Content

• Steps

RAM (Random Access Memory, roughly translated: Random Access Memory) is the memory that the computer uses to store data from the programs in use. In general, the larger the amount of RAM installed, the more programs you can run at once. However, the amount of RAM that you can install is determined by both your hardware and your computer's operating system. You will need to test both to determine how much RAM you can add to your computer.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Check the operating system

1. 

   Determine if your Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit. Windows operating systems can only recognize a maximum amount of RAM. If you install more than the allowed RAM limit, the excess RAM will not be used. This limit is determined by whether Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit.
   • See also the instructions to learn about checking your copy of Windows. Typically, you can determine if your Windows is 32 or 64-bit from within the System Properties window (⊞ Win+Pause)
   • 32-bit can support up to 4 GB RAM (for all versions).
   • 64-bit can support up to 128 GB RAM (Windows 10 Home) to 2 TB (Windows 10 Education, Enterprise, Pro)

2. 

   
   
   Check the model for the Macbook. The total amount of RAM that your Mac can support depends on the model you are using. Many Mac computers have different memory capacities supported. Check the Macbook's documentation for the exact amount of RAM. Some popular models include:
   • iMac (27-inch, Late 2013) - 32 GB
   • iMac (2009-Late 2012) - 16 GB
   • iMac (2006-2009) - 4 GB

3. 

   
   
   Determine how much RAM the Linux operating system supports. 32-bit Linux can only support up to 4 GB, but if the PAE kernel is enabled (for most newer distributions) a 32-bit system can support up to 64 GB RAM . Theoretically, a 64-bit Linux system can support up to 17 billion GB of RAM, though the actual maximum limit is 1 TB (Intel) or 256 TB (AMD64).
   • To determine the exact amount of RAM the system can support, open Terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T. Type sudo dmidecode -t 16. Enter the administrator password. Finally, look at the item.
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Part 2 of 2: Check motherboard

1. 

   
   
   Motherboard identification your. Even if the operating system supports an extremely large amount of RAM, you are still limited by what the motherboard can support. If you are unable to view your motherboard documentation, you may need to search for your motherboard or look up the specifications online.
   • You may need to open your computer case and check the motherboard model number.

2. 

   Check motherboard documentation. Near the beginning of the motherboard documentation you can find a chart or specification page. Look at the maximum amount of RAM or System Memory that can be installed. You will also see the number of available slots on your motherboard.
   • RAM is installed in pairs. If your motherboard supports 16 GB of RAM and has 4 slots (dual channel), you can install four 4 GB sticks or two 8 GB sticks to reach the limit.

3. 

   Use a system scan tool. If you don't like to open your computer or read through your motherboard documentation, there are many online tools available that can help you scan your system and report how much memory you have, as well as the type and speed available. support.
   • You can find major memory scanning manufacturers and retailers, like Crucial or MrMemory.

4. 

   RAM upgrade. After determining how much RAM the system can support, you can install new RAM. Make sure that the clock speed corresponds to the original RAM speed if you are adding new RAM to your existing RAM. advertisement