Forum Home
Press F1
 
Thread ID: 107244 2010-02-09 21:56:00 Adding more RAM - advice please? John H (8) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
856758 2010-02-10 00:46:00 Ha! I didn't read far enough in the Everest report. When you get down to the memory device descriptions, each of them is described as 256MB; hence the 1024 total. I don't understand the conflict between the first set of figures and these ones. It looks like Windows is correct; I only have 1024 MB of RAM. John H (8)
856759 2010-02-10 00:49:00 hmm I think this

[ Memory Devices / A0 ]
Form Factor DIMM
Size 512 MB
Device Locator A0
Bank Locator Bank0/1 <-- means the first and second slot make up 512 mb?? Since it says Bank 0 and 1?
Speedy Gonzales (78)
856760 2010-02-10 01:01:00 Sadly no, here is the full section of the report:

[ Memory Devices / A0 ]

Memory Device Properties:
Form Factor DIMM
Size 512 MB
Speed 200 MHz
Total Width 64-bit
Data Width 64-bit
Device Locator A0
Bank Locator Bank0/1

[ Memory Devices / A1 ]

Memory Device Properties:
Form Factor DIMM
Size 512 MB
Speed 200 MHz
Total Width 64-bit
Data Width 64-bit
Device Locator A1
Bank Locator Bank2/3

[ Memory Devices / A2 ]

Memory Device Properties:
Form Factor DIMM
Size 512 MB
Speed 200 MHz
Total Width 64-bit
Data Width 64-bit
Device Locator A2
Bank Locator Bank4/5

[ Memory Devices / A3 ]

Memory Device Properties:
Form Factor DIMM
Size 512 MB
Speed 200 MHz
Total Width 64-bit
Data Width 64-bit
Device Locator A3
Bank Locator Bank6/7
John H (8)
856761 2010-02-10 01:04:00 Well the only way to find out is to open the case. And see what it says on the labels, on the sticks Speedy Gonzales (78)
856762 2010-02-10 02:09:00 Will do. John H (8)
856763 2010-02-10 02:37:00 Assume this is socket 939 you can't have more than 2 sticks of double-sided memory without reverting to DDR-333 speed.

So 4x 1GB sticks is only useful if they are single sided. And all the cheap ones are double sided.
Agent_24 (57)
856764 2010-02-10 03:10:00 Yes, it is socket 939. The rest of your message is unwelcome news, but thank you for it anyway...

Oddly, when I was sold this processor and motherboard combination, I was told that I was future-proofing my pc! Hah! Another urban myth bites the dust.
John H (8)
856765 2010-02-10 03:22:00 Oddly, when I was sold this processor and motherboard combination, I was told that I was future-proofing my pc! Hah!

That may have been true like 5-10 yrs ago, but it isnt now
Speedy Gonzales (78)
856766 2010-02-10 03:35:00 Yes, it is socket 939. The rest of your message is unwelcome news, but thank you for it anyway...

Oddly, when I was sold this processor and motherboard combination, I was told that I was future-proofing my pc! Hah! Another urban myth bites the dust.

Considering it still, apparently, is serving reasonably well on a platform 6 years old (and that is OLD for PC technology - the 939 platform has been superceded 3 times since in AM2, AM2+ and AM3, and is shortly going to be again), I'd say it was relatively futureproof ;)

But yes, chances are they're double-sided DIMMs 512MB, but as Agent24 said, you won't get to use four double-sided DIMMs in that board, so they're effectively running as 256MB each. You may be able to force them to DDR333 in the BIOS and gain the extra 1GB usable that's sitting there doing nothing.
inphinity (7274)
856767 2010-02-10 04:36:00 Considering it still, apparently, is serving reasonably well on a platform 6 years old (and that is OLD for PC technology - the 939 platform has been superceded 3 times since in AM2, AM2+ and AM3, and is shortly going to be again), I'd say it was relatively futureproof ;)

Goodness, and here's silly old me thinking this is quite a new computer! Sigh. But you are right, it is serving reasonably well, and when it comes to my original issue of speed, I suspect I am being a fuss-budget. Goodness knows when I last had a clean install of Windows XP too, so I should be circumspect about Microsoft abuse.


But yes, chances are they're double-sided DIMMs 512MB, but as Agent24 said, you won't get to use four double-sided DIMMs in that board, so they're effectively running as 256MB each. You may be able to force them to DDR333 in the BIOS and gain the extra 1GB usable that's sitting there doing nothing.

I will pull it apart on the weekend and see what I have got. If I only have 1GB of usable RAM I may have a word with the techie who set up this computer with the first two sticks, and then sold me the second pair when I said I thought I needed more. Hard to believe he wouldn't have known about the double-sided/single sided issue. It is a bit off if I have been sold the wrong kind. I have no comeback on him given how long ago this was set up, but still... Perhaps he will come to terms on a good price for replacement proper spec RAM! :lol:
John H (8)
1 2 3 4