which ram memery do I need

[dryingpaint]

I am going to a big box store to buy some more ram for my computer.  My question is, can I bring the old ram sticks in and just have someone match them up with higher value sticks?  Is there some program I need to run to find out what I need.  My laptop is homemade and about six years old. It also has 3 ram slots, I wonder if I need to run them in pairs, or each must be an equal value?
  My other question is in regards to replacing my internal hard drive.  This harddrive will replace one in a laptop that is around two years old.  I was hoping to get a fast, well preforming hard drive as opposed to one that was just big.  What numbers or letters do I need to look for in determining a good replacement?

[socrates]

1- Yes, you can bring in the ram, and given you get a half-decent sales rep they should be able to find you extra ram (assuming it's not too old to get in a big box store)

2- Your hard drive, being in a laptop, is a 2.5" hard drive.  You need to make sure you're first looking at 2.5" hard drives.  Then, the big thing to look for is 7200RPM if you're looking for speed (or if you're really needing speed and don't need a ton of space, get a Solid State Disk (SSD)).

[patio]

You need to determine if the HDD is IDE or SATA as well...

[socrates]

You need to determine if the HDD is IDE or SATA as well...

True.   Good catch.

[Computer_Commando]

I suspect a 6-year old computer is IDE.  I am unaware of any 2.5 in 7200 rpm drives that are IDE, so 5400rpm is the best you can get.

[patio]

Just worked on a 2 year old Toshiba...IDE drive.

Probably to save a few pennies in production.

And he didn't state it was a 7200 RPM drive although it was mentioned as a replacement,,,

[Computer_Commando]

Just worked on a 2 year old Toshiba...IDE drive.
Probably to save a few pennies in production.
And he didn't state it was a 7200 RPM drive although it was mentioned as a replacement,,,

Probably a Toshiba IDE they are phasing out.
The OP didn't, but the other poster did.  Didn't want the OP to look for a replacement that probably does not exist.

[truenorth]

dryingpaint, Re your intention to "buy some more ram" for your "6 year old" laptop. You need to 1st find out what the total amount of ram that will function in that computer before racing out and buying something that may exceed the computer's acceptable amount. IE: no point in buying 2 GB of ram if the max is 1 GB. truenorth

[socrates]

Probably a Toshiba IDE they are phasing out.
The OP didn't, but the other poster did.  Didn't want the OP to look for a replacement that probably does not exist.

I only mentioned it because he didn't say whether drive was sata or IDE, and he said he wanted the fastest.

[socrates]

Also, I don't know what you're talking about regarding 2.5" IDE 7200 RPM drives.  They are made....

here's a few:
http://micropartsusa.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=31046
http://www.xpcgear.com/hi721080g9at.html
http://www.partstore.com/Part/Hitachi%20Ltd/Hitachi/HTS721010G9AT00/Refurbished.aspx?s=froogle

[dryingpaint]

Went to the big box, which is Frys in Phoenix if i can say that.  So I brought the six year old laptop in, I pulled a stick and the rep ran some number said ddr pc2100 so-d pat, speed 266mhz 200 pin, patroit lifetime mem, psd1g26616s
  I gb stick is $45.00usd.  I looked down at my laptop that still needed  a wireless card, and a battery.  I thought, well, looks like this little laptop is fine the way it is.  I am going to buy a wireless card that works out the box with ubuntu and that all she is getting.  The rep at the store said that the ram was actually discontinued, so if I wanted it I better buy it now.
  As for the hard drive, that was actually for my two year old Dell.  Which presently has a 120 seagate momontus, which is 5400.  It is a sata. I found another seagate 500gb 7200 for around $110usd.  I decided to forgo buying a new hard drive.  I will go back tomorrow and if they have a solid state I am going to buy that.  Thanks for the help. 

[patio]

Didn't know we were discussing 2 different machines here as that was not clear in your initial post...
Discontinued RAM may just mean that retailer will no longer be carrying it or the Rep was hard up for a sale...

Personal opinion disclaimer: As far as SSD drives go i personally would wait another year until the pricing gets where it should be.

[socrates]

Went to the big box, which is Frys in Phoenix if i can say that.  So I brought the six year old laptop in, I pulled a stick and the rep ran some number said ddr pc2100 so-d pat, speed 266mhz 200 pin, patroit lifetime mem, psd1g26616s
  I gb stick is $45.00usd.  I looked down at my laptop that still needed  a wireless card, and a battery.  I thought, well, looks like this little laptop is fine the way it is.  I am going to buy a wireless card that works out the box with ubuntu and that all she is getting.  The rep at the store said that the ram was actually discontinued, so if I wanted it I better buy it now.
  As for the hard drive, that was actually for my two year old Dell.  Which presently has a 120 seagate momontus, which is 5400.  It is a sata. I found another seagate 500gb 7200 for around $110usd.  I decided to forgo buying a new hard drive.  I will go back tomorrow and if they have a solid state I am going to buy that.  Thanks for the help. 

If you didn't buy the ram you could easily find some online for way less than what you'd pay at best buy.

Also, the hard drives are typically cheaper online as well (I recommend newegg.com), though $110 for a 500GB 7200RPM 2.5" drive is not bad at all.