View Full Version : [SOLVED] Buying New RAM and Which Types
Chrissd
December 11th, 2010, 10:00 PM
Hi all,
As per my previous thread (related to hard drive) , looking to upgrade my RAM as well. My current RAM has a sticker on saying
512MB 1Rx8 DDR2-533MHz-CL4
PC2-4200U-444-10-AD
0644-S2535676
I'm on my usual supplier for parts website, and it has lots of types. I'm trying to match up by letters, but they list:
DDR2 -PC2-8500/1066MHz(7)
DDR2 -PC2-6400/800MHz(8)
DDR2 -PC2-5300/667MHz(6)
Which of these will be compatible? Is there any particular limit on how much I can put in, or is it as much as the stick holds? Computer is a Dell Optiplex GX520.
Many thanks
Chriss
albert s
December 11th, 2010, 10:04 PM
sudo lshw
will show you how much RAM your motherboard can handle,
there is probably a better command for this, but I dont know much and I use that command if I need to find out almost anything about my hardware.
Chrissd
December 11th, 2010, 10:10 PM
Thanks, could you give an idea of which bit I'm looking for in that please? I can't see anything obvious.
I'm pretty sure according to the link below it's 2GB, but I'm not sure if that's a new version of this computer or identical mother board. I got it off ebay a little while ago.
http://www.dell.com/us/en/dfh/desktops/optix_gx520/pd.aspx?refid=optix_gx520&cs=22&s=dfh
albert s
December 11th, 2010, 10:14 PM
here
*-memory
description: System Memory
physical id: 29
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 1GiB <ram installed
capacity: 1GiB < max capacity
*-bank:0
description: DIMM DDR2
product: None
vendor: None
physical id: 0
serial: None
slot: A0
size: 512MiB
*-bank:1
description: DIMM DDR2
product: None
vendor: None
physical id: 1
serial: None
slot: A1
size: 512MiB
as you can see my computer can only handle 1G,
migs73
December 11th, 2010, 10:15 PM
sudo lshw
will show you how much RAM your motherboard can handle,
there is probably a better command for this, but I dont know much and I use that command if I need to find out almost anything about my hardware.
Where does it tell you this?
I can only see it report that I have 4Gib, 2Gib in each Slot.
Unless of course I am already at my full capabilty?
albert s
December 11th, 2010, 10:16 PM
see my above post
Chrissd
December 11th, 2010, 10:19 PM
I'm sorry, I must be really daft. This is what my memory section says, not sure why it's different to yours....
*-memory
description: System Memory
physical id: 1000
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 1GiB
*-bank:0
description: DIMM DDR Synchronous 533 MHz (1.9 ns)
product: V916764K24QAFW-E4
vendor: 4000000000000000
physical id: 0
serial: 806A0A81
slot: DIMM_1
size: 512MiB
width: 64 bits
clock: 533MHz (1.9ns)
*-bank:1
description: DIMM DDR Synchronous 533 MHz (1.9 ns)
product: 8HTF6464AY-53EF1
vendor: 2C00000000000000
physical id: 1
serial: E22374CD
slot: DIMM_2
size: 512MiB
width: 64 bits
clock: 533MHz (1.9ns)
migs73
December 11th, 2010, 10:19 PM
see my above post
Thanks, a clash of post there!!
I don't have this reported in mine
*-memory
description: System Memory
physical id: 19
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 4GiB
*-bank:0
description: DIMM DRAM Synchronous
physical id: 0
slot: DIMM_A
size: 2GiB
width: 64 bits
*-bank:1
description: DIMM DRAM Synchronous
physical id: 1
slot: DIMM_B
size: 2GiB
width: 64 bits
Never mind, I can't afford any more RAM! I was just curious as Dell say my mobo only supports 2GiB, even although I am happily running 4.
Thanks
Mike
migs73
December 11th, 2010, 10:23 PM
Chris
Maybe we are already at the max, so therefore capacity is not reported?
I suppose I could take a stick out and see what it reports then, but I am not able to do so just now.
Chrissd
December 11th, 2010, 10:32 PM
Thanks for the advice so far. If I were to buy more RAM, do you know which of the above will be compatible?
migs73
December 11th, 2010, 10:38 PM
Chris
Dell say your machine can have upto 2GB memory;
http://www.dell.com/us/en/dfh/desktops/optix_gx520/pd.aspx?refid=optix_gx520&cs=22&s=dfh
It is about half way down the specs.
Have a look and see what memory Dell would sell for your machine, and then go and find the same somewhere cheaper!!
EDIT; also if you have windows on the machine, go to http://www.crucial.com and use the memory scanning tool, to make sure you get compatible stick.
Chrissd
December 11th, 2010, 10:42 PM
No Windows installed at all I'm afraid.
migs73
December 11th, 2010, 10:45 PM
No Windows installed at all I'm afraid.
Definitely no need to apologise for that here ;)
I don't have it either!
You can use the offline memory finder as well, just follow the instructions on the site, and you could compare that to what Dell suggest, just to make sure your looking for the right stuff.
EDIT just had a look for you and this is what it says; http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=OptiPlex%20GX520
nm_geo
December 11th, 2010, 10:47 PM
Hi all,
As per my previous thread (related to hard drive) , looking to upgrade my RAM as well. My current RAM has a sticker on saying
512MB 1Rx8 DDR2-533MHz-CL4
PC2-4200U-444-10-AD
0644-S2535676I'm on my usual supplier for parts website, and it has lots of types. I'm trying to match up by letters, but they list:
DDR2 -PC2-8500/1066MHz(7)
DDR2 -PC2-6400/800MHz(8)
DDR2 -PC2-5300/667MHz(6)
Which of these will be compatible? Is there any particular limit on how much I can put in, or is it as much as the stick holds? Computer is a Dell Optiplex GX520.
Many thanks
Chriss
The 533Mhz is important..
Check this link.
http://www.memorystock.com/memory/DellOptiPlexGX520Desktop.html
Chrissd
December 11th, 2010, 10:52 PM
Wow, fantastic, that completely takes the hard work away from me.
Many thanks to all that have answered. Gratefully appreciate it!
Thanks! :D
nm_geo
December 11th, 2010, 10:59 PM
Wow, fantastic, that completely takes the hard work away from me.
Many thanks to all that have answered. Gratefully appreciate it!
Thanks! :D
I did find this as well Chrissd but I still like to keep my clock speed the same. in fact I order another 2GB today for my laptop from crucial and they are good modules.
Read this
Can I mix memory modules of different speeds, such as, say:
Using one 512MB DDR2-400 memory module and one 1024MB DDR2-533 memory module, or
The same speed memory with different latencies
Yes. The memory will just run at speed of the slower memory module.
Chrissd
December 11th, 2010, 11:02 PM
Thanks, as I have two 512MB in there at the moment, I'll have to take them out to put two 2GB slots in. They 'guarantee' that 4GB should work, so there's only one way to find out.
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