Tony Hill
08-20-2003, 06:45 PM
On 20 Aug 2003 10:47:51 -0700, neli.carsten@web.de (carsten r.) wrote:I'd like to extend my PC (DELL Dimension 8100) with new 512 MB RAM.Dell recommends a kit with two Kingston 256 MB Sticks (KTD-DM800/512).Could i use each "RDRAM PC800" module/stick (for example Samsungnon-ECC MR16R1628DF0-CM8) or must i buy the DELL/Kingston kit.
Any stick should do the trick, so long as it has the same
specifications. Three things to look for, speed (which you've already
got, it's PC800), ECC/non-ECC, and the density of the chips. The last
one is a bit trickier than the others. For 256MB memory modules you
can make them using 4 chips of 512Mbit a piece, 8 chips of 256Mbit a
piece or 16 chips of 128Mbit each. Unfortunately some motherboards
don't support memory densities beyond a certain point, ie the board
might support up to 256Mbit chips but not 512Mbit chips. FWIW the
Intel i850 chipset used by your computer supports up to 256Mbit (or
288Mbit with ECC) chips.
My personal recommendation is normally just to go to www.crucial.com
and go through their memory configuration. However, unfortunately
this is not an option in your case since you are looking for RDRAM,
and Micron/Crucial were rather opposed to RDRAM and Rambus in general.
As a back up plan, try www.meman.com and use their memory
configurator. They have a 512MB kit (pair of 256MB modules) listed
for your system that is essentially identical to the Kingston one
except that it only costs $212 vs. the $400 that Kingston is charging.
-------------
Tony Hill
hilla <underscore> 20 <at> yahoo <dot> ca
Any stick should do the trick, so long as it has the same
specifications. Three things to look for, speed (which you've already
got, it's PC800), ECC/non-ECC, and the density of the chips. The last
one is a bit trickier than the others. For 256MB memory modules you
can make them using 4 chips of 512Mbit a piece, 8 chips of 256Mbit a
piece or 16 chips of 128Mbit each. Unfortunately some motherboards
don't support memory densities beyond a certain point, ie the board
might support up to 256Mbit chips but not 512Mbit chips. FWIW the
Intel i850 chipset used by your computer supports up to 256Mbit (or
288Mbit with ECC) chips.
My personal recommendation is normally just to go to www.crucial.com
and go through their memory configuration. However, unfortunately
this is not an option in your case since you are looking for RDRAM,
and Micron/Crucial were rather opposed to RDRAM and Rambus in general.
As a back up plan, try www.meman.com and use their memory
configurator. They have a 512MB kit (pair of 256MB modules) listed
for your system that is essentially identical to the Kingston one
except that it only costs $212 vs. the $400 that Kingston is charging.
-------------
Tony Hill
hilla <underscore> 20 <at> yahoo <dot> ca