Web Site Makes Upgrading RAM--and Performance--Easy
Q: I have a fairly new computer system with 64 megabytes of RAM. How much RAM should I have for best performance?
--Julie B., Redondo Beach
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A: In simple terms, the more RAM (random access memory), the better. For example, a computer with 256mb of RAM will perform better than a system with less RAM. The real story here is the amount of performance increase you gain by upgrading your RAM. The upgrade from 64mb to 128mb seems to render the most dramatic performance increase. Upgrading from 128mb to 256mb of RAM will give a less dramatic boost in performance.
If your computer has only 32mb of RAM, upgrade directly to 128mb. If you have a name brand computer, take a look at https://www.crucial.com, where you can order the right memory for your specific computer. Crucial sells Micron Electronics RAM, which is probably the same brand of RAM that your computer uses. This makes buying the right RAM easier.
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Q: I registered Windows to my company, even though I paid for the computer myself. I now work from home as a consultant. Is there a way to change Windows registered-user and company information over to my own name?
--Stuart T., Westwood
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A: Yes, you can change both the registered-user and company information by making the appropriate changes to the Windows Registry. Click on Start and then on Run. Type REGEDIT and press Enter or click OK. Find and highlight HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE by clicking on it once.
Now double-click on it, scroll down to Software, and double-click again.
Scroll down, highlight and then double-click on Microsoft, then on Windows, and finally on Current Version.
In the pane, scroll down until you see the RegisteredOrganization and Registered Owner string values. Now make the changes by double-clicking on one of those string values and typing in the new information. When you have finished, just close RegEdit.
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Q: I have to print long reports for work using Microsoft Word. I would like to print on both sides of the page to save paper. Can this be done?
--Kurt D., Los Angeles
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A: You can print both sides of a page in Word. When you are ready to print, click on Files and then on Print. In the lower right corner of the Print dialog box, click on the black arrow next to Print. The default is “All pages in range.” Here you can select “Odd pages.” After printing the odd pages, insert the odd pages back into the printer and just select “Even pages.” Be sure to insert the printed pages upside-down so the blank side can be printed on the second print run.
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Q: I often need to rename documents and spreadsheets I create in Word and Excel. How can I do this?
--Jason B., Newport Beach
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A: There are several ways for you to rename files. If you are working in Word or Excel, click on Open, highlight the file you wish to rename and right-click. In the drop-down box, click on Rename. You can also rename any file using Microsoft Explorer.
Right-click on My Computer and left-click on Explore. Double-click on your hard drive and then navigate to the file you wish to rename. Click on that file to highlight it, and right-click. Select Rename. Here’s a handy shortcut. Once you have highlighted the file you wish to rename, press the F2 key and type in the new name. Press Enter and the new file name appears.
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Q: How can I find the size of my hard drive and just how much empty space there is available on that drive?
--Victoria L., Van Nuys
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A: Getting that kind of information on any drive is easy. Double-click on My Computer and right-click on the drive you are interested in. Click on Properties. The General tab displays the amount of both used and unused drive space, as well as the total capacity. It will also display the drive type, label and the type of file system, Fat 16 or Fat 32.
You can click on the Disk Cleanup button and delete unused files. Click on the Tools tab to see when you last checked the disk for errors, backed up the disk or defragmented the drive. You can also perform any of those tasks from that screen.
Jeff Levy hosts the “On Computers” radio talk show from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on KFI-AM (640). He can be reached at jefflevykfi@hotmail.com.
