How to Increase RAM & Storage for Windows PC/Laptop (No OS Reinstall)

If you always feel your computer becoming slower than before, even after you get rid of all junk files and unneeded data, the problem may be exhausting RAM and storage space. Although increasing RAM and storage updates can solve the problem, for many normal users, there are 2 thorny problems blocking their way: what exactly are RAM and storage? How to increase RAM and storage on the computer or laptop?

So, in this article, we’ll answer both questions and show detailed steps to help you increase RAM and add storage space on your computer.

RAM vs storage: What is the difference between RAM & storage?

First, let’s figure out what RAM and storage mean for your PC.

RAM

RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It is a type of computer memory used to store data and machine code that is currently being used or processed by the CPU. RAM is volatile memory, which means that its contents are lost when the computer is turned off.

The primary function of RAM is to provide the CPU with fast access to the data and instructions it needs to perform its tasks. When you open a program or file on your computer, it is loaded into RAM so that the CPU can quickly access it when needed. The more RAM a computer has, the more data it can temporarily store, which can lead to better PC performance, especially when running multiple programs or tasks at the same time.

Storage

Storage on a PC refers to the memory that permanently stores data such as files, documents, programs, and operating systems. Storage devices include hard disks (HDD and SSD) and other types of storage media. Unlike memory, storage devices retain their contents even when the computer is turned off.

The main differences between RAM and memory are:

1. Volatility: RAM is volatile memory. This means that the contents of RAM are lost when the power is turned off, whereas memory retains data even when the power is turned off.

2. Speed: RAM is much faster than memory. Reading and writing data from RAM is much faster than reading and writing data from a storage device.

3. Usage: RAM is used for temporary storage of data and instructions that the CPU needs to access quickly for processing, while storage is used for long-term storage of data and files.

In summary, RAM is a temporary workspace where the CPU quickly accesses and processes data, while storage provides long-term data storage, even when the computer is shut down. Both are critical parts of the computer system and play different roles in the overall function of the device.

How to increase RAM on PC/laptop?

As the different needs of various users, RAM also develops various types for all users. Therefore, no matter whether you’re a desktop user, or a laptop user, you need to know what kind of RAM and storage you can use.

Step 1. Check “About” in Settings

Your system and your machine have a close connection with your RAM, so the first thing to do is to check if your version of Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit.

Press the Windows and Pause keys at the same time to show basic computer information and verify the "System Type" value.

If a "32-bit operating system" is shown, Windows can only support up to 4 GB of memory. This implies that even if your system can handle more RAM, Windows will only detect 4 GB.

When a "64-bit operating system" appears, Windows can only handle 128 GB for Windows 10 Home, 2 TB for Windows 10 Pro or Education, and 6 GB for Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Enterprise Workstation. Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Enterprise Workstation will require 6 GB.

Note that if your hardware only supports 32 GB and you're running Windows 10 Pro, you can't use more than 32 GB of RAM.

Step 2. Check how much RAM you may need

Insufficient memory is a common cause of computer bottlenecks, reducing performance and causing stability issues. If you're a power user, such as multitasking with multiple overloaded programs, or having 30+ browser tabs open at the same time, more memory may help your system run smoother.

You can open Task Manager to check the performance of your PC. Right-click the taskbar and choose Task Manager. Then, on the Task Manager's performance tab, check how much RAM is being utilized out of the total available.

If you find your memory is at a high usage level, then according to the information on your computer, you can choose:

On a 32-bit operating system with 4GB of installed RAM, you can only add RAM that can't be larger than 4GB.

On a 64-bit system, you will have more selections:

1. Installed RAM: 4GB If your PC has less than or equal to 4GB of RAM, upgrade the RAM. You can choose any suitable RAM greater than 4GB.

2. Installed Memory: 8GB If you are using a mechanical HDD and your RAM is greater than or equal to 8GB, then you are better off upgrading to an SSD. But if you have a 64-bit system with a lower memory frequency and smaller RAM, for example, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, then we recommend that you upgrade to 8GB of DDR4 RAM.

Step 3. Install new RAM to increase memory

After you’ve chosen and bought correct RAM, you can try to install it on your computer.

For Desktop

1. Clear your installation area and ensure you're operating in a static-safe environment. Remove all plastic bags and papers from your workplace. Prepare your new desktop memory, screwdriver, and owner’s manual.

2. Shut down your desktop computer. All your files, documents, and data are on your storage drive, not your RAM, they remain unaffected during this process.

3. Unplug the power cable.

4. Open the case. Consult the owner's handbook for detailed information on how to unlock your system. You may also snap images as you go through the procedure to show where cables and screws are joined, making it easier to reassemble.

5. You must discharge static electricity on your body. Contact an unpainted metal surface - This is an extra layer of protection to protect computer memory and components from static damage during installation. Or you can wear an ESD wrist strap before touching or handling internal components.

6. You may need to remove existing memory modules. Remember to avoid touching the gold pins or components (chips). It’s best to hold the module by the top or side edges. Press down on the clips on the sides of each module, and the clip mechanism will raise the memory module. You may then totally remove the module.

7. Install new memory. Hold the module along the edge, align the notches on the module with the convex ridges in the slot, then apply even pressure and firmly press the module in. It usually takes about 30 pounds of pressure to fully install the module.

Note that certain desktops need you to install modules in pairs (memory banks). If this is the case, the slots will most likely be labeled indicating how the memory should be inserted. If you only have two memory slots, don't panic; simply go with the installation.

For Laptop

The scenario of laptop is almost similar to a desktop device.

1. Open the panel to locate your memory bank. First, shut down your laptop and disconnect the power adapter. Next, open the plate at the bottom of your laptop that protects the memory banks. Depending on your system, you may need to detach the entire back of the laptop to access the memory and other components.

2. Ground yourself to avoid electrostatic discharge. Touch any metal surface within the computer, for example, the back of a hard disk or a metal connecting to another component.

4. Remove RAM, if necessary. If all of your memory slots are already occupied, you'll need to remove the old DIMMs before replacing them. To remove the memory module, push apart the clips that keep it in place. The memory module should appear at an angle. Holding the memory module by its edges, don’t touch the gold connectors at the bottom, lift the module out.

5. Install the new memory modules. Place the new modules into the open slots at a 45-degree angle, gold edges facing downward. To put the modules into position, apply uniform pressure with your fingertips at the top. When you hear a click and feel a DIMM snap into place, firmly push it back until it is flat and level, with the clips securely fastened.

How to check and add storage on your computer

After we finish with RAM, it’s time to check your storage. When a PC's storage capacity is insufficient, it suffers in terms of operating speed, performance, and system integrity. A hard disk with insufficient capacity has practically no room to install new versions of Windows or other programs, significantly degrading the user experience over time.

If regularly cleaning junk files still can’t release enough space on your disk, especially on C drive, the best choice is to change to a new hard disk. You may receive a “Low Disk Space Warning” on your PC.

We suggest you directly consider a new SSD. SSD is better than HDD on the modern market and it’s more suitable for modern computers.

You don’t need to worry about data loss and the trouble of Windows reinstallation, AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional can perfectly solve your apprehensions. The “Disk Clone” function can clone OS, settings, all your files, and everything on your current disk to your new disk. Once the clone is finished, you can directly boot your PC from your new disk.

After your install or connect new disk to your computer, we can start.

Step 1. Open the installed AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, click "Clone" in the main interface, and select "Clone Disk".

Step 2. Choose the hard disk that you need to clone as the source disk like SSD and click "Next".

Step 3. Select the destination disk to store the data on the source disk, and then click "Next".

Step 4. Then, you can check the source and destination disk in the next window or change to "Sector to Sector clone", and click the "Confirm" button to continue if there is no problem.

Here, you can also click the "Settings" button to adjust the partition size on the destination disk or tick "4k alignment" to Optimize the performance of SSD if the target disk is an SSD drive. 

Tip: If you want to clone Windows to a smaller drive, the "Clone without resizing partitions"  button will be greyed out. Then, a Note about how to boot OS from the destination disk will pop up. Read and keep it in mind.

 Step 5. After returning to the main interface, check the pending operation and click "Apply" and "Proceed" to commit the operation.

To sum up

In conclusion, this article shows how to increase RAM on PC and laptop. You can learn all the information about your computer as this post shows you. RAM and storage are two different things on your machine, don't mix them up. Hope you can save your PC and enjoy nice experience after increasing RAM and storage.

AOMEI Partition Assistant as a multifunctional manager can help you perform lots of things, such as, MBR/GPT disk data-safe conversion, disk wiping for you to organize 2 disk combo for better performance, NTFS/FAT32 conversion without formatting, and so on.