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Adding RAM

SexySuperVillain
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So, I built my 1st PC 2 weeks ago with 16gb of RAM. I just purchased an additional 16gb of the same exact RAM. Do I simply turn off and unplug the computer then put the RAM in? I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm new to this and don't want to mess anything up, especially after putting so much money into this thing! Thanks. 

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You need to turn it off, but no need to unplug anything

CPU: i7-2600K 4751MHz 1.44V (software) --> 1.47V at the back of the socket Motherboard: Asrock Z77 Extreme4 (BCLK: 103.3MHz) CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 RAM: Adata XPG 2x8GB DDR3 (XMP: 2133MHz 10-11-11-30 CR2, custom: 2203MHz 10-11-10-26 CR1 tRFC:230 tREFI:14000) GPU: Asus GTX 1070 Dual (Super Jetstream vbios, +70(2025-2088MHz)/+400(8.8Gbps)) SSD: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB (main boot drive), Transcend SSD370 128GB PSU: Seasonic X-660 80+ Gold Case: Antec P110 Silent, 5 intakes 1 exhaust Monitor: AOC G2460PF 1080p 144Hz (150Hz max w/ DP, 121Hz max w/ HDMI) TN panel Keyboard: Logitech G610 Orion (Cherry MX Blue) with SteelSeries Apex M260 keycaps Mouse: BenQ Zowie FK1

 

Model: HP Omen 17 17-an110ca CPU: i7-8750H (0.125V core & cache, 50mV SA undervolt) GPU: GTX 1060 6GB Mobile (+80/+450, 1650MHz~1750MHz 0.78V~0.85V) RAM: 8+8GB DDR4-2400 18-17-17-39 2T Storage: HP EX920 1TB PCIe x4 M.2 SSD + Crucial MX500 1TB 2.5" SATA SSD, 128GB Toshiba PCIe x2 M.2 SSD (KBG30ZMV128G) gone cooking externally, 1TB Seagate 7200RPM 2.5" HDD (ST1000LM049-2GH172) left outside Monitor: 1080p 126Hz IPS G-sync

 

Desktop benching:

Cinebench R15 Single thread:168 Multi-thread: 833 

SuperPi (v1.5 from Techpowerup, PI value output) 16K: 0.100s 1M: 8.255s 32M: 7m 45.93s

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3 minutes ago, SexySuperVillain said:

So, I built my 1st PC 2 weeks ago with 16gb of RAM. I just purchased an additional 16gb of the same exact RAM. Do I simply turn off and unplug the computer then put the RAM in? I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm new to this and don't want to mess anything up, especially after putting so much money into this thing! Thanks. 

 

If the RAM is exactly the same (e.g. same model number, same rated frequency, etc), the YES, you just need to do exactly what you said.

Power off the computer, and add the new 16GB right in.

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Posted
3 minutes ago, SexySuperVillain said:

So, I built my 1st PC 2 weeks ago with 16gb of RAM. I just purchased an additional 16gb of the same exact RAM. Do I simply turn off and unplug the computer then put the RAM in? I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm new to this and don't want to mess anything up, especially after putting so much money into this thing! Thanks. 

If your motherboard has 4 RAM slots, then probably yes. If you have a Zen-based system, you may need to drop the memory clocks a bit, depending on your specific chip, and the specific DIMM's.

Main: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti, 16 GB 4400 MHz DDR4 Linux - Fedora

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Just now, SexySuperVillain said:

Really? I thought it needed to be unplugged? That would make things much easier

Turning off the switch on the PSU is always a good idea before installing / removing hardware.

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2 minutes ago, svmlegacy said:

If your motherboard has 4 RAM slots, then probably yes. If you have a Zen-based system, you may need to drop the memory clocks a bit, depending on your specific chip, and the specific DIMM's.

I have an ASUS TUF X570 MOBO with a Ryzen 7 3700x. I did change the memory in the BIOS to match the 3600 the cards offer though. 

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1 minute ago, SexySuperVillain said:

Really? I thought it needed to be unplugged? That would make things much easier

If you have the cable lengths and desk space to support laying your computer on its back, you need not unplug anything. Otherwise, yank all your I/O so you can move the computer to an area you can lay it on its back. 

 

Unless you wanna be all risky and try inserting module(s) with the case standing... something you could do easily on the case Linus used for "The Compensator 3.0"

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1 minute ago, SexySuperVillain said:

But it's okay to keep it plugged in?

Yes

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3 minutes ago, SexySuperVillain said:

I did change the memory in the BIOS to match the 3600 the cards offer though.

I would change this back to auto (It should do that by itself, but just to be sure), so make sure the system posts. You might not be able to hit 3600 MT/s with 4 DIMM's.

Main: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti, 16 GB 4400 MHz DDR4 Linux - Fedora

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11 minutes ago, SexySuperVillain said:

Really? I thought it needed to be unplugged? That would make things much easier

You only need to turn it off since RAM is initialized only during boot.

CPU: i7-2600K 4751MHz 1.44V (software) --> 1.47V at the back of the socket Motherboard: Asrock Z77 Extreme4 (BCLK: 103.3MHz) CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 RAM: Adata XPG 2x8GB DDR3 (XMP: 2133MHz 10-11-11-30 CR2, custom: 2203MHz 10-11-10-26 CR1 tRFC:230 tREFI:14000) GPU: Asus GTX 1070 Dual (Super Jetstream vbios, +70(2025-2088MHz)/+400(8.8Gbps)) SSD: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB (main boot drive), Transcend SSD370 128GB PSU: Seasonic X-660 80+ Gold Case: Antec P110 Silent, 5 intakes 1 exhaust Monitor: AOC G2460PF 1080p 144Hz (150Hz max w/ DP, 121Hz max w/ HDMI) TN panel Keyboard: Logitech G610 Orion (Cherry MX Blue) with SteelSeries Apex M260 keycaps Mouse: BenQ Zowie FK1

 

Model: HP Omen 17 17-an110ca CPU: i7-8750H (0.125V core & cache, 50mV SA undervolt) GPU: GTX 1060 6GB Mobile (+80/+450, 1650MHz~1750MHz 0.78V~0.85V) RAM: 8+8GB DDR4-2400 18-17-17-39 2T Storage: HP EX920 1TB PCIe x4 M.2 SSD + Crucial MX500 1TB 2.5" SATA SSD, 128GB Toshiba PCIe x2 M.2 SSD (KBG30ZMV128G) gone cooking externally, 1TB Seagate 7200RPM 2.5" HDD (ST1000LM049-2GH172) left outside Monitor: 1080p 126Hz IPS G-sync

 

Desktop benching:

Cinebench R15 Single thread:168 Multi-thread: 833 

SuperPi (v1.5 from Techpowerup, PI value output) 16K: 0.100s 1M: 8.255s 32M: 7m 45.93s

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