Memory question

G

Guest

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My friends got an e-machines 180 pc (1.8 processor), he wants some more memory (ddr), i looked on crucial's configurator but that model doesnt appear on their list, anyone got any ideas what type it takes. I _have_ looked on googel and the e-machines website but dont get any joy.

any ideas
 

Trem

Not as old as he claims to be!
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May get a better response in the hardware section.

:/

I would say take the original memory out, see what speed its running at then by some more of the same speed. Should be ok as long as they match up.
 

Jonty

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Hi brooky

The eMachines 180 appears to support up to 2GB (2x1GB) of DDR400 RAM (PC3200) . This should be fairly cheap to come by, with 512MB DDR400 starting at around £30, if that, from places like Micro Direct and such. In order to achieve the best results, it's advised that you ditch your existing RAM and start afresh. You could always pop your old RAM on eBay, although with RAM prices being relatively low, I don't know how much you'd get for it.

Kind Regards
 
G

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could you spam me a link please mate so that i can take a peek, if it was me i would take your word for it but my mates one of those that likes to see what he is going to buy.
 

Jonty

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brooky said:
could you spam me a link please mate so that i can take a peek, if it was me i would take your word for it but my mates one of those that likes to see what he is going to buy.
Hi brooky

No worries :) There's plenty to choose from, so you may want to shop around to get the best deal, but something like this 512MB Samsung DDR400 RAM for £30.54 should be fine, or some nice 1GB Geil DDR400 RAM with Aluminium Heatspreader for £66.96.

The thing to remember with DDR RAM is that two sticks perform slightly better than one (e.g. 2x512MB should have an edge over 1x1GB). Personally I think the difference isn't that great, but if you do go down the 2xwhatever route, you must make sure the RAM is:

  • The same capacity (e.g. 256MB, 512MB, 1GB etc.)
  • The same speed (e.g. 333Mhz/DDR333, 400Mhz/DDR400 etc.)
  • The same CAS timings (e.g. CAS 2/2.5/3 2-2-4-2 etc.)
  • The same manufacturer (e.g. Geil, Corsair, but this isn't as critical as the others)
You can mix and match but buying two identical sticks can save an awful lot of headaches. One other thing to remember is to be careful installing the RAM, it's fragile stuff and prone to damage, particularly from electro-static charges (touch a radiator or other grounded object to discharge any charges before handling the RAM).

Finally, I should say that recommending DDR400 is based on third-party suppliers websites. In theory if the RAM was too fast it would just run at a slower, compatible speed. That's the theory, but if you want to double check by contacting eMachines feel free.

Kind Regards

Jonty

P.S. Do shop around, like I say, these may not be the cheapest prices.
 

Jonty

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Hi brooky

eBuyer are offering free shipping on various RAM products, and their prices seem reasonable. If you're in no rush it may be worth checking out.

Kind Regards
 
G

Guest

Guest
Just rang my local shop and the bloke said 512 meg of pc2700 was £25 + vat, so what you are saying is that if i taker out what he's got in the pc and put that in it should jut run at the lower speed of 266 mhz?
 

Jonty

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Hi brooky

If your system's motherboard has a front side bus (FSB) of 266Mhz, then your RAM will run at that speed (a.k.a. PC2100). As you say, if the RAM you buy can work above that speed (e.g. 333Mhz/PC2700, 400Mhz/PC3200) then it should work fine in your system, just not working to its fullest capacity. This has been the case for me in the past, but feel free to either check with your local store just in case, or just buy PC2100 RAM.

Kind Regards
 

Danya

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Generally running slower isn't an issue for RAM. Also it's worth noting that the PC's chassis is a good way to ground yourself (leave plugged in but switch off using the switch on the back of the PSU).
 

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