RAM: is 128MB enough?

[Mike West]

Hi all,

I am running XP home on a Celeron 1.1GHz Laptop, with 128MB of PC100 RAM.
I'm running (through USB ports) a SB Extigy Sound card and external Hard
Drive.

The machine has always been a bit on the slow side for a 1.1GHz - and when
playing music and trying to open up a progam i.e. Internet Explorer, the
Music stutters. I suspect that that the 128MB of RAM is not enough, but how
much is it actually worth adding? would 256MB of PC100 be enough, or am I
still a bit on the low side? Does the upgrade to PC130 memory make that much
difference? is it cost effective? I'd appreciate anybody's views please.

Cheerz
--
Mike West

[Stu]

Mike West wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I am running XP home on a Celeron 1.1GHz Laptop, with 128MB of PC100
> RAM. I'm running (through USB ports) a SB Extigy Sound card and
> external Hard Drive.
>
> The machine has always been a bit on the slow side for a 1.1GHz - and
> when playing music and trying to open up a progam i.e. Internet
> Explorer, the Music stutters. I suspect that that the 128MB of RAM is
> not enough, but how much is it actually worth adding? would 256MB of
> PC100 be enough, or am I still a bit on the low side? Does the
> upgrade to PC130 memory make that much difference? is it cost
> effective? I'd appreciate anybody's views please.
>
> Cheerz

I found 512mb made my machine run well - it now has 768mb and flies. I'd go
for 512mb - PC100 memory is dirt cheap now.
--

Stu

[Ron Martell]

"Mike West" > wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I am running XP home on a Celeron 1.1GHz Laptop, with 128MB of PC100 RAM.
>I'm running (through USB ports) a SB Extigy Sound card and external Hard
>Drive.
>
>The machine has always been a bit on the slow side for a 1.1GHz - and when
>playing music and trying to open up a progam i.e. Internet Explorer, the
>Music stutters. I suspect that that the 128MB of RAM is not enough, but how
>much is it actually worth adding? would 256MB of PC100 be enough, or am I
>still a bit on the low side? Does the upgrade to PC130 memory make that much
>difference? is it cost effective? I'd appreciate anybody's views please.
>
>Cheerz

With 128 mb of RAM it is an absolute certainty that you will get
improved performance from adding more RAM. At today's prices I would
go for at least an additional 256 mb giving you a total of 384.

Using PC133 instead of PC100 memory will almost certainly do nothing
for your performance. Stick with the PC100. You are less likely to
have compatibility problems between the old and new RAM modules that
way.

Good luck




Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."