How to Calculate Your RAM
Random access memory (RAM) is the memory drawn upon by a computer to run its assortment of applications and programs. While RAM has become less expensive over time due to the advances in technology, the amount of RAM varies from computer to computer. Many applications and downloads available require a minimum amount of available RAM just to run. By following a few easy steps, you can easily calculate the amount of RAM on your computer.
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Instructions
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1
Right-click once in an empty section of the Windows taskbar and select the "Task Manager" option. It is important to make certain that you are in an empty area of the taskbar; otherwise, the incorrect menu will launch, and the "Task Manager" selection will not be available. You can also simultaneously press Ctrl+Alt+Delete on the keyboard, which will launch a pop-up window from which you can select "Task Manager."
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2
Click once on the "Performance" tab of the Task Manager popp window. Note the three memory listings under the "Physical Memory" section, which is the RAM. These numbers are listed in kilobytes (KB). RAM is generally listed in gigabytes (GB). Because you will convert these numbers to GB in the next steps, note them on a separate sheet of paper.
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3
Convert KB to GB in one of two ways--manually or by using a conversion website. To manually convert KB to GB, establish the number of bytes by multiplying the number of KB from Step 2 by 1,024 (number of kilobytes in a byte). Then divide the number of bytes by 1,073,741,824 (number of bytes in a GB). The result will give you the amount of RAM in GB.
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Go to an appropriate conversion website. One is listed in Resources below, though there are many others. Enter the amount of "Total" memory from the listings in Step 2 into the "KB" field on the converter page. Click once on the button to begin the conversion.
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View the results in the GB field. This number is the amount of RAM on your computer. According to the example, there is slightly less than 1 GB of RAM on the computer. Repeat these steps to determine the other levels of RAM listings, including "Available" and "System Cache."
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