Upgrading RAM on a DELL?

R

remember

New Member
I have been reading quite a bit, but seem to be getting more and more confused.

I wanted to upgrade some of the DELL GX270 and 170L models (Pentium 4's and Celerons) RAM from mostly 512MB, some only 256MB, but can't figure out which RAM to get.

On the DELL website it says PC3200 RAM, but on another website (where the RAM is less expensive) it says that the GX270's will only handle up to 2GB of RAM if using PC3200. Thus I'm preferrably considering the PC2700RAM which will alow me to upgrade to 4GB.

Can anybody recommend me what to do about this? I definitely want to buy RAM that can be used when I decide to upgrade to the maximum 4GB and don't want to have to throw away 2GB of RAM just because its PC3200 and not PC2700. Please let me know of any other details to consider for this, like the logical type numbers which seem to differ from one RAM vendor to another. Thank you for any help.
 
I don't think you'll need 4GB in the forseeable future but you can put PC2700 in with it.
 
Different speeds of RAM does not allow you to expand even more. If you're motherboard is limited to 2GB, then you can only use 2GB. Wheither it's PC2100, PC2700, or PC3200, it makes no difference.

Download and run CPUz and see what speed RAM the system's use. I suspect PC3200. You can use slower RAM, but you'll obviously loose some performance. Same goes, if you upgrade to PC3200 but he mobo supports PC2700, you'll be limited to 2700.

Even if these systems could support 4GB, that's overkill for even some of today's current systems. 2GB is more than I'd even stick in those machines. 1GB should be plenty for each. You have to think of the hardware. Just because they have more memory doesn't mean they will work faster. You're still going to be limited by the processor and what not.
 
To: The_Other_One

If by CPUz, you mean the free program from cpuid.com, then I am having some problems with that. On some of the computers it shows much detail under the SPD. The ones I can remember a PC value for were, 2700, but on others, like this one, only the module size is revealed under SPD.
Please let me know what to do or what to look at, as I cant figure out what Im doing wrong.

Also, I wasn't totally planning on putting 4GB on all of these computers, but only 1. I thought that the more RAM I had, the more Internet Windows (applications) could be opened simultaneously without slowing down the computer performance? I love having many IE windows open at the same time. I dont understand why you say 1GB is as much as you would stick in these machines, when they were designed to go up to 4GB, for what reason?

Cromewell: I dont understand your latest post. "All 4 slots filled = PC2700 instead of 3200" What does that mean?
 
It's a common motherboard thing where if you fill all 4 slots it goes 1 speed lower than max.
 
Cromewell:

So essentially, if I use 4 1GB PC2700 RAM sticks, my system will go one speed slower? which would be PC2100?
 
I haven't actually tested it, I just know about the clocking down deal but I think that the speed maxes at 1 below the motherboard limit (ie I don't think 4xPC2700 would be affected, only 4xPC3200).
 
Listed below are all the DDR 333 RAM's I have been offered.
DDR333 DDR333/PC2700 184PIN
00014 D27PB1GJ STT D333 1G/64X8 CL2.5 16CH $90.50
00015 D27PB1GN STT D333 1G/64X8 CL2.5 16CH CALL
00230 D256M333SO M368L3223E/FTN-CB3 SAM/O CALL
00233 D256M333MO PC2700/DDR333 32X64 MT/O CALL
00272 D333/1GSAO DDR333 1G SAMSUNG/O $97.50
00273 D333/1GSAM PC2700 1G/64X8 SAM CL2.5 $96.00
00274 D333/1GMT PC2700 1024M 128X64 NO/ECC/REG $95.00
19490 D1G333KI KVR333X64C25/1G KINGSTON/O $101.00
19548 D333HX1GK2 KHX2700K2/1G HYPER KIT KINGSTO $116.00



Can you tell me which one(s) for the 1GB sticks will work for me?
I dont understand any of the details except for DDR333 and MB size, like the 64 x 8 or 128 x 64 which is the same number on the DELL website listed under"Logical Type". How do I figure out what "logical type" or RAM configuration?, if thats what this is, I have for buying the right RAM?
 
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does anyone?

have a stick of Old DDR ram they dont need anymore? im building a computer for a friend and i need some DDR ram to test it out. just something like 64 mb is fine. i f u got some u dont need contact me thanks.:D
 
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