So, my computer (Dell Dimension 8250, pentium 4, 2.4 GHz if that means anything) is appx 6 years old. Its been running slower and slower as the years go by, but, even more so since I've recently started downloading MANY pics from my d-slr. I'm just about to purchase a Seagate external HD (probably the Pro, 500 or 750MB). My computer only has 510 MB of RAM, according to DirectX. If I right click on the c-drive and go to properties, it says I've used 44.2 GB and have 11.6 GB remaining.

I'm a little confused...

Isn't 1 GB MORE than 1 MB? So, how is it that I have more remaining (11.6 GB) than my computer has to begin with (only 510 MB)??

Obviously computers are not my forte.

Anyway, my question is this:

I'm not financially able to purchase a new computer (and, I have no need to right now anyway). The external HD is going to be used to back up my current system and for picture storage. Would it make sense to try to add more memory to my current system? Or just take off what I don't need after I transfer it to the external drive?

If I should add some, how do I go about doing that (how much, where should I buy it, etc)? Are there any issues (like, my entire system crashing) that I need to consider?

Again, I'm sorry I'm so technically computer illiterate.

Oh, and no, I've never wiped my system clean then reinstalled everything. I've moved so many times, I couldn't tell you where any of the program install cds are.

1/25/2008 9:53:31 AM

Your 512 MB is RAM, while your 60 GB (44.2+11.6) is your actual Hard Drive.

Upgrading your RAM will help some at the very least.

1/25/2008 9:55:54 AM

Quote :

" Isn't 1 GB MORE than 1 MB? So, how is it that I have more remaining (11.6 GB) than my computer has to begin with (only 510 MB)??"

LAWL

1/25/2008 9:59:32 AM

You take my breath away.

1/25/2008 10:01:32 AM

I know...I'm computer stupid, lol

But, that's why I have you guys!

[Edited on January 25, 2008 at 10:06 AM. Reason : ]

1/25/2008 10:05:58 AM

Really


you could replace that system for about $3-400


while i dont usually recommend the low end systems to people, it'll be a nice upgrade for you.

1/25/2008 10:13:34 AM

get another stick of 512 and format your comp. I got a 2.6 running and even though its about 3-4 years old, it still runs like a champ.

1/25/2008 10:24:23 AM

Genki....I can't format it b/c I don't have any of the reinstall cds for my software. I can't even find the XP software.

1/25/2008 10:33:08 AM

find a nerd

show boob(s)

give him 10 minutes with your computer

profit.

1/25/2008 10:34:56 AM

in case it wasn't fully clear from what DM said, you're making the common mistake of confusing Memory/RAM with Storage/Hard Drive Space.

Your amount of hard drive space, referred to as "storage", is where all your data is kept, like all your pictures. Your 60GB drive has 11.6GB remaining. You can put a LOT of pictures in 11.6GB, but it still doesn't hurt to get an external drive to store some extra data and to make backups from your current drive.

The RAM, or "memory", is temporary storage used by the CPU, and is much much smaller than hard drive space. you have 512MB of RAM, or 0.5GB. Adding more RAM will make your computer run faster, but it has nothing to do with the ability to store more pictures or data.

1/25/2008 10:39:32 AM

agentlion, thank you for clearing that up for me

So, if I add more RAM, that should, in theory, allow me to run one program (such as CS3) very smoothly with fast loading, or, to run multiple programs (such as AIM, Firefox, and CS3) without the issues I'm having currently (very slow loading, programs freezing up, etc).

1/25/2008 10:42:37 AM

if you want to edit and manipulate large photos (.raw)



you're gonna want a better system, not just some more PC133.

1/25/2008 10:45:48 AM

To run cs3 and additional programs concurrently, might as well upgrade to a c2d with ddr2, at least 2 gigs.

[Edited on January 25, 2008 at 10:53 AM. Reason : .]

1/25/2008 10:51:42 AM

yikes...

ok, sooo, does that mean cleaning out my current cpu or buying a new one?
What would you guys suggest? And, how much $$$ would I be looking to spend (keeping in mind I don't have THAT much to spend).

1/25/2008 10:53:15 AM

whats your budget?

1/25/2008 10:54:10 AM

$400


should get you an acer with a dual core athlon with a gig of ram



that's reasonable.



another gig of ram should cost all of $20

1/25/2008 10:59:49 AM

well, I'd say a couple hundred...if thats possible

1/25/2008 11:05:30 AM

you need to defrag your harddrive...

1/25/2008 11:07:08 AM

For what it's worth, my personal computer is a 1.5 Ghz AMD, the motherboard is maxed out at 512 mb of the slowest DDR2 ram, and I: run photoshop, play (with minimal graphics) Portal, program in XNA using VS Express 2k5, and whatever else on this computer just fine. Yes it is old and if I didn't have a work laptop to use, I'd probably replace it. But for general use, which is what it looks like you're doing, I don't see the need to upgrade right now. Especially if it means I have to pay money for Vista.

Lots of these guys and gals upgrade parts on their computers several times a year, and completely replace them every year or two. I stopped doing that a long time ago when I finally realized if you don't need to, its a waste. It's saved me hundreds of dollars.

Get an external hard drive simply because they are useful, and RAM is super cheap so if your computer can go to 1GB, you can get that for pretty cheap (I just bought 2GB for my laptop for $20 after rebate). Also like people have said, after 6 years a format would make a world of a difference. Just be sure to back everything up first!

1/25/2008 11:12:18 AM

You could easily buy a dual core CPU with ~2 gb of ram and a cheap video card for ~250 and it would be an excellent upgrade for you.

1/25/2008 11:18:05 AM

Arab, I have defragged it. In fact, it usually tells me I don't need to defrag it (I do it every 4-6 months).

Ok, so in theory I could get the external HD, back up everything on it, then reformat my computer, then somehow get the backed up info from the external HD back to my computer...? (obviously I've never done this before...I grew up using Macs, never formatted a computer in my life).

DirtyMonkey, you don't have any issues with your programs freezing up or loading slowly? Its starting to drive me crazy

1/25/2008 11:21:39 AM

You do realize that you need the cd's to reinstall your software right?

1/25/2008 11:31:11 AM

Welcome to the internetz, you don't need CD's for anything.

1/25/2008 11:31:58 AM

Well, it'd be difficult to tell her to go download the iso's from the torrent sites and burn the images when she didn't know the difference between the ram and hard drive.

1/25/2008 11:37:01 AM

Quote :

"RAM is super cheap so if your computer can go to 1GB"

DDR1 RAM is not cheap, which is what this computer uses.

most likely, his computer needs a good cleaning for viruses and spyware. The usual - run:
AntiVirus
AdAware
Spybot S&D
Microsoft Defender

after all that, it should be more or less clean (or as other's have suggested, a reformat would do wonders if you can find a CD).
A P4 2.4GHz is plenty to run all your basic programs, including Photoshop at a decent speed. After that, upgrading your RAM will do the most good

1/25/2008 11:52:46 AM

I run Norton, Spybot, Ad-Aware, and Crap Cleaner on a regular basis. That isn't the problem.

1/25/2008 11:57:59 AM

I have some RAM that may work on your computer...its a stick of 1gb, and I think its ddr1. I'll have to check.

1/25/2008 12:04:32 PM

it's time to buy a mac when...

1/25/2008 12:10:55 PM

sorry to piggyback on this thread, but didnt think my simple question needed a new thread on memory...

have a laptop with 1gb ddr2 ram and looking to upgrade

i went to crucial.com and it says my laptop can upgrade to 4gb, but i later read somewhere that for most laptops to use 4gb, they need a 64 bit os to be able to use the 4gb ram (never heard that before, but never had a comp with 4gb ram either)

any of you guys heard that before?

1/25/2008 12:19:11 PM

32bit processors can only use 4gb of ram due to limitations. (actually they use about 3.2gb of ram) 4gb isn't a problem really, you'll be wasting a few hundred megabytes but it's no huge deal.

1/25/2008 12:23:28 PM

^^ http://www.brianmadden.com/content/article/The-4GB-Windows-Memory-Limit-What-does-it-really-mean-

[Edited on January 25, 2008 at 12:24 PM. Reason : ]

1/25/2008 12:23:50 PM

Jen, you can get a new Dell w/ 2gb ram, a new and much faster processor, 160gb hard drive, AND a 20" LCD for right around $500. You can sell the monitor on ebay for $175 to $200 if you wanted to.

Once you start working with RAW files you'll notice your computer slowing down more and more. We have a computer at work that's the exact same as you have, and the difference even with working jpg images in CS1 and jumping to the 3ghz w/ 2gb ram that's on the other workstations is pretty dramatic, then jumping to the new computer I have at home (basically the same as what you can get for $500 from Dell) is another huge step.


For now, though, to help speed things up, you can disable indexing on your hard drive, turn off system restore, and move your image files over to the external hard drive. This will help, but you may also want to run a registry cleaner like ccleaner.

1/25/2008 12:56:33 PM

awesome...thanks!

1/25/2008 1:04:41 PM

Quote :

"DirtyMonkey, you don't have any issues with your programs freezing up or loading slowly? Its starting to drive me crazy "

i forgot to mention that i recently formatted and have been very selective with what software i've put on it, which is why it runs very fast for how old it is. i built this computer in 2001.

Quote :

"DDR1 RAM is not cheap, which is what this computer uses. "

my bad, i did not realize hers was DDR1. and you're right that shit is not cheap at all.

1/25/2008 1:07:21 PM

If you want to reformat, getting your hands on some install media isn't a problem at all. I'd be willing to bet most anyone on here could arrange to make you a Windows CD, myself included.

Considering what you want to do with this, you could continue to use what you have and simply add some more RAM to it, but in the long run that is not a cost-effective solution due to the type of RAM your computer uses. It is about 1.5-2x more expensive per megabyte than the current technology(Which is very, backwards, I know). Adding an additional hard drive to offload some data will improve seek time on the hard disk(better load times for your programs and data), but it will not make your programs themselves run or respond much faster at all(This is related more to RAM).

Your best long-term solution would be to probably save up enough to buy a lower-end Dell desktop, which would still be considerably faster than what you have, while leaving you a better upgrade path in the future. If you ever want to upgrade that new one, it will undoubtedly be cheaper than trying to upgrade what you have. If you need pointers on specific things to look for in a new one, let me know and I'll see what I can dig up.

Just my $.02 - PM me if you have any questions about my post

1/25/2008 3:18:34 PM

doh.. rdram...

[Edited on January 25, 2008 at 4:39 PM. Reason : ..]

[Edited on January 25, 2008 at 4:40 PM. Reason : ..]

1/25/2008 4:37:44 PM

rdram what?

1/25/2008 4:52:31 PM

I think her system uses rdram and not ddr. If that's the case, it's better off buying a new system.

[Edited on January 25, 2008 at 5:07 PM. Reason : .]

1/25/2008 5:07:03 PM

I thought this was going to be a thread about how to remember things.

1/25/2008 6:02:06 PM

^^ it is RDRAM

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8250/specs.htm#1084976




[Edited on January 25, 2008 at 9:13 PM. Reason : ^^]

1/25/2008 9:13:06 PM

thank you for your help, everyone! I think I'm going to go with the external drive (it'll be good to have, anyway) and then save up for a new system. I knew my computer was old, but I didn't realize it was a dinosaur

1/25/2008 11:29:01 PM