Upgrading RAM - What are my options?

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Paulthagerous

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#43593 21-Oct-2009 18:00

Hey guys,

My desktop is about 5-6 years old I think, and I am finding that often it is slowing down. I plan to get a new PC next year, but in the mean time I was looking at just getting more RAM for it. At the moment it has 2x512mB sticks in it. I want to probably put 2x1GB sticks in it. However, I would like to know:

How can I tell what ram it will take and what it wont?

How many Mhz can it take (at the moment it has, I think, 400mhz? Not sure)?

How much you think it will probably cost (I can search for prices once I know what to look for though)?

Can I simply physicaly remove the old ones and insert new ones, or will I need to instal new software?

Obviously you will need more info, not really sure what would be useful so please let me know (and how to get it!).

Cheers!

rscole86

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#265742 21-Oct-2009 18:08

Download and install and run, cpu-z. It will tell you what you need to know as far as type/speed of ram, motherbaord make/model (so you can determine limit), and if you have any free slows.

If you think you have DDR400, then that will be your limit.
It is around $70 per 1GB stick of Kingston ValueRam.
If you have four slots, I would just buy one stick, and manage with that. IE, 512x2 + 1GB = 2GB. As the ram will not be able to be used in any new machine you get in the future.

Paulthagerous

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#265772 21-Oct-2009 19:45

rscole86: Download and install and run, cpu-z. It will tell you what you need to know as far as type/speed of ram, motherbaord make/model (so you can determine limit), and if you have any free slows.

If you think you have DDR400, then that will be your limit.
It is around $70 per 1GB stick of Kingston ValueRam.
If you have four slots, I would just buy one stick, and manage with that. IE, 512x2 + 1GB = 2GB. As the ram will not be able to be used in any new machine you get in the future.

Thanks for the quick response.

I have run the program and it looks like I have 4 slots (could verify by opening box up). It is actually DDR200 at the moment, can't find on google anywhere what max Mhz it takes...

Anyway, here is what cpu-z says:

Bung

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#265777 21-Oct-2009 20:02

Paulthagerous:

I have run the program and it looks like I have 4 slots (could verify by opening box up). It is actually DDR200 at the moment, can't find on google anywhere what max Mhz it takes...

It's DDR400 (bus speed 200 = Double Data Rate 400)I don't see anything that says 4 slots there are MB with the identified components that have only 2 slots. You could always say what the box is :)

Paulthagerous

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#265825 21-Oct-2009 21:47

So thats what DDR stands for....

Anyway, I just assumed that by giving a drop down box for 4 slots there was 4 slots. After checking, it apears it has only 2.

Computer was custom-built by Quay Computers in Wellington, so not an off the shelf setup.

Oh, it has just occured to me that this is not the original motherboad: that fried and was replaced 2-3 years after it was purchased. Therefore the RAM is older than the motherboard (if it makes a difference).

So unless one of the other (different) empty slots can be used for ram I would have to replace a 512mb stick. Looking on PriceSpy, and assuming I stick to 'PC3200' because thats whats in their, would I want:

1GB PC3200 PC3300 DDR400 SDRAM $49.70
or
1GB PC3200 DDR400 ECC SDRAM $136.37

Where I have no idea what the ECC means. I would not bother if I need the expensive one, but for $49.70 I would replace at least one...

Cheers guys for all your help

Ragnor

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#266054 22-Oct-2009 12:41

ECC basically has extra error correction features and is only normally used in servers, just go with standard.