Should i buy more ram?

[Battal Gazi]

Hello.

My last issue was about my computer was not opening, so after waiting a few days, it seems now ok but motherboard seems some unhealty, any time it can stop again.

My desktop pc specificiations:

2.8 ghz p4 478 socket intel cpu

1.5 ddr

gpu nvidia 256 mb fx5500

160 gb hdd

mother board Anakart Adı Gigabyte GA-8IPE1000MK (3 PCI, 1 AGP, 4 DDR DIMM, Audio, LAN)




My question is that: This is pc old and i have to go on with this. Usually it freezes and lags, and ram goes very low levels. For example now i only put 1 gb ram and 450 mb ram is available but when i open a new tab, 200 mb is only left.

If i buy a new 1 gb ram to make dual maybe 4x1 ddr, does it make some chnge?

I have also 3.2 ghz cpu but it causes to get hotter.

What i do is i open a lot of tabs, reading searching, downloading watching videos and some other small programs. My gpu is a problem or ram is low? How can i understand if low ram or gpu is problem?

And one more question, ddr mhz is important? Mhz 's must be same?

And my cpu is CPU T Intel Pentium 4, 2800 MHz (14 x 200), can i use all motherboards those are 478 socket? Fsb is important?

I will be glad if you help. I dont want to get any lag or freeze while using computer.

 

[Oreo]

I'd reccomend anyone that doesn't have 4GB of RAM to get as much as their system supports. So yes, if you have free RAM slots available, upgrade.

You may struggle to find compatible RAM though, not sure they make it for old boards like that anymore.

 

[PP Mguire]

Your machine is just getting too old for basic browsing tasks these days sadly. Not even my X2 3800+ overclocked was sufficient for basic internet or screwing around with games.

Depending on your OS you can have up to 4GB of DDR 400, but I'll be guessing you're running XP? Then the max you can use is 3GB. The laptop I'm currently on is running XP and I bumped the RAM from 512MB to 2GB and it appears to have helped with running Chrome.

As to the other CPU, use the best CPU you have at your disposal. P4s run hot naturally.

 

[Battal Gazi]

I'd reccomend anyone that doesn't have 4GB of RAM to get as much as their system supports. So yes, if you have free RAM slots available, upgrade.

You may struggle to find compatible RAM though, not sure they make it for old boards like that anymore.

I have 4 slots. I will buy not new ones, i will buy used ones, if i can be sure it is still working.

Your machine is just getting too old for basic browsing tasks these days sadly. Not even my X2 3800+ overclocked was sufficient for basic internet or screwing around with games.

Depending on your OS you can have up to 4GB of DDR 400, but I'll be guessing you're running XP? Then the max you can use is 3GB. The laptop I'm currently on is running XP and I bumped the RAM from 512MB to 2GB and it appears to have helped with running Chrome.

As to the other CPU, use the best CPU you have at your disposal. P4s run hot naturally.

Yes i am using xp , 7 or 8 doesnot work. Maybe i can use linux to get more effiency.

Why max 3 gb i did not understand.

 

[Oreo]

Your machine is just getting too old for basic browsing tasks these days sadly. Not even my X2 3800+ overclocked was sufficient for basic internet or screwing around with games.

Depending on your OS you can have up to 4GB of DDR 400, but I'll be guessing you're running XP? Then the max you can use is 3GB. The laptop I'm currently on is running XP and I bumped the RAM from 512MB to 2GB and it appears to have helped with running Chrome.

As to the other CPU, use the best CPU you have at your disposal. P4s run hot naturally.

I disagree, we have a couple hundred PCs at work running on Pentium 4's. They are better maintained than your average home PC admittedly, but people can do their work on them surprisingly well, which includes quite a lot of internet use for some people.

 

[Battal Gazi]

I have 3.2 ghz amnd 2.8 ghz. 3.2 ghz makes minimum 60 celcius, when open 4-5 tabs, around 85 celcius. 2.8 ghz makes around 30 40 celcius. Does it make sense if i use 3.2 ghz? I could not see any difference, also my problem is about when multitasking, it eats ram and computer can not respond.

 

[PP Mguire]

I have 4 slots. I will buy not new ones, i will buy used ones, if i can be sure it is still working.






Yes i am using xp , 7 or 8 doesnot work. Maybe i can use linux to get more effiency.

Why max 3 gb i did not understand.

Because you can only use a max of 3.2GB of RAM in a 32bit operating system regardless of how much the hardware supports. You need Windows 64bit before you can utilize anymore RAM like 4GB.

I disagree, we have a couple hundred PCs at work running on Pentium 4's. They are better maintained than your average home PC admittedly, but people can do their work on them surprisingly well, which includes quite a lot of internet use for some people.

Check and I bet you'll find they are the DDR2 versions, this guy is running the DDR version. THe laptop I'm on right now is a Pentium M 1.7GHz and I just put 2GB of DDR2 800 in it. My first laptop was a Pentium M 1.6GHz with 1GB of DDR 400. HUGE difference. Both setups oddly running the same custom copy of XP SP2.

I have 3.2 ghz amnd 2.8 ghz. 3.2 ghz makes minimum 60 celcius, when open 4-5 tabs, around 85 celcius. 2.8 ghz makes around 30 40 celcius. Does it make sense if i use 3.2 ghz? I could not see any difference, also my problem is about when multitasking, it eats ram and computer can not respond.

You couldn't see any difference because your problem lies within how much RAM you have. You are maxing out your RAM meaning anything else that is being loaded is going to the pagefile which is virtual memory that uses your hard drive. That hard drive is much slower than your RAM which causes an overall slowdown. When you get 3GB of RAM you'll notice the 3.2GHz CPU is much faster. You could always get a better cooler for it on the cheap.

 

[Battal Gazi]

I'd reccomend anyone that doesn't have 4GB of RAM to get as much as their system supports. So yes, if you have free RAM slots available, upgrade.

You may struggle to find compatible RAM though, not sure they make it for old boards like that anymore.

Because you can only use a max of 3.2GB of RAM in a 32bit operating system regardless of how much the hardware supports. You need Windows 64bit before you can utilize anymore RAM like 4GB.

Check and I bet you'll find they are the DDR2 versions, this guy is running the DDR version. THe laptop I'm on right now is a Pentium M 1.7GHz and I just put 2GB of DDR2 800 in it. My first laptop was a Pentium M 1.6GHz with 1GB of DDR 400. HUGE difference. Both setups oddly running the same custom copy of XP SP2.

You couldn't see any difference because your problem lies within how much RAM you have. You are maxing out your RAM meaning anything else that is being loaded is going to the pagefile which is virtual memory that uses your hard drive. That hard drive is much slower than your RAM which causes an overall slowdown. When you get 3GB of RAM you'll notice the 3.2GHz CPU is much faster. You could always get a better cooler for it on the cheap.

My hdd is Maxtor 6G160E0 160 gb sata2

300 MB/s cache to computer

If i buy a new hdd, does it change something?

I have 2 purple, 2 orange slots like dual. I have 1 + 512 mb, i will buy one more 1 gb, maybe one more.

I dont think i cant find any cheap or used cooler , maybe water cooler but i will try ebay. What do you suggest?

 

[PP Mguire]

Yea, that 300MB/s is the SATA bus throughput. Your HDD is actually much slower than that, and even slower when you take latency and seek times into perspective.

No, buying a new HDD won't change anything. Even if you got an SSD you're still at the mercy of a pagefile which you don't want.

Buying used RAM make sure they at least match the speed of the RAM you currently have. I'm sure you're not working with much for funds but it's critical you try to get matching speeds at least as some boards can be real finicky with RAM. As to the cooler, if you live in the US most local tech shops like Fry's or Micro Center have S775 coolers for about 10 bucks. You could check Craigslist too as I'm sure some people might even have something to just give away.

 

[Battal Gazi]

Yea, that 300MB/s is the SATA bus throughput. Your HDD is actually much slower than that, and even slower when you take latency and seek times into perspective.

No, buying a new HDD won't change anything. Even if you got an SSD you're still at the mercy of a pagefile which you don't want.

Buying used RAM make sure they at least match the speed of the RAM you currently have. I'm sure you're not working with much for funds but it's critical you try to get matching speeds at least as some boards can be real finicky with RAM. As to the cooler, if you live in the US most local tech shops like Fry's or Micro Center have S775 coolers for about 10 bucks. You could check Craigslist too as I'm sure some people might even have something to just give away.

Mine is socket 478 but.

Xilence Intel P4 Pro COO-XPCPU.P4.PRO CPU Cooler 2800 rpm / 9-23 dB(A) / Socket 478: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Mine is that, a cheap one.


I dont know what to do, a new cooler or a new ram or continueing with old cooler and with 2.8 ghz.