Buying RAM

[ríomhaire]

I'm looking to buy another 512MB of RAM. I have 2*256 and I know to match up they have to be another 2*256 but does the make or anything else matter?

 

[kjac]

yes, get the same brand and model. It doesn't really matter what size each stick is either; I have 2-1gig sticks and 1-512 stick, works fine.

 

[ríomhaire]

D:
I don't know the brand and model. Is there any way to check without opening my computer?
(I was told once that make didn't matter, only that they all match)

Edit:
According to Komplett.ie these are compatable with me. So the amounts don't have to match up?

 

[Saketi]

There is a program out there called SIS Sandra

Where is tell u waht memory u are using.

But its not that hard to see what ram u have, just take off the side panel, get a torch and look at the side of the ram, there should be a sticket which tells u the make, model etc of the RAM.

Make doesnt really matter, its the speed, eg 2x 400Mhz DDR3200 Sticks & u add a stick of 333Mhz DDR2700 things will start to malfunction, either that or ur two DDR3200 stick will run at a lower speed to compensate for the lower DDR2700 stick. Hope that helps.

 

[Tyguy]

just make sure they are in adjacent slots

 

[Saketi]

These are all different speeds tho...

What motherboard do u have & ill find u some quality ram.

 

[ríomhaire]

TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!!
I'll try that programme and I don't know my motherboard, how do you check?

 

[Saketi]

TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!!
I'll try that programme and I don't know my motherboard, how do you check?

that program i posted will also tell u what motherboard u have.

 

[ríomhaire]

Crap, I'm on dial-up. Is there a smaller programme that'll do the same job? I'll try to download this anyway, thanks.

 

[Laivasse]

Everest Home Edition will tell you what type of motherboard you have, and it'll show you the speed of your RAM but I'm not sure if it will tell you who manufactured it.

 

[ríomhaire]

It's OK, I have the programme fully downloaded (I'm amazed no one rang, someone always does when I'm downloading things). Here's the specs.
http://img315.imageshack.us/img315/7523/specwy5.jpg
Is there any other info I need? I'll have a look at that site and see if I can figure out the compatable ones with common sense.

 

[ríomhaire]

OK, I'm still lost D:
Help me please

 

[Barney Fife]

Get CPU-Z http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php basically this program will tell everything about your CPU, MB and ram.
But I see Sandra already reported for ya. Contact Dell support and ask what rams are compatible with MB.
Good Luck.

 

[Asus]

Any DDR2 400 (PC3200) memory should work (240 pins), not regular DDR. If you want to be safe then contact Dell or look online if you can find out what memory has been tested and works on the board, like barney said. But most likely there are few sticks that won't work with your system.

 

[ríomhaire]

This one yesh?
And you're sure it being 512 and mine being 2*256 isn't a problem?

 

[Asus]

Well if you have a Pentium 4 that uses dual channel memory then I'd get 2 sticks of 256mb or 512mb. Then it can keep running in dual channel (faster) and not go to single channel mode.

 

[ríomhaire]

Right, I have no idea what you just said. I have 2 sticks of 256 and I want to upgrade to 1GB in the cheapest possible manner that still delievers good results.

 

[Solaris]

Right, I have no idea what you just said. I have 2 sticks of 256 and I want to upgrade to 1GB in the cheapest possible manner that still delievers good results.

<3

 

[Asus]

Go with 2 more memory sticks of 256MB.
If you buy two sticks of 512MB it could actually decrease performance. Too much memory adds higher latency for Pentium 4's. Couple pages futrther and you'll see the performance charts. The performance difference seems to be quite a bit.

 

[ríomhaire]

Based on what you said earlier and that list these are the only two that will work
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=302988&cks=CMS
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=302986&cks=CMS
And they're 512 and 1024 MBs :bonce:
And I meant buy 1 stick of 512 and add to the 2*256, not buy 2*512.

Thanks for your help, as you can see from all my threads in this section I know nothing D:

 

[Asus]

Bottom line, 1 stick of 512mb will get you more memory and work.
But getting 2 sticks of 512mb and removing your 2 sticks of 256mb would make it run a lot better.

Having a memory setup as 256mb, 256mb and 512mb sticks would make the memory run slower becase it would be at higher latency (see link above) and it would also be running in single channel memory. You need to keep the memory sticks in pairs of the same size to run in dual channel memory.

 

[ríomhaire]

Or I could buy the single stick of 1024 and if I ever want to go to 2GB I could buy another right?

 

[Asus]

Or I could buy the single stick of 1024 and if I ever want to go to 2GB I could buy another right?

True, but while you have the 1024mb stick in there it would run in single channel mode. Of course when you saved up and bought the 2nd 1gb stick then it would work in dual channel again. Up to you.

In order to run dual channel memory like you have it setup now and without running into the latency issue you need to have it setup like: (examples)
Slot1 256mb | Slot2 256mb
or
Slot1 256mb | Slot2 256mb | Slot3 256mb | Slot4 256mb
or
Slot1 512mb | Slot2 512mb
or
Slot1 1gb | Slot2 1gb

 

[ríomhaire]

Cool thanks:thumbs:. €100 well spent