[MOB]

Our desktop machines at work are P4 2.8Ghz Fujitsu's running XP.

They all have 256mb of RAM - do you think we should add some more? - we have no specific problems, just wondering if it would make a noticeable improvement.

The PC's are mainly used for access to an SQL accounts system on a server, Outlook via MS Exchange and MS Office.

 

[Gti Jazz Blue]

I run a support desk network and we run 512MB with Windows XP.

Going to 512MB would allow you to have more Windows open with out it having to swap processes from memory to the disk swap space.

 

[W36 EJO]

512mb will always help, not sure whether you would notice so much though.

 

[Darkus2]

I would say 512 was pretty much a minimum for XP especially if playing games, i have 1024 in mine...

 

[GreenBeast]

i run 1024 in my main PC too...however i have another PC running XP with 128 and it boots faster

 

[bobseptic]

I have to use 2gig pc3500 in my pc because i play battlefield 2 online (yes it plays fine with a gig but better with 2gig)

256 is not enough for xp and firewall/antivirus/spywareblaster and whatever else you have running. Since Service pack 2 was introduced XP seems to need even more.

secret is have as little processes running as possible (various guides online). My mate had 55 processes running on his laptop when it arrived from dell. Took off that crap norton firewall/antivirus and other useless stuff, now running 33 and has everything he needs with a bit of speed too.

 

[efrancis]

Another good tip is to change the location of the page file. Put it on
a partition which you have formatted with 64k cluster size and make it
double the memory you have. This is used for when you have loads of
programs open and i have found it makes a huge difference. I make sure
this is done to all my pc's that go through the build process now.

 

[CkB]

If this is office use, the main application is server based (so the local computer doesn't have to do much crunching), you have no obvious problems, you shouldn't really need the 512MB upgrade... 256MB will run fine if you're just running 3-4 windows.

If it's Office 2003, that's a bit more resource hungry so keep an eye on it []

 

[Craig_C]

At the price of it these day's, why not just chuck in some more. You'll probably notice a little difference, but don't think doubling your RAM will double the speed. There's a lot more variables to consider even down to badly written software (I do this, not the bad sofwtare, mines always super sleek. You'll probably need more memeory eventually anyway. Software development has become so 'lazy' these days as developers don't have to think about proper space saving, they just rely on people to up the processor speed and memory power.

Look at XP and the amount of memory you need for it compared to 95 say. Doesn't run at 100 times the speed does it? OK, there's a bit more to XP, but a lot of it is just forced technology that we don't actually need IMO. What extra facilities in XP could you not live without (as an average user)?? People think the application is a lot more complicated, not really, it's just written badly and eats power.

PS. Games are completely different kettle of fish as they are constantly having to compute algorithms (hugely resource hungry) and the likes and their requirements shouldn't be likened to applications software - even large apps. I used to write game engines.

So put in some more memory, but remember, it's a viscious cricle between developers and hardware (money grabbing which suits both) and your machine will always run a little slower than you would like........ gets my goat up every time my machine starts connecting to some Microsoft crap.......I only want to type a quick letter.......

Agree with CkB.

 

[smallboy]

I think RAM of at least 512Mb will make some difference in the access and general speed, 1024Mb would be more ideal though.

 

[MOB]

Thanks for the replies - I'm going to put some more in the machines.

Looking inside the PC's, there are 2 slots, one of which has a 256mb DDR 333mhz, the other is empty

Can I just put another stick in the spare slot?

E-buyer do DDR sticks 256mb and 512mb, but some are 333mhz, others are 400mhz - does this matter?

Can I add a 512 in the spare slot to make 768mb?

Can you tell I'm a non-IT person..............?

 

[Matt_S]

Did this recently at work and banged an extra 256Mb in all the machines.  Has made a world of difference with regards our database and especially printing over the network.  Hate to say it but bought it all from PCWorld online ?30 each, much cheaper than crucial.

 

[smallboy]

Yes, any 184-pin DDR 333/400 RAM would work alongside your existing memory module. However, unless you get the exact matching memory (which is sometimes impossible), some system may be fuzzy about which memory you can put in. Just bear this in mind.

 

[Matt_S]

Try going to www.crucial.com and downloading their program for working out what RAM you need. Neat little bit of kid and gets rid of the hastle of trying to work it out yourself.

 

[nudda]

Got 1GB RAM myself, found I needed more than 512mb which I had before.
It does make a slight different in day to day stuff but more of a
difference when Im playing gta : SA []

 

[peterhg]

At least 512mb Ram for that

 

[Paul C]

I have 1024MB of 333MHz DDR, I would say a min of 512MB is required these days.

 

[shiuming]

Crucial memory is excellent quality and it pays to have good memory, it contributes a lot to system stability. I wouldn't touch major-on-third memory. Some suppliers argue that it's major-brand DRAM chips simply on a third-party PCB, but much of it is not tested to the same stringent standards (basically they're made of lower-grade, reject parts hence lower cost). PCB design has as much to do with stability as the DRAM itself, especially with today's elevated clock speeds and decreasing voltages.

 

[NikB]

I too run 1Gb of system RAM, made a noticeable difference going up from 512. I have considered going up to 2Gb for BF2 online but it can actually make some systems worse rather than better so I'll stick to the 1Gb. For these pc's you're on about I'd say 512Mb like most others have said should be fine.