computer question

[Kali]

Coming from an automotive paradigm: If you add on a huge trailer or an air conditioner to a vehicle it stresses other parts of the system.

My Question: How interconnected in this way are the processer, hard drive and memory? (or other components) If I add a huge amount more memory is that risking anything on the other two? What sort of "loads" put stress on the system?

Thanks.

PS to Owners:

Some of the best, and most accesible info I have seen on computers has been here at DU. May I reccommend adding a "tech shop" forum for this subject?

[lectrobyte]

1. no, it doesn't work that way -- more memory may use slightly

more electricity (assuming you mean memory, and not hard drive), but will let you keep more things "resident" so it may reduce stress on your hard drive.

[porphyrian]

4. I think lectrobyte is right.

Those components drop dead the day the warranty ends regardless. If you're really worried, you could get a bigger power supply, but it probably isn't necessary. Heat is the number one killer of those components, I believe (that, and static).

[SheepyMcSheepster]

2. as far as i know, it doesn't

you should be fine, more memory is good as long as you get the kind that your motherboard works with.

[Oggy]

3. The motherboard...

should be designed to withstand the load of any extra modules that it is designed to take. e.g. if it has 2 memory slots and you fill both, it is designed to take up that load. The weak point if any will be the computers power unit or the cooling system. In my experiance it is heat that is the biggest problem. Out of the three parts you mention the memory will have the least impact.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. More memory actually...

reduces the wear on the hard drive with a smaller Windoze swap file.

Might reduce processor time, too, but that gets really arcane with how DMA access works. Besides, processors don't actually wear out, as such.

The thing to actually consider is how many drivers and whatnot are being added with each new addition. Everything takes a toll on processor cycles and system resources.

[cheezus]

6. Only concern is electrical power draw

a cheap pc that gets upgraded with new hard drives, video cards, etc MAY need a new power supply.

But in terms of performance, the analogy would be more like adding cylinders or horsepower or whatever.

[jayfish]

7. Add As Much As You Can Afford And Your System Will Support.

The only negative that is introduced is heat. Unless you are running some overclocked monster of a PC, however, it should be fine. Adding memory is one of the easiest and most cost effective upgrades you can perform on a PC. For great prices on quality memory I recommend Crucial Technology. IMHO they are the best in the biz.


Jay

[tekriter]

9. Yep - some is good, more is better, and too much...

is just enough.

[Kali]

8. Thanks and next question

Wow that was fast - Thanks. Good analogy af adding extra cylinders - that is what I wanted to hear. So, static and heat - yeah I know those two! x( And of course everything breaks after the warranty- another similarity to automotive phenomena!

Next question. I added a new memory card (stick?) and about a month later the old one went bad. I have since decided it must have always been a little "off" because some other slight problems dissapeared when I got rid of it. The question is how or why did it work for so long then a month after adding another one it totally KILLED my computer? Had to erase hard drive and reinstall everything to get it running again. Did it just amplify the existing problem or did it actually affect it somehow? Or was it just a coincidence?

[sangh0]

10. Don't worry about heat. Memory chips don't throw much heat

As far as the bad memory chip goes, it didn't KILL your computer. It may have rendered it inoperable for a period of time, but replacing it demonstrated that the rest of the computer was still alive.

If the battery in your car died, the car won't start, but you didn't kill the entire car. You just replace the battery, and the car works again.

What probably caused your problems is that due to the bad memory chip, the software malfunctioned (because the software is stored in (the malfunctioning) memory when you run it) and wrote some crap to your hard drive, thereby necesitating the refreshing of your drive and the re-installation of your software.