Will more RAM solve all my problems?

[quickdrawmcgraw]

My Dell computer is 3 years old. It's got 512 MBram which was fine until I started loading large photos onto my machine. Now Photoshop is taking AGES to do the smallest editing on these phoos and it's driving me mad. If I spend $165.00 on getting 1GB ram extra will it solve all my problems or am I just wasting money trying to improve an old machine and would I be better to get a new machine?

Depends what speed CPU you have (am not an expert!), and whether that will be able to run Vista one day. Might need to upgrade something the Motherboard, too. Why not ring Dell and ask for their advice?

The recommended memory for Photshop CS3 is 1 GB - I can't load it on my 512KB laptop.

$165 is very expensive - in a quick search I found 1GB for £35.

Unfortunately the RAM sticks(?) I need for my computer and special because these particular ones were liable to burst in flames or some such so I can only get them online at an inflated price. I am unbelieveably dim when it comes to all this.

clerkKent-That's interesting about photoshop needing so much ram. It must be why it's struggling.

lljkk-Although your post is mostly gobbledegook to me it does make me think I might be better off getting a new computer.

Thanks

Yes more RAM will definetly help.

Crucial have a nifty tool for assessing what RAM you have and what you can up grade with.
www.crucial.com/uk/?gclid=CPuni7Psyo8CFREtEAodRil9zw
Most computers have 2 slots for RAM and it works in pairs so if you already have 1 512mb stick you would need to buy another 512mb stick. If you bought a 1GB stick and ran it alongside your current 512mb stick your computer would only use half the 1gb stick so you would be wasting your money.
I hope that makes sense.

Also as clerkKent says £165 is very very expensive. RAM is pretty cheap at the moment.

Thanks for all your help. I've already got 2 slots with 256MB in each making 512 in total so if I was to get another 2X 512's I'd have a 1.5 GB altogether. My machine takes PC800 RD RAM.

I ran the Crucial tool which was great for telling me what was compatable (thanks for the link!) Their links then tell me that 512MB, is going to cost me US $289.99!

Ouch!
I see what you mean about your RAM type. I did a quick search at the usual places that I've bought RAM and it's not cheap... or in stock.

If you bought 2x 512MB sticks and ran them alongside your 2x 256MB sticks then your computer would end up using just the first 256MB on each of the 4 sticks, not the full 1.5GB.

If your computer has 4 slots for RAM (some do, the crucial link will tell you if you have space) then you may as well buy 2x 256MB sticks to run alongside what you already have.
If you only have 2 slots then you could put 2x 512MB sticks in and try selling the 2x 256MB stick you already have. But they don't seem to be selling for much on ebay.

I think if it was going to cost me that much just to upgrade the RAM then I'd end up talking myself into spending another £100 and buying a new PC which would be easier to upgrade in the future (probably not Dell).

I should point out I'm not a computer expert, (contrary to what my degree says) but I have a very helpful techie mate who taught me all about RAM a few months ago when I had to upgrade.