Upgrading Ram
<div class="IPBDescription">need a few questions answered</div> since I got a job (amazing I know <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo--> ) and I'm getting my first paycheck soon I decided I'm gunna upgrade my computers ram from 256 up to 512 I was jsut wondering when I pop the case and put in the new ram and start up my machine will there be anything I have to do like, reinstall stuff or anythign like that or is it jsut plug and play?
Comments
It should just be plug and play.
(btw, you are buying another 256 chip right? most mother boards run 2 chips consecutively)
The ram will come w/ easy to read instructions on how to put it in. If that doesn't clear your mind on the subject then look up the hundreds of picture guides on the interweb on the subject.
And get a flashlight. It'll come in handy.
Also, you have to consider the Ram's clock speed. For SD-Ram there are 66Mhz, 100Mhz and 133Mhz. For DDR Ram you have 266Mhz, 333Mhz, 350Mhz and 400Mhz. You can have 2 chips of different clock speeds, they will just work together at the speed of the lower chip. eg. 333 and 400 = both working at 333Mhz.
There are more stuff like CL 2.5 nd CL 3.0 but I guess you don't need to know so much. Just read up about the 2 types of Ram and their speed and you should be fine.
The only hard part is making sure you have the right ram, another thing could be installing it, depending on where your motherboard is hidden :o
Speaking of which, I just upgraded my ram yesterday, from 512 to 1024mb(1gig) DDR PC-2700. Ram is one of the cheapest ways to make you computer run faster too, My computer is like weeeeeeeeeeeeee, although some people still don't know how Defrag can work wonders.
Yeah good point about the RDRAM and dual channel boards.
RDRAM is a rarity and I hope he is not unfourtunate enough to be using one. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Dual channel boards ususally have their memory slots colour coded, you will know where the other chip should go in by looking at the board itself. By the way, for dual channel to work, you need to have RAM of the same clockspeed and size(?).
Also, many places sell '512MB RAM' with ultra-mega-tiny script 'kit' after it, which means they hand you two 256-sticks. Which is irritating as all get-out.
I'd recommend before you go, find your motherboard manual and see what kind of RAM it takes. Some take both DDR and SDR... if you're using an SDR stick, you'd want to upgrade to DDR and leave the SDR out (mostly as many will refuse to boot with both kinds installed).
Failing that, open your case, find the RAM stick (a DIMM, most likely) and pop it out. You need to undo the locking levers on either end, and that should pop it out of the slot. Note which direction it's facing because there's a little 'key' on the bottom (a notch) that fits over a peg in the slot.. how they make sure you don't put it in backward, as well as how they differentiate SDR and DDR (notch in a different place).
Reinstall it to make sure you know how it feels (usually you push down until the locking levers click back into place), boot to make sure you got it right, shut down and remove it again. Take it with you, if you have an antistatic bag... leaves less room for error if they give you the 'wrong' kind.
If your mobo manual says what kind it takes, no worries. Leave the stick in, and don't take it... reduces the risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage. Just make sure they give you the right kind.
Oh.. and just a personal preference, I always put the largest DIMM in DIMMSLOT 0 (they count up from 0... 0, 1, 2, 3 on a four-slot mobo). Check your motherboard handbook for RAM configurations. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I'm looking at buying a stick of 512DDR to replace my 256 SDRAM, but the highest my motherboard can support is 266mhz, and no stores around here sell 266mhz RAM anymore... <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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From my limited experience with computar masheens, it's hard to tell if he's kidding or not.
All I know for sure is that ALL the ram in your system will only run as fast as the slowest stick. So in theory you should be fine, but don't trust me on that, I sure as hell wouldn't trust me.
DDR will not fit in an SDR slot. I'll assume you read that, and your mobo is one of the 'dual factor' types, that have slots for each kind (which can NOT be used in conjunction!!)
Running higher-rated RAM should not cause a problem. This is underclocking, and little/nothing more. I ran PC-133 sticks in PC-100 machines all the time. My only trouble came in when I didn't check one of the sticks on a transfer, and ended up running a PC-100 rated stick at PC-133... frying it horribly. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Underclocking the RAM will not hurt. In fact, it could increase the stability of the system. I would not, however, recommend leaving your old stick in, under any circumstances.
Thanks for the help. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
even if your current system will only use 333 or 266 modes, having ram capable of 400 mode means you can use it in your next system a few years from now.
only with 1.8ghz and higher CELERONS have i ever seen any problem with using ram that is too fast. because the motherboard decided to run at the speed of the ram, and celerons are only made to do 200 mhz, the processor became extremely overclocked and refused to boot up. in the event that too-fast ram makes the system not boot up, get the manual and find either a setting in the bios to force the correct processor front side bus speed, or a jumper to physically force it into the correct lower-speed.
512meg DDR266 (PC2100) - $155
512meg DDR333 (PC2700) - $139
512meg DDR400 (PC3200) - $139
Needless to say, I got the 400. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
AU$1 = CA$0.94 <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->