| User | Post |
HyperLamer
Posts: 2791/8210 |
Having a lot of RAM is definitely a good thing, but there are other factors involved. CPU speed, polygons per second, etc. |
firemaker
Posts: 96/247 |
no maybe i should rethink that. |
HellSavior
Posts: 29/41 |
Just because a card has 256mb of vram does not mean that it is a high performer. Are you saying that an FX5200 with 256mb is better than a 9800 Pro with 128mb? |
firemaker
Posts: 92/247 |
Originally posted by HellSavior
For that price I would buy the 9600XT.
well how much ram is included in the 9600XT cause the one i suggested had 256. |
Smallhacker
Posts: 1185/2273 |
Thanks for the recommendations.  |
HellSavior
Posts: 26/41 |
For that price I would buy the 9600XT. |
firemaker
Posts: 90/247 |
i would actually recommend the Nvidia Gefore LE 5400 its damn powerful and cheap you can buy it fromm www.nvidia.com they would be about $160 |
HellSavior
Posts: 17/41 |
You don't necessarily have to. However, for playing a graphical-intensive game like Sims 2 it is highly advisable not to use onboard video, as it will be very sluggish; it will be the bottleneck in your system (if your other components are of a higher grade).
Being a VIA KM400 chipset, it seems that you're running an Athlon XP-based system; a small video card upgrade will be in your best interest, as it is the current bottleneck in your system.
Some graphics cards to consider : (your board has AGP)
ATi Radeon 9600 XT ($259 Canadian at NCIX.com)
ATi Radeon 9600 Pro (You can get this for a modest price somewhere, probably in 1 hundred range)
ATi Radeon 9800 Pro ($321 Canadian at NCIX.com)
nVidia FX5900XT-based card ($270 Canadian at NCIX.com)
It would be better if you could post your system specifications for video card recommendations, as you will probably want one which is on par with your other components.
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Smallhacker
Posts: 1150/2273 |
Honestly, I have no idea what a "built-in video chipset" is. And no, I didn't think about checking the amount of RAM before inserting the card. *Turns off computer and checks*
*POST UPDATE*
I removed the stick. 192 MB... (And then I inserted it again.) I guess that you're right. I checked DXDIAG and according to that, the video card uses 64MB... I dunno if that's taken from the RAM or if it have got it's own, though...
Video card data:
Name: VIA/S3G KM400/KN400
Manifacturer: VIA/S3 Graphics, Inc.
Circuit kind: S3G KM400/KN400
DAC kind: Internal
Approx. total memory: 64.0 MB
Current screen mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: hp v72 color monitor
I guess that I have to buy a new graphics card? :/ Ouch... My wallet hurtz... |
BMF98567
Posts: 554/1261 |
HyperHacker: "...but when I looked in the manual later, it said that 386 MB is recommended for 2K/XP." I'm assuming he has XP.
512 - 448 = 64MB...oooohhhh. Does your computer have a built-in video chipset? If so, I'll bet it's stealing some of your RAM for its own use (onboard video rarely, if ever, has its own dedicated RAM). A separate video card would solve this problem, and boost performance to boot. Did it show 256MB before you upgraded, though? |
HyperLamer
Posts: 2714/8210 |
Is it Windows 95, 98 or ME? They seem to have problems with large amounts of RAM. Otherwise, check your BIOS to make sure there isn't something set wrong, and look up info on your model of computer to see if there are any known problems with large amounts of RAM.
When you add or remove a stick, the first time it starts it should go through a memory test. Does it pass the test OK? It should read around 524,288 K. |
Smallhacker
Posts: 1148/2273 |
Ok, ok... I have no idea how much they are supposed to cost... As I mentioned earlier, I know nothing about hardware.
...By the way... Now that I have two 256 MB ram sticks in my computer, why the crap have I only got 448 MB? Is Winblows stealing some of the RAM automajjically or might there be a problem with one of the sticks? |
BMF98567
Posts: 549/1261 |
Originally posted by Smallhacker
It costed a bit, though. 400 SEK, which is around 50 american dollars.
$50? Dude, I've seen much, much worse...I think you got a pretty good deal. |
Smallhacker
Posts: 1136/2273 |
Ok... I've bought a new 256 meg RAM stick. Even though I cursed a few times since a bunch of cables were in the way and such, it seems like it's working perfectly. (I've never seen the computer boot up that fast!) It costed a bit, though. 400 SEK, which is around 50 american dollars.
Anyway... Thanks for your help, everybody.  |
HyperLamer
Posts: 2685/8210 |
Yeah, that.  I did it once, it just blue-screens. Gotta shut down normally for any hardware changes. |
Smallhacker
Posts: 1125/2273 |
Originally posted by HyperHacker
The only problem you might have is if you put it in hibernate mode instead of shutting down before you install it, so don't.
I guess that that's the english name of the thing where you save the entire RAM to the HD and turns off your computer and such. Anyway... Thanks for the tip. I'll try to remember it, since I'm usually not turning off the computer normally for sereval weeks.  |
HyperLamer
Posts: 2677/8210 |
If you have a free slot, you can just stick another 256MB in, otherwise you'll have to replace one or more. So open it up and check first. Installation is easy, you just push it in. (When removing them, there's clips on the sides you need to pull out of the way first. Some just push open.) If all goes well the system will run just like before (but hopefully faster ), otherwise it won't start up. (The symptoms tend to vary, depending on the problem... A defective stick will most likely stop it from running at all, or fail the memory test. But one time when I tried a stick with the wrong speed, Windoze would actually try to start and just crash. The video would get messed up too.  ) The only problem you might have is if you put it in hibernate mode instead of shutting down before you install it, so don't. |
Sokarhacd
Posts: 916/1757 |
yeah, ram is really easy to install, and not overly expensive, $145 Canadian for a 512, witch gave me a total of 768mb ram. |
Smallhacker
Posts: 1123/2273 |
Ok. Thanks.
@||bass: Stick and card are exactly the same thing. The only difference is the spelling, pronounciation and meaning. |
||bass
Posts: 169/817 |
Originally posted by Smallhacker
If I've got SDRAM, I have to buy a new SDRAM card, and if I've got DDRRAM, I have to buy a new DDRRAM card?.
RAM does not come as a card. The physical peice of hardware is called a "stick" of ram.
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