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PC Runs slower after installing more RAM?

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7 replies

by blazemaster64

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Hello everyone,
Today I dropped by my Grandfather's house, who happened to be getting rid of his old (assembled around 2003) Dell PC. It had two 512MB sticks of RAM in it, which he let me take home.

So I Crack open my case, and plug them into my second and forth RAM slots (first and third contained my two current 512 sticks of Kingston value RAM.)

I tried to boot up, and I wouldn't get a screen signal. Shut the PC off, switched the RAM position around (so that the new sticks were in slots 1 and 3, and my Kingston was in slots 2 and 4). And it boots, although I've noticed a real performance drop. What gives?

The ram from the DELL is just standard no-name DELL RAM, and the PC is completely stable, it just seems to perform less.. I thought it would perform better with more RAM?

Thanks for your time!

7 replies

by craig herberg

There is a chance that the RAM you added is not the proper RAM for your computer. For example, if your original RAM was PC2700 and you add PC2100, it will operate more slowly. Also, many computers need very specific memory types. You should check a memory specialist such as http://4allmemory.com to get the proper memory for your computer.

Also, when you add memory to your computer, you should increase your paging file to be about 1.5 times your total physical RAM.

I hope this helps.

Craig Herberg
http://info-safety.com

by jordanspcrepair

The RAM u added to the computer probably has a lower speed than the ones used. also, you probably will not have to worry about the page file, due to windows will automatically adjust it.

by blazemaster64

Thanks for the replies. I already adjusted the paging file, so thats not the issue. I cracked open the case to take a gander at the RAM speed, but I couldn't decipher which string of numbers on the tag was the speed or type. I do know that both are DDR RAM, but thats sorta obvious, heh.

by i.griffis

Have you run a software diagnostic program to check what kind of ram you have installed?
Or checked the Device Manager to see what that displays?

by blazemaster64

Alright guys, so it turns out the DELL ram was indeed slower then my previous RAM. Now the million dollar question: Is it better to have more RAM, operating a tad slower then it is to have half the amount operating a tad faster?

Thanks again to everyone for the help

by orillasound

your right it is better to have more ram in your system but the idea is that your system will run faster, sounds like the speed of the ram is lower than your original ram therefore your system will run at the speed of the lowest stick, solution: sell it on ebay and buy ram that is the same speed as your original stick with the funds...

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