Fast-paced lifestyles and slow computers are a perfect recipe for frustration. This week continues our look at the root causes of sluggish computing and how to pick up the pace without spending a lot of cash.
Beyond buying a new PC or upgrading your existing machine’s motherboard and CPU, the biggest performance bang for your buck is to add more RAM to your computer. Computers are limited to how much RAM they can hold based on the motherboard design and the operating system. To find out how much physical memory your machine can accommodate, consult your hardware manual. To see how much RAM you now have, you’ll need to open up the case or use special diagnostic software. In either case, you might need to consult a tech.
Windows XP can only work with a maximum of 4 gigabytes of RAM. Adding more is simply wasting it because the operating system won’t see or use it. The 32-bit versions of Windows 7 continue the 4-gigabyte limit, but the 64-bit versions can work with significantly more. Windows 7 Ultimate, Enterprise and Professional 64-bit can utilize as much as 192 gigabytes of RAM, and the Home Premium 64-bit version can use a maximum of 16 gigabytes.
If you can add more RAM to your machine without exceeding either the motherboard or OS limitations, by all means do so. You’ll see immediate performance improvements. Today’s RAM is faster and less expensive than ever before. Not any RAM will do, however. Make sure you know the proper specs for your machine and consult a tech if in doubt.
If you can’t afford extra RAM, here are some tricks for getting the most out of what you’ve got:
PTurn off extraneous bells and whistles. Windows 7 is laden with graphic eye candy, designed to make your computing experience more robust and pleasurable.
Unfortunately, if your hardware is not up to snuff, it can have the opposite effect, causing Windows’ performance to be sluggish and frustrating.
To adjust Windows 7 for best performance, go to the Start menu and type “performance” — sans quotes — in the search field, and then wait for results to appear in a list above. One of the top items should be “Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.” Click this to be taken to the Performance Options window. In the tab labeled Visual Effects, you’ll see a long list of display options you can turn on or off. You can manually select what to use, automatically adjust for appearance or performance, or let Windows choose based on your hardware specs.
PDump those desktop gadgets. Sure, desktop gadgets — introduced in Vista and refined in Windows 7 — can be useful and fun, but they tend to also be resource hogs that can bog down a less-than-optimal computer.
If you don’t want to dump them altogether, at least limit yourself to one or two of the most useful, preferably stand-alone gadgets that don’t access the Internet.
PRestart your machine regularly. Many people like to keep their computers running 24/7, which can drain system resources and result in “dirty memory,” a condition that leads to slow performance and random lockups. Not all programs use RAM wisely, giving back less than they take in and resulting in memory leaks. People who put their computer to sleep aren’t immune but only postpone eventual problems.
People who keep their computers on all day every day tend to complain about performance problems. These same people are amazed how quickly those problems disappear by simply restarting the machine at least once a week. The longer you keep your machine active, usually multitasking several large applications, the more often you should routinely restart your PC.
We’re not done with suggestions, but we’re out of space. Tune in next week for the conclusion of this series, with more tips on low- or no-cost ways to speed up your computer.
Source:http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2011/sep/20/adding-ram-boosts-speed-at-a-low-cost/
