need to upgrade Mem (dont know which type to buy)

[kamla]

Hi guys,
Which memory stick should I get .. I was looking @ this.. I will get 2 X1 gb and have a total of 2.5 gb of memory
---- Kingston ValueRAM 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Desktop Memory Model KVR400/1GR

What do you think ???
My OS is Microsoft 2000, will this added memory speed up my programs..

My specs of my Computer are here (dont which to get, how many pins ETc)

http://docs.us.dell.com/support/edoc...n/ug/specs.htm
Memory Type 333- and 400-MHz DDR SDRAM
Memory connectors 4
Memory capacities 128-MB, 256-MB, 512-MB, or 1-GB non-ECC
Minimum memory 128 MB
Maximum memory 4 GB
BIOS address F0000h

Thanks for ur help

[photolady]

Maybe you should explain a bit more about the slowness of your computer. With running w2k, I've found anything over 512 of ram just didn't improve performance that much. This is not like XP which is memory hungry. I don't think running 2.5gb of ram is going to improve performance that much on W2K. The specs at Dell doesn't say what your processor speed is. Do you know?

[kamla]

here is some more info..

Processor --Intel 865G chipset, Intel® Pentium® 4 processor with 800 MHz front side bus and Hyper-Threading
support or 533 MHz front side bus and 512K L2 cache

here is the deal..
My sis got an new comp and gave me this desktop..
it runs SOOO slow..
My plan is to refrormat it (i got the recovery Disks) and upgrade the memory and make this PC usable

[photolady]

Reformatting is probably the best to do. Being slow could be caused by viruses and spyware/malware which slows systems down a lot. Adding that much ram, won't really solve your problem of slowness. Do the format first, then if it's still slow add another 512mb, but like I said, Windows 2000 runs fairly well on 512. I've seen systems with only 256mb ram on W2K and they run fast enough to not need a gig of ram.

[kamla]

thanks..

also i read some place that you should add ram in multiples of 2..
is that true...

if not than putting in a 1GB of rram will not hurt,, That si if it is o.k to to add only one stick of ram..

right???? ram is cheap now a days any way

[photolady]

Not for your system. The reason for adding in multiples of 2 is when you motherboard supports dual channel memory. Yours doesn't, so adding just 1gb, would be okay.

[kamla]

great thanks for all ur help

[photolady]

You're welcome.

[kamla]

hi .. i have another question.. along the same lines..

my current memory's speed is 333 and i am planning to buy 1 gb of mem with 400 speed..

so the new memory will work @ 333 right..
i have 2 options
1) reomove old 512 (333 speed) mem and replace with 1 GB (400 speed) mem
2) keep Old 512 (333) speed mem and add 1 GB (400) speed mem

which would be better

thax
Kamla

[photolady]

Yes, the new memory will run @ 333Mhz. Even if you removed the 512, the new would still run at 333Mhz because your FSB is only running 333Mhz.

So, it's a matter of preference, if you want 1.5GB of memory leave the 512 in, but if you only want 1gb of memory take out the 512. Like I said, W2k, should run fine on 512 after you reformat.

[kamla]

great .. thax..

the reason i upgrading mem is that i might want to upgrade to XP...

BUt i will try out 2000 and see if it good

thanks again for all ur help

[kamla]

Also do i need to worry about voltage..
the memory clips on newegg have different voltage for the 184 pins memory..

thax

[photolady]

It really shouldn't matter. The only thing I can warn you about is Dell's priority problems. I've put new DDR333/PC2700 in a Dell that the FSB was 266Mhz and it was Kingston memory also, the Dell in question, no matter which module was in what slot, the computer would not boot up.