Upgrading RAM

vbimport
#1

Hey guys so I’m upgrading my RAM, and my computer supports…
DDR2 PC2-5300 and DDR2 PC2-4200
I’m on a site looking at ram and I found this…
GB Micro 1GB DDR2 PC5300/4200 Memory
It says DDR2 and it says 5300/4200 but it doesn’t say PC2 it says PC, can I still use it? I found more RAM on the site thats 5300/4200 and it says DDR2 but they all say PC. I then went on bestbuy.com and found RAM that said PC2 but it was 80 bucks.

#2

Please give us your motherboard, or make and model if you have a Dell/Gateway, so we can better assist you.

Chances are your motherboard will be compatible with almost any DDR2 memory.

2GB (1GBx2) memory kits are available super cheap online:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010170147%201052108080%201052308477&name=2GB%20(2%20x%201GB)

#3

[QUOTE=adict2jane;2154232]Please give us your motherboard, or make and model if you have a Dell/Gateway, so we can better assist you.

Chances are your motherboard will be compatible with almost any DDR2 memory.

2GB (1GBx2) memory kits are available super cheap online:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010170147%201052108080%201052308477&name=2GB%20(2%20x%201GB)[/QUOTE]

It’s a Dell Dimension 3100, I went on the Crucial site and the information I gave you is what it said I can use.

#4

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim3100/en/sm/parts0.htm#wp1043338
This is the manual for the computer. Isn’t really helpful at all. Just says that your computer uses DDR2 memory and that mixed memory will run at the slowest stick speeds. But you should be able to use any speed DDR2 memory, PC4200, PC6400, etc.

If you do get any of the memory kits from newegg.com or anywhere else, just make sure that the sticks are rated at 1.8 Volts.

Hope I was helpful :slight_smile:

#5

[QUOTE=adict2jane;2154272]http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim3100/en/sm/parts0.htm#wp1043338
This is the manual for the computer. Isn’t really helpful at all. Just says that your computer uses DDR2 memory and that mixed memory will run at the slowest stick speeds. But you should be able to use any speed DDR2 memory, PC4200, PC6400, etc.

If you do get any of the memory kits from newegg.com or anywhere else, just make sure that the sticks are rated at 1.8 Volts.

Hope I was helpful :)[/QUOTE]

Not quite. The trouble with that recommendation is that a lot of PC2-6400 memory has an SPD (Serial Presence Detect) chip that knows only its rated speed - and nothing slower. And a lot of Corsair-branded PC2-6400 memory has an SPD chip whose only data slower than the rated speed is a nonstandard PC2-4320 speed. Most name-brand (OEM) systems require an SPD which has valid data for exactly the memory speeds that are officially supported by that system. I tried a PC2-6400 module on a name-brand system which supported only up to PC2-5300 memory, and the system wouldn’t even POST at all (and the OEM system offers no provision at all whatsoever to manually set anything). The SPD-programmed speeds must EXACTLY match those memory speeds which are officially supported by the system or else the system will not even POST!

#6

[QUOTE=RJL65;2155329]Not quite. The trouble with that recommendation is that a lot of PC2-6400 memory has an SPD (Serial Presence Detect) chip that knows only its rated speed - and nothing slower. And a lot of Corsair-branded PC2-6400 memory has an SPD chip whose only data slower than the rated speed is a nonstandard PC2-4320 speed. Most name-brand (OEM) systems require an SPD which has valid data for exactly the memory speeds that are officially supported by that system. I tried a PC2-6400 module on a name-brand system which supported only up to PC2-5300 memory, and the system wouldn’t even POST at all (and the OEM system offers no provision at all whatsoever to manually set anything). The SPD-programmed speeds must EXACTLY match those memory speeds which are officially supported by the system or else the system will not even POST![/QUOTE]

Lol could you anwser my question :stuck_out_tongue:

#7

[QUOTE=blasteryui;2155528]Lol could you anwser my question :P[/QUOTE]

In your case, then you can use memory that’s specifically labeled as compatible with DDR2-667 {PC(2)-5300} and/or DDR2-533 {PC(2)-4200} systems. Most DDR2-800 (PC2-6400) memory, unfortunately, are not fully compatible with systems running lower-speed memory unless you are easily able to manually set the memory speed to a lower setting (which most, if not all, OEM systems lack).