At the moment Iam stricken with only 256MB RAM, but am upgrading with another 512MB RAM, I was just curious as to what will improve with the upgrade. Will I be able to open more applications with out the computer lagging? things like that
Thanks
Dan

What's prompting you to feel that you need 768Mb RAM Dan? Why do you feel disadvanteged with only 256Mb?

The answer to those questions is probably what will improve when you upgrade! It can be different answers for different people. If you play a lot of games and you find that they keep pausing while your PC creates more virtual memory, then the upgrade may cure that. If you find that your PC slows right down when you've got multiple programs open, then more memory may speed it up. If you're running a large databases or graphics application and you don't seem to be able to use the data as quick as you ought to, then more RAM may help that as well.

It would help to know what operating system you're running as well as what you're doing. If it's Windows 98, you'll get no benefit whatsoever. If it's Windows 2000/XP, then it's likely to help.

My computer Lags alot and (shi...p..) Iam running win98SE do you suggest I upgrade my OS as well, and I play a few games and generally have alot of applications running. So it look like I just wasted 143 of my well earned dollars. Oh well, thanks DJ.
Cheers,
Dan

DJ,

Check this out, don't know how true it is or if the fix at the end of the article will work or not but I guess it's worth a shot.


A bug in Windows 95, 98, SE, and ME crops up if you have more than 512MB of memory installed. The part of Windows that moves files in and out of the main computer sets aside enough memory so it can work with big files, and if the amount of available memory is large, the memory chunk that’s set aside is large, too. Unfortunately, if the amount of available memory is huge—more than 512MB-the file—handling routines can grab so much memory that nothing is left for more mundane functions. Paradoxically, if Windows hits this bug, it may report the problem to you by saying “There is not enough memory available to run this program. Quit one or more programs, and then try again.” Or it may hang completely.

To warn Windows that you have more than 512MB of memory installed, add the following line to the [VCache] section of your win.ini file: MaxFileCache = 524288.

I seem to have encountered a MUCH bigger problem. Simply put, my computer now will not work, I unplugger everything from the PC, open the case, put in the RAM, went to turn the computer back on and in the boot up screen the computer scans for the pri master drive and it comes up with undetected. and then it asks for the boot disk, I insert it and it doesnt do anything, I spoke to a friend about this and he said that as RAM need a bit of pressure to be inserted I MAY have cracked the mother board. DJ, any suggestions on what I could do next?
Oh, I also tried my HD in another PC and it cant seem to detect the Drive!
This has me in quite a pickle...
Kind Regards,
Dan

Oh dear, I wish I'd been able to get back to you sooner My advice is do NOT install more than 256Mb RAM under Windows 98SE - it hasn't got any chance of being able to use it all properly.

As Bear correctly pointed out, there's a limit at 512Mb and, if you managed to reach 512Mb and hit the bug, then you've wasted your money anyway because you should have upgraded to Windows 2000 or XP that can deal with more than 256Mb properly. Personally, I've found in all of my experience (though I don't play games) that anything more than 128Mb RAM in Windows 98 is generally a waste of time for most people and the money should have been spent on a faster processor or hard disk instead. Also remember that cleaning up an old Windows 98 installation can have results in the region of 15-25% extra 'free system resources' and costs nothing!

Remember that, when Windows 98 was first released, most brand new systems with Win98 were running 32Mb RAM. Microsoft really didn't expect you to install 20 times as much memory as those systems had Dan!

Anyway, memory lesson over, let's look at what you've got now.

When you pushed the memory into the slots (PC133 SDRAM I presume?), could you feel the motherboard flexing under the pressure? Well-built systems will have lots of support behind the board so that they don't budge at all. Cheap systems or home-built systems tend to have less support behind the board so you run the risk of it flexing and then cracking, as your friend said. If it felt pretty firm, then I doubt that the motherboard is cracked. Unless it's right next to a hot radiator, in which case the constant heating up and cooling down might have made it become more brittle.

My first guess at the solution to this problem would be that you've knocked the IDE ribbon cable either on the hard disk connection or the motherboard connection and it needs to be removed and re-fitted securely. Or maybe even the power connector on the hard disk?

Check those and then, if the BIOS POST screen still doesn't see the drive, click the link in my signature and follow the instructions about auto-detecting the drives again.

Incidentally, popping a previously working drive into another PC and finding that it doesn't work is often a red herring for a number of reasons

Yeah, well I think I had better upgrade my OS, what do you recommend? XP? and it was DRAM i was trying to install. I have checked all the plugs and they seem to be inorder, but I will check them again to make sure. The MOBO felt pretty sturdy and there seems to be no heat sources near the board. My most concerning issue at the moment is the HD, is it likely that is was killed by just applying some more RAM? (I really hope not)
Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!
Cheers
Regards, Dan

I have checked all the plugs again, and they are fine, and the computer still will not work! As I said before the MOBO is as sterdy as a rock where the RAM is pushed in. I can't think of anything else to check... but I am seriously thinking about upgrading my OS, what do you reccomend, and if I do need a new MOBO, what sort should I purches? Thanks again.
Dan

Hey, its been about 5 months but i finally got my computer to be checked out, turns out there is somthing wrong with the MOBO, but their not quite sure yet, so they have sent it back to the manufactures. I'll let you know what happens.
Thanks people.
dan