newbie to upgrading RAM..

[qazqaz]

:cheesy: little info on my computer before i begin:-

intel pentium 4 processor with 2.66GHz
512MB DDR RAM
2 RAM slots used, 0 free
WIN XP SP2
3 HDD's : 120GB all together ....total of 67.52 GB's free

alrite then.. ive got 512mb DDR RAM at the moment, which i want to get to 1GB as im finding the comp going too slow to run certain apps, now i figured out my computer takes PC2700 RAM sticks (by opening up my comp safely) and that i have 2 slots which are used by 2x256 ram sticks

im planning on buying one 1GB ram stick (reptuable brand my friend says who builds pcs that commercial companys cant begin to understand :lol: ) so that means that 1 ram slot will be free.. is that a problem? im going to place the 1GB ram in slot number 0 as thats where the highest RAM value is meant to be.

another question, my current ram is 2700 (166MHz) and my processor has the following info available:-

board: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL
model: MS-6701
bus clock speed: 133MHz
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies LTD BIOS version : 6.00 PG

now the ram stick i am buying will have a bus clock rate of 333MHz, am i going to be bottlenecking the RAM due to different clock speeds? as they are both different.. is that a problem?

also is there anything else i need to consider before i go ahead with the upgrade? thanks for the help am i about to receive!!! :cheesy:

[jbennet]

Wait.

I think DDR RAM needs to be installed in matching pairs (e.g 2x512mb)

If you live in the USA or UK do a google for "Crucial Memory" - tell it your PCs make and model and it will tell you what sort you need. If your model is not listed you can download thier tool that will tell you how many sticks of what sort you need and what speed it has to be. You can also buy off thier site

[qazqaz]

right i did what you said... crucial couldnt find my product but they managed to complete the info with my motherboard...

it says ive got 3 slots free which is wrong as i ve only got 2.. it says i can have a max of 3GB and that i can mix speeds.. but i dunno if thats right as it got my total memory slots wrong so this may be wrong aswell

i ran the tool aswell same thing

[jbennet]

hmm thats wierd but it usually works fine

[qazqaz]

im thinking of gettin 2 512mb sticks to get it to a gb, that would be playing it safe i guess.. plus it would take into consideration of each max ram slot i have.. which MAY be 512mb per slot

should i do this which will result in my paying a few pounds extra (which wont be a problem as its a difference of £5) or shouldi just buy the 1gb stick?

ty jbennet for ur replies! :cool:

[jbennet]

get the 2 512s

[dcc]

Wait.

I think DDR RAM needs to be installed in matching pairs (e.g 2x512mb)

The only time that you need matching pairs is if you are running in dual channel, and that computer was built before dual channel came about.

qazqaz, Are you sure that you have the correct model for that motherboard? Crucial doesn't usually make mistakes like that.

As for mixing speeds, you can mix speeds but there is a trade off. Ex. if you have PC3200 in your computer and you add PC2700 the PC3200 will slow down to the speed of the PC2700, this is called underclocking.

[DimaYasny]

it is all a matter of your motherboard's ability. if it can use dual channel - get 2x512 PC2700 or PC3200 DDR (but don't buy a cheap brand, because some of the cheaper ones cannot do proper underclocking. I'd go with kingston).
if the MB can't use dual channel memory, 1Gb stick is cheaper than two 512 sticks, and it will work just fine in any slot, 0 or 1. doesn't matter with DDR, only with RDRAM.

[dcc]

it is all a matter of your motherboard's ability. if it can use dual channel - get 2x512 PC2700 or PC3200 DDR (but don't buy a cheap brand, because some of the cheaper ones cannot do proper underclocking. I'd go with kingston).
if the MB can't use dual channel memory, 1Gb stick is cheaper than two 512 sticks, and it will work just fine in any slot, 0 or 1. doesn't matter with DDR, only with RDRAM.

Kingston is ok, but stay away from their value RAM.

[jbennet]

do a google for "orcalogic" - im not sure though, they might be UK only..

They have a RAM finding wizard too and bive got thinkpad stuff off them before. Very cheap

[dcc]

do a google for "orcalogic" - im not sure though, they might be UK only..

They have a RAM finding wizard too and bive got thinkpad stuff off them before. Very cheap

What we were trying to promote here was not cheap RAM but good RAM. Kingston is at the lower rung on my list of good RAM, and their value RAM is not to be trusted. You get what you pay for.

btw, I wish you would quit telling people that you think they have to use matched pairs in situations where they are not running in dual channel, some people are confused enough with out your help.:lol:

[jbennet]

woops

[qazqaz]

yep i dont have a dual channel, so i can mix the speeds! ok my final decision is gonna be the 1gb stick in slot 0, with my 1 or my 256mb in slot number 1.. both are DDR RAM PC2700.. with same bus clock rate and whatnot so there isnt a chance for under/over clocking!!

thanks alot to people who posted here, cleared many things up!

[qazqaz]

qazqaz, Are you sure that you have the correct model for that motherboard? Crucial doesn't usually make mistakes like that.

i do indeed.. i ran a scan of my computer which tells you practically every detail.. its called Belarc Advisor ( http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html )

it provided me with the details of my computer.. hardware wise and software wise... i think that medion dont build my computer model any more since its outdated to todays pcs and cruical must have removed it from their site as they cant have every brand of model on there.. btw like i said cruical did give me the correct motherboard when i ran the scan and belarc said the same thing, but again crucial said i had 3 slots, which i dont as i physically checked.. danno whats up with that but the rest of the info on crucial seems to be right!

[dcc]

That board is outdated, and Crucial was the only site that I found any information on it and they disagree with the number of RAM slots.

Try SIW, it will not only show you the number of slots and the amount of the RAM in them, it will tell you the capacity and the specs of each module. Look for this in memory.

[qazqaz]

ok that program helped a lot.. i have 2 slots each with a max of 1024MB per slot so a maximum total of 2048mb ram

so i guess im ok with 1 gb ram im gonna buy tommorow which i willl combine with my 256 to give total memory of 1256mb ram (61% of max ram allowed in my system)

maybe that will help me play americas army with out lagging a little

[jbennet]

i play americas army on 512meg and i dont lag out. lag is to do with the server you are on and how fast your internet and network is

[qazqaz]

^ takes me 5minutes to start the game up... 4 minutes to load a medium size map (border map), i crash out on large maps (snake plain n interdiction) - my fps rate is like 30max

if my ram upgrade wont work, im looking ot buy a better graphics card or cpu

[jbennet]

my other pc is battlefield 2 special forces, 1 gb ram, prntium 4 on wifi woth 1meg cable broadband - i get a ping of like 30 and 26fps and im only using an x600 graphics card

[dcc]

ok that program helped a lot.. i have 2 slots each with a max of 1024MB per slot so a maximum total of 2048mb ram

so i guess im ok with 1 gb ram im gonna buy tommorow which i willl combine with my 256 to give total memory of 1256mb ram (61% of max ram allowed in my system)

maybe that will help me play americas army with out lagging a little

Glad that it helped.

I found this which show that you do have two slots with a max of 1GB per slot of PC2100.

[Serunson]

Crucial messed around with it's website a bit, so you have to go hear and download there scanner:
http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/loader.asp?agree=yes&tabid=AM&pagename=
Once you have downloaded it, run the small program and it will link up with their site and tell you what you have, and what to upgrade it too.