Upgrading Memory

[Woodwood]

Dear Sara,

The exact procedure depends on your model of computer.  Tell us the model of your computer ?

If you go to www.hp.com and type in the model of your computer, you might be able to find your way to page about upgrading memory for your PC.

To give you an idea this is part of info about upgrading the memory on my PC :http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/bph03886

It is likely that this webpage will be the same for your PC.

Note that in addition to the video which shows you how to..., there are some other questions you have ask yourself, the most important one is what will you gain from a memory upgrade ? before the technical ones like how much memory do I already have ? what type of memory (specification) should I buy ? how much ? where should I get it from ?

If you have any further questions, donot hesitate to ask and someone will eventually answer !

Woodwood

16.May.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A (Celeron 2.7 GHz) - - 1.5GB RAM - MSI MS6577 v2.1 - XP/SP3

[bob111146]

In updating RAM chips, besides the right number of pins do you also have to have the same MHZ, i.e. can you put 240-pin chips with 1333 MHZ into a slot that had 240 pins with 800 MHZ?

[Woodwood]

bob,

The simple answer is yes, the speeds must be the same.

But faster memory boards are sometimes compatible with lower speed clocks/motherboards, eg., you might upgrade a  PC that had PC3-6400 memory with PC3-8500 memory DIMMs (bu you wouldn't get the speed of the memory, that is determined by the mobo/clock)  You sjoldcheck on your PC's spec. which can often be found on the HP website (sometimes not !).  If you mix speeds of memory boards your system will behave as if all the memory is running at the speed of theslowest.  You may not be able to do this in all machines.

However not all memory boards of the same nominal specification will work in your PC.  You might check which memory boards are compatible with your PC using some memory vendors'  "memory configurators"  This will list the memory boards that they recommernd for your PC, though they may sell other models which work in your PC (but don't count on it)

Best performance isattained in multi-channel architecture PCs by using identical, or matched memory boards.

Good Luck

Woodwood

18.May.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A (Celeron 2.7 GHz) - MSI MS6577 v2.1 - 1.5GB RAM - XP/SP3

[bob111146]

Thanks for the fast response. The reason I asked this question is that I'm thinking of upgrading the RAM on my pc and using one of the replaced chips to upgrade my wife's PC. My wife's RAM chips are 800 MHZ and mine are 1333 MHZ. So I can't mix the two.

[Woodwood]

I did not mean to say that you definitely could not mix the two.  You may be able to, but in your wife's PC the faster memory would only work at the speed at the speed of the slower memory it is there already and you did not take that out, and if your wife's PC had room for the addition DIMMs, and it was compatible (it works in your wife's PC - no guarantee !).  in addition, if the memory from your PC will work in your wifes's, even if you removed the RAM that was there so that it only contained the RAM that had come from your PC, the speed of operation would be limited by the CPU and memory bus speed, which may or may or may not result in a system speed increase.  I would think that you would not see a tremendous speed increase because there are many factors determining the speed of a computer, including what you are doing with it.

I should be repeating myself, I hope I have not muddied the waters.

Woodwood

19.May.2012

[bob111146]

Thanks again for the fast response. Let me give you more specific info.  I have an HP slimline desktop model 5710f with 2 memory slots. It came with a 1 GB Elpida 1333 MHZ chip in one slot and a 2 GB DIMM 1333 mhz Hyundai chip in the other slot. My pc is upgradable to a maximum of  8 mb. My wife has an HP slimline desktop model 5710t with 2 memory slots : 1GB  DIMM 800 MHJZ Samsung chp in one slot and a 2 GB DIMM 800 mhz Hyundai chip in the other slot. If I up graded my pc , could I use replace my wife's 1 MB 800MHZ  chip with my 2MB 1333 MHZ chip. In other words when i upgrade my pc, I would upgrade hers with one of my replaced chips.

Also my specs say Supports up to 8 GB on 64-bit systems (DIMMs run at DDR3-1066) Does that mean I can only use 4MB chips with 1066 MHZ?

[Woodwood]

Bob,

I have looked on the HP website at the specs for your wife's PC, assuming it's an HP Pavilion Slimline s5710T desktop CTO type.

I am surprised that both the PCs came with memory from different manufacturers but it might be the case that all memory is made to a higher tolerance the earlier. The s5710t does have a dual channel architecture.  Besides, I have just realised, you caanot benefit form the additional speed you might potentially gain from using dual channel mode if your DIMMs are different sizes !! (maybe this is why your PC supplier isn't bothered about having matched pairs of DIMMs)

The specification data for the PC imply that PC3-10600 (1333MHz) is supported: this type of memory is definitely supprted by the motherboard.  (also supported is PC3-6400 (880MHz) and PC3-8500 (10333MHz))

It seems that the s5710t, although running the 64-biit version of Windows 7, will only support a maximum memory of 4GB (2 x 2GB DIMMs), not more (the maximum would seem to be 8GB, but the motherboard it seems does not support 4GB DIMMs - I'm not absolutely certain on this point, but that's the way it seems (see motherboard specs, as opposed to what options are available for shipping by HP)).

This an analogous situation to that in the MSI MS-6577 v1 motherboards, which although they had two DIMM sockets, would only support a total memory of 1GB, and the v2.1 motherboard with two DIMM sockets would only support a maximum of 1GB + 1GB = 2GB memory, although bigger DIMMs that would physicaaly fit into the m/b exist. 

By your specs I assume you mean specs for the HP Pavilion Slimline s5710T desktop:  this model supports dual channel memory mode. I think what the upgrade specs mean is that if you intend to put in a full 8 GB of RAM (this model will spport that amount of memory, as oppsed the s5710t discussed above, but you will need a 64-bit OS to use anything over 4GB) you need to use PC3-8500 (1066 MHz) DIMMs (I quote verbatim "Supports up to 8 GB on 64-bit systems (DIMMs run at DDR3-1066)").  So my answer to that part of your question is YES, based on my interpretation of the available information.

i.e., the implication is that your PC will not support 8GB of RAM running at a data transfer rate of 1333MHz, but it will support data tranfsfer rates at this speed with smaller amounts/combinations of memory DIMMs (not specified explicitly).  I do not why HP cannot phrase their specifications less ambiguously.

Woodwood

20.May.2012

[bob111146]

Thanks again for the rapid reply. MY PC (HP s5710f) is 64 bit, so it will take the 8 MB of RAM, but I will have to get 1066 MHz, not 1333 MHZ. So it is the case that DMM speed varies withing MGB size and the most MGB I could have on my wife's pc (HP s5710t) is 4?

If I upgrade my pc (HPs5710F), Is 8 MGB with 1066 MHZ faster than 4 MGB with 1033 MHZ?

Finally can I replace my wife's (HPs5710T) 3 MB 800 MHZ with my 3 MB 1333 MHZ to make it run faster? She also has a 64 bit system.

[Woodwood]

Dear Bob,

In general, as you put it, "DMM speed [sic]" does NOT vary with the amount memory on a DIMM card.  The limitation in memory size on your wife s5710t is inherent in in the design of the circuitry.  For similar reasons I guess that the speed of an 8GB RAM installation on your PC (an s5710f) is limited to to (max. data transfer rate) of 1066MHz (the PC3-8500 standard). This is only true for these models of computer, and not necessarily for all computers.

"If I upgrade my pc (HPs5710F), Is 8 MGB with 1066 MHZ faster than 4 MGB with 1033 MHZ?",  -  I assume you mean 4GB running at 1333MHz , and my answer to this I don't know.  It probably depends on what task(s) you were trying to do, and the other speed bottlenecks in your system that existed in doing those tasks.  Not much help I know.

"Finally can I replace my wife's (HPs5710T) 3 MB 800 MHZ with my 3 MB 1333 MHZ to make it run faster? She also has a 64 bit system."  -  in principle there will a speed increase, but it may not be noticeable.

My answers to your questions are based on my interpretation of the HP specifications available to me, and as these are not 100% clear to me, are subject to other interpretations.  For more definite information on these topics I advise you to consult a HP expert on these models (which I am not !!).  I hope I have cast some light on your situation.

If you are confident about swapping DIMMS, maybe you could try all the combinations and report back ?

Woodwood
20.May.2012
Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A (Celeron 2.7 GHz 1.5GB RAM) - MSI MS6577 v2.1- XP/SP3

[alleykat1943]

I tried to find the specs on my mothers pc and it says no longer avail.  She has a d325 and the pross. is high enough but its very low on the ram side and tring to find some ram to fit just to make it work better for her. if u have any ideals it would be great. Thx in adv