Does opening your computer & upgrading memory sound scary?

Then you may appreciate the contents of the www.5min.com web site.

They do videos on all sorts of computer related tasks and just about everything else besides.

For example, here is a comprehensive video on how to upgrade the memory in a Netgear Ready NAS device.

Normally this would sound scary to most people. But by watching the video you can see what is inside, how complex the job is and then decide if you want to do it or not.

Of course, memory upgrades are one of the most common upgrades and the easiest way to get extra performance from most computers.

Getting at the memory is only the first step.

For novices I recommend taking the memory you have out of your computer and take it to your local computer store. They'll be able to identify it and provide you with compatible upgrade options.



If you are little be braver, then I recommend you use the Kingston memory web site to find the appropriate upgrade module for your computer then order it through your local store (in case you need to exchange it).

A very general rule of thumb for how much memory you need as a minimum is:

Windows XP - 1GB
Windows Vista 32 bit - 3GB
Windows Vista 64 bit - 4GB
Windows 7 32 bit - 3GB
Windows 7 64 bit - 4GB

If you have much less than this on these systems there is a good chance you'll be hitting some performance road blocks (CPU limitations aside).

For 32 bit versions of Vista and Win 7, due to technical limitations, paying for more than 3GB on these systems is a waste of money.