Memory upgrade

[Patc4]

Hi
I am more than a little out of touch, in the past I have built my own machines but not the last 2 computers. I teach software development.

I have a ASRock AM2nF3 VSTA mother board and 1GB.

I want to increase this. The Manual says 4-DDR11 DIMM slots and supports DDR11800/667/533.

I am using XP and the memory is OK, but I am using Fireworks, Dreamweaver and Visual studio all at the same time! so time for more memory.

There is little difference in the price so which 800,667 or 533 is best.

Any reason other than cash flow to choose to 2, 4 or 8 GB?

No games all work and no play! - dull??

 

[captaincranky]

Tales of the Roman Empire....

I'm going to make a little suggestion here at say, "there's no Roman Numeral One on the American English Keyboard, so it'd be much better to call it DDR2, since DDR "eleven" won't be around for a couple of decades, if at all".

Kidding aside, you would need a 64 bit operating system to utilize more than about 3 GB of RAM. You can put 4GB in but it isn't all usable. The actual number varies depending on the amount of hardware memory addresses that the system is maintaining.

Memory is cheap right now so the faster the better so, no reason not to use DDR2 800Mhz. The one exception here is, some boards that support 8GB of RAM will only recognize 4GB @ 800Mhz but will give you all 8GB @ DDR2 667. The absolute values here are on a case by case, board by board basis.

You might peruse this thread, well you should peruse this thread: https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic47210.html

 

[raybay]

That is a very flexible board. Each memory slot can hold DDR2 PC2-6400, DDR2 PC2-4200, DDR2 PC2-8500, or DDR2 PC2-5300 with a maximum of 2GB per slot.
But they should all be the same frequency if over 5300. With 2 GB per slot, it should all be usable if they are identical modules... and you are using VISTA.

 

[captaincranky]

Unless this copy of Vista is 64 Bit I'm a bit perplexed as to how this would allow the full utilization of 8 GB of RAM. Enlighten me.

Has EAP been fully implemented?

 

[Patc4]

Thanks - I was thinking to upgrade to the best useful memory as I tend to keep my PCs until they are history ( or they demise in a puther of smoke). I am still using Windows XP 2002 SP2, the processor is AMD Athon 64 so I guess I only use 32 bit and 3 GB of RAM would be the max usable. Perhaps I could 4GB and accept 1 is unused would be OK to be sure all is balanced, then dual channel memory is possible. Seems like all I need is 2 or 4 memory modules, 2x2GB or 4X1GB.
I know I have 1GB now I need to discover what memory they installed at purchase.

PS. The VSTA did not mean I have MS Vista operating system but is part of the motherboard name (maybe it is designed to run Vista?)

 

[captaincranky]

Almost all boards will boot natively with "Kingston Value RAM". DDR2 prices have (I think) bottomed out. Since, you only need to install (at most) 4GB, you could splurge on the PC6400 (800mhz) DDR2.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134117
If you wanted to save $10.00 bucks and go with DDR2 667Mhz; http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134046

You might not be able to tell the difference, but then again you might.

This is good solid product, with a lifetime warranty. It doesn't overclock well, so the hard core gamers might have something different to say, but for a day to day working box, it's just dandy.

You might not be able to tell the difference, but then again you might.

I think 4 X 1 GB is the cheapest way to go

Windows XP natively only allows any program 2 GB of memory. I had problems with Nero (6.6) returning "out of memory" errors when I had 3GB installed in one of my machines. Took a Gig out, problems went away. Point being with the full amount installed, unintended consequences can attach. There is a solution called the "3 GB switch". You might not run into a situation such as I've described with any of Adobe's Pro software.

 

[Tedster]

https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic65114.html

 

[captaincranky]

Tedster: Was my linking (earlier in this thread) ,of the same topic in some way inadequate?