Faster HD or More RAM?

[1Trace1]

My computer specs are as follows:

Intel C2d e6750 @ 2.66ghz
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L MOBO
EVGA 8800GT 512MB
2GB DDR2 800 GSKillRam
160GB Western Digital HD 7200RPM

Which would give me a better improvement in system performance, more RAM or a faster HD? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[CaffeinePowered]

What OS?

What HDD interface?


If you are already running a SATA2 hard drive, you wont notice much difference upgrading to a 10,000 RPM drive. If you are running an EIDE drive get a new SATA2 one.

If you already got a SATA2 drive, double your RAM

[1Trace1]

Yea I already have SATA2 so I guess I'll add more RAM. Thanks Caff

[Negate]

hopefully you have a 64 bit OS or you won't be able to take full advantage of the extra RAM

[CaffeinePowered]

hopefully you have a 64 bit OS or you won't be able to take full advantage of the extra RAM

Just from the sound of the hardware I would think he has 64 bit Vista or XP

[Negate]

Yeah his comp is pretty similar to mine I just have a different mobo and a 320 gig hard drive with vista 64.

[Surf314]

I got 4 gigs, it works in my mac os, but my vista is only 32 so it caps it at 3 gigs.  Whatever I still havent used it to capacity yet.

[1Trace1]

Hmm I only have 32bit vista( i got it for free from my school). So that means an extra 2gigs of ram wouldn't do much?

[Surf314]

Hmm I only have 32bit vista( i got it for free from my school). So that means an extra 2gigs of ram wouldn't do much?

It caps at 3 for a 32 bit OS.  Wish I would have known that when I bought vista.  Also wish they were more clear as to which version it is.  Also wish Vista didn't suck anus.

[CaffeinePowered]

[quote author=1Trace1 link=topic=131.msg2997#msg2997 date=1208377830]
Hmm I only have 32bit vista( i got it for free from my school). So that means an extra 2gigs of ram wouldn't do much?

It caps at 3 for a 32 bit OS.  Wish I would have known that when I bought vista.  Also wish they were more clear as to which version it is.  Also wish Vista didn't suck anus.
[/quote]

I have Vista Ultimate x64 and Ive liked it by and large for the most part

[Negate]

[quote author=Surf314 link=topic=131.msg2998#msg2998 date=1208377954]
[quote author=1Trace1 link=topic=131.msg2997#msg2997 date=1208377830]
Hmm I only have 32bit vista( i got it for free from my school). So that means an extra 2gigs of ram wouldn't do much?

It caps at 3 for a 32 bit OS.  Wish I would have known that when I bought vista.  Also wish they were more clear as to which version it is.  Also wish Vista didn't suck anus.
[/quote]

I have Vista Ultimate x64 and Ive liked it by and large for the most part
[/quote]
Because my vista has no real problems I love it. I love superfetch reducing the amount of RAM in use after it finishes starting up. 

[Versus]

I like my 64-bit XP. >:O

[ainmosni]

[quote author=1Trace1 link=topic=131.msg2997#msg2997 date=1208377830]
Hmm I only have 32bit vista( i got it for free from my school). So that means an extra 2gigs of ram wouldn't do much?

It caps at 3 for a 32 bit OS.  Wish I would have known that when I bought vista.  Also wish they were more clear as to which version it is.  Also wish Vista didn't suck anus.
[/quote]

This is not true, 32bit caps at 4gb addressable memory per process. The 3GB limit sounds a little artificial. (Commercial OS'es like to impose artifical limits so they can milk you for more money) For 32 bit OSes there is a hack called "PAE" which makes it possible for the OS to swap out memory in the 32 bit address space for other memory. This will remove the cap for total memory but a 32bit process itself will never be able to address more than 4gb (2^32) of memory.