Upgrading Memory

[BangMePlz]

A search netted me nothing, and I can't seem to locate enough information from my motherboards listed specifications to answer this on my own. So here goes .........

COMPAQ Presario SR1930NX Desktop PC

ASUS P5RC-LE Motherboard

I want to upgrade the RAM in this from the supplied 512MB to 2GB (2x1GB). Respectable brand name PC3200 DDR 400MHz RAM is ridiculously overpriced IMHO. So I need to resort to ebay to get affordable RAM. I'm trying to avoid all the off-brand stuff you see from powersellers with tons of ads. Now I realize I should be looking for Non-ECC, but I came across an auction for ECC Registered PC3200 DDR 400 for a desktop. The seller claims there are three types of RAM (NON-ECC, ECC, AND ECC REGISTERED) and this RAM will work in a desktop PC but warns to be sure it is compatible with whatever PC it's to be used in. Now I don't know everything I'd like to know about RAM so I'm asking here:

1. Will ECC Registered RAM work properly with this motherboard?

2. If not, will any off-brand low density RAM work properly with this motherboard?

3. Does the RAM I put in the PC need to be matched, or can I have a 512 of Samsung and a 512 or 1GB of Kingston?

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

[Woodwood]

Quick answers to your points:

1. Might do, but I wouldn't risk it.

2. If it's very cheap, I'd try it but be prepared for it not not to work properly.  I wouldn'tt buy Koybe, they seem to be scam merchants in quite few cases (search on internet).  If you're in UK MrMemory are quite cheap and guaranteed to work in your PC.  One ebay seller told me he has successfully used Kingston modules for Lenovo systems successfully in his HP machine, which seems to suggest compatibility.  I buy a Kingston odule not designed for my PC but the right nominal spec. on this iformation, and take the hit if it didn't work properly.  i could always resell it on ebay !

3. I don't know the answer to this one, many PCs need paired DIMMs to operate.  If your PC is fairly old, and having capacity for only 2GB RAM like mine, I suspect it is, you can mix different DIMMs like I've done.  I also got cheap 1GB PC2700 RAM for my PC recently, and it seems to work fine with my (unknown brand) 512MB DIMM, shows up as 1.57GB in my system, and while I don't quite understand what CPU-Z is telling me (maybe my Motherboard just won't work that fast) the memory seems OK

The Crucial "memory cofigurator says "Although the memory can be installed one module at a time, the best performance comes from using matched pairs of modules" about the Presario SR1930NX in particular, as well as referring to the particular DIMMs I have given above.

I'll try to look up you specs by-and-by

[BangMePlz]

Thanks Woodwood,

Based on the fact that the PC comes with Norton 2006, I'd say the PC is 5 - 6 years old. If I'm unable to use the cheaper priced RAM's, I would go the next cheapest route which is to add a stick to the already existing Samsung 512 MB installed. 1.5 GB should suffice for Windows XP Home, but I would really prefer to have 2 GB or more for possible gaming considerations. According to specs "Maximum HP/Compaq approved memory is 2 GB", which may mean 2 GB is not max, but there is not enough information on the motherboard to say one way or the other.

[Woodwood]

You  won't be able to install any more than 2GB.  You only have 2 slots for DIMM modules on your motherboard, and I'm pretty certain that a 2GB module (if you can find any) won't work at all.  It doesn't say maximum recommended, it says maximum allowed. Maybe if you're you're using it for high intensity graphics with games, you should think about upgrading your graphics with a separate graphics card (via the PCI/PCIE slots) to one with one with higher speed and more on-board memory, but I don't know a lot about that.  Research it, and get it cheap ! Certainly there was one game I couldn't run on my PC until a got an upgraded graphics card.

I too was unable to find anything about whether you need to use paired modules or EEC modules etc in your PC.  Go by what the supplied-with-PC module type is, is it ECC / buffered ?  Prob non-ECC/unbuffered/no parity

You might find a memory  module(s) of the right spec on ebay. I've written to Crucial asking why they don't recommend their CT12864Z40B module for your PC, there is likely to be one of those around.  You could ask some of the other manufacturers (not Kingston, they won't have tested any but the recommended module) e.g., Corsair, SuperTalent. If your PC was originally supplied with a Samsung module then it seems a good bet that the 1GB module in that series would function in your PC.  I haven't seen any of the recommended Kingston type on ebay here in the UK but I've been looking at PC2700.

As I said, you could get a module cheap on ebay, put it in, and if doesn't work properly, sell it again on ebay.

Woody

14.June.2011

[Big_Dave]

Hi BangMePlz,

You mentioned "possible gaming considerations" in one of your posts.  We don't know what your expectations are for gaming and which games you what to play but your PC is not a decent gaming PC.  Even if you max of the memory, install a gaming quality video card, upgrade the power supply and install the best processor for your PC, your PC will still not be a good gaming PC. 

My advice is to consider what the total of all the upgrades would be then match that money against the cost of a new PC.

[Woodwood]

Bangmeplz

Reply from Crucial is:

"Thank you for contacting us. Your Compaq Presario SR1930NX is a dual channel system that has 2 memory slots. Each slot will support up to 1GB of memory, for a maximum of 2GBs. Please visit the following link for the correct RAM upgrade for your system:

http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=13C3D66CA5CA7304

The reason that the website did not give you CT580123 in a basic search for 1GB modules is that while they are the same base part the CT580123 is guaranteed to be compatible with your system. CT12864Z40B should work fine also, it is just not the specialized part number for your system."

A consequenvce of Dual Channel is that best performance is achieved when two identical modules are installed in the two slots (I was wrong my first reply when I thought that it didn't matter).  It might mean for example if you have 1GB + 512MB that your PC sees only 1GB in total, though I don't know what if anyrthing would show as being wrong.

[Lubblig]

But will you need to upgrade any power supply if you upgrade from 3 gb of ram to 8 gb of ram?

I have hp pavilon a6710sc . It has a 300 w power supply.

[BangMePlz]

Ummmmmmmmm ...........

Don't worry bout the possible gaming stuff I mentioned, it was just a poor choice of words. Off topic for my original question.

I'll re-word and re-post my original questions in it's own thread.

Thanks for the replies guys, and thanks for the time taken to look up the info you did Woodwood.

[rolandaragona2]

purchased a p7-1037c sams club...complete set ie., screen tower, whole set.

i cannot find exact ram upgrade part number. i want to go to 8gb to 16gb...simple...what do i buy?

RA

[Big_Dave]

Hi rolandaragona2,

Review the specifications for the motherboard in your PC.  Look under the memory upgrade information.  Open up your PC and look to see how many memory dimms are installed.

You will need four 4 GB memory dimms to get your PC up to 16 GB.  You can download CPU-Z and then verify the specification of the dimms installed in your PC. 

I would recommend that you go to Corsair, Crucial or the Kingston web site and use the memory tool to see what is recommended.  Then I would contact the technical support area and explain your current configuration and ask then if the memory tool has recommended the correct memory dimms for your PC.

If you are not using a 64 bit operating system then upgrading to 16 GB is not going to be beneficial.