Questions about memory and upgrading memory

[snickers1300]

I installed memory in my last computer and it wasn't that hard. My xp computer recognized the new memory and I had no problems. My new computer: Windows Vista 64 home premium edition, Amd athlon dual core 6400+, 2-3870's crossfired, motherboard msi k9a2cf, 2 gigs ddr2 pc 6400 ram, cooler master 600 watt power supply. I have heard and read a lot of different things about adding ram to my system. The first was that it won't make much of a difference, and I have heard that 4 gigs is perfect for running vista. I also heard that anything over 4 gigs won't do ANYTHING for my system and could actually slow it down. I thought this was the point of Vista? That you could run more ram and it would benefit from utilizing it. Does it make a difference if you mix and match ram? (different brands mixed) Does any ddr2 pc 6400 ram work with my motherboard. I tried to go to the manufacturers website and look it up but they gave me weird brands that I do not recognize. What about dual channel.... is it just a means to put my max 8 gigs in my motherboard or is there a major performance boost.

 

[snickers1300]

thanks for answering rick. I have been reading some of the other posts and will upgrade to 4 or 8 gigs shortly. It seems to be one of the easier ways to upgrade a computer. I was trying to flush out some of the pitfalls. Apparentlely there aren't many. I worry about my power supply with 8 gigs. Another reason I think that I don't recieve many replies is the fact that more ram does not improve gaming considerably. I do a lot of gaming on my computer but, I also have realized that I do a bunch of other things as well and boosting my ram to 4 or 8 gigs would be an improved experience overall. Do you think 8 gigs is overkill?

 

[snickers1300]

Aren't most video games run on a 32 bit vista emulator? Does this mean that you will only utilize 4 gigs of ram? So with 8 gigs you will only see the improvement in windows itself or a 64 bit browser? Or do some..... video games run in 64 bit? I am the victim of things I have been told....... It would be nice to have a few gaming answers.

 

[jsc]

Don't worry about your power supply. Memory is powered by the 3.3 volt output. Based on measurements from my GA-P35-DS3P motherboard, using a lab calibrated clamp-on ammeter, 2 GB (1 GB X 2) of RAM needs about 3 amps - or 10 watts. So 8 GB shouldn't need more than 40 watts - none of it from the 12 volt outputs.

 

[snickers1300]

since I have the oppurtunity to talk to someone from windows I would like to ask you one question that is not related to ram. My computer, when I'm online, will every once in a while just disconnect from the internet and a window will come up that tells me that it is trying to connect to charter cable (this is my internet provider). When I click cancel, all of a sudden I am browsing again. I tried there customer service and they told me it was vista. By the way, there customer service sucks and when I am trying to get answers they routinely disconnect me. The tech they sent out told me that this was so. He told me they hang up on him as well. My question to you is, do you think that it is vista? I have another computer that this does not happen to that works on the same connection through a router and it runs on xp. How would I go about fine tuning my connection so that this would not happen. I have played around with the connection wizard but some stuff I understand some stuff I dont'. Could it be that this is just a minor inconvenience and to not pay it much mind? Again thanks for your help.