Laptop Memory (ram)?

[Boomyal]

I should have asked this question before I spent money on new (used) RAM. A good friend has a very slightly used Toshiba Satellite P105 laptop. It uses Win XP with a 160 mHz Celeron processor and only 500 mb of RAM.

He had let too many people mess with it (he is totally computer illiterate) and it was all messed up so I reloaded the operating system for him and did all the XP updates. There is virtually nothing else on the computer except a few pictures, FireFox and Windows Live Mail.

The computer is still very slow and balky. After comparing it's operation, on his wired network, with my 130 mHz AMD, 64 bit Win 7 laptop, w/ 4 gb RAM, (it smoked his) I made the assumption that his issue was lack of RAM. So I picked off 4 GB of RAM for him on ebay ($39.00 shipped).

Could that low of RAM likely been his problem? Seems that 500mb is hardly enough to just run the basic OS system let alone opening and closing multiple internet pages, etc.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

Boom,

Yes, low memory can cause a machine to run slow, but there are other things that come into it, the older mobile Celeron's like this has was not a fast processor and not knowing exactly which model chip it has, could be the main reason the unit is so slow. What speed is the net connection you are using, if it were me I would download a benchmark program and test the machine.

If you can, let me know what model his computer is and I will do some checking to see if there are any issues and what might be done to speed it up, but again some of the early celerons were dogs.

You can download a free program that can identify all of the pertinent info about that machine, it is called CPU ID/CPU-Z and check it out.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

I'll get that info today, MT, and report back in this post..

As far as his net speed, I won't bother to test that because it works just dandy with my laptop. Besides his balkyness is not just on the net.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

So how much of the 500Mb of RAM is being used after it boots up with nothing else running? Is there an Anti Virus running? Which one?

I typically get rid of as many programs as I can that automatically start that I don't really need. Amazing how much that can make a difference.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

Probably not much more than a bookshelf ornament, unless you can put another 500MB ( or more) of RAM in there.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

I personnally like to use Norton Utilities to tweak the settings on all my machines. It moves the swap file to the front of the drive, speeding up 'memory' as even with XP's better memory usage, when dealing with large files the swap file still can get used.

NU also allows the user to select which 'operating mode' and turns OFF non-essential services. Services can drag down a slow processor, reducing speed.

NU does have a try-out period, I used that to clear up G'sons machine and also for the Neighbor, but I did spring for the cost to keep it on all my machines.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

I personnally like to use Norton Utilities to tweak the settings on all my machines. It moves the swap file to the front of the drive, speeding up 'memory' as even with XP's better memory usage, when dealing with large files the swap file still can get used.

Ah Norton Utilities...a hold over from old days! Messing with swap memory is usually regarded as a waste of time since the default settings have usually been shown as being the best you can do. NU doesn't do anything you can't already do very easily and adds even more bloat to your memory usage.

If you really want to speed up your computer, besides more RAM, is to use a solid state drive. Probably not worth it thought for the computer that the Op is talking about.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

Here is the information I got for MT.

Toshiba Satellite P105
Celeron M420 @ 160 mHz
Code name Yohah
Socket 479MPGA

Chipset intel i945GM

512 mb RAM, DDR2 PC2 4300

Several different speed tests showed 1.27 mbps download and .70 upload.

I know these are slow speeds but my computer works fine with them. His is balky in closing down pages and things that have nothing to do with internet reception. Keep in mind that this is all with a fresh OS reload. He is running Microsoft essentials but so is my laptop.

I do have 4 gb of ddr2 PC2 5300 ram coming but if it does not alter the performance I will relist them on ebay and my friend will buy another laptop. Heck, my 1.3 ghz AMD Win 7 Toshiba only cost $309, last may and it smokes his Satellite in everything that I compared it with.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

So how much of the 500Mb of RAM is being used after it boots up with nothing else running? Is there an Anti Virus running? Which one?

I typically get rid of as many programs as I can that automatically start that I don't really need. Amazing how much that can make a difference.

Bruce, there is very little loaded on this laptop. He is running Microsoft security essentials

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

Bruce, there is very little loaded on this laptop. He is running Microsoft security essentials

I understand but would still be interesting to know.

Open task manager and just look at the RAM used after boot up. Will be interesting to see.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

I understand but would still be interesting to know.

Open task manager and just look at the RAM used after boot up. Will be interesting to see.

Do I find that under the Performance Tab in Task Manager? If so, as an example on the PC I am using it shows for Physical Memory:
2095104 total
952000 available
821500 system cache

Is this what you mean? If so, I do not have his laptop at home here so I will have to check his at another time

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

yes.

You are using 2.095104 - 0.95200 = 1.14 Gb

Download a program called "Process Explorer". It is way better than task manager to see what is running on your machine.

Another useful program to see what folders have the most usage on your hard drive, get Windirstat.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

Boom,

That is quite an old computer and it really didn't have very good specs when it was released, the review I read was from 2005, so I would not expect it to stand up to the standards today, in addition, all of the memory may not be working correctly after this amount of time which would really slow it down.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

Boom,

That is quite an old computer and it really didn't have very good specs when it was released, the review I read was from 2005, so I would not expect it to stand up to the standards today, in addition, all of the memory may not be working correctly after this amount of time which would really slow it down.

Well MT it showed a bios date of 2006 so your review date is spot on. As I mentioned, this unit has very little time on it but I will run the Task Manager check that BruceB recommended and post the results. In the mean time, I should have the additional RAM by the end of next week and I will pop it in and see what shakes. You didn't say anything about the internet speeds even though they did not seem to bother my near new 1.30 GHz machine.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

Your internet speeds are fine, they are actually a bit better than mine are where I live. Should have let me know, I have some memory that will fit that laptop, that I could have sent over to check it out to see if that is the problem.. When testing it on the net are you using a cable or wireless? If your using wireless, try the cable, that way you are working with a constant at 100 mps. Our wireless slowed way down last week and I could not figure out what was going on, then I found out that a person moved in not to far from us and had his modem set up wrong, which ended up interfering with my wireless signal.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

Your internet speeds are fine, they are actually a bit better than mine are where I live. Should have let me know, I have some memory that will fit that laptop, that I could have sent over to check it out to see if that is the problem.. When testing it on the net are you using a cable or wireless? If your using wireless, try the cable, that way you are working with a constant at 100 mps. Our wireless slowed way down last week and I could not figure out what was going on, then I found out that a person moved in not to far from us and had his modem set up wrong, which ended up interfering with my wireless signal.

MT, he is using a neighboring business's wireless signal.(all legit as his shop is owned by them) I do not know what their source is but he always shows 5 bars on his signal. There is no possibility of a wired connection.

Thanks, anyway, for the offer on the RAM.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

yes.

You are using 2.095104 - 0.95200 = 1.14 Gb

Download a program called "Process Explorer". It is way better than task manager to see what is running on your machine.

Another useful program to see what folders have the most usage on your hard drive, get Windirstat.

Wow! That is a pretty hefty percentage, of a pretty good sized pot of RAM, that is being used while just sitting here posting on iboats. What hope is there for an XP laptop with only 512 mb of ram?

It'll be Monday before I can check Task Manager on my friend's laptop.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

..........
Download a program called "Process Explorer". It is way better than task manager to see what is running on your machine.
..........................

Checked it out, very nice.

Thanks Bruce

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

Ok, here are the results of the memory usage as noted on Task Manager. This is for the laptop in question.

Total Memory 514,156
Mem available 171,460

This reading was with no programs or browsers open.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Laptop Memory (ram)?

I will look at my old laptop and home for a comparison. It has a fresh XP install and only 512 as well. It is currently collecting dust.

171 is not much memory left. My FireFox on Windows 7 is using 290 with just this site open.