RAM upgrade

I need to upgrade my computer to 256K from 64K RAM. What’s the best way to go about this? I haven’t fooled around with memory chips since the DOS days. Should I take out what’s in there and take it to the store to find out what I have, buy new chips and put them in myself? Will Win2K recognize the new memory or will I have go in and reset the BIOS?

I don’t want to take the entire computer to the shop unless I have to as it will take them 4 or 5 days to get around to the job.

I can’t live without my computer that long. :eek:

BTW It’s an Intrex P500 (+) 13 Gig HD, Win2KPro, 64Kram, PNP
2.3 Litre

Either ways it won’t depart the two of you for long. Upgradation of RAM should’nt take more than a few minutes. Win2k will handle just fine. He’s a good boy.

I did this just a few months ago. I added 256 to the existing 128.

First you should look in your computer manual to see if you have expansion slots, or if you’re going to have to take out the existing Ram and replace it with other mods. If you don’t have your manual it should be on your HD under “help”.

Second, you should consult the manual to find out what kind of RAM the computer needs. There are a few types, with different numbers of pins and so on, so you can’t pick just any RAM up in the store and expect it to work. This website http://www.crucial.com/ can help you determine that information as well.

I had my dad, an IT guy, install it for me, since I couldn’t bear the thought of possibly screwing up my baby while attempting to put it in myself. If he hadn’t been able to do it, I’d have brought it in. Your comfort level with installing components yourself might be higher, though. If you want someone to do it for you, you can probably have it put in by the people you buy it from if you go to an electronics store.

As mentioned the hardest part of adding new memory is making sure you have the right kind for your system. The actual process of putting the memory in is simple. Your local computer store should not have to make you wait 4-5 days as the process takes all of one minute (getting the cover off the case will take longer than adding the memory).

BTW: I would wager your computer has 64MB of memory and not 64K ;).

Uh, right Wack. Had a couple beers. :slight_smile:

I don’t have the manual that came with the computer (I know but…) so I think I’ll take out the chip(s) in there and take it
to the shop and see if i can add to it or just buy a 256MB chunk.

(WACK notice I said MB?) :wink:

Thanks All

It’s almost certain that you need standard, unbuffered, non-parity 168pin PC133 DIMM memory. You can buy it from crucial.com for not too much, and they’ll even guarantee compatibility if your system is in their database. If you decide to go through crucial, you can get another 5% off your order using a special offer available through techdeals.net. Once you get the RAM, it should be fairly simple to install. Crucial RAM comes with a little instruction sheet, but you probably won’t need it anyway. The hardest part is that nagging “Hmm, am I supposed to be pushing this hard?” feeling before it slides into the slot.

FDISK I Highly respect your computer knowledge, as do many others on this Board. Thanks for responding.
Does this fit what I need?

“Amazon is offering a Kingston 256MB PC133 DIMM for just $26.99 with free shipping after a $15 Mfr. rebate.”

I’m worried about the pins fitting. Non Parity? Is that still a problem?

Hell, for the price maybe I should just take a shot at it? :confused:

For $39, you can get 256MB of CAS2 (CAS2 is faster than normal CAS3 RAM, and backwards compatible. You probably won’t get any benefit from it since you have older RAM, but its the exact same price) PC133 with free overnight shipping from crucial.com, and a lifetime warranty and guaranteed compatibility with your system (if you use their little “pick your system here” menu). This might be a better deal if you want the RAM faster, and don’t want to mess with a rebate. If you can find a manual for your motherboard, you can check compatibility. If your system takes standard 168pin 3.3V SDRAM, that RAM should work fine.

Is it OK to mix different size Dimms on the same computer? I currently have one 128mb dimm, could I add a 256mb dimm as well? How about mixing ECC and non-parity dimms?

Try crucial.com because they have a list of what you can put in your computer & what you can mix & match. some require chips in pairs, lots of times you can mix sizes, you just have to try.

ebay.com is loaded with cheap chips.

good evening friends.

to find what is in your motherboard, it is possible to go to belarc.com and have them do a system profile. it is free, and this will tell you what components and programming are installed in your machine. crucial.com told me what type of memory i needed and that i had two slots for memory on my motherboard. belarc told me i have two 256 mg chips installed on my motherboard.

How did belarc know how heavy your memory was?

-lv (who’s waiting for somebody to suggest upgrading to 1024 km of memory)

Fear Itself: In theory, DIMMs can be mixed and matched to your heart’s content, as long as they all meet the specifications you’re running at. For example, you could toss in all manner of 100Mhz and 133Mhz CAS3 and CAS2 sticks, as long as you were running no higher than 100Mhz CAS3. You can also, theoretically again, mix and match ECC and non-ECC DIMMs as long as you have ECC turned off. Of course, theory is not reality, and some motherboards refuse to run properly with more than a certain number of slots filled, even if you use modules that match exactly, and others will handle you filling all the slots with different generic DIMMs with wildly different specs. It depends on the quality of your motherboard and the RAM you use.

Jake

I posted over on Fathom what steps might help. Using that program that was suggested (by someone’s screen name that is at the tip of my brain but not coming through,) you should be able to go to the Mother Board manufacture’s website and download a manual.

Some are better than other’s but if you need any help, post it over on Fathom (it’s easier to find posts there) and I will do what I can to help you out finding the right RAM.

You may not be able to get a 133 DIMMS to work, it’s fully dependent upon your mother board and the other components in your system. The MoBo manufacturer will be able to tell you best based on what is in your system.

In addition, to check pricing, I have found that www.pricewatch.com can be one of the best resources to find reasonably priced hardware and software.