Maroon Bytes

If you are experiencing problems with your PC hanging all the time or even the dreaded blue screen of death then it might just be possible that an upgrade of RAM might solve your problems.

A quick way to run some diagnostic tools on your PC is to run the Full Tests available at PC Pitstop. This fantastic and free service will provide you with a detailed report and benchmarking information on your PC.

Upon scanning my PC a number of errors were identified but the main one which seemed to be flagged was a lack of RAM. Now I will admit that my knowledge of the internal working of computers is relatively basic so I wasn’t sure whether I could do this myself or would have to nip along to the local PC shop to ask them to upgrade it. Time for a bit of research…

A quick search on “ram upgrade uk” resulted in me finding a company called Crucial Technology. Their fantastic website allows you to scan your PC to determine the most suitable RAM upgrade for your PC.

You can also specify your PC by selecting the manufacturer then your product line, which will check their online database and determine the setup based on their records.

Once I had scanned my PC and identified my existing system specifications, and read some of their extremely helpful online guides I opted for an additional 256Mb RAM upgrade which would double the amount I already had installed. This upgrade only cost me £22.99 plus VAT (£27.01 Total) with free delivery.

Installation sounded simple enough even for someone of my capabilities. I decided to buy an anti-static wrist band as well to save me from blowing up any of the components during the upgrade. I opted for the Belkin Anti – Static Wristband which cost under £5 plus delivery.

48 hours later my RAM upgrade arrived. Unfortunately I had to wait another 24 hours for my anti-static wrist band to arrive, so I waited in eager anticipation for this. And so to the upgrade. How simple it was:

1. Earth the PC by plugging it into the wall but with the switch off. We don’t want to be electrocuted do we !
2. Open the PC Case using a non-magnetic screw driver.
3. Identify the spare RAM slot for your upgrade.
4. Plug in the upgrade into the spare slot ensuring it clips fully into place. I had slight problems with this at first try but this was due to the fact that I was in a hurry to do this, so as long as you take your time you shouldn’t have any problems at all.
5. Close the case.
6. Switch on the PC. If you get a series of warning beeps then you haven’t inserted the RAM into the slot correctly, so go back to step 1 and try again. At any time if your not sure you can always give Crucial a phone and their very helpful staff will offer assistance to you.
7. Enjoy… !

If i knew how simple it was to upgrade the RAM on my PC I would have done it a long time ago ! So far, I’ve had no further problems with my PC and it is running a lot quicker and no longer hanging. I would definitely recommend you give it a go considering the simplicity and reasonable price to upgrade.