Amount of RAM for win XP home

Nospam wrote:
Hi,

Would I notice any difference in performance between 2 and 4 GB or
DDR2-800 RAM

in a system with an AMD 64 x2 3800 processor

just use the PC for basic office type stuff
word, powerpoint simple excel, surfing.


Thanks
--
Nospam

I totally agree with what everyone has already said.

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On Sun, 1 Oct 2006 15:56:56 -0700, "DaveW" wrote:

For those applications (non-gaming, non-video editting) you would get NO
advantage by using 4 GB of RAM. Also, in almost ALL consumer motherboards,
using the full 4 GB of RAM causes severe instability in the motherboard. 3
GB is the actual limit, and that amount would not let you run in dual
channel memory mode. Best to use 2 GB.


So, if your mainboard has 4 dual channel slos, and you fill 2
with 512MB DIMMs, and other 2 with 1GB DIMMs (total of 3GB), the
memory won't run dual channel?

Larry Roberts wrote:
On Sun, 1 Oct 2006 15:56:56 -0700, "DaveW" wrote:

For those applications (non-gaming, non-video editting) you would
get NO advantage by using 4 GB of RAM. Also, in almost ALL consumer
motherboards, using the full 4 GB of RAM causes severe instability
in the motherboard. 3 GB is the actual limit, and that amount would
not let you run in dual channel memory mode. Best to use 2 GB.


So, if your mainboard has 4 dual channel slos, and you fill 2
with 512MB DIMMs, and other 2 with 1GB DIMMs (total of 3GB), the
memory won't run dual channel?

It should, as long as both channels are populated identically. You start by
inserting the 2*512MB stick, getting dual channel working, then you have
only to add the 2*1GB sticks (or vv).. (A1+B1 and later A2+B2 or however
it's marked on mobo/in manual)

--
Tumppi
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In news:alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, Nospam
posted on Sun, 1 Oct 2006 14:46:19 +0100:

Hi,

Would I notice any difference in performance between 2 and 4 GB or
DDR2-800 RAM

No, no difference would be noticed. I noticed a difference when I moved
from 256 megabytes to 512. And I noticed another difference when I moved
from 512 to 768. But I didn't notice a difference moving from 768 to 1024
until I started working on large image files. And these files are so large
that I feel sure I would notice a difference between 1 gig and 2 gigs. In
fact, I think I'm gonna pick up another gig on the way to work and enable
that oh-so-cool dual-channel on this motherboard.

Um....Ya......WHY MAN.....WHY?????

All that hardware for OFFICE! WHAT!? oh man



Get a 64-bit OS
Never mind 4 gig's (too unstable anyways go with 2 gig DC mode)

No YOU would not notice the difference, not for that
It's just not worth the trip to the parts place to get the sticks
that's how much it's gonna do for you

In message , Mitochondrion
writes
Um....Ya......WHY MAN.....WHY?????

All that hardware for OFFICE! WHAT!? oh man



Get a 64-bit OS
Never mind 4 gig's (too unstable anyways go with 2 gig DC mode)

No YOU would not notice the difference, not for that
It's just not worth the trip to the parts place to get the sticks
that's how much it's gonna do for you

Thanks for that.

It will get used for other stuff too.

a bit of video editing once in a while, the kids will play games on it,
I don't really care if it runs too slow for their games.

I might even stick a C++ compiler on it, though I don't get much free
time to do any programming at the mo, but who knows what the future
holds?

I was thinking of moving to Vista SP1 when it comes out but now I'm not
so sure.

Don't think Vista has anything I need. Will be 64 bit though!

But if 32 bit XP runs OK then I don't think 64 bit OS will do anything
for me.

Thanks again

--
Nospam