When the word memory is used in reference to a computer, it basically refers to two elements: the physical memory that concerns the hard disk installed in the system, which defines the amount of data that can be stored inside the computer and the RAM memory (from the English "Random Access Memory") which helps to determine the overall processing speed of the entire system (ie the speed with which the computer is able to perform the operations requested by the user). Finding out the amount of RAM installed and the capacity of the system hard drive is very simple on both Windows and Mac computers.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Check the Free Space of a Hard Drive (Windows Systems)
Step 1. The term physical memory of a computer refers to the total storage capacity of the system
Devices that fall into this category are all USB storage devices and the hard drive (s) installed in the computer where data can be stored (e.g. audio, video, files, images, etc.). This is a different aspect of computers from the concept of RAM memory which is a fundamental piece of hardware for the normal functioning of the entire system.
Inside a computer there are two types of memory: mass or physical memory and RAM memory. The first is for the purpose of storing data, so if you are concerned that your computer's storage space is limited, you will need to refer to this information. If, on the other hand, you need to increase the processing speed of the system, you will have to focus on the amount of RAM installed
Step 2. Go to the Windows "Computer" window
To do this, click the "Start" button located in the lower left corner of the desktop, then choose the "Computer" or "This PC" item.
Step 3. On the page that appears, refer to the left column and use it to locate the icon of the hard drive whose amount of free space you want to check
You will need to look for the hard drive where the Windows installation is located, which is normally labeled with the drive letter "(C:)". This is the hard drive that most computer users and manufacturers use as their main storage unit, but if you have multiple drives inside your computer, you can check the remaining spice of each. The icon that identifies the hard disks is characterized by a gray rectangular parallelepiped.
If you can't find the memory drive icons on your computer, expand the "Computer" or "This PC" section of the menu by clicking the small right-pointing arrow next to the name
Step 4. Look at the box inside the window, relative to the disk in question, to find out how much free space is still available
You should find the message "[number] GB available out of [number] GB".
Step 5. Open a "File Explorer" (or "Windows Explorer") window and check the "Properties" of each drive installed in the system
If for any reason you cannot carry out the instructions described up to now, this procedure represents an alternative way to find the same information. Access the "File Explorer" window, select the "C:" disk icon with the right mouse button, then choose "Properties" from the context menu that appeared. This will display the total amount of memory on the drive and the amount of free space still available. Using this method you can check all the storage devices installed in the system, even the removable ones.
Method 2 of 4: Check the Amount of RAM Memory Installed on a Windows Computer
Step 1. Select the "Start" button located in the lower left corner of the desktop
The goal is to access the "File Explorer" window with which you can browse all the files stored on your computer. You can access this window by selecting the "Computer" or "This PC" icon.
Step 2. Select the item "Computer" or "This PC" located in the left part of the window that appeared
Select this icon with the right mouse button, then choose "Properties" from the bottom of the context menu that appeared.
- In the central part of the "System" window that appears you will find the words "Installed memory (RAM)". The indicated value represents the amount of RAM installed inside the computer.
- Remember that the more RAM the better your computer will perform.
Step 3. You can go back to the same "System" window by accessing the Windows "Control Panel"
You can do this by selecting the "Start" button, choosing the "Control Panel" icon, clicking the "System and Security" link and selecting the "System" icon. Now you just have to find the value of the "Installed memory (RAM)".
Method 3 of 4: Check the Free Space of a Hard Drive (Mac)
Step 1. Open a Finder window and locate your system hard drive
Most often it is labeled simply "Macintosh HD". However it represents the exact counterpart of the "C:" disk of a Windows system.
Step 2. Select the hard drive icon while holding the "Ctrl" key, then choose the "Get Info" option from the context menu that appeared
If the icon is already selected, you can simply press the "Command + Shift + I" key combination to open the "Info" window.
Step 3. Find the total size of the hard drive and the remaining free space
Within the "Information" window of the hard disk, the total capacity and free space will be visible in the form of gigabytes (GB) under "Capacity" and "Available" respectively. This is the amount of space you have available to store files, music, videos, images and documents.
Method 4 of 4: Check the Amount of RAM Memory Installed on a Mac
Step 1. Access the "Apple" menu located in the upper left corner of the desktop
In the case of a Mac, it is very easy to find out the amount of RAM installed in the system. RAM memory is used by computers to store information relating to the execution of all operations (from the simplest to the most complex), so the greater the amount of RAM available, the faster the computer will be.
Step 2. Choose the "About This Mac" option
" A new window will appear containing all the technical specifications of the system, including the amount of RAM installed. If this last data is not visible, press the "More information" button. The amount of RAM in the Mac is expressed in GB and is normally a variable number between 4 and 16 GB.
