RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It's not used in the same way that memory on a hard drive is used to store programs, documents and other files. RAM, however, provides space for your computer to read and write data to be accessed by the CPU. If you add more RAM to your computer, you essentially reduce the number of times your CPU must read data from your hard drive. This usually allows your computer to work considerably faster.

Data stored in RAM is volatile, so it stays there only as long as your computer is running. As soon as you turn the computer off, the data stored in RAM disappears.

Upgrading your RAM is probably one of the easiest and best ways to improve your computer's performance. To do this, you need to know what Type of RAM you currently have installed. A free program from Download.com called CPU-Z will analyze your system and provide you with this information.

In this example, one would need to upgrade with DDR3 RAM to be most compatible with the current system.

If you have a 32-bit operating system, you will be limited to a maximum of 4 GB of RAM. If you have a 64-bit operating system, however, you can have as much as 16 GB of RAM installed on your machine.

You also need to refer to your computer's manual to figure out the exact specifications for RAM that your motherboard will be able to accept.

Another thing to keep in mind: you cannot mix RAM speeds. If you have more than one stick, they all need to operate at the same speed.