I had a question about my HP Pavilion desktop to IT Tech

[ITTech31]

My computer has 2GB of ram It holds two slots and one is empty. The computer has no graphics card at all. I wanted to know the best graphic to obtain as a PCI Express 16x slot for that desktop and something quite stable. I wanted to know what are some rams to obtain to speed the desktop faster aswell since it does freeze randomly sometimes. Let me know what are your suggestions please.

[mdklassen]

Any computer store should be able to "match" the existing stick of RAM (same DDR/DDR2/DDR3 technology, same speed, same capacity).

What is the wattage of your power-supply? 

Some "high-end" PCI-E graphic adapters demand a 450W power-supply.  Some don't.

The "freezing" is worrisome.

It could be a symptom that your CPU or motherboard is "dying".

How old is the computer? 

It might be time to consider replacing the computer, rather than pouring money into it.

[ITTech31]

I recently purchased the computer and it is my first desktop that I purchased online. It has a 500gb hard drive and after installing my own version of Windows 10 it stopped freezing abit.

It just lags when i multitask and open more internet website tabs. 1250W is my power supply cable. it is a 3.10 GHZ  CPU I5 2400. It uses integrated graphic now. 

[ITTech31]

my desktop use ddr2 i see and Elpida as model. But do you think these ram would work fine for my desktop? http://www.ebay.com/itm/370899120966

[mdklassen]

Your computer: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03134527

Release date: 22-Dec-2011

Intel Core i5 2400 •Operating speed: 3.1 GHz (up to 3.4 GHz turbo) •Number of cores: 4

Memory •Amount: 8 GB •Speed: PC3-10600 MB/sec •Type: DDR3-1333

Memory sockets: 2 x DDR3

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD Integrated graphics (DX10.1)
*Integrated video is not available if a graphics card is installed.
•Supports PCI Express x16 graphics cards
•DVI and VGA ports (both ports can be used at the same time)

Power supply  Total wattage: 300W 

Original: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit); Service Pack 1  

Storage: 1000 GB of 7200 RPM.

> I recently purchased the computer. It is my first desktop that I purchased online.

Did you purchase it "new" from HP, or "refurbished" from a dealer, or "privately" ?

Did it come with a warranty?

Originally, it was sold with two 4GB DDR3 sticks of RAM.

If you say that you only now have one 2GB stick of RAM, the seller has "downgraded" the system.

Note that 2GB of RAM is Microsoft's "recommended minimum" for the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

That could eventually result in "lagging", when the computer is "pushed" hard.

> It has a 500gb hard drive

Downgraded from the original 1000 GB faster disk-drive (5400 RPM is "standard", 7200 RPM is "fast").  Sigh.

Open-up the computer, and read the label on the disk-drive, to determine if it is 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM.

Having a slower disk-drive can contribute to "lagging".

> and after installing my own version of Windows 10 it stopped freezing abit.

Probably, a reinstall of the original Windows 7 would have cured that problem.

Or, maybe, because it's over 5.5 years old, the capacitors on the motherboard are starting to fail.

Take a close look at the capacitors on the motherboard.

If any of them have a "cross" cut into the top, *AND* the top is not "dead-flat", then the capacitors are OK. 

If the capacitors have a "solid" top, they probably are OK. 

But, if you see "bulging", or "brown-dust" at the centre of the cross, the capacitor is failing to do its task, and could cause the "freezing" symptom.

> It just lags when i multitask and open more internet website tabs.

Reboot the computer, and use CTRL-ALT-DELETE to start the Windows Task Manager.

Switch to the 'Performance' tab.  After a reboot, how much RAM is being used?

After you open more browser-tabs, how much RAM is being used?

> 1250W is my power supply cable.

That power-cord is rated to safely handle 110 V at 11 Amperes, i.e., 110*11 ==> 1210 Watts coming from your wall-socket.

That is a different number than the actual power-output from the power-supply inside your computer -- 300 Watts, when the computer was new.  You'll have to open-up the computer, and read the actual label on the power-supply, to confirm that you still have the 300 W component.

> it is a 3.10 GHZ  CPU I5 2400. It uses integrated graphic now. 

Yes, your computer seems to have those original components.

My guess is that the primary cause of the "lagging" is the shortage of RAM.

If your inspection of the capacitors is OK, I recommend that you purchase two 4GB sticks of DDR3-1333 RAM, and use them both, instead of the single 2GB stick.

[mdklassen]

> my desktop use ddr2

No, it does not.  DDR2 RAM will not fit into the slots on the motherboard.

> I see Elpida as model.

That's a well-known brand.  I've seen a lot of it inside Lenovo desktops -- if it is good-enough for Lenovo, it's good-enough for me.

> But do you think these RAM would work fine for my desktop?

Yes.  For $43 US, plus $10 shipping, plus taxes, that's a good price.

First, try your local "owner/operator" computer-stores  -- they need your business to stay open!

They can usually deliver much faster than that eBay seller -- no waiting!

(A very long time ago, I paid over $400 for 8 MB -- not 8 GB -- of desktop RAM.  So, today's prices are *VERY* low -- making it really stupid to "struggle" with a tiny amount of RAM.)

[mdklassen]

>  I wanted to know the best graphic to obtain as a PCI Express 16x slot for that desktop and something quite stable.

That "integrated" video adapter:  Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD Integrated graphics (DX10.1)

is pretty good, by itself.

Unless you are a "gamer", you probably do NOT need a "high-performance" PCI-E graphics adapter -- the "bottle-neck" in your computer probably is NOT the current video adapter.

It's also difficult to find a "high-performance" video adapter that will be compatible with your 300W power-supply.

Recommendations, highest-priority first:

* check for failing capacitors.  If so, then "stop", and look for a better motherboard.

* more RAM, and then "measure, measure, measure".

* if still "lagging", upgrade to a 7200 RPM disk-drive, or even to a 240 GB SSD (solid state device).

[ITTech31]

The computer was just used, perfect condition from Ebay. It is a 500gb Barracuda 

HP 815609-001  - 7.2k RPM.

It has warranty but to be honest the computer works okay now just wanted to speed up the computer more 

and wanted to play some light gaming and multitasking capability for computer  projects. 

[ITTech31]

I found out it is a 7200 rpm hard drive barracuda 500GB. When it came to me i had to completely wiped the hard drive to use correctly. Now wanted to increase the speed of the pc more for multitasking more? any suggestions.

[ITTech31]

Yes it is a 300 Watt maximum power supply on the computer. My computer uses 1.4GB out of the 1.9GB of RAM that is provided to desktop. The capacitator is perfectly fine.