Another Day With My PC

PNY, makers of advanced memory modules slashed the price of their high-end 4GB PC6400 RAM. The memoery module that happens to be compatible with PC5300 as well now costs around $31 a piece.

The cause of the big price slash is undisclosed. The price already includes the VAT and shipping fee. PNY’s 4GB PC6400 memory module is compatible in both Windows Vista and Windows XP operating systems. The company provides DDR2 memory modules with PC2-4200, PC2-3200, PC2-5300 and PC2-6400.

The PC6400 module is also compatible with computers and laptops powered by Intel’s Pentium, Celeron and Centrino, AMD’s Athlon and Sempron Socket AM2 processors, and others. So users from all over the globe can practically use the chipset. The upgrade chip is also suitable for computer system built by over 500 manufacturers, including Apple, Compaq, DELL, Gateway, HP and IBM.

DDR2 memory modules have the same dimension as DDR. The only difference in them is the plug-in connector configuration. This is why DDR2 modules should not be used in DDR computers and vice versa.

The DDR2 module comes with a lifetime warranty.

Source: ITP Portal

Even before Vista was released, experts have already warned about the operating system’s appetite for RAM. Indeed, it’s the most demanding program as far as system resources are concerned. 2GB would usually already suffice for Microsoft’s latest OS. However, you might be in for a surprise when you take a peek at your system’s gauges.

Being the OC that I am with regard to system performance, I usually check on the meters as to how my PC is doing. Upon checking my RAM, I was surprised to discover that only a tiny fraction of it was left available. I nearly panicked, thinking that one or both my SIMM modules are either defective or totally went dead on me.

Before rushing to the phone to call my RAM maker’s customer service hotline, I decided to pour ice-cold water on my simmering fear and anxiety first by researching on the problem. I was only a few pages on Vista’s guidebook when I discovered that the OS has a unique way of handling Alzheimer’s. A lot of RAM was still left in my PC after all. What happened was Vista just placed the unused memory space in a cache labeled as SuperFetch.

SuperFetch allocates memory space to programs or processes as they need them. This ensures that each kilobyte is used to its fullest. This is definitely better than leaving memory to rot in idleness.

So the next time you check on your RAM meter, don’t be surprised if you see that you only have a few megabytes left to burn even if you’re not running any program at all. But this doesn’t mean that you can be complacent when your system slows down. Don’t just blame it on the possibility that SuperFetch might be conking out on you. Consider every possible problem. Who knows, your PC’s slowdown might really be caused by a bad memory module.

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