what should i watch for when putting new ram in?

[Guest]

ok i have an older computer back at home and i am thinking of putting some newer PC100 ram that i have gotten for cheap in it. i know how to install the ram, i just wasn't sure of what u have to be careful for what checks should i do to make sure it will work ok with the computer?
thanks

 

[Guest]

even more specifically i can't seem to find that much info about the RAMBUS(RIMM) slots that u put some memory in - what memory goes in RAMBUS and what kinda processors have those chipsets with RIMM's? do i need to worry about that how much is RIMM used ?

 

[Guest]

Read some articles on this site, they should tell you all you need to know. Avoid RAMBUS as it is overpriced and not worth the $$$ for the little bit of extra performance it sometimes brings.
Make sure you unplug your system and touch the metal chassis of the case for 2 seconds or more to dissipate static electricity. Other than that there isn't much to putting more RAM in. On some motherboards the video card might get in the way of the clips for your RAM so you may have to remove it.

 

[Guest]

What is the make and model of the motherboard?
Or at least what kind of processor are you running?
Or who made the computer?

 

[ledzepp98]

how old is the computer. if it's more than a year old i highly doubt it would use rambus memory. only intel p3 processors might use rambus. no amd product, nor any celeron uses rambus. basically, look at the ram in the computer now and compare it to the pc100 chip you want to install. if it the same configuration (number of pins and same cutouts) then it will work. other than that, static electricity is the only thing you have to worry about

 

[Guest]

is RAMBUS something that you think will get used in the future? and also how can i tell if my computer has RAMBUS sockets (or is the correct term slots?) RIMM slots or sockets sorry for being "stupid" about that thanks for any help you might want to give

 

[Guest]

Intel introduced RAMBUS RDRAM on their motherboards a year or so ago. If your motherboard has intel 820 or 840 chipset it might use RAMBUS RDRAM. You can recognize RDRAM because it has a metal heatsink/case attached to it to dissipate heat. A lot of people including myself hope that RAMBUS dies a miserable death due to their litigation/dirty tricks. From what I understand they patented technology that was discussed at open meetings when memory makers were establishing the memory standards. The problem is they didn't tell anybody they were doing this. Now they want memory makers to pay them a royalty for the technology. Unless their technology proves to be absolutely astounding they will probably disappear. It seems to do well on the Pentium 4 but not well enough to get me to buy it.

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends...<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by dimmwit on 12/10/00 02:51 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

Again, if you tell us more about your system, you will get a straight, and hopefully accurate answer.

Learning has begun.

 

[Guest]

Just watch out for those damn assimilating borg nanites! If you get one of those in your system when you open your case, you're done for!

But seriously, if your computer is a later pentium or newer, (say 166mhz and up) you should not have any problem installing the memory.

You can ground yourself on the case or power supply surface to reduce any chance of esd. (electro static discharge) I find it's better to do the work on your computer with an anti static wrist strap. You can find these in most respectable electronics stores for under $5. If it saves you one part being fried from static damage, it's worth it. I also suggest working in an area with a solid flooring surface such as lino or tile. Static builds up easier on a carpeted surface. For best results, go barefoot. Your whole body will ground to the floor.

Now, there should be a slot that matches the size of your memory module and is black in color. If you are unsure which slot to use, check your manual or check online with your motherboard or computer manufactuer to get an accurate description. The easiest way to tell which slot to use is it will have notches in it that match the notches on your memory module. Push the module firmly into the slot so the white clips on the memory socket's ends click into the sides of the memory module to hold it in place. Some memory sockets tend to be rather stiff if they have not been used before so some amount of force may be required to seat the module in place. Once you are sure the memory module is seated solidly, you can test your system to make sure it will work correctly.

Power on your system with the cover still open. If you normally get a bios screen that does a memory count, it should include the size of the new module in that count. If it reports a memory error or the system does not boot, power off and try the new module in a different socket if one is availible. If your computer does boot but has no memory count, just boot into windows and right click on 'my computer' and select 'properties' from the options menu. The system properties window will open and will tell you how much memory is installed. (old memory plus the new memory installed)

You should be up and running.

Keep in mind that some old motherboards from the pentium era would only recognize an sdram module up to 32mb in size.
If you have this problem, you have to install a maximum memory module of this size. There is no workaround for this.

Lotsa luck!

 

[ledzepp98]

i see you have gotten a lot of answers and they are all correct, but you have to give more detailed specs of your system to get a direct answer. also, take out a ram chip from the computer and count the pins (contacts) and that will give you a very good idea of what kind of ram you have