Hi all,

Have to be at a friends closed party in two hours but one of my PC's (an older one with 480MB RAM) is needing a new memory stick to function adequately.


I want to upgrade it to 1GB. Now I've got a deal on eBay which is pretty good for me (I know the seller and shes given me two hours) as mine only takes 184 pin PC4000 PC3200 PC2700 or PC2100 DDR SD RAM.

I've looked at my computer banks again and become puzzled frankly.

I swapped them around from one computer to another, and the PC with the same RAM BUT only single sided starts beeping out as in error when I swap in the dual sided RAM module of the same size/speed/non-ecc, unbuffered, no parity...

Please help- I thought I knew this, but whats the difference between single sided and dual sided, single channel DIMM SDRAM ?

Why are they not compatible and how do I find out what is with my computer?

I've done fruitless search on this but I know there is something I knew before I just can't recall right now

I have to sort this out before 2 hours and I hope someone can help fast!

Thanks!

Here is a very good RAM page:

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/RAM.htm

Single and Dual sided aka Standard or Double Density

Most everything now is Double. Standard is quite old. I have found that you can use Double on older boards as long as you do not go to the max.

If you put in the max you will need to go Standard and I do not think that you can mix them.

Hope this helps.

Top man as usual Jephree!! Jee... I need to treat you some day very soon.

I have a question... is Standard Density and Double Density the equivalent of Low and High Density?

Secondly, how come MY motherboard only takes Standard and doesn't take Double then when its pretty new : a Pentium 2.8 GHz ?

Thats what got me stumped because I haven't seen it in writing anywhere but everytime a Double Density memory module is inserted, upon power on it beeeeeeps non-stop! Th PC is hardly used aswell.

All help is much appreciated and thanks much as usual

is Standard Density and Double Density the equivalent of Low and High Density?

As far as I know: yes. But I don't know that much in this regard. Here is another page:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/hard...ty-memory.html

Looking at your RAM link I would guess your board is current and there must be some other issue involved here.

What is the make and model of the motherboard? What RAM is listed as the RAM that works under SPD in CPU-Z?

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Well it mentions the current value (512MB - 256 in each slot out of four total)

Slot #1 DDR
Module Size 256 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC3200 (400 MHz)

(followed by non-understandable cryptic codes for manufacturer etc)

Correction None
Registered No
Buffered No
EPP No

And then there's the timing table, thats it. Theres no mention of Double standard density... unless I'm missing something?

Thanks.

PS: House party.. a family one too, ended at 12.45

What is written on the label of the RAM that doesn't work?

I really do not think there is any single/double issue here.

All this RAM should be Double.

This is from your motherboard specs:

Main Memory
Supports 4 unbuffered DIMM of 2.5 Volt DDR SDRAM
Supports up to 4GB memory size with non-ECC
Supports Single or Dual Channel DDR 400*/333/266 MHz and up
(*In order to use DDR 400, FSB 800 CPU is required)

On CPU-Z CPU tab what is listed under: Clocks: FSB as well as Bus Speed?

I would suspect a speed incompatibility (perhaps). Also verify the voltage.

Originally Posted by jephree

What is written on the label of the RAM that doesn't work?

I really do not think there is any single/double issue here.

All this RAM should be Double.

It reads Matrix DDR256PC3200

This is from your motherboard specs:

Quote:
Main Memory
Supports 4 unbuffered DIMM of 2.5 Volt DDR SDRAM
Supports up to 4GB memory size with non-ECC
Supports Single or Dual Channel DDR 400*/333/266 MHz and up
(*In order to use DDR 400, FSB 800 CPU is required)
On CPU-Z CPU tab what is listed under: Clocks: FSB as well as Bus Speed?

I would suspect a speed incompatibility (perhaps). Also verify the voltage.

2.5 Volt, DDR SDRAM, PC3200 400MHz non ECC, unbuffered,....

Yes, well computer FSB = 333 MHz
Bus speed = 166 MHz

Looks like there's a massive conflict there... but why doesn't it then work with a PC2700 DDR333 that I have aswell?

A single stick of PC2700 DDR333 will not work?

Have you changed any BIOS clock settings?

I am pretty sure that your issue is speed compatibility but it is hard to pin-point from a distance.


Perhaps one of our more knowledgeable gurus will look in in the near future.

Originally Posted by jephree

A single stick of PC2700 DDR333 will not work?

Have you changed any BIOS clock settings?

I am pretty sure that your issue is speed compatibility but it is hard to pin-point from a distance.


Perhaps one of our more knowledgeable gurus will look in in the near future.

Nope, a single stick of PC2700 DDR333 suddenly will not work!

I've never gone into the BIOS settings on that PC...

The HDD in it is new aswell.

Hold on... should PC2100 DDR266 (same everything else) work with this PC? (I think it should and it doesn't with my PC)