Why Check Your Memory on a Laptop and What It Does
Xiaomi RedmiBook laptop 9 β It's a popular model among users who value the balance of price and performance, but over time, even the most powerful hardware starts to slow down, and games or professional programs (like Photoshop or AutoCAD) require more resources. The first thing that comes to mind is to check how much RAM (RAM) and permanent memory (SSD/HDD) device-mounted.
Knowing the exact characteristics of memory helps not only diagnose the causes of slow work, but also plan an upgrade. For example, if RedmiBook 9 costs only 8 GB of RAM, adding another bar to 16 GB can radically improve multitasking. And checking free space on an SSD will tell you whether it is time to clean the disk of unnecessary files or replace it with a more capacious one. In this article, we will examine all the ways, from standard Windows tools to specialized utilities.
Itβs important to understand that RedmiBook 9 came in several versions, and the amount of memory they can have varies, for example, the base version often came with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD, and the top version with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD. If youβre not sure about your configuration, checking the memory is the first step before buying new components.
I am planning an upgrade (add RAM)./SSD)|The laptop started to slow down.|I want to know the characteristics after buying.|I'm looking for a system error.|Other-->
Method 1: Viewing memory through Windows System Properties
The easiest and fastest method is to use the built-in tools of Windows 10/11, which does not require installing additional software and is suitable even for beginners.
- Right-click on the icon This computer (or My computer) on the desktop.
- In the context menu, select Properties.
- A window will open with basic system information. In the Device section, look for the lines Installed Memory (RAM) and System Type (32- or 64-bit).
Here you will see the total amount of RAM, but not the type of memory (for example, the memory type, DDR4) It's also not a window that displays permanent memory information (SSD/HDD). To do this, go to Task Manager (key combination Ctrl) + Shift + Esc), open the Performance tab and select Memory or Drive.
β οΈ Note: If the system properties indicate that less memory is available than installed (for example, 8 GB of 16 GB), this may mean that one of the RAM bars is not recognized. BIOS.
Total RAM (in gigabytes)|Windows bit (32 or 64 bits)|Processor model (for compatibility with RAM)|Free space on the disk (storage tabΒ»)-->
Method 2: Using Task Manager for detailed information
The task manager in Windows 10/11 provides more detailed memory data, including real-time RAM boot and the type of drive.
- Press the key combination Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Go to the Productivity tab.
- Select the Memory section to view RAM information or the Drive for storage data.
In the Memory section you will see:
- π Used and available memory (in gigabytes and percentages).
- π RAM speed (in megahertz, for example, 2400 MHz).
- π₯οΈ Number of slots used (e.g. 2 out of 2).
- πΎ Type of memory (usually) DDR4 For RedmiBook 9).
The Drive section shows the drive model (e.g. Kingston SA2000M8500G), its total volume and current load. If you have an SSD, you can also see the Connection Protocol (SATA or NVMe) here, which is important when upgrading.
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If only one RAM slot is displayed in Task Manager, but you are sure that there are two slats, try updating the BIOS or checking the density of the modules adjacent to the slots (possibly one bar does not contact).
Method 3: Command Prompt β for experienced users
If you want the most accurate memory data, including module serial numbers and timings, use the command line, which is suitable for advanced users, as it requires commands to be entered.
Open the command prompt on behalf of the administrator (click Win + X and select Terminal (Administrator)) and enter the following commands:
wmic memorychip get DeviceLocator, Manufacturer, PartNumber, Capacity, Speed, MemoryType
wmic diskdrive get Model, Size, InterfaceTypeThe first command will display information about RAM:
- π DeviceLocator β a slot in which the bar is installed (for example, DIMM0).
- π Manufacturer β Manufacturer (e.g. Samsung or Crucial).
- π’ Capacity β volume in bytes (divided by 1,073,741,824 to get gigabytes).
- β‘ Speed - frequency in megahertz.
The second command will show data about the drive:
- πΏ Model - Disk model (e.g., model, WDC PC SN530 SDA).
- π Size - volume in bytes.
- π InterfaceType β Type of connection (NVMe or NVMe) SATA).
β οΈ Note: If you see a message No Instance(s) Available after you enter the command, it means that the system has not detected memory modules. BIOS, Damaged chipset drivers or physical malfunctions of the slats.
Method 4: Third-party utilities - CPU-Z, HWiNFO, AIDA64
For the most complete memory analysis (including timings, voltage, and XMP support), it is better to use specialized programs: they are free, lightweight, and provide data that is not available with standard Windows tools.
| Programme | What shows | Download link |
|---|---|---|
| CPU-Z | Type of RAM, timings, frequency, slot, SPD-information | Official website |
| HWiNFO | Detailed characteristics of RAM and SSD, temperature, voltage | Official website |
| AIDA64 | Memory performance tests, XMP support, controller details | Official website |
Letβs look at the example of CPU-Z:
- Download and install the program.
- Open it and go to the Memory tab.
- You'll see here: πΉ Type - type of memory (for example, DDR4). πΉ Size - total RAM volume. πΉ Channels β Number of channels (single or dual channel mode).
SPD
The Mainboard tab will show you the maximum supported RAM for your motherboard, which is critical if you're planning an upgrade. For example, some versions of RedmiBook 9 support up to 32GB of RAM, but that depends on the chipset model.
How do I know if RedmiBook 9 supports dual-channel RAM?
Method 5: Viewing Memory Through the BIOS
If Windows isnβt booting or you want to test your memory on the bare hardware, use BIOS, which will show you basic information about RAM and drives, but without details like timings.
To log in to the BIOS on Xiaomi RedmiBook 9:
- Turn off the laptop.
- Press and hold the F2 key (or Del, depending on the BIOS version).
- Turn on your laptop without releasing the key until the BIOS screen appears.
To diagnose RAM, use the built-in Windows tool:
- Press Win + R, enter mdsched.exe and press Enter.
- Select to perform reboot and check.
- After the reboot, wait for the test to be completed (it can take 10-20 minutes).
If the test shows errors, try:
- π§ Reset the memory bars to other slots (if any).
- π Update BIOS Up to the latest version (download the firmware from the official Xiaomi website).
- π οΈ Contact the service center if you suspect a hardware malfunction.
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If the laptop does not turn on after installing a new RAM bar, immediately remove it - it may be incompatible with the motherboard or requires a BIOS update.