DDR RAM upgrade 3

[hilliolouis]

I have a Dell Dimension 3000 running a Celeron 2.66ghz so it uses PC27000 (333) DDR RAM, if I were to put PC3200 (400) modules would these just run at the lower speed and be fine as at the moment crucial sell the 3200 upgrade for around £20 less than 2700 and their memory selector recomends for my PC so should I use it?

Louis Hill

 

[cdogg]

Yes, should be fine. Like you said, they will just run at the lower speed. Since they are cheaper, there's no reason to spend more on 2700.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
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[garebo]

cdogg and paparazi and a few others have been thru this argument a bunch of times here, lol, as i have read them.
Seems you are usually better off getting the 3200.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[Simonchtan]

however it is not advisable to run 2 different set of RAM speed within 1 system. you also have to check what Type of RAM and RAM slot u are using too.

Dell has a 2 level RAM Type 0 and Type 1. if u use the wrong type in wrong slot it might not boot properly.

Always ask for refund possiblity when buying equipment of a different spec.



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i know NUTS on networking, Therefore I dont know anything!
-----------------------------------
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[hilliolouis]

Thanks guys, read the other posts but just wanted to clarify as there is nothing as bad as spending money on something you cant use.

Louis Hill

 

[cdogg]

Unless there is something particular with your motherboard, generally mixing different types of RAM (PC2100, PC2700, PC3200, etc) will work. But as Simonchtan points out, it's not recommended because there's always a risk they won't play nice together.

However, if you plan on using only the new PC3200 modules by themselves, the vendor claims it will work, and they offer a good return policy, you should be fine.

From my experience, I have had no trouble running PC3200 DIMMs at PC2100 or PC2700 speeds. But I have not upgraded many Dell's in my day, so I can't speak for every system out there!


~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
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[hilliolouis]

Worked brilliant, now have 1GB RAM

Louis Hill

 

[paparazi]

Nice one hilliolouis!

Just a side note and if you didn't realize already, your 533front side bus Intel celeron only actually needs PC2100 to run synconously with the CPU.

example: PC2100 (DDR266) requires a memory setting of 133 and because Intel CPU's are quad pumped that means:

4 X 133 with equals the 533 of you CPU front side bus and so is syncronous (in time) with the CPU

My point: even the original PC2700 you have fitted is effectively being under clocked (PC2700/DDR333) if you didn't already know.
Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[hilliolouis]

Thanks, will bear this in mind. Just a secondary though, would a P4 need the 3200 or would that actually only need 2700?

Louis Hill

 

[paparazi]

Depends on which P4 but the latest 800fsb versions would indeed need the PC3200 (DDR400)

4 X 200 would then equal the 800fsb of the Intel P4 CPU

Just to ellaborate, many newer boards can run Asyncronously (out of sync) this works well for faster memory
I won't go to much into that because it's not applicable in your case.
If however you replace your Cely for an 800fsb P4 that PC2700 would slow things down.
Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[cdogg]

hilliolouis,

Also as an FYI, the newer LGA 775 boards that support modern P4's use DDR2 memory...

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
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