they take up quite a large amount of memory. Moreover, the more of them you have running, the more memory is used.

To manually stop these programs, select Start, then Run, type MSConfig, and press enter. After that, go to the autorun tab. Now you can see the running programs. By simply clicking on the checkbox, you can disable the program from autoloading with your computer.

Note: If you are not sure about the purpose of a program, it is best to look for its description on the Internet first to make sure that disabling it will not disrupt the operation of the system.

If your computer is suffering from low RAM, then the only way to solve this problem is to increase the RAM. This operation is extremely simple - like changing the cartridge in a game console from the mid-90s. So, let's see how to increase RAM on your computer. Before you begin the process of expanding RAM, you need to choose the right one.

Types of RAM and their classification

You can increase your computer's RAM by adding additional modules. To accurately determine what memory is installed in your PC, you need to remove the case cover and look at it with your own eyes. There are 3 main types of RAM:

1. DDR with a clock frequency of up to 400 megahertz;

2. DDR2 with a frequency from 533 to 1066 MHz;

3. DDR3 with a frequency of 1066 and higher.

New computers began to be massively equipped with DDR3 memory back in 2008. Therefore, if your computer is younger, then it definitely has DDR3 memory. If you are not sure about this, remove the memory from its seat and attach a ruler to it. The notch on the contact strip should be located 5.3 cm from the left edge. For DDR2, this notch is located almost in the center, 7 centimeters from the edge of the memory module. The old DDR is primarily distinguished by its huge rectangular chips, which can be seen without removing it from the computer.

Types of RAM for PC

Laptop RAM can also be recognized by the same notches, as shown in the picture.

Types of RAM for laptops

Once you have decided on the type of memory you have, think about how much you want to increase it. However, there are limitations. For example, your computer may have a maximum of 4 memory slots. The maximum capacity for one DDR module is 1 GB, for DDR2 – 2 GB, and for DDR3 – 8 GB.

Now you can safely go to the store and buy a RAM compatible with yours. There is no point in looking for exactly the same one; it may simply not be on sale. Also, buying identical modules will not add too much performance. The speed of work will increase, but only as much as the measurement error is allowed. Don't think too much about it.

How to increase RAM on a computer?

It is recommended that you disconnect power from the motherboard before installing RAM. Simply unplug the power connector from it. Then you need to select and prepare a location for installing the memory. If you already have one module in the first slot, and there are 3 or 4 of them in total, then install the second one in the third slot. That is, the memory should be in either even or odd slots. This way the modules will be provided with good ventilation. After sliding the latches, simply insert the memory into the slot and press firmly until it clicks. Next, turn on the computer and check whether it sees the purchased RAM. After startup, press the DEL key to go to the BIOS, where all PC parameters will be displayed, including the amount of RAM. If everything went well, you will immediately notice an increase in speed. To be completely sure, download and run any utility to check your RAM.

Adding another memory module to a laptop is a 5-minute task. But before tampering with its hardware, you MUST remove the battery. Otherwise, a short circuit may occur, after which the laptop may fail.

With the computer upside down, locate the cover covering the memory replacement bay. It is usually indicated by a characteristic icon. After unscrewing the cover, find a free slot and insert the purchased memory into it, holding it at an angle of 30 degrees to the laptop. It usually fits into the slot effortlessly. After that, press it against the laptop until the metal latches engage. Check the functionality of the new memory through the BIOS or using special utilities.

Be careful!

Old operating systems have some limitations when working with RAM. For example, Windows XP does not support more than 4 gigabytes of RAM. However, this figure is the limit for all 32-bit systems. This problem can only be solved by installing a 64-bit version of Windows.

In which we looked at ways to increase computer performance, we have already briefly touched on the issue of increasing random access memory (RAM).

The purpose of this article is to describe in as much detail as possible how to select and replace RAM.

RAM selection criteria

So, you have decided that you need to increase your RAM. What criteria should you use to select RAM modules?

Before you go to the store and place an order, we recommend that you carefully read the material below, which will save not only your time, but also money.

Manufacturer. The first place you need to start choosing is by choosing a RAM manufacturer. Many here are guided by the principle that the more time a manufacturer spends on the market for the production of memory modules, the better the quality of its products.

Good day to all. In this issue we want to touch on one very important issue that is directly related to such a component of a personal computer as volatile cache memory. Sooner or later, every desktop or laptop user asks the following question - how to increase RAM on a computer ? Lately we often talk about such a thing as system multitasking. Manufacturers of modern computer systems have chosen a development path that involves simultaneous operation of a PC with several programs at once. In order for a computer to follow this principle, its owner needs to monitor not only the relevance of the installed processor, but also the amount of RAM. In today's article we will tell you about the most common ways to increase the RAM of a modern computer.

Increase RAM

Now we will tell you about how to increase RAM personal computer system. It's no secret that its lack greatly affects the overall performance of the machine. This suggests that you need to start upgrading your computer with this basic element. Obvious signs of RAM deficiency are constant slowdowns, freezes, and excessively long loading of various resource-intensive programs. The same problems can be observed when launching 3D gaming applications. In fact, there are not so many methods for increasing PC RAM. At the moment, there are 3 options for upgrading it, of which two are hardware (RAM modules, ReadyBoost system) and one software (swap file). However, before choosing one or another method of increasing the volume of ultra-fast memory, you should carefully study all the pros and cons of the technologies we have announced.

How to increase computer RAM ? In this article we will try to help you restyling the RAM of a stationary or mobile complex. And we will start, perhaps, with the most effective and efficient methods. If possible, first install or replace existing outdated RAM sticks with more productive ones. As a rule, new memory modules have improved characteristics, so the result will be obvious. You shouldn’t immediately run headlong to a computer store to buy components; it’s better to think everything over carefully and only then go towards your cherished goal. You need to know that here, like everywhere else, there are pitfalls. The main point that we recommend paying attention to is the compatibility of memory sticks with the motherboard (form factor, memory type) and central processor (RAM frequency).

The second option for adding RAM to a personal computer will be a new know-how called ReadyBoost. Its work is that a flash drive connected to the computer’s USB port is used by the system as a kind of portable RAM. A special software option (ReadyBoost), familiar to many users of the Microsoft Windows 7 operating shell, can reconfigure the disk space of your flash drive to store various system information. We think there is no need to explain to you that while the PC is operating in this mode, disconnecting the disk device is strictly prohibited. Such a solution can somewhat mitigate the problem of lack of RAM, but the user must keep in mind some nuances. For these purposes, we recommend using a flash drive with impressive capacity and data exchange parameters. Another factor is the type of computer or laptop interface. To achieve visible results, you should connect the USB flash drive to a high-speed USB 3.0 channel.

Finally, we come to the software type of increasing the amount of RAM in a PC. Modern versions of the Windows operating system have such a useful feature as virtual memory. In simple words, this is nothing more than reserving free memory on the hard drive of a computer system. Go to "My Computer">Properties>Advanced Settings>Performance>Advanced>Virtual Memory> Change and set the paging file size required for your machine. This method will be extremely useful only for those users whose devices suffer greatly from a lack of volatile memory. First of all, outdated laptops and stationary systems fall into this list. Sometimes, nowadays it is quite difficult to find suitable components for such computers, which means that their owners should, of course, activate this scheme.

The last two ways to speed up the performance of a personal computer can be considered auxiliary means, because their influence on the overall level of system performance is minimal. These are just initial measures. The main task of the owner of such a system is to supply the PC motherboard with new RAM sticks. Depending on the capabilities of the motherboard, you can set up the operation of random access memory devices in dual-channel or triple-channel modes. Installing exactly identical modules in the corresponding slots on the system base will allow you, dear friends, to achieve good performance when processing certain “heavy” processes. So, we decide on the format of the printed strips, their volume and quantity. Next, we purchase the missing components and carefully install (replace) them in their rightful places.

Hi all! I'm sure you, like me, are always running out of RAM on your computer. The browser alone brazenly eats up almost 2 GB during active use. Is it the same with you? If you have the question “” more and more often, then this article is for you. And today we will consider all possible methods of combating the lack of RAM, do not switch.

Whether you need to increase the RAM on your computer (laptop) or you can get by with free software methods, you will understand by reading the article to the end.

If you are thinking about increasing the RAM on your computer, then it will be useful for you to know:

1. How to add RAM to a computer or laptop? We're talking about physically adding an additional stick of RAM if you have a free slot on the motherboard for this. It would be better if there was one, since this is the best option.
2. Flash drive like RAM. What a news! Windows allows you to use an ordinary flash drive as an alternative to RAM. Interesting? Read on.
3. Windows? Perhaps the whole problem is in the small swap file? So let's increase it! But it can really compensate for the lack of RAM.

How to increase RAM in a computer? (physically)

So, if your computer slows down and cannot cope with the load, then first of all you need to find out what is the weak point in your computer. Maybe your desire to increase the RAM on your computer will disappear on its own.

How to find the weak point of your computer?

If you are the proud owner of Windows 7, then doing this is as easy as shelling pears, since Windows 7 has a special built-in utility for this, which allows you to find out the Windows Performance Index and, accordingly, the weak points of your system.

Right-click on the computer icon and then on “ properties" in the end. Now you can see all the properties of your computer, including the amount of RAM, but that's not what we're here for. Click on the "Windows Experience Index" link. Here you can evaluate the main components of your computer and understand whether you need to add RAM or whether it is better to upgrade something else.

For example, in my laptop the weakest point is “Graphics”, because everything runs on the video card built into the processor. She is, frankly speaking, weak.

To improve the performance of my laptop, the first thing I need to do is do something with the video card, not with the RAM. Your situation may be different.

How to check system performance in Windows 8 and Windows 10?

If you're using a newer operating system such as Windows 8 or Windows 10, you won't find a built-in utility to measure system performance. Fortunately, you can install a program for yourself that is almost completely identical to the one I described for Windows 7.

There are even two of them. But they are almost the same and both are absolutely free - WSAT And Winaero WEI Tool(download from the official website).

Winaero WEI Tool - system performance check

If you still come to the conclusion that you need to increase your RAM, then read on.

What should you pay attention to if you need to increase RAM?

The first thing you need to do is examine your computer's motherboard. Will it allow you to increase your RAM? Find out the following:

ASUS Rampage III Gene is old and remote. On board there are 6 slots for DDR3 with a frequency of up to 2200 MHz and a total capacity of up to 24 GB of RAM

1. How many slots provided for RAM and how much of it is already occupied. If you only have one slot (of course it’s occupied), it’s too early to get upset.
2. Which maximum amount of RAM does the motherboard support? It often happens that the motherboard can accommodate up to 16 GB of RAM (despite the only slot), but only 4 GB is installed in it. Then you will have to sell or throw away the old RAM stick and buy a new one with 8 or 16 GB. This will significantly improve your computer's performance, especially if RAM has been your weak point.
3. Type of RAM. This is most likely now (find out which is better), but if you read this article in the near future, it may be. In general, the point is that if the slot is intended, say, forDDR4, then you can only cram it intoDDR4! There is no need to try to cram in something that cannot be shoved in, it will not lead to anything good.

What frequency should I choose for an additional RAM stick?

We must not forget that RAM, even of the same type, can operate at VERY different frequencies. You need to be careful here. Therefore, I will give several options for the development of events on how you can increase RAM correctly and not quite correctly.

1. If you have the opportunity to purchase exactly the same model of RAM that you already have installed, then this would be an ideal option, because RAM from some manufacturers refuses to work in tandem with other manufacturers, even if all the parameters are exactly the same. Choose the same manufacturer, the same volume and the same frequency.
2. If you bought a RAM stick of the desired type, but with a higher frequency than on the already installed stick, then you overpaid in vain. Because the higher the frequency, the more expensive the RAM (there are exceptions). And the operating frequency will be equal to the weaker bar. For example, you had a RAM frequency of 2333 MHz, and you bought RAM with a frequency of 3200 MHz, and both sticks will operate at the lowest frequency - 2333 MHz. Therefore, buy a new bar with the same frequency, or buy 2 new bars at once and throw away the old one. And don’t forget to check whether your motherboard supports this frequency.
3. Accordingly, if you purchased additional RAM with a frequency lower than what you had at the installed level, then you will get a performance increase, but significantly lower than you could. Let's say you had a RAM frequency of 3400 MHz, and you purchased an additional stick with a frequency of 2133 MHz. In total, you get a frequency of 4266 MHz (2133 + 2133), but you could get 6800 MHz (3400 + 3400) if you did everything wisely. And this is almost 60% of the difference.

I bought everything, what next?

No problem, spin up your computer (laptop) and plug it in. There is nothing complicated, it is done in the same way as when you were a child you inserted cartridges into the Dendy or SEGA game console. If you don’t know how to disassemble your laptop, then look for manuals specifically for your model, although most laptops only need to remove a special back cover, under which the RAM and hard drive (or solid-state drive) are easily accessible. This is done specifically so that you can increase the RAM or replace the hard drive with a more spacious one.

Now you know how to add RAM to your computer (laptop). If this method suits you, congratulations, it was the most effective. If for any reason you have It was not possible to increase the RAM physically, then let's start looking at other equally interesting and useful ways to increase RAM performance.

A flash drive is like RAM!

Are you surprised that you can use the most ordinary flash drive as RAM? You are right to be surprised, because now we have to dispel this MYTH.

Perhaps this is the first time you have heard about this, or maybe you have come across numerous articles that shamelessly claim that you can use a flash drive as RAM, which in fact it is not and will never be, at least for the reason that the transfer speed The data on the flash drive is many times slower than the speed of RAM.

In fact, there is such a technology as ReadyBoost, developed by Microsoft themselves and built into Windows (starting with Vista). And in fact, this technology can speed up your system slightly, but only if you are still working on an HDD (hard disk drive). And if your computer’s memory has already evolved into a drive, then ReadyBoost may even slow down your system.

Why is this happening? Because the main task ReadyBoost there was a reduction in the load on the hard drive when reading small files by caching them on an external flash drive.

Reading small files is a weak pointHDD hard drives due to their mechanical design. Moving the read head across the surface of the disk in search of small files takes much longer than the actual reading. With comingthis problem has disappeared, because in them the file search time tends to zero, and the reading (and writing) time itself has also been noticeably reduced.

Based on the above, it becomes clear why ReadyBoost is so ineffective when working with modern solid-state drives (SSDs).

A flash drive is not RAM!

Is it possible to use a flash drive to speed up your computer?? Yes, you can speed up your computer slightly if it is running on a hard disk drive (HDD).

Can a flash drive be used as RAM? No! You can only use it as an external device for caching small files. It is impossible to use a flash drive as RAM!

How to use ReadyBoost?

If you still decide to try this function in practice and check how much it can increase the performance of your computer, then I will tell you how to enable it. This is done very simply, but please note that not all flash drives are suitable. If your flash drive is too slow, then Windows will let you know about it. So, how to use ReadyBoost:

Here I tried to run ReadyBoost directly on my SSD drive =))

1. Insert the flash drive into the computer. It may also not be a USB flash drive, but a microSD connected via a card reader.
2. Go to " My computer» and right-click on the external drive that appears. Before this, you only saw your hard drives and optical drive (if you have one) there.
3. Select the item " Properties».
4. Select a tab ReadyBoost.
5. Place a checkmark next to " Use this device” and select the amount of memory you want to donate to speed up your computer.
6. Click "OK!"

Now you should be OK. However, it was experimentally noticed that this technology does not provide any performance increase in games. Maybe yours will be different. Write to us.

How to increase the page file in Windows?

Unlike the previous method, increasing the page file is a really good and effective solution if you want to know how to increase RAM without buying it. But you will find out further why this is a good decision. But first, let's understand the theoretical part a little. It won't be too much for you.

What is a page file?

Swap file – this is a special reserved space on the hard drive that is used as RAM when there is a shortage of it.

In other words, if, for example, an application needs more RAM than you have installed, then the lack of RAM will be compensated by this page file.

However, you can’t just go and install a 16 GB swap file with only, say, 2 GB of RAM on board. It is not advisable to do this for the following reasons:

1. The paging file is significantly slower than RAM. It can compensate for the lack amount of RAM, but no way not speed. Thus, you may even slow down the system.
2. Frequent use of the paging file accelerates wear on the hard drive. After all, it is intended more for storing information than for constantly rewriting it.

But in any case, the page file should always be enabled! Because if there is not enough RAM, the computer can start to slow down very much, but this will not happen if the paging file is enabled. Let's figure out how to enable it and configure it correctly.

How to enable and configure the paging file?

Just repeat after me. I’m showing the example of Windows 7. But in any case, everything will be the same for you.

First, go to the computer properties, that is, on the “ My computer"Right-click and then select " Properties».

Then go to the tab “ Additionally", look for a section on it called " Performance" and click on it " Options».

Here again we go to the tab “ Additionally", look for the section " Virtual memory" Yeah, this already tells us something. And here's what Windows itself tells us:

The page file is an area on the hard drive used to store virtual memory pages.

Well, almost the same thing as I told you. In short, click " Change ».

After this, you will need to select the hard drive volume on which the paging file will be stored. It seems to me that it is better to create it on the system volume (for me it’s the C: drive) to avoid transferring the system file cache from volume to volume. But if the system volume is almost completely filled with Windows, then any other volume of the hard drive will do. And one more thing. This is important, so I’ll highlight:

For optimal and balanced operation, it is recommended to make the paging file volume one and a half times larger than the existing amount of RAM.

Of course, this is approximate, otherwise you will now begin to calculate, convert GB to MB and so on (and one GB does not contain exactly 1000 MB, so calculating it is not as easy as it seems). No, only approximately.

Conclusion:

So we looked at all the possible (and impossible) ways how to increase RAM on a computer. The article turned out to be quite voluminous and, I think, useful. If you also think that the article was useful and helped you improve the performance of your computer, you can write about it in the comments.

By the way, you can also increase the performance of your computer by using individual components. For example, you can overclock your video card or. And now is the time to replace your old hard drives with new SSDs (solid-state drives). And if it’s too expensive for you to completely change, then at least add a 128 GB SSD purely for the operating system. This will noticeably speed up your system!

And if you know any other ways to increase RAM, then be kind enough to share with us, don’t keep it to yourself!

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Hey guys! In this article I will tell you how to increase your computer's RAM. Recently I saw on the Internet such a service as a paid selection of RAM for your PC (computer). For what? So why pay money if all the information can be found on my blog? You probably already realized that you have come to the right place and you are very lucky.

Let's first think about why we need to increase the computer's RAM. Some users do this because their computer has started to work very slowly (slow down), while others simply want to play new powerful computer games that require a lot of memory. Let's first figure out what kind of RAM you have before increasing your computer's RAM.

How to increase computer RAM

On any computer, as well as laptop, there are special slots for random access memory (RAM) - the main storage device. They come in the following types: DDR1-2-3, and they are not related to each other in any way. Look, if you have a very old computer, for example from 2005, then you still have a DDR2 memory stick. And if you want to increase it, then you need to buy exactly the same bracket, because DDR1 and DDR3 will not suit you, they simply will not fit into the socket.

When I didn’t understand computers yet, I inserted the wrong bracket myself, turned on the computer and then burned the motherboard. Therefore, look carefully and install exactly the RAM that you need. To find out what RAM is on your computer, we need to download a special utility called CPU-Z. You can download it from THIS LINK. And after we install the program, launch it and go to the memory tab and look.

In the image you can see that in my case there is DDR3 memory (2 sticks of 2GB each), information on the sticks you can see in the SPD tab. As you can see, I have a two-channel mode, that is, two similar strips of the same size. If you ask what kind of dual-channel mode is this, then this option increases RAM performance by about 5%. Well, if you purchase two bars of the same manufacturer and size, then it will generally be GOOD! I have one bracket from SAMSUNG and the other from HYUNDAI. Look at the picture.

Please note that if your computer has a 32-bit operating system installed, then Windows will not be able to see more than 3.2GB of memory. That is, if you have two 2GB sticks, the computer won’t see them anyway, but will only see 3.2. In this case, you need to install a 64-bit operating system.

How to safely install RAM on a PC

So you already know , and now let’s move on to installing the strips, there are many nuances here and let’s look at them. Before you get ready to remove the old memory stick, I advise you to remove it from the system unit static voltage. This must be done so that nothing burns. Touch the radiator (heating battery) with one hand and touch the system unit with the other. This way you will remove all the static that has accumulated on the system unit.

Look, for example, in a silk sweater, I don’t recommend changing the RAM at all, because a lot of static accumulates on the sweater. Have you noticed when you take off your sweater at night that there are a lot of little sparks appearing on it? This is static voltage, and it needs to be removed. After you have installed another memory stick or replaced the old one, you need it. You can do this by right-clicking on My Computer, which is located on the desktop and clicking Properties, and there below you will see how much RAM you currently have.

It seems like everyone else. I advise you to read how I increased wifi on my router, you can read it. And for those whose video on the Internet is slow, read here. That's all guys, if my article helped you, then please help me too, click on the social media buttons, share this article with your friends. And if you still have questions, ask them in the comments, and I will answer you.

Now you know how to increase your computer's RAM! Ask your questions in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to new articles. To do this, enter your email at the end of the article.

With UV. Evgeny Kryzhanovsky