SDRAM

[Rogdenn1]

HP Desktop M01-F0020 with 8 GB SDRAM. Using for photos and takes a long time to open folders of photos. Would increasing RAM help? Only one slot, how much memory could I add?

[DGroves]

more memory will most likely increase the system's  responsiveness 

your system uses DDR-4 2666 memory and has 2 memory slots (one is the current 8gb module) max ram is two 16gb modules for 32GB max ram and since you have a AMD ryzen cpu, faster ram for both slots  is highly recommended such as 32000/36000

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06461752

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06418906

https://www.crucial.com/compatible-upgrade-for/hp---compaq/hp-m01-f0020

[Rogdenn1]

Thank you for your quick response. I am not a computer guy, so I have some additional questions. When I removed the cover from the case, I only saw one open slot, I did not see a second slot with the factory 8 GB memory card.

If I want to increase RAM from * GB to 16 GB do, I just add an 8 GB card or install a 16 GB card and remove the factory installed 8 GB card?

Crucial options appear to be HP - Compaq HP M01-F0020ng | Memory RAM & SSD Upgrades | Crucial.com  Which ones do you recommend?

[Prométhée]

good morning
In case I advise you to check a few points, unless too many services, programs are already running, 8gb of memory should be enough to open a simple folder
Even if 16 gb, it will be much more comfortable, it does not seem quite normal to me here

How to identify what is slowin...

for the modules, no, you have two slots, so if, as mentioned, only one 8 gb module, and not two 4 gb, then one must be free

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fELywrIDarA

please perform the hardware tests
everything is explained in this link

HP PCs - Testing for Hardware Failures | HP® Customer Support

you may have an error code , failure ID (24-digit code) , as shown

if so, just give this code here

[Rogdenn1]

The files are  not a simple files. They reside on an external hard drive and contains RAW photographs. The file could contain over a thousand photographs.  Even when all photos populate and I select one photo it takes a few seconds to open. 

I reviewed the YouTube video you sent me  on replacing memory. The video shows two slots side by side. My computer only has one slot which is empty. I do not know where the factory 8 GB card is located. Can it be internal?  It is. 512 GB  SS HD. 

So if I have only one open slot and the factory memory is 8GB in order to up it to 16 GB do I just add an 8 GB card?  My processing program Lightroom Classice recommends no less than 16 GB. 

[Rogdenn1]

 

[Prométhée]

take a good look at the video, here you are not in the right place, you show the M2 disk, and the pci 16x / 1 x slots

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/324543736519

take a look

you see here at the top, what you show here pci port and m2 slot
the memory is on the opposite side, normally, in the other direction, next to the processor

we can see the clip on your photo at the bottom right!

[DGroves]

you state that when clicking on a folder to open it which resides on a external usb drive there is a pause before all of the files in said folder are shown and you are able to click on the specific file you want is this correct?

if so while more memory (like adding another 8gb module for 16gb total) is worthwhile the main bottleneck is the external usb drive itself you can work around this by limiting the total number of files placed in a folder and increasing the number of folders

example topmost folder is called 2022 inside this folder are 12 subfolders called jan through dec

or topmost folder called 2022 inside this folder are folders called movies2022 and pict2022 with each of these folders having subfolders called jan through dec

arranging your files this way will allow each subfolder to be parser/read by windows much quicker due to each folder having less information which needs to be read before it can be displayed