PC Tune Up: Upgrade Your Computer's RAM

How in the world does that computer of yours store all of that information day after day? Where does it put all of the data you save? What about all of the cookies that are left over when you view a website? Well, the short answer to that question is the RAM. For those that are not familiar with what computer terminology, RAM is the computer's Random Access Memory. Basically, RAM is a kind of virtual memory; that is to say that the RAM is different than the actual disk or CDROM you can store data onto. RAM is located in your computer's hard disk drive.

If your computer has been slow lately, or if it takes more time to boot up or is slow to open new programs, you probably have too much information on the RAM. Luckily, if you perform regular maintenance to your personal computer, this problem is something that will not cause your computer too much trouble. It will just frustrate the user!

The best way to increase your RAM is to increase the memory space, period. You can do this by regularly cleaning out the unwanted files on your computer. You can use ScanDisk or defrag to get rid of unwanted files. This will get your computer moving more quickly. There's nothing like the feeling that comes with having to wait for what seems like forever for your computer to boot up or display the basic programs. You can save yourself a lot of headaches by increasing the memory space and freeing up some of your computer's brain!

You can also choose to upgrade your hard disk. You can also install an additional hard disk. (Which is actually the preferred method for both increasing your computer's memory space and for backing up your data) You would be not believe how much more quickly your computer will move if you have two hard drives! The good news is that adding another hard drive is easy, inexpensive and can really boost your computer's speed! On average, an additional megabyte of memory will cost as little as ten cents! If you are on your personal computer a lot of the time, you would benefit from having an additional hard disk, and more memory.

If you are still running on the original, factory hard drive that came with your computer, brace yourself…it is probably the smallest and cheapest hard drive on the market! Not to take anything away from the manufacturers, but they are in the business to make money, so you can expect them to cut corners every chance they get. For the most part, many of their consumers aren't aware of the fact that this occurs.

It is not the end of the world, if you are in this category. All you have to do is go to your local computer hardware store and buy yourself an additional hard disk. I say additional and not replacement because it is best to have two of them at the same time. So, buy yourself another drive, with as much memory as you can afford and install it into your computer. This is something that is not difficult and you can do it yourself. As far as tools, all you'll need is a screwdriver and your own two hands. Just follow the installation instructions and restart your computer when you have finished the installation.

What is the best way to make sure that your computer's data is always being backed up? By having 2 hard drives and transferring the data to the back up drive every day! Running 2 hard disk drives at the same time is the best possible way to ensure that your data will be backed up, should something happen to one of the drives. Upgrading your hard drive will immediately increase your computer's memory space. It will also get your personal computer running more quickly right away!

When it comes to hard drives, remember this rule of thumb: Bigger is better, Faster is what you want, and the Cheapest is what you like! You don't have to spend a wad of money on a new hard drive. Just figure out what size best meets your needs. If you do not live on your computer, you won't need as much memory. If you do work on your computer, or you are a student, you may want to consider a larger model of hard drive.

As with the rest of your computer's components, you will want to perform regular maintenance on your hard drives. It is a good idea to regularly remove unwanted files and defrag those that you are planning to keep. If you don't back up your material, you will most likely regret it the first time your computer crashes!