When buying RAM...

[retman]

What do you have to look out for when buying RAM for your Computer?

I already know my computer takes 'DIMM' and has two slots, one filled with 128MB RAM.

I'm planing to install 2 x 512MB RAM into my computer, making it 1GB. Since my computer has only shitty-128MB RAM, and can only handle a maximum of 512MB RAM in each slot.

1GB RAM is good....right?

i think the Upgrade would be well worth the money and it would mean i can install Ubuntu.

 

[superrob]

1GB Is good.

And the 128MB ram is maybe only at 200 Mhz... Well mine 512MB Ram is only at 200 Mhz which is VERY slow...

And with ubuntu 1GB ram is perfect

 

[kellyan95]

2GB is what you need these days for gaming systems. Make sure to get the right speed though. I have 2x1GB DDR2 800 overclocked to 900mhz. Only cost $88

 

[Friction Baby]

You should take a stick of your current ram and match the specs of your current ram to the new one, If you have the manual follow it to purchase your new ram.

Remember try not to match old ram with new ram because if the new ram works at a higher Mhz and the old one is a lower Mhz then the computer will function at the lower of the two

 

[retman]

1GB Is good.

And the 128MB ram is maybe only at 200 Mhz... Well mine 512MB Ram is only at 200 Mhz which is VERY slow...

And with ubuntu 1GB ram is perfect

ah, so i need to check out the speed of the RAM?

2GB is what you need these days for gaming systems. Make sure to get the right speed though. I have 2x1GB DDR2 800 overclocked to 900mhz. Only cost $88


I don't do any Gaming on my Computer.

QUOTE(Friction Baby @ Sep 1 2007, 09:54 PM)Remember try not to match old ram with new ram because if the new ram works at a higher Mhz and the old one is a lower Mhz then the computer will function at the lower of the two

But I'm intending to remove the old RAM and replace it with new 512MB ram.

 

[Darkforce]

2GB is what you need these days for gaming systems. Make sure to get the right speed though. I have 2x1GB DDR2 800 overclocked to 900mhz. Only cost $88

Did you not read the post? His system can only accomodate 1GB.

But yes retman you will see a huge differerence in performance going from 128MB to 1GB. Other thing you should find out is the type; it should be either SD or DDR depending on age of machine - it should say on the stick of RAM you have in there already.

 

[retman]

I also heard about 'pins' what about those?

2GB is what you need these days for gaming systems. Make sure to get the right speed though. I have 2x1GB DDR2 800 overclocked to 900mhz. Only cost $88
Did you not read the post? His system can only accomodate 1GB.

But yes retman you will see a huge differerence in performance going from 128MB to 1GB. Other thing you should find out is the type; it should be either SD or DDR depending on age of machine - it should say on the stick of RAM you have in there already.

Ah okay, thanks. I might check out the stick of RAM i have already tomorrow.

So i need to compare the old stick of RAM to the new RAM and have them both matching, but just different speeds and MB?

 

[Friction Baby]

So i need to compare the old stick of RAM to the new RAM and have them both matching, but just different speeds and MB?

Right

 

[retman]

Coooool

Will my old RAM say what pins it has?

i heard theres different pins - 168-pin and 184-pin.

 

[kellyan95]

Use CPU-Z to see the type of ram you have now

 

[retman]

Cool, i checked using CPU-Z and i have 'SDRAM'


and when i google for SDRAM all i get is '168-pin' so i guess that is what i need.


168-pin, DIMM, 512MB SDRAM.



Dunno about the speed tho.

 

[Friction Baby]

Do you have the manual for the motherboard, if not what is the name of the motherboard?

 

[retman]

Do you have the manual for the motherboard, if not what is the name of the motherboard?

Er..i don't have time to find manuals

The name....sorry I'm new to this stuff, what option in CPU Z would tell me the name?

 

[kellyan95]

It's either PC 66, PC 100, or PC 133. This type of ram is very old, and very expensive. $100 for 2x512MB sticks on newegg

 

[Dirtie]

Yeah, old SDRAM like that is now outdated, hard to find, and expensive. You'd be much better off just building or buying a cheap new PC

 

[cubin']

Hrmmz I've got a stick of 128mb PC133 SDRAM sitting in the desk I'm at now. Probably not enough since you want to go up to 1GB but let me know if you want it.

 

[nephdj]

512 is fine for XP, aslong as you have a video card with ram