Should I Increase My Ram From Four To Eight GB?

I recently acquired a free refurbished (like new) Dell Optiplex 780 desktop. Windows 7 professional. Service pack 1. 64 bit operating system. Ram: 4.00 GB. The pc is working fine though a bit slow. Is it worth increasing my ram to 8 gb? I realize ms will stop issuing security updates this month. I'm considering, if practical, keeping windows 7 or changing over to Linux. Suggestions/recommendations appreciated.

 

I already installed Nod32, malwarebytes, ATF & Disk Cleaner & did a full scan with all. In reference to upgrading to windows 10 from 7. Because of all the horror stories & problems i hear about windows 10 i'm leary to upgrade. Also i don't know the procedure to do so.

 

Considering how cheap RAM is now days, definitely install another stick.

 

It's unlikely the ram that is causing the slowness. You can open Task Manager and check out how much ram is being used. I bet it will be well under the 4GB you have.

Your refurbished computer is probably about 10 years old and I suspect has the original hard drive. As such, the hard drive is most likely the cause of slowness.

If it was mine, instead of using the money to buy ram, I would by a $20 128 GB Solid State Drive. That would make a night and day difference in the speed of that computer.

So although you might benefit from extra ram, you will definitely benefit a great deal from a $20 SSD.

 

To add what has already been stated that that if the system is as old as it is what else may be failing and or going to.

How much money are you wanting to put into the computer before what you spent to fix and keep running you could of paid for a brand new one.

Dell is famous for using low end hardware. The power supply is probably a 250 watt and only supplies 200-175 watts.

You said refurbished do you know where it was refurbished.

As far as Linux is concerned I would use a USB thumb drive and see if that is the version and desktop environment that I want to use. Since you do not have to install it on the drive to play around with it.

EDIT: Do you happen to know what processor is in that system and what are you wanting to use it for.

 

The processor is: Intel(R) Core (TM) 2Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00 GHz 2.99 GHz.
I use the computer basically for email, a few social network programs, online games, etc. I do not use it for photography, word processing, recording music or video.

 

Try playing around with a live version of Linux.

Which online games if the are played through a browser should be OK. If installed then played via internet then maybe think about windows 10

Yes there are the horror stories yet they more for people that have installed hack and crap ware. Yes there has been times that Micro$oft has screwed the pooch.

 

I'd like to try a 20 gb SSD but don't know what make, type or model to get? Are they all similar or specific for my computer? Is quality a factor & who to purchase from?

 

https://www.amazon.com/PNY-CS900-12...sd&qid=1578356201&sprefix=120+,aps,206&sr=8-2

That one would be fine. I'd then use Mini Tool Partition Wizard to clone the contents of your current drive to the ssd.

 

I've removed hard drives but never installed one. Is there a tutorial on how to install the above & use the mini tool partition wizard?

 

It's easy to do. Post when you've got the ssd.

 

I don't even bother with those brackets, as they can be a PITA and aren't needed with a SSD. I just use the velcro strips that I get from a dollar store.

 

I don't have a picture, but I've adhered countless of SSD's with these strips:

https://www.dollartree.com/bulk/Velcro-Strips

You can velcro the ssd anywhere you want in the case. Realistically, you don't even have to adhere it anywhere, as they are so light, and don't move.

Glad your husband is off of floppies.

EDIT-If the Dell doesn't have extra cables for the ssd (which it probably won't), then the ssd can be temporarily attached to the optical drive's cables for the clone.