Doing Happy Dance of Memory Upgrade

[danceswithgary]

I'd finally hit the limit on my patience on my 'good enough' laptop I use to write and connect to the Internet. It was adequate until I started using Photoshop and now Audacity. I'd accepted the fact that my bigger Word files took time to open and time to close, but when I had to reboot for the umpteenth time after using Yahoo Messenger and Photoshop and Opera and Word all at the same time and the system was crawling - I said ENOUGH!

I just swapped out the dinky 512K for 2GB and my system is flying. So much for thinking I could get away with 'good enough' for a second home laptop, since Gary had the souped up games laptop. Now I'm pissed that I didn't do it six months ago when I started grumbling.

Of course, last year when I bought it, I didn't think I'd have 12 windows open in Opera along with 5 Word docs and Photoshop and.... Gary has always associated Robert Palmer's 'Hyperactive' with me. Now I have a home laptop that'll keep up. :-D

And maybe I'll keep YM up instead of reluctantly launching it knowing I would need to reboot eventually because it chewed up my memory.

*twirls*

PS. Now I'm chuckling at my expectations. I remember being excited about upgrading from an 8088 and 4200 baud modem to a screaming 286SX and 9600 baud (twenty years ago). Now I was pissing and moaning about a 1GB processor. Spoiled, much?

Comments

[rosy5000.livejournal.com]

This is why I love my brother so much. When my computer died (ie... wouldn't work outside of VGA mode), he built me a new one. Pentium 4, 3.40 GHZ, 4 GB RAM. It's soooooooo nice not to have to reboot everytime I do anything. And it starts up so quick too. :D

Upgrades are definitely GOOD! :D

[danceswithgary]

It's amazing what adding a RAM while do! :-D

[nerowill.livejournal.com]

*snort* My parents still have a dusty Vector 4 (that's 4 whole entire Kb!!!) hiding somewhere and I remember being so thrilled to get the Vic20...

*happy sigh for being spoiled*

[danceswithgary]

I was really kicking myself - $60 for 2 simms and I'm so much happier. :-D

[animeartistjo.livejournal.com]

So I was thinking about the same thing, but my 512K was my dad's HS graduation present to me, so therein lies my dilemma. XD

Still, in case I ever do get around to it, how much did your new laptop cost?

[danceswithgary]

All I did was buy 2 - 1GB simms and swap out the 512K simm. The cost was $60.00 for the memory compatible with my Compaq C300. The processor was fine, just needed more RAM.

I picked up this laptop last year at Circuit City for under $700.00. They've got some decent deals out there these days depending on what you're going for. I wouldn't play games on this one, but it's fine for word processing and the rest.

[animeartistjo.livejournal.com]

Oh thanks! Did you do the swapping or did you have to pay for the labor? *am a tech n00b*

[danceswithgary]

I did it myself, but I've worked with computers for years. It's not hard, you shut down, pop the battery out, open the back where the simms are and pull out what's there and replace with new. There are any number of online help sites for that type of stuff, too.

If you have a 512K processor - that's a different story.

[touchstoneaf.livejournal.com]

oooh, congrats! i know the feeling; i was plodding along with a too-small memory for years, wondering if i could slave in a bigger drive...before my college-going friend decided to upgrade and sold me her 100 gigger. YAY!
life is good with unlimited memory.

[touchstoneaf.livejournal.com]

oh, we're talking RAM. hm, i have no clue what kind of RAM i have on here...but definitely more than i have before.

hey, the less time you spend waiting for things to load, the more you can spend writing; and in my book that is a GOOD thing!

selfish git that i am.

[danceswithgary]

It's a huge help - I used to avoid opening and closing certain apps because I knew the system was going to slow to a crawl. Now I can just keep them open. Whee! *swaps between 6 stories and Photoshop at the blink of an eye*

[epeters.livejournal.com]

I always mean to ask but keep forgetting.
How is Gary doing these days? All better?

[danceswithgary]

Better, thanks for asking. In fact, I think I'll make a little post since you nudged me. :-D

[jakrar.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on your upgrade! *twirls you*

[danceswithgary]

*grins in geekful bliss*

[barbaragray1212.livejournal.com]

Congratulations. Haven't a clue what you'r talking about,I just trying to get out of the habit of lurking I wish you much fun with your upgrades.

[danceswithgary]

Delurking is always fun! *waves hello*