Before we check current RAM (Memory) usage of your computer, lets define what "RAM" means and its usage.

RAM is short for Random Access Memory. RAM installed in the computer is somewhat similar to the short-term memory that a human brain uses for all of its computations. As we all know, people with a sharp short-term memory perform much better than those without it!

RAM is volatile in nature; meaning it requires constant electrical power to refresh itself in order to keep the data contents stored in it. When power is turned off, all data stored in RAM is lost.

RAM is measured in MB (MegaBytes) or GB (GigaBytes). In general, it is a good idea to upgrade RAM if you plan to keep your old Windows XP/2000 computer.

How do I check current RAM usage on my PC?

Windows 7/Vista:

Step 1: To check current Memory usage on a Windows 7/Vista computer, right click on Task Bar (Task Bar is the Grey/Blue bar at the bottom of the screen) then left click on "Start Task Manager".

Task Manager shows application currently running on your computer.

Step 2: Click on "Performance" tab within "Windows Task Manager". "Performance" screen shows Memory and CPU usage statistics of your computer.

To keep this guide simple, we will note the following items from this screen:

"Total" under Physical Memory. This shows the total amount of RAM installed in your PC.
"Memory" Section (under the graph) shows the amount of Memory computer is currently using.
"Commit (MB)" value in right side column shows the total of Physical RAM and Virtual Memory in MB (Mega Bytes) currently in use.

If "Total" RAM value is more than total Commit value then your computer does not need a RAM upgrade. However, if "Total" RAM value is lower than "Commit" value then you should upgrade the RAM on your PC.

Question: How is it possible that "Commit" value be larger than "Total" RAM?

Hmm this sounds quite confusing, but there is a simple explanation. When computer runs out of physical memory (RAM), it starts using a portion of the hard drive as temporary memory known as Virtual Memory.

Use of Virtual Memory increases wear and tear of the Hard Drive because computer has to continuously swap (juggle) data between RAM and Hard Drive. This drastically reduces overall performance of the computer because Hard Drive (a mechanical device) is many many times slower than RAM (an electrical device).

Conclusion: To determine if your PC needs a RAM upgrade or not, turn your PC on and use it for a day like you would normally do. At the peak of your day when you have all the software programs you normally use open, check if your computer is using Virtual Memory or not? If Computer is using Virtual Memory then it can definitely use a memory upgrade!

Given the complexity of the modern software and low prices of RAM, on average a home PC running Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000 should have at least 2GB RAM to function properly. With Windows 7/Vista go with 4GB if you can afford to spend a few more dollars.

This cheap yet important upgrade will increase your computers performance for pennies on the dollar!

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