Installing Memory in Computer-A Guide

If you feel that your PC gets slowed down by running multiple applications or at the time when you put your PC into action while playing games or running an application that is very heavy in graphics, then it is time that you consider an upgrade in terms of RAM. This can be done either by supplementing the current RAM with additional slots or by completely revamping the whole to get a newer version.

For example if your system is running on DDR RAM then you can either make a complete switch to DDR2 or DDR3 RAMs to get a more efficient working of the system. RAM is usually available in many versions and capacities. You can get a 256MB Memory Card which is usually adequate for regular working unless you use your system for high end graphic applications. In that case you can go in for a 2GB memory card that can be ideal for your utility.

Memory cards work by getting attached to the motherboards. Depending in the kind of memory that your motherboard supports you can choose on the ideal RAM versions. Some motherboards are capable of supporting four memory cards while there are others that can support only two. Therefore depending in the kind of utility that you have you can choose between the two. In order to replace the memory, you just have to switch off the PC and unscrew it to see the components that are similar to the one that you have purchased. In order to install it you just have to hold it by the sides and then gently push it down. Once you turn on the system; it should automatically detect the upgraded memory. And then you are good to go with the newly upgraded system that can impart speed and efficiency to your working!

Computer Memory Product Companies

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Computer Memory Products are required by all the companies and individuals that use computers. These are an intrinsic part and parcel of the IT industry nowadays. But while choosing a company that provides computer memory products one has to ensure that the company is reliable and tests all the aspects in all stages of development and production.

You have to ensure that the memory products are compatible to most of the systems and the brands that people work with. It should not be simply limited to a few names and brands. This would limit the acceptability and the usage of these products. After all it is only the brands that have made their presence felt and have been able to sustain themselves in the competition are the ones that are considered to be most reliable and stable in the midst hordes of other companies offering similar services.

The product quality should be such that it is able to provide the customers with the assurance and guarantee of the quality of the products. However, though the warranty should be offered, need should not arise to use that warranty. Such should be the power of the products that have been provided by the company in the market. After all if is only when the computer memory products are reliable can there be smooth and worry free functioning in various sectors.

How Does a Computer Memory Work

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Wish to buy the fastest & widest memory for your computer? But to serve the purpose, the speed and width of the memory's bus should match to the system. Sounds very techy? Let’s make it simpler. Each of us encounters a number of electronic memory types in daily life. We have been habitual in using these types in our professional as well as personal lives. In fact, elements like flash memory, virtual memory, RAM and ROM have altogether become integral parts of our vocabulary. But very few of us are aware of the process of working of memory. In this computerized world, these memory types are widely used in computers, mobile phones, PDAs, games and even TVs.

This storage phenomenon is directly linked to the processing of your CPU. The computer uses memory right from the moment you turn on your computer till you shut it down. But on a regular basis, when the CPU accesses the hard drive to retrieve data, it starts operating very slowly. This is when additional memory comes into play. The process can be explained as:

• From the loading of data from ROM to performing power-on self-test (POST) and loading the basic input/output system (BIOS), the CPU plays an important role.
• Computer RAM speed is controlled by bus width (the number of bits that can be sent to the CPU simultaneously) and bus speed (the number of times a group of bits can be sent each second).
• The process of data travelling from the computer memory to CPU is known as one bus cycle.
• The system bus and other components need not have the same speed. Data processed by the CPU is always written or read from memory. This way, the performance of your computer automatically gets affected by travelling of data between the CPU and memory.
• This way, if your computer has a high ROM, you can get great overall system performance.
• As the RAM chips continue to store information only as long as computer is in power on mode, the RAM gives computer only a temporary place to process that electronic data.
• A memory controller establishes the information flow between memory and the CPU.

Actually, a computer RAM doesn't operate at optimum speed. The number of clock cycles needed to read a bit of data keeps changing every time. This way, the working of a computer memory is quite a technical process. But the fact to understand is that additional more RAM or memory can increase the efficiency of your computer positively.

Motherboard And Computer RAM Should Be Compatible With Each Other

RAM, the easiest computer component that can be replaced and installed and enhance the speed of the computer. Computer system stores temporary informations in the RAM and uses its data frequently to run the applications smoothly.

It is always a very good idea to upgrade the computer RAM rather than allowing the system to swap and store the data in the hard disk. Swapping will hamper the performance of the system as computer cannot access the data of the hard drive as fast as it does in RAM. But before upgrading the RAM of the computer, it is always advisable to check compatibility of motherboard and also the requirement of the user as well as system (number of RAM that can be used).


It is important to know the compatibility of motherboard, the system will not boot unless the RAM is compatible with the motherboard. Compatible of motherboard can be checked through various ways like; online websites of RAM supplier, motherboard company's instruction manual, checking old computer RAM that was being used earlier. Beside, computer RAM should be install with the help of some expert, unless the RAM is fixed in proper way it will not work.

Points To Remember While Buying A Computer RAM

RAM is the impartial, sensitive and important part of a computer, so selecting a RAM for your computer is a very though job. These days there are lots of RAM manufacturers, producing OEM brand memory modules. Thus, its becoming very difficult to choose brand and purchase appropriate RAM for the computer.

To help user find best and branded RAM, here are some points that are to be kept in mind while purchasing RAM :

1. Figure out the type of computer the RAM must be used with. (long DIMM / SO DIMM)
2. Check the speed of RAM required by your computer. (400 MHZ, 667 MHZ, 800 MHZ...)
3. Check the compatibility of the motherboard.
4. Choose the capacity of the RAM. (256 mb, 512 mb, 1gb, 2gb...)
5. Find a balance between RAM capacity and price.
6. Find a balance between CAS latency and price.
7. Make sure Modules are identical as possible, including size, speed, and manufacturer.
8. Look out for manufacturer's warannty policy for RAM.
9. Check the review of the RAM manufacturing company.
10. Once you buy the RAM, see installation guide and learn how to install it.

These points will help you in large to get best RAM for your computer.

Do You Want To Jump For Small Storage Device Try A Jump Drive (USB Drive)

USB drive is a small storage device after floppy disk and CD. Use of USB drive is much easier than floppy or CD. Data transfer speed is also fast with USB drives. We have to just plug it in to USB port of computer and we can transfer information/ Data instantly. We can use it for transferring data for one machine to another. This is very small in size so that much easier to carry with. In size this is as small as pen so as easier to carry as a pen can be.


This is almost completely sealed so that its data becomes safe from external magnetic field and dust. In USB drives there is a small PCB (Printed Circuit Board), inside case. So the small circuitry becomes safer than other storage media. It consists a flash memory for data storing purpose.

USB drives are available in a wide range in the market from where you can purchase it according to your requirement. The USB flash drive consists of a NAND type flash memory device for data storage which is integrated with USB interface. This is removable and re- writable means we can write data on it. In size this is much smaller than a floppy disk. Range of USB storage capacity is from 64 MB to 64 GB with improvements in size and price / Gigabyte.


It has many more advantages as durability, more storage capacity, handy, removable, re-writable, fast operating, easy in use, less weight etc. than other storage devices. So we can say that USB is a revolution in the storage media.

Widely Used CARD In Electronics Devices

The SD(Secure Digital) card was introduced by Scan disk corporation, Matsushita (Panasonic) in 2001, it is based on MMC(multimedia Card) differences between MMC & Sd card are SD card is slight thicker in size,& has a write protection switch. MMC cards can be used in all SD memory card slots but SD cards can ot be used in MMC card slot.

Now a days SD card is most commonly used memory card. In size SD memory card same as Postage stamp (32 × 24 × 2.1 mm). we can find the SD memory cards in so many electronics devices as Digital camera, PDAS, Mobile phones etc. The general name of many expansion modules is SDIO (secure digital In & Out). After inserting in a slot SDIO modules can be used for many other functions such as Bluetooth adapters, GPS receivers, digital cameras, TV tuners, etc The SD card s are of the following types as Mini SD card, Micro SDcard .


The Mini SD card (21.5 × 20 × 1.4 mm) was introduced in 2003. It was the Second & a smaller version after the Secure Digital card, this is approximately 60% small in size than the SD card & having same benifits like SD card except write protection switch.it was designed for portable electronics devices as mobile phones, Digital cameras.

The smallest version of this family is Micro SD card (11 × 15 × 1 mm). It is also Known as transflash. it was introduced as smallest memory card of the wold in 2004. the size of this card is approximately of the fingernail , It is basically designed to use in mobile phones. Today Micro SD cards commonly used in mobile phones.

Should You Buy New DRAM Techonology For Your System

Due to the development of various DRAM technology, it is now becoming difficult to determine what type of DRAM should you use in your system. Moreover, we always keep thinking "what is the next?" that would be more useful in terms of performance and price.


It would be interesting to know that system chip set is the most important factor that controls memory used in the motherboard. There can be difference in chip set too, like EDO and BEDO. The EDO is popular and accepted by all, where as BEDO is never gained popularity. It is the documentation of motherboard that indicates the type of memory supported by the board.



Most of the people wants to use a memory that helps in running the system faster and is cheaper too. Newer technologies are coming up with significantly better performance. It is often seen that people unnecessarily buy new memory to enhance the speed of the system though they do not have much requirement. Before buying a computer memory we should determining our usage and also analyze the performance of new technology DRAM. It is useless to buy newer technologies DRAM that are cost significantly more than older ones and offer only marginal performance improvements.

But the advantage of using a newer technology type will often give you more flexibility for future upgrades, since you may be able to transfer the memory more easily to a newer motherboard. However, this is not always the case, since often, new motherboards require a new type anyway. Also, sometimes new technologies don't catch on (for example, BEDO). The "latest and greatest" is of course often a lot more money.

Will DDR3 Overshadow DDR2 In The Coming Years

With the arrival of DDR3 in the market, things have come down for DDR2. Everything is fine with DDR3 except the fact that it is very expensive and not many people wants to buy it paying higher price. This is still making DDR2 popular and favorite amongst the user. It is believed that DDR3 has a very little advantage over DDR2.



Moreover, branded names like Kingston, Hynix, Aum, Crucial are coming up with new and powerful DDR2 kit which can overshadow DDR3. The price of these newly launched DDR2 kit will be comparatively lower than DDR3, this would definitely attract a huge number of user to use the product.


Following is the Features of both DDR2 & DDR3, read it and give reviews which one is better. It is ultimately the user who would decide which one is better in terms of everything ( performance and price).


Features of DDR2
1. DDR2 SDRAM - High-density memory that achieves high-speed operation and low power consumption at the same time
2. DDR2 SDRAM - High-density memory that achieves high-speed operation and low power consumption at the same time
3. DDR2 SDRAM achieves a data transfer rate of up to 667Mbps, double the data transfer rate of DDR333, and its 1.8V operation provides lower power consumption than DDR SDRAM. Additionally, DDR2 SDRAM is available in an FBGA (Fine-pitch Ball Grid Array) package that saves space in the system and enables fine signal integrity.
4. DDR2 SDRAM realizes high speed and high density for a high-performance system.



Features Of DDR3
1. The DDR3 components are twice as fast as today's highest speed DDR2 memory products.
2. The first computer systems equipped with the advanced DDR3 memory technology are expected to arrive in 2007.
3. The main advantages of DDR3 are the higher bandwidth and the increase in performance at low power.
4. The DDR3 SDRAM devices will offer data transfer rates up to 1600 Mbps (megabits per second).
5. The supply voltage for the memory technology is being reduced from 1.8 volts for DDR2 to just 1.5 volts for DDR3 targeting a work day equivalent of battery time. The voltage reduction limits the amount of power that is consumed and heat that is generated in connection with the increase in bandwidths.

Pen Drive : The Most Powerful And Effective Storage Device

For average users of pen drive, the device is a simple storage device and they rarely bother about the features so long as it solves their basic purpose of storing and transferring information. But the tech-friendly and discerning users of pen drives are more careful about the features.

Today, pen drives have come up as the most advance and effective medium of data storage and have become a popular tool for business and professional people. USB drives have established themselves as the most effectual storage device, which allow users to store a vast amount of data without much efforts. This is because of the increasing popularity of these useful pen drives that CDs and floppy diskettes have been replaced and have become a second option for storage. Invented in 1998, these drives are re-write able and movable. The most fascinating feature of this majestic device is that it holds memory without any power supply. Moreover, it is very easy to carry it anywhere.
Sporting all the convenient features of a removable storage device - featherweight, small size, larger storage space, and durability - pen drive is a must-have device for the technology.

Though the basic selection of USB drive is based on prime feature of storage space, technical enthusiasts are developing special interest for advanced features of pen drives.

Apart from the generic features of huge storage capacity, pen drives also feature built-in micro camera, voice recorder, biometric security, MP3 playback. Let us discuss about some of the basic as well as advance features of pen drives.

DDR2 More Efficient Than The Original DDR

DDR2 is a type of an SDRAM, this computer memory stores its memory in memory cells. These cells are then activated at according times to correctly operate with an external data bus. Although the DDR2 shares many similarities with the original DDR, as in the case with data transfer happening with the rise and fall at the edge of the clock, it is different in that the DDR2's bus is clocked at twice the speed. This basically allows the DDR2 to be twice as more efficient than the original DDR.

The key behind the high bus frequency with DDR2s is the coalition of electrical interface improvements, prefetch buffers, and various off-chip drivers. This is because DDR's prefetch buffer is twice of the DDR, which is 2bits deep. Also, its read latencies are between four and six cycles; again this is twice that of the DDR. Thus, twice as much bus speed is necessary to achieve an equal latency.

Also, the DDR2 is packaged relatively more expensively and more complicatedly than the DDR SDRAM or the SDR SDRAM, in exchange for a more blazing speed.

Backward compatibility with DDR2 DIMMs are quite limited. In fact, they are not designed to be compatible with DDRM DIMMs at all. This is because firstly, the notch positions in the DDR2 and the DDR are different along with the pin density slightly higher on the DDR DIMMs. Although not much of a "backward compatibility," but faster DDR2 DIMMs can be used with slower DDR2 DIMMs. However, in such a situation, the faster one would run at the speed of the slower DDR2.

Source :: Tech Faq