Hello,

I need to add more ram to my computer and would like to shop around instead of taking my computer in and just buying whatever they have on the shelf before they install it. I have a custom built computer, but here are the specifics:

this may be too much info, but i'm not sure what is needed..

Windows XP version 2002, service pack 2
Intel(R) pentium (R) 4, 3.00GHz, 3.01GHz
512MB of ram

the motherboard is a GIGABYTE 8 Sigma seris motherboard.

Also, is installing ram hard to do? or can i do it myself?

Thanks!!
Gail

Howdy,

If you go to http://www.crucial.com/index.aspx fill out the info it will help you with memory.

On top of that, the info that you provided is not too much, but, honestly, too little.

Using CPU-Z (or other similar programs) you can tell *exactly* what type of memory you have installed in the motherboard in the first place. The link the mrrockford posted is a great place to get an idea of the *specs* for the memory that your motherboard will handle, but you also need to take into consideration factors such as:

1) What you already have installed, and if you plan on keeping it in there or not...

2) If you plan on doing any overclocking (by the specs you listed it *seems* as if your motherboard might be performing a slight bit of OCing, but that could also be due to enhanced timings on the memory, or some other factor in the motherboard's BIOS settings as well...I run a P4 3.2(E) GHz Prescott CPU currently, and my motherboard has a Dynamic Ocerclocking technology built in so instead of registering 3.2 GHz, or 3200 MHz, it actually registers in at 3.25 GHz, a slight increase, but that is the way it goes....

3) The number of memory slots available, which that link should easily enough detail for you

4) The total you want your memory to be.

To be fair, XP runs best under 1 GB of RAM or more - but if the original system builder tried to save money by using cheap RAM, then it might be wiser to replace the 512 MB 'stick' with a matched pair of 2 x 512 MB sticks, or even 2 x 1 GB sticks (for a total of 2 GB of RAM).

Also, what you do with your system plays a crucial (no pun intended) part in your decision process. If you *don't* do a lot of resource intensive tasks (Video editing, running any of the Adobe Creative Suite apps on a regular basis, using one (or more than) Virtual computers (such as VMWare, M$ Virtual PC, etc) or do a lot of Malware testing (those AV / Anti Malware programs start to eat a lot of memory when you have multiple ones installed and routinely infect yourself with Malware to test their responses), then you can probably get away with simply going to 1 GB - but if any of those are true, or you do CAD applications, or anything else that is routinely resource intensive (using a lot of resources to the point that your computer slows down all the time) then it would probably be best to go with 2 GB - XP shines under 2 GB....