I recently noticed that my computer’s performance dropped when running many programs at the same time. To determine the problem, I ran the “top” command from the terminal window on Linux Ubuntu 16.04. This command lists all the processes running in real time with details on all the resources used.

Once I checked the usage of the Central Processing Unit, the Drive memories and the RAM, I realized that the RAM was consuming close to one hundred percent of the capacity. There may have been other problems; however, this problem was evident and needed immediate attention.

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I’m not sure if you have experienced this problem, but the solution for this problem can be classified into three categories:

1 – Begin by testing your memory to make sure no errors are found, after the test is complete.

2 – Start running fewer programs at the same time and keep “top” running to monitor resource usage.

3 – Try to upgrade your memory to a higher level, so that you can run the same number of programs.

Now, you should start implementing the above three cases. Suppose you ran the memory test and found no errors. That was the case when I ran it on my computer.

Also, we will assume that you will have to continue running all the programs. That will take you to step three, where you decide to upgrade your RAM.

To upgrade your RAM, you must determine if the system can be upgraded. Here is the method I used to determine the memory module type, the slot number, and the status of the slots:

Suppose you are running Linux Ubuntu 16.04, as this procedure was attempted with this operating system.

Now, reboot the system and select the option displayed by the “memory test 86 5.01” utility. At this point, the system will run the memory test program. During testing, you can click “c” for setting option.

Once you enable the setup option, the system will display a black screen with options numbered 1 through 7. One of the options is for memory information. In my case, the RAM is a DIMM type, which stands for Dual Inline Memory Module. This description may change from one system to another.

I selected the DIMM information and the system displayed a list of information showing:

1: the number of slots.

2 – The status of each slot.

3 – The size of the memory where it was installed.

4 – The description and specifications of the installed unit.

My system had 2 Gigabits in one slot and the other three showed the number, Zero, which implied that I have three slots that can be upgraded. So I can add 2, 4 or 6 Gigabits more capacity. That will result in a computer that has 4, 6, or 8 Gigabit RAM, depending on what you want to install.

In short, before taking your computer to a repair shop, or disassembling it yourself, you should run the above test to determine whether or not it can be upgraded. At this point, you will decide to install the memory yourself or take it to a repair shop.