More RAM or Faster Drive?

[r3000z]

If I find from the PEAK from COMMIT CHARGE in the TASK MANAGER(ctrl-alt-del) that my peakRAM usage a little above 500 (Had a biga**ed GIS software running, an Excel file with a big macro,2 Word files,adaware,spybot,2 IE windows,and was making a copy of a 1gb folder full of mp3s,and was downloading somthing,I am pretty sure that I will never multitask that much but just was trying to see how much I could push the machine) and for my everyday normal use I find I never cross 260mbs

I have 512 megs of RAM on the laptop but a 4200 rpm drive.

Now I will pick only one upgrade out of (junking 1 ,256 stick and getting a 512 to a total of 768MBs
OR
get a 7200 rpm hitachi travelstar drive instead of the 4200) but not both.

if this was ur rig,what would you pick?

I have been told "therz no such thing as too much RAM" now if I find that my PEAK from the "task manager" is less than installed RAM ,how would more RAM increase performance??
My gut feelin tells me my reasoning is OK and I should get the 7200rpm drive but hey i,m pretty much a noobie and need your take on this!!

Thanx in advance,

Confused Jas

(compaq r3000z,athlon xp-m 3000+,512 RAM,32mb NVIDIA 420go,4200rpm HDD,xp home)
I dont remember the exact sisoft benchmark results but what I found was that my laptop performs close to a P4 2.6Ghz,good enough for what I need)

 

[Kniteman77]

I'd say go with the HDD unless you can upgrade to 2 512 sticks.

I didnt even know they made 7200 RPM travelstars yet though . . . . so

Just my 0.02$