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I have a Dell Inspiron and im going to try upgrading the RAM to 4gb. I wasnt sure what Ram it supported and what slots were used so it got me thinking. Are there applications out there that can tell me detailed info about my computers hardware?

At least it will save me opening the case just to find out how many slots are free.

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  • What's the Inspiron model? You don't even need to open the case. Usually there's a panel on the bottom held on with 1 screw that covers the RAM. Most apps don't tell you if you have 2x 512's or 1x 1GB stick either so it's best to eyeball it.
    – hyperslug
    Commented Sep 23, 2009 at 10:24
  • I want to say 1520 but I'll need to check when i get home.
    – SecretDeveloper
    Commented Sep 23, 2009 at 11:03
  • I just upgraded a 1525. Both memory modules are below the big panel on the bottom of the unit. It was easy to change them, though there were about 6 screws. If you've got a 1520, you need to take off the keyboard also. See youtube.com/watch?v=fwqnlAUz-QI
    – seanyboy
    Commented Sep 23, 2009 at 14:31

9 Answers 9

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CPU-Z is quite a good one that gives lots of details

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

You should also check the manufacturers web sites since some BIOSes limit the maximum supported memory although I think they all support up to 4Gb. You will only be able to use the first 3.5GB if your using a 32bit OS.

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  • @Col Man, you're fast :). @Kaius Also, take a look at the other apps on the cpuid.com site; they can give you an enormous amount of information about you PC. For graphics cards, consider using GPU-Z: techpowerup.com/gpuz.
    – alex
    Commented Sep 23, 2009 at 9:39
  • This is exactly what i was looking for; simple, compact and tells me everything i need to know. Thanks.
    – SecretDeveloper
    Commented Sep 24, 2009 at 20:44
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For my money (all $0 it costs), nothing beats Gabriel Topala's "SIW", aka "System Information for Windows". It's a comprehensive view of the deep-dark details of a Windows install's hardware AND software internals. (There's even a Network information section, tho I looked in there once and decided I didn't really have any use for it.)

It's not pretty, and the information is more than a bit "raw", but I don't think I've ever found anything it DOESN'T tell me.

http://www.gtopala.com/

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    I second. SIW is a great utility for getting in depth system hardware details.
    – joeqwerty
    Commented Sep 23, 2009 at 10:41
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You sound like its only the memory that's of interest, in which case a tool like Crucial's System Scanner would be ideal.

Also you can usually replace the memory on Dells by opening a flap on the underside marked with an M in a circle, you may need to remove one screw only.

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  • I use Crucial's System Scanner, but it has caused blue screens on a Dell Precision 690 running Vista x64 and a Studio 1727 running Vista x64. FYI
    – Nathan DeWitt
    Commented Sep 23, 2009 at 11:04
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In case of a Dell you might be able to check it on their website with your service tag

I would suggest looking at Belarc Advisor, which will give you a simple overview of your computer software and hardware.

System Model

  • Dell Inc. Latitude E6500
  • System Service Tag: H99Q94J (support for this PC)
  • Chassis Serial Number: H99Q94J
  • Enclosure Type: Portable

Memory Modules

  • 3536 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory
  • Slot 'DIMM_A' has 2048 MB (serial number 00007012)
  • Slot 'DIMM_B' has 2048 MB (serial number 00007014)

Note: CPU-Z works just fine and is probably faster, but Belarc may be useful for other information as well ;-)

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I would recommend: CPU-Z

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

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  • @downvoter - why? It's a perfectly valid answer.
    – Samuel Jaeschke
    Commented Sep 23, 2009 at 11:41
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System Spec

A utility to produce a specification of your system’s hardware and software and lists a specification of your Windows PC without listing lots of useless memory address and unnecessary information. This tool doesn’t require any installation. Just download and run the single executable file.

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If you have some bucks to spare you can try Everest Ultimate Edition, it provides very detailed report

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  • Indeed. And the free version is nothing to be ashamed of either.
    – A Dwarf
    Commented Sep 23, 2009 at 14:34
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SIW is pretty good too.

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Step one: Remove keyboard with philips screwdriver. Step two: Count open slots for memory! My guess is none. (usually 2 slots available)

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