RAM Usage

[chubbyfatazn]

I have 6GB of DDR2 installed on my current PC (2x2GB + 2x1GB). I'm running W7 64-bit, so no 32-bit address issues.

My computer pretty much slows to a halt once usage reaches around 4.2GB, and I have to close some of my applications open in order to even surf the web. Am I doing something wrong? Memory leaks? The only reason I went and added another 2GB was so I wouldn't run into this issue, and I don't want to pay another $40 to get up to 8GB.

 

[aaksheytalwar]

For best results, get 2x4gb pair or a 4x4 gb pair, and the fastest ram you can afford. No matter what you do, with your usage you need at least 8 gb ram

 

[Charlie98]

Not to kick you while you are down... but you have a very nice system, why are you getting cheap on the RAM? I would just replace all that with 2x 4GB (money being no object) or at least replace the 2x 1GB with a matched set of 2X 2GB to get you to a total of 8GB.

There may be some configuration issues as well, but someone more knowledgeable about AMD systems would have to post about that.

 

[chubbyfatazn]

Not to kick you while you are down... but you have a very nice system, why are you getting cheap on the RAM? I would just replace all that with 2x 4GB (money being no object) or at least replace the 2x 1GB with a matched set of 2X 2GB to get you to a total of 8GB.

There may be some configuration issues as well, but someone more knowledgeable about AMD systems would have to post about that.

Well, I added the 2GB about a year ago when DDR2 was still relatively cheap. I started using a more memory-intensive program this past school year, so the problem didn't surface until not too long ago. I don't want to sink any more money into DDR2 especially when nothing new uses DDR2 and a "new" SB rig is just around the corner for me. This would be passed down to my sister who doesn't do anything but surf the net, so it seems pretty pointless to me to continue investing money in this system.

I wasn't aware there would be any configuration issues, just that overclocking would take a bit more time to get everything stable (and that wasn't too big an issue once I got an unlocked chip).

 

[Charlie98]

I wasn't aware there would be any configuration issues, just that overclocking would take a bit more time to get everything stable (and that wasn't too big an issue once I got an unlocked chip).

I was reading another question about RAM latency so I went into CPUz to look at mine and, lo and behold, it was not set right. I had to go into the BIOS and manually set the latency (it detect the correct speed, though.) Just saying there may be a tweak here or there to gain some better performance out of the current RAM you have.

I would also tend to agree with you about spending money on DDR2 RAM if your system will be replaced soon... that wouldn't make sense.

 

[chubbyfatazn]

I was reading another question about RAM latency so I went into CPUz to look at mine and, lo and behold, it was not set right. I had to go into the BIOS and manually set the latency (it detect the correct speed, though.) Just saying there may be a tweak here or there to gain some better performance out of the current RAM you have.

I would also tend to agree with you about spending money on DDR2 RAM if your system will be replaced soon... that wouldn't make sense.

Well I set my latencies manually since I had two unmatched sets... they're all pretty relaxed right now. But thanks for the suggestion.