How do I make my computer system better and faster?

[Uxas]

I have a desktop computer with Intel Atom 230 1.60 Ghz processor running Windows 7 Ultimate x32. I need to start with programming and stuff, I understand that Atom is not the best choice, but I'll have to make do with it. The only things I can upgrade are the HDD and RAM. Considering all the above, what sort of HDD and RAM should I go for? Also, I have a really limited budget. Thanks in advance.

 

[whs]

A RAM upgrade will give you marginal performance improvements. A big kick would come from a SSD to replace the HDD.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

Here are my favorite SSDs

mushkin ssd - Newegg.com

Of course the situation in your country may be different.

 

[DavidE]

How much RAM do you have now and how much can your PC use ?
i.e. If you have 1 GB RAM, adding more would help.

 

[Uxas]

How much RAM do you have now and how much can your PC use ?
i.e. If you have 1 GB RAM, adding more would help.

I have 1GB of RAM. Should I upgrade it to 8GB or would 4GB be enough?

 

[Uxas]

A RAM upgrade will give you marginal performance improvements. A big kick would come from a SSD to replace the HDD.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

Here are my favorite SSDs

mushkin ssd - Newegg.com

Of course the situation in your country may be different.

Is the storage capacity of the HDD/SSD a factor here?

 

[LMiller7]

I have 1GB of RAM. Should I upgrade it to 8GB or would 4GB be enough?

As you are using a 32 bit OS RAM is limited to 4 GB, assuming your hardware can accommodate it. That isn't always the case.

 

[Uxas]

I have 1GB of RAM. Should I upgrade it to 8GB or would 4GB be enough?

As you are using a 32 bit OS RAM is limited to 4 GB, assuming your hardware can accommodate it. That isn't always the case.

So in case I do get an SSD, there's still a chance that a 4GB RAM won't be compatible, right? That's what you're saying, right?
What if I upgrade to the 64bit version, what then? Would my overall experience be deteriorated because of the processor?

 

[Barman58]

In order for anyone to help you you will need to fill in your system specs so helpers can know what they are dealing with - Click on My System Specs bottom Left of any post and select Update your System Spec - complete as much as you can

https://www.piriform.com/speccy/builds the standard Speccy program will help find the details

 

[whs]

A RAM upgrade will give you marginal performance improvements. A big kick would come from a SSD to replace the HDD.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

Here are my favorite SSDs

mushkin ssd - Newegg.com

Of course the situation in your country may be different.

Is the storage capacity of the HDD/SSD a factor here?

No not really. I would take at least 128GB if not 256GB for a SSD.

 

[whs]

I have 1GB of RAM. Should I upgrade it to 8GB or would 4GB be enough?

As you are using a 32 bit OS RAM is limited to 4 GB, assuming your hardware can accommodate it. That isn't always the case.

So in case I do get an SSD, there's still a chance that a 4GB RAM won't be compatible, right? That's what you're saying, right?
What if I upgrade to the 64bit version, what then? Would my overall experience be deteriorated because of the processor?

You are mixing things up. The size of the SSD has nothing to do with the size of RAM. Any size RAM can go with any size SSD. You do, however, need a 64bit OS if you want to address RAM that is bigger than 4GB. The physical addressing limit of a 32bit OS is 4GB.

 

[Uxas]

In order for anyone to help you you will need to fill in your system specs so helpers can know what they are dealing with - Click on My System Specs bottom Left of any post and select Update your System Spec - complete as much as you can

https://www.piriform.com/speccy/builds the standard Speccy program will help find the details

Done.
So since my RAM upgrade is dependent on the version of Windows I use, would my computer be able to perform optimally if I upgrade to a 64bit version of the OS? If not, would an SSD upgrade make a difference?

 

[LMiller7]

It appears that your motherboard has 1 memory socket which has a maximum capacity of 2 GB RAM. A 64 bit OS is probably not a good idea. An SSD is a viable option.

 

[whs]

What kind of retarded mobo is that. I have never seen a mobo with 2GB max.

 

[LMiller7]

This is where i got the information from:
https://downloadmirror.intel.com/15990/eng/D945GCLF_ProductGuide04_English.pdf

 

[whs]

Indeed, it says 2GB max. I wonder whether that is an older board because such a small RAM is unusual nowadays.

 

[strollin]

2GB max RAM isn't that unusual. I had an early Acer netbook with a max RAM capacity of 1.5GB! It had 512MB soldered onto the mobo and 1 memory slot that could accept up to a 1GB stick for a max of 1.5GB.

 

[RolandJS]

Not long ago, 2GB RAM was common., ASUS was selling a netbook with 2GB RAM; it ran Windows 32-bit.

 

[LMiller7]

Any OS running on PC hardware has the problem that memory mapped hardware must share the physical address space with RAM. There must be some way to prevent RAM addresses and memory mapped hardware addresses from overlapping. One way to do this is to limit RAM to 2 GB. It makes the design simpler. Not an ideal solution but on low end hardware it was not an unreasonable compromise.

Having only 1 memory socket is a cost saving measure. If it is a 4 GB module a significant portion of it will be wasted on a 32 bit OS and you have the address space overlap problem. The solution, limit it to 2 GB.

 

[whs]

The only thing you can do is to stay away from restrictive hardware like that. Who wants to live with 2GB of RAM. Can't even run a decent virtual machine. I sometimes run 2 or 3 of those in parallel.

 

[Barman58]

... And I once ran a successful Vista network using Home premium systems running on 1GB ram, with a 2GB home premium "Server"

Peoples needs and resources are not always the same

Not long ago, 2GB RAM was common., ASUS was selling a netbook with 2GB RAM; it ran Windows 32-bit.

I once loaded windows 7 ultimate onto a 1GB netbook and it ran just as well or slightly better than the XP it came with