- Random access memory or RAM is a critical component of a computer setup. The operating system temporarily stores information in the memory modules. RAM allows the operating system to more quickly access temporary data than if the operating system had to write and read the data from the hard drive. When you turn off your computer, the random access memory clears itself and storage begins anew the next time you turn on your computer.
- Microsoft says Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional require only 64 megabytes of RAM. However, the manufacturer recommends twice that amount, or 128MB, for optimum performance. Even the recommended amount of memory for Windows XP is less than one-fourth of a gigabyte, so the operating system should be able to run efficiently with one or more modules that equal 1GB of RAM.
- Although your computer ships with a base amount of memory installed, you can upgrade this memory by purchasing new modules and either replacing existing modules or adding the modules to your current setup. The method you use depends on how many open RAM slots you have. Computers frequently have two or four memory slots. In addition to this, the maximum amount of RAM your computer can handle depends on the motherboard, even though 32-bit versions of Windows XP can use up to 4GB of RAM.
- While many computers have 32-bit versions of Windows XP installed, you may have purchased the 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional. This version of the operating system has higher hardware requirements. Microsoft recommends at least 1GB of memory for both the minimum and optimum requirements of the operating system. In addition to this, Windows XP Professional 64-bit is compatible with up to 128GB of memory; however; if you are a home user, you would not need to install the maximum amount of memory on your computer.
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