What does Ram or DDR mean?

Question

I have a sony desktop with 512mb ddr or ram. I checked system information and it says
"Total Virtual Memory = 2.00GB"
"Available Virtual Memory = 1.96 GB"
"Page File Space = 1.38 GB"
^What does all that mean?^


Also I want to make my computer run faster, how would I go about doing that? Like buying another 512mb ram chip. And how high can I go to add ram to my computer? and any directions for adding ram to your computer would be helpful

in my mind I think of ram as how many hands a computer has, the more ram it has, the more programs it can juggle at once without crashing of freezing, or lagging. If im wrong could someone clear it up?

Answer 1

Ram = random access memory

SDRAM = single datarate random access memory

DDR = double datarate

DDR2 = double datarate v2

DDR3 = double datarate v3



Virtual memory = how much of your hard drive is allocated to be used in place of memory.



Available virtual memory = simply how much of the allocated

memory is NOT being used



Page file = the amount of virtual memory that IS being used.

Answer 2

Virtual memory is just a term for an area of the hard drive that is dedicated to handling the overflow of data from the RAM.



Basically, RAM acts as a buffer between the hard drive and the CPU. Because of the way hard drives are made, they have a relatively slow data transfer rate, generally around 100-300MB per second. Whereas RAM can transfer data around 6-10GB per second (or 6000 to 10000MB per second).



So the computer anticipates what data might be used next, and preloads that information onto the RAM so that the CPU can access and use it faster.



The more ram you have, the more things you can do at once without noticeable slowdowns.



The information you listed says your Virtual memory allocation is 2GB and that you are using .04 of that 2GB currently. Since you are using virtual memory, and virtual memory is on the hard drive (Hard Drive = Slower) you know that likely you do not have enough physical memory.



The page file is just part of Virtual Memory.



You are certainly going to want to buy more RAM, and to make sure you get the correct stuff you are going to want to go to this website and enter your computer information:



http://www.crucial.com



Their program will tell you what type and speed you need. Take that information with you when you go to buy more ram. Alternatively, you could bring the brand and model number of your computer with you to give to the salesperson and they will find the correct type.

Answer 3

RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It's a very fast piece of hardware concerning reading/writing speed in your computer used for the fast swopping of files that are currently used by your CPU. Your Page File is a piece of Hard Drive space dedicated to RAM. It's not as fast, but it works in the same way. DDR stands for Double Data Rate, and means that it handles data twice as fast as the previous RAM modules, the SD modules.



PC RAM is relatively cheap, I'd recommend getting another 1GB chip. It's cheap, and your MB would be able to support it. RAM can be added until the Mainboard is filled (usually has two slots), or until you max out your Operating System.



You idea of RAM is quite right, although I've never heard anybody put it like that before. Nice one though!!!

Answer 4

it depends, there are different versions of ddr ram. for example you have ddr 3 ram which will not fit in ddr 2 slots. make sure you have buy the right version for your motherboard and all should work fine.

Answer 5

RAM is memory that u stick into the mainboard.

Virtual memory is a large chunk of (slow)harddisk space allotted for shelving excessive/unimportant data until required by the (fast)RAM



Page file space is the technical name windows calls its virtual memory space. you may increase its minimum size to 2000mb to 4000mb for improvement.



check ur PCdocumentation manual or online for what type or RAM is supported.



also please get 2gb RAM.

remember

ur windows loves u

and wants to help and serve u better



think if RAM as a handbag.

if u have a bigger handbag... more stuff can be onhand else u dig in the large trunk in the attic.