can u put uneven RAM in a laptop?

jordan_ellipsis · 11-02-2006, 12:15 PM

I want to buy my girlfriend some memory for her laptop, for her birthday. Her laptop currently has one 256Mb module, it has 2 sockets, 2 banks (whats the difference between sockets and banks?) and max RAM of 2Gb.

I was going to buy a 512Mb module to stick in the other socket/bank, meaning total memory would be 768Mb. Would this work? or do the two socket/banks need to have equal amounts of memory in them?

Thanks.

**Cromewell** · 11-02-2006, 12:18 PM

You don't have to match sizes. If the laptop is capable of dual channel you may want to match them though.

Angel.of.Death · 11-03-2006, 03:28 AM

LoL, i never heard of giving RAM for a girlfriends bday LOL! Try giving her some chocolates or something...

But no, you dont have to match them.

pdc76 · 11-03-2006, 04:35 AM

i second that, just don't put it in while it's turned on, lol.

jordan_ellipsis · 11-03-2006, 03:37 PM

Haha, i know its an odd present, im getting her other stuff dont worry. Just she's been moaning about her laptop being slow and she needs it loads - med student. Anyway, thanks for your help, il order that up

Crypto · 11-03-2006, 05:17 PM

depends, go here to be sure:

http://www.crucial.com/store/listmfgr.asp?cat=RAM

jordan_ellipsis · 11-08-2006, 03:19 PM

Argh! I checked that her type of laptop (Toshiba Portege A200) comes with 256Mb of RAM, and yesterday i opened it up to see how easy it is to add memory. Upon appearing the memory slots, i saw the first had a samsung 256Mb chip in it - ok - but to my surprise, and frustration, there was another memory chip in the second slot! It didnt say how much or what type, but when i turned the computer on and checked the system specs, sure enough it said 486ishMb of RAM

Therefore a swapping one of those chips for a 512Mb one wouldnt make much difference.

I dont know where that other chip came from, but when i checked the toshiba specs again, it says

Total Memory Slots : 2 (1 Slot for Secure Digital Card (SD)

What is a secure digital card, and could the other chip be one of these? If so, is it needed?

computermaineack · 11-08-2006, 10:13 PM

secure digital card is a type of media for mass storage. for example, many digital cameras use secure digital (SD) cards to store the photographs on.

EDIT: Btw, you said her laptop currently has 486mb of ram, with a 256mb card in there that we know about. well, simple subtraction says that 486-256=230mb, so she obviously has 256mb and a 230mb cards in her computer.

If you were to switch out the 230mb card for a 512mb one, it would bring her up to 768mb, a 282mb increase.

jordan_ellipsis · 11-09-2006, 11:41 AM

Yeah i saw that but can you get such a thing as a 230Mb card?

I just don't want to pay for a 512Mb card, and only get a 282Mb increase, it wont be as noticable.

**Cromewell** · 11-09-2006, 02:08 PM

No, the 'missing' RAM will have gone to the video card.

11-02-2006, 12:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
jordan_ellipsis Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 48	can u put uneven RAM in a laptop? I want to buy my girlfriend some memory for her laptop, for her birthday. Her laptop currently has one 256Mb module, it has 2 sockets, 2 banks (whats the difference between sockets and banks?) and max RAM of 2Gb. I was going to buy a 512Mb module to stick in the other socket/bank, meaning total memory would be 768Mb. Would this work? or do the two socket/banks need to have equal amounts of memory in them? Thanks.

11-02-2006, 12:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cromewell Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Canada Age: 24 Posts: 10,021	You don't have to match sizes. If the laptop is capable of dual channel you may want to match them though. __________________ You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in ruttin' command here. I must plug a couple comics because they are good :D: www.ctrlaltdel-online.com www.userfriendly.org

11-03-2006, 03:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
Angel.of.Death Silver Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 15 Posts: 213	LoL, i never heard of giving RAM for a girlfriends bday LOL! Try giving her some chocolates or something... But no, you dont have to match them. __________________ "Death is not something to be feared. It is something to be embraced."

11-03-2006, 04:35 AM	#4 (permalink)
pdc76 Platinum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 757	i second that, just don't put it in while it's turned on, lol. __________________ Intel QX9650 w/ Ultra-120 Exreme / Evga nForce 780i SLI 4Gb (2x2Gb) Corsair Dominator DDR2 1066Mhz 5-5-5-15 2 nVidia 8800GTX SLI / 22" Asus Wide LCD, 19" KDS CRT SB X-FI X-tremegamer FATAL1TY Edition w/ 64Mb X-Ram 2 Sata II 320Gb Raid 0 array, 2 Sata 110Gb Raid 0 array Super Multi Blue Blu-Ray & HD-DVD w/ Lightscribe / Floppy Antec Quattro 1000W Modular PSU / Lian-Li PC-65B case Dual Boot Vista Home Premium SP1, XP Professional SP2

11-03-2006, 05:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
Crypto Gold Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 321	depends, go here to be sure: http://www.crucial.com/store/listmfgr.asp?cat=RAM __________________ TCPROIMAGES

11-03-2006, 03:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
jordan_ellipsis Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 48	Haha, i know its an odd present, im getting her other stuff dont worry. Just she's been moaning about her laptop being slow and she needs it loads - med student. Anyway, thanks for your help, il order that up

11-08-2006, 03:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
jordan_ellipsis Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 48	Argh! I checked that her type of laptop (Toshiba Portege A200) comes with 256Mb of RAM, and yesterday i opened it up to see how easy it is to add memory. Upon appearing the memory slots, i saw the first had a samsung 256Mb chip in it - ok - but to my surprise, and frustration, there was another memory chip in the second slot! It didnt say how much or what type, but when i turned the computer on and checked the system specs, sure enough it said 486ishMb of RAM Therefore a swapping one of those chips for a 512Mb one wouldnt make much difference. I dont know where that other chip came from, but when i checked the toshiba specs again, it says Total Memory Slots : 2 (1 Slot for Secure Digital Card (SD) What is a secure digital card, and could the other chip be one of these? If so, is it needed?

11-08-2006, 10:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
computermaineack Diamond Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,239	secure digital card is a type of media for mass storage. for example, many digital cameras use secure digital (SD) cards to store the photographs on. EDIT: Btw, you said her laptop currently has 486mb of ram, with a 256mb card in there that we know about. well, simple subtraction says that 486-256=230mb, so she obviously has 256mb and a 230mb cards in her computer. If you were to switch out the 230mb card for a 512mb one, it would bring her up to 768mb, a 282mb increase. __________________ "Former Clinton advisor Dick Morris said, "Hillary Clinton will be the next President, but she'll be the worst President we've ever seen." After hearing this, President Bush said, "Wait a minute, I'm not finished yet."" -Conan O'Brien CPU: Q6600 G0 Mobo: eVGA 680i NF67-A1 Case: Antec P180B GPU: eVGA 8800GTS G92 512mb HSF: Tuniq Tower 120 RAM: 4gb DDR2-800 Corsair XMS2 4-4-4-12 PSU: Antec True Power Trio 550w Last edited by computermaineack; 11-08-2006 at 10:16 PM.

11-09-2006, 11:41 AM	#9 (permalink)
jordan_ellipsis Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 48	Yeah i saw that but can you get such a thing as a 230Mb card? I just don't want to pay for a 512Mb card, and only get a 282Mb increase, it wont be as noticable.

11-09-2006, 02:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
Cromewell Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Canada Age: 24 Posts: 10,021	No, the 'missing' RAM will have gone to the video card. __________________ You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in ruttin' command here. I must plug a couple comics because they are good :D: www.ctrlaltdel-online.com www.userfriendly.org

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