GoldenRAM UpgradeDetect

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Bradford Day
Kurtis
GoldenRAM
Jun. 21, 2006

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With the impending (well... somewhat impending) release of Windows Vista, tech talk has been hovering around hardware upgrades. What sorts of memory, processing and graphics updating will current computers need to be Vista capable? This dilemma is typical and isn't specific to Vista. Computers have finite upgradeability and are often only reliable for a couple years before the next generation operating system renders them useless, or at least that is what we have been led to believe. Often your seemingly outdated computer is, in fact, just fine to run that new version of Windows. This is particularly true if you are a typical e-mailing, word processing, web surfing kind of user. With a few memory upgrades and maybe a new hard drive or two, users can usually squeeze a few more years out of their 'obsolete' machines.

However, in the blindingly fast world of computer hardware upgrades, most home computer users can't keep up with front side buses, DDR3 or PCI-E... they just want their computers to work when they need them to. These are a few of the principles upon which GoldenRAM, a memory and component manufacturer, is hoping to build a new market niche. Just recently, GoldenRAM released an innovative new service to help end-users upgrade their machines quickly, cheaply and on their own. UpgradeDetect is a web-based evaluation service that surveys and assesses potential upgrade possibilities. I recently spoke with GoldenRAM's founder and CEO, Chris Zomaya, and he filled me in on some of the finer points of their newest creation as well as the development of their business plan.

Let us start a few years back. If you have not heard of GoldenRAM before, you might be surprised to learn that they have been in the upgrade business for quite some time with almost a billion dollars in upgrade sales since their inception. The company was founded in 1988 and began selling RAM, optical drive and hard drive upgrades. As the company expanded they discovered that the upgrade market (especially for memory) was wide and varied. Often times, customers would purchase upgraded memory only to find that a subtle difference in computer model numbers made a huge difference in compatibility. As the years progressed, GoldenRAM amassed a rather sizeable database of RAM, drives, processors and other component compatibility; but also noticed that even with the advent of Desktop Management Interface (DMI), field techs and customers were still ordering the wrong components about one out of every six times. Those mistakes translated to a lot of money in returned goods and lost time. In 1997 the company set out to engineer software that would easily and correctly assess installed computer components to assure compatibility of upgrade hardware. After 9 years of development and securing a U.S. patent for their efforts, GoldenRAM has released UpgradeDetect to the public.

In brief, UpgradeDetect is a free web-based service (it also exists as a downloadable executable file) that does just what the name implies, detects possible upgrades to your computer system; it does this by utilizing the Serial Presence Detect (SPD) of the memory ROM (among other intricate programming secrets I'm not smart enough to understand). Two versions are available, one for home users and one geared more towards IT professionals. What you will find after visiting the website and running the utility is an evaluation of your computing horsepower and a list of suggested upgrades. For FREE, you ask? How can they afford to give this service away for free? Along with the suggested upgrades are links to hardware available for purchase through GoldenRAM. These hardware suggestions will be compatible with your system and they are the bread and butter of the UpgradeDetect service.

Chris began relaying the details of this new software to me and right away it was apparent that he and his company meant business. Zomaya rattled off company achievements and qualifications (ISO 9000, QS 9000 and AS 9000 certifications as well as GSA certificatio) while simultaneously cracking a joke or two. He spoke with the conviction of a parent who is both proud and confident in their child's ability, and as a salesman who knows every aspect of their product. It is the goal of his company to make it easy for home users as well as IT professionals to scan, evaluate and upgrade their computers while at the same time revolutionizing the market of PC upgrades. One area that caught my attention during my conversation with Chris was the idea of 'planned obsolescence,' the idea that computer hardware is built with a sort of predetermined lifespan. As I mentioned earlier, consumers are often led to believe that their 2 or 3 year old machine is grossly outdated and incapable of running the latest software. This confusion typically leads to uneducated consumers buying new computer systems that aren't necessarily required. Chris and GoldenRAM are banking on breaking this cycle of unnecessary spending.

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