Simple RAM question (motherboard, 2GB, sound, installed)

[Lamplight]

I have a question about RAM which I imagine will be simple for anyone more knowledgeable than myself. Here is what is currently in my system:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/lamplightsg/DSCN0392.jpg (broken link)



I have two of these, but for whatever reason only one is working now, so I still only have 256mb. I don't know if the malfunction is with the RAM or the motherboard itself. But that's not really the issue for me. I've searched online and found RAM that matches this, but it seems I am limited in the maximum MB I can get. Is there another, more modern version I can get that will allow me to have at least 1GB? Forgive me for my vagueness, but I don't know what any of the numbers mean besides 256MB.

[knoxgarden]

You can get much more "modern" RAM than that, but can the motherboard handle it? That's the question. What's the make and model of the mother board?
How much RAM you can put in and what type is limited by the motherboard. So see if you can find some information on it. Or if you have the make/model number of the computer, go to crucial.com and go through their RAM finder.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by knoxgarden

You can get much more "modern" RAM than that, but can the motherboard handle it? That's the question. What's the make and model of the mother board?
How much RAM you can put in and what type is limited by the motherboard. So see if you can find some information on it. Or if you have the make/model number of the computer, go to crucial.com and go through their RAM finder.

Yea, but it won't work in his computer. The can get larger ram and upgrade in the process, and for very little more than just replacing the bad stick of RAM.

Faster RAM or DDR2, etc. will either gain no benefit, or simply will not work or even install in the slot.

But going to kingston.com or crucial.com and enter your systems make and model is the way to get the memory that will work.

[Lamplight]

Thanks for the info! :thumb: Looks like I'll have figure out which model I have now. I had the motherboard model written down, but I can't find that sheet of paper.

[mensaguy]

If your computer was made after ~2003, it will almost certainly support at least 2 GB on the motherboard. If you replace those 2 256MB sticks with 1BG sticks, it would be a huge improvement in performance for your computer. I've replaced PC2100 memory with PC2700 memory when that was all I had available and had no problem. That being said, some motherboards require specific types of memory, so checking at crucial.com is a good idea. PC2100 memory is DDR RAM that runs at 266 MHz. PC2700 is also DDR, but is designed to run at 333 MHz, but will slow down the 266 if that is what the motherboard runs at or if a piece of PC 2100 is also installed. My experience with this has been on Dell and Compaq computers. Yours may be different.

[Lamplight]

Mine is a Dell Optiplex from late 2002, so it's getting on in years. I'm not sure of the exact model still, and I haven't had a chance to look at the motherboard yet. I've also considered just waiting until Windows 7 comes out and buying a new computer. This one needs upgrades in a lot of ways, plus the sound no longer works (I started a thread about that, a couple of weeks ago) and I still haven't fixed that. I'm starting to think it might be worth it to completely replace it, though it has been fairly reliable over the years.

[mensaguy]

Look at the circle around the power button. It should say Optiplex around the top and the model around the bottom. I'm guessing it says GX 260.

[Lamplight]

Originally Posted by mensaguy

Look at the circle around the power button. It should say Optiplex around the top and the model around the bottom. I'm guessing it says GX 260.

Oh, good call. I never noticed that before.

[mensaguy]

If it is a GX-260, you can put a 1GB stick in each of the two slots on the motherboard. If you can't find PC2100 memory, PC2700 will work.

With 2GB, Windows XP can work comfortably in most cases.

[Lamplight]

Thanks mensaguy! :thumb: I'm actually running Windows 2000, which is what my computer came with. I know it's old, but I've always liked it.