If you need a more detailed look at your RAM configuration than the basic information a Windows report provides, you can find out all you need to know without cracking open the case. Read on to see how you can check your configuration and installed RAM module stats.
Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites.
The Question
SuperUser reader Vince wants an easy way to check the exact configuration of his computer’s RAM. He writes:
This information is particularly handy if you’re shopping for a RAM upgrade as you need to know which slots are filled and in which configuration.
I know it is easy to check the total RAM installed on a computer (eg 32 GB), but is there an easy way to check in Windows if the RAM is e.g. 2×16 GB, 4×8 GB, 8×4 GB or 16×2 GB?
The Answer
Two SuperUser contributors came to Vince’s aid, offering two unique ways of accessing the information he wants. Bob shows us how to use a built-in Windows tool to get a detailed readout:
For those of you that prefer a GUI, Hennes offers a solution:
Simply run wmic MEMORYCHIP get BankLabel,DeviceLocator,Capacity,Tag
(DeviceLocator will likely give you DIMM numbers on a desktop machine – the top/under slots are because I’m on a laptop. Both BankLabel and DeviceLocator formats may vary by machine.)
There is a lot more data available, but it doesn’t display well in the limited columns of a command prompt. You can export it all to a text file for easier viewing (don’t forget to turn off word wrap):
And you can use those extra columns to customise the first command to give you, e.g., the manufacturer name, product number and serial number.
Between the two approaches, you definitely have enough information to make an informed purchase.
Have something to add to the explanation? Sound off in the the comments. Want to read more answers from other tech-savvy Stack Exchange users? Check out the full discussion thread here.
