RAM

[farmer]

Another dimwit question

Just bought two matching sticks of 1gb ram (2gb total) for my sons computer to replace the single 256 it had before, it is compatable pc2100 format but the puter wont boot up with both or either one singly , but will when I sling the old 256 back in . is the ram duff or have I overloaded the capabilities of the motherboard (VIA couple of years old runing a 1700 meg Celeron chip)your input would be greatfully recieved

thanks
Ian

[__LEE__]

Silly question but did you check compatability before buying it?

If not then you can check with crucial's website www.crucial.com/uk/

[Muncher]

It's probably more than the motherboard can handle, but that CPU is seriously in need of an upgrade to go with the 2GB.

[ThePassenger]

If you have the motherboard manual look up the valid memory configurations, if you don't have the manual, either tell us who the manufacturer is and the model number or break out the torch and scour the mobo looking for the manufacturer and model number (even on OEM equipment it will be stamped... somewhere).

Considering the age of the system it might not be physically capable of handling that much memory or in that configuration.

[farmer]

Oh balls

Looks like my sons stone age puter is ready for the dump , I can't find the manual I think it's in his bedroom and he's asleep I will look it up and get back tommorow, but can I replace the cpu without the motherboard and if I replace them the bronze age ram I've bought will not be compatable anyway ,

I know me cars but obviously not me puters

[Muncher]

Ditch the lot and go for a complete new one. Dell have some silly deals on all the time.

[__LEE__]

See if you can send the RAM back and in all honesty I would buy a new PC. You will need to upgrade the motherboard to house a modern CPU and then you will need new RAM and probably a new HD and graphics card would be a good idea.

You can pick up a reasonable PC for less than 500 these days and in the long term that will be much more cost effective.

If you need any advice on parts or PC's post the question here before you buy and I am sure someone will be along to help you out.

[farmer]

My decrepid computer is a notch down from his and is a M789 pc ddr266 system board with an embarrasingly pathetic VIA c3 Samuel2 1500+ and aparrently integrates VIA CLE266 Northbridge and 8235 Southbridge chipsets that support DDR 266MHz Ultra DMA 33/66/100/133 function . and will suport a max installed memory of 2gb ( 200/266mhz ddr memory bus )


this is the RAM i have for my sons marginaly better spec puter
Corsair 2GB (2 X 1024MB) PC-2100 DDR RAM

Corsair CM72SD1024RLP-2100 1GB Registered PC-2100 DDR RAM, 64Mx72 ECC, 184-pin DIMM.


do all these things mean anything to you guys I see from my inbox that youve already answered again so here it goes back in the mix

[farmer]

lets not get carried away
I know all you IT junkies scrap yours every 6 months.BUT some of us need to keep them a little longer cus 500 notes is not chicken feed

[farmer]

__LEE__ said:

See if you can send the RAM back and in all honesty I would buy a new PC. You will need to upgrade the motherboard to house a modern CPU and then you will need new RAM and probably a new HD and graphics card would be a good idea.

You can pick up a reasonable PC for less than 500 these days and in the long term that will be much more cost effective.

If you need any advice on parts or PC's post the question here before you buy and I am sure someone will be along to help you out.

The HD was new this year 80 gb (yea remember those tiddlers) and the radeon Graphics card is still satisfactory for his gaming needs which are basicly Simms 2

I can probably sell the RAM on for a profit so not a problem so long as I know that it should work for somebody

[Muncher]

£329 INC VAT and delivery:

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/top

Full base units from the outlet from £191

http://outlet.dell.com/Emea_Dfo/EuDis!1050670417!1060668909!1163633291841#inventoryTable

[farmer]

Yes I know it's cheaper to buy new every once in a while and never upgrade but think like a 14 year old with birthday money not an IT proffffesssssional with a salary and no family comitments

[ThePassenger]

farmer said:

Yes I know it's cheaper to buy new every once in a while and never upgrade but think like a 14 year old with birthday money not an IT proffffesssssional with a salary and no family comitments

Ok. Fleabay.

Say an Nvidia nForce2 chipset board, a Barton core Athlon XP+ at say 2800, drop the 2GB RAM in along with his old HDD and boom boom shake the room, as the kids would say innit

Cheaper (maybe) than a new computer, massive hoik in terms of power.

Alternatively... Look at Novatech.co.uk they do 'upgrade bundles' that are cheap as chips, bring your own HDD. £150 for a Semperon 2800, 256MB RAM, built-in video, sound, Ethernet and such.

Or take the RAM back, get 2x512MB sticks and call it job jobbed

Edited by ThePassenger on Wednesday 15th November 23:51

[pebbledash]

To be honest I agree with what the rest are saying, if you add up the cost of the parts to build a PC these days its not cost efective. I only build ones when the get to the poin tof being special, IE stupid type spec, at this point del and the like are no longer comparative on price (and I do get a good deal with dell)

if you toted up the cost of Motherboard RAM and CPU (the three ALWAYS go hand in hand for upgrades) they you are talking (usualy) 200-300 notes. my advive is go Dell or the like. For the same money you can get a complete system Usualy including a TFT screen, if you don't aim at the total budget end it should last a couple of years...

[ThePassenger]

pebbledash said:

To be honest I agree with what the rest are saying, if you add up the cost of the parts to build a PC these days its not cost efective. I only build ones when the get to the poin tof being special, IE stupid type spec, at this point del and the like are no longer comparative on price (and I do get a good deal with dell)

Ahh hell, with the advent of their XPS range Dell even have the "stupidly high spec'd games rigs" done to a T, everything from ikkle P4's, through stonk laptops up to Quad-SLi Core 2 Duo machines... the only time I'd self build these days is if I was building something very none standard (i.e. water / freon cooled) otherwise I can get cheaper results by playing with the configuration utility on their website.

[jimmyjimjim]

Really? last time I specced up a machine from Dell it was 1100 quid to build it myself, or another 1600 for them to do it for me.
Needless to say, I went DIY.
Thats was SLi with a couple of 7800GTx's; for anything less than that, buy from Dell.

[twister]

ThePassenger said:

otherwise I can get cheaper results by playing with the configuration utility on their website.

Really? I've taken another look at Dell's custom config pricing for XPS systems (having just ordered a bundle of bits for my new self-build), and some of the prices being quoted are insane - 259 quid for an additional 500GB internal HD, 141 quid to upgrade from an E6400 to an E6600, and after twiddling the config to get as close to my self-build spec as possible (without exceeding it in any aspect, and falling short in HD space and gfx performance) the grand total was still several hundred quid over... The accessories aren't much better either-71 quid for a 512MB USB key, are they having a laugh?!?

[ThePassenger]

twister said:

ThePassenger said:

otherwise I can get cheaper results by playing with the configuration utility on their website.

Really? I've taken another look at Dell's custom config pricing for XPS systems (having just ordered a bundle of bits for my new self-build), and some of the prices being quoted are insane - 259 quid for an additional 500GB internal HD, 141 quid to upgrade from an E6400 to an E6600, and after twiddling the config to get as close to my self-build spec as possible (without exceeding it in any aspect, and falling short in HD space and gfx performance) the grand total was still several hundred quid over... The accessories aren't much better either-71 quid for a 512MB USB key, are they having a laugh?!?

Yes, the XPS systems do command a premium and you might well find things cheaper if you tinker with the SOHO base units. Having said that, I personally am happy to pay the premium on XPS equipment for my own use, because I love having the fall back of next business day warranty and English speaking, none scripted support on the telephone as standard.

Hate to say it but having done home building stuff before, scouting around for the cheapest price on stuff, then had to keep track of where I brought what for warranty repairs... all of that hassle in terms of time = money... Dell are cheaper, because it's just "here is my problem, make it go away". But that's just my opinion.

[jimmyjimjim]

I'd have to have the whole lot catch fire and burn a hole through to the center of the earth for the 1600 quid markup to be justifiable as peace of mind!

[farmer]

jimmyjimjim said:

I'd have to have the whole lot catch fire and burn a hole through to the center of the earth for the 1600 quid markup to be justifiable as peace of mind!