Laptop Memory Upgrades
Author
Discussion

nicecupoftea

Original Poster:

25,606 posts

281 months

Monday 24th July 2006
quotequote all
I have a Compaq Armada e500 that I acquired recently that is desperately seeking more memory.

However, I'm having a really hard time trying to work out what it takes/needs.

It's a PIII 800MHz, and apparently has 2 memory slots - each currently filled with a 128MB 144 pin SODIMM.

Every time I do a search on the e500 it seems there are loads of different versions with different numbers after them, none of which match what is on the bottom of mine.

All I can find out is that they take a maximum of 512MB, and they are fussy about what memory they use.

I did a bit of research a few months ago and found a site selling the required memory at a reasonable price, with loads of comments from people with the same laptops saying that it's worked (even though they bought PC133 when it was supposed to be PC100 - think it was that way round). In fact one of the modules in at the moment is a PC133.

Have spent an hour or so googling but can't find this page again, and can't find the memory at a reasonable price (was hoping to get the modules for 20 quid or so apiece, that was what I was looking at recently, I'm sure).

Can anybody help??

greenlandy

1,635 posts

261 months

Monday 24th July 2006
quotequote all
www.crucial.com/uk
Is the best place I know of.
Hope that helps.

pdV6

16,442 posts

291 months

Monday 24th July 2006
quotequote all
I would second Crucial. If you use their memory selector tool and the part doesn't work, they'll take it back with no quibbles.

Regarding PC133 vs PC100, you can always fit the faster stuff into a slower system - it'll just run at the lower speed. The other way around is asking for trouble, though!

malman

2,258 posts

289 months

Monday 24th July 2006
quotequote all
Couldn't spot it on crucial site so if its not there try here

Kingston

Seen it on above site but the URL is waaaaaaaaay to long to post

nicecupoftea

Original Poster:

25,606 posts

281 months

Monday 24th July 2006
quotequote all
Tried their scanner - came out with total rubbish!

System unsupported.
Apparently 3 slots, 2 with 128MB modules in, 1 empty!
Max possible is 310MB!

So not happy with that...

I've been looking on ebuyer - there were about 3 or 4 pages of reviews on the particular modules I found, with several people saying they had it running on the same system as me... Not sure what site though...

nicecupoftea

Original Poster:

25,606 posts

281 months

Monday 24th July 2006
quotequote all
Found it :

www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=20603681124&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X3Jldmlld3M=&product_uid=24226

OK, so it's "ebuyer" memory, but it's less than 20 quid a stick for crying out loud! A few people saying it works fine on e500s. Better than paying 150 dollars for one stick which was what I was seeing on some sites

pdV6

16,442 posts

291 months

Monday 24th July 2006
quotequote all
Yeah - funny old world isn't it? Older memory gets more expensive with time as fewer people make it and even then only in small volumes.

nicecupoftea

Original Poster:

25,606 posts

281 months

Monday 24th July 2006
quotequote all
True - and a real shame as all my machines are old sheds!

800MHz P3 Compaq Armada
233MHz P2 Toshiba Satellite
1GHz Athlon own build (currently with dead PSU!)
800MHz P3 own build

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,606 posts

281 months

Monday 31st July 2006
quotequote all
Nuts - doesn't work

Don't get it - the spec is just right.

What do people reckon, RMA it to ebuyer and ask for replacement or is it likely not to work either?

In their T&C it says they'll bill me if it turns out to be non-defective not my bloody fault if it doesn't work...

Zad

13,021 posts

266 months

Tuesday 1st August 2006
quotequote all
As I understand it, current distance selling regulations allow you to reject an item without a reason. Although subject to a restocking fee (I'm not sure what is regarded as reasonable there).

Have you tried disconnecting the battery-backup and resetting the BIOS, forcing it to detect the new memory? Obviously note down settings first. Try it in a different socket too.


nicecupoftea

Original Poster:

25,606 posts

281 months

Tuesday 1st August 2006
quotequote all
Tried it in every different combo poss - best result was one original 128MB stick and a new 256MB stick - detected 384MB but then hung while booting.

It's not even getting as far as the self test normally - power light comes on and it hangs before even spinning up the drive