WinCrazy's XP Help & Info
Choosing RAM for Your PC
Every PC running XP should have at least 512MB (megabytes) of memory installed in order to run efficiently. This will keep the system from accessing the hard drive too often because it needs to use "paged memory", that is, temporary storage on the hard drive because it can't fit enough of a program in memory at once. 1GB is an ideal amount. Any more than this is just a waste of money. Memory prices are at an all-time low. You may as well buy a single 1GB (gigabyte ) module for about $50 USD.
You can use this online memory scanner from Crucial (a reputable, if not inexpensive brand) to find compatible memory modules for your particular PC.
Crucial Memory Scanner Must use Internet Explorer.
Mushkin Advisor Detection This link lets you download a little RAM checker program that you need to run.
All big memory manufacturers have a way to identify what models of their memory are compatible with your PC.
Try these companies:
Mushkin See "Find Your Upgrade" The manual way to find compatible memory.
Kingston Kingston Memory Tool
Patriot Patriot Memory Search
Geil Geil Memory Configurator
Corsair Corsair Memory Configurator
As long as a company says that a particular memory module is compatible with your exact computer model then you should have no problems with it. Sometimes PCs can't adjust to mixing the old RAM with the new - be prepared for the possibility of having to remove the old modules and put all new memory in. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen sometimes.
A note about the Crucial Memory scanner: it scanned my PC and came up with an obviously incorrect type of memory. You had better double-check by searching for memory using the PC's brand, family and model number, too or instead.
You will have to search for retail outlets for any RAM module that you have decided to get. As long as you have the particular model number you can Google on-lin retailers for this model. Let's look at an example. My notebook is a (old) Dell Latitude (the line of similar notebooks) model D610. I can't use the Crucial on-line memory scanner because I'm not using my notebook at the moment. No matter, all the other companies have you select the make and model of the PC you want memory for. I'll choose Mushkin at random. Going to their web site I'll enter in Dell as the manufacturer, Latitude as the line and then D610 as the model. Here's what came up:
So, I can get either 512MB or 1GB modules. This laptop has room for only 2 modules or "sticks". Remember that there's a chance that the PC may not run with both the new and the old memory at the same time. I'll think I will go for a single 1GB stick. The model is 971395D. When I click on the 1GB memory link this shows:
A lot of Dell laptops can use this particular memory. Laptops use SODIMM memory modules while desktops use a longer but narrower modules. They all work the same.
Crucial will let you buy the RAM directly for $43 USD plus $3 shipping by mail. Offhand, this seems like a pretty good deal. Let's do a little comparison shopping. I Google "crucial 971395D". I won't even include the word "ram" in the search because the "971395D" term says it all. There seems to be a lot of Canadian retailers, but I don't know what the CA-US conversion rate is so I'll ignore them and just look for companies in this country. Hmmm, one company wants $146 plus shipping. Are they crazy ? Keep looking... Another want $150+. Finally, an outfit that wants a reasonable amount of money - $50 plus shipping. Watch out for the shipping charges, too. Any number of online retailers try to rip you off with highly inflated shipping rates.
To find the shipping rate most retailers make you create an account requiring name, address, phone numberand email address. NEVER GIVE THEM ANY OF THIS INFO UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO ORDER FROM THEM ! I always give them fake information just to find out their shipping rate. This company want $6.23 for their cheapest delivery option - no US mail shipping is offered. Not too bad, but Crucial is still cheaper. Keep looking. Get half a dozen of the lowest prices.
The same companies keep showing up again and again in the Google results. How disappointing. Let's look one more place - Newegg.com. Well, no such luck there. But, wait. There's still a handful of other RAM companies to search in. So, repeat the process. Do your homework. This is much better than walking into a "big box" computer store and paying way too much for RAM. That's like selecting a "pig in a poke" - you never have any idea whether their memory will work at all, and I know you would pay way too much anyway.
The RAM companies above all offer a lifetime warantee on their products. Should it ever fail they will replace it for free if you have the sales receipt of an electronic copy of it. (See the program CutePDF Writer, free. Makes a PDF file from any print job.)