Rambus Ram change??

hjr

Does anybody know if i can change my RAM type from Rambus to SDRAM cos Rambus is pretty useless and expensive to upgrade. A new 512MB of Rambus costs about €300! kinda pricey.

Mac daddy

Check you MoBo specs before you do anything

hjr

What do you mean by MoBo?

hjr

Sorry, just copped as soon as I typed. You meant motherboard didnt you!! What should i look out for?

Stephen

If your motherboard already uses rambus its highly unlikely that it will take any other type of RAM. I've heard of dual SDRAM/DDR RAM boards, but never a dual rambus/anything else board.

hjr

so how big of deal would it be to change my motherboard?

grimloch

its not just a matter of changing your motherboard, you have to make sure your CPU will work, that it will fit your case and so forth probably cheaper to just spend the 300

but find out more about your computer people here will be able to tell you what to do

hjr

okay heres my specs, so i,m open to suggestions:

System Profiler Examination Results


General System Information


Computer Model Dimension 8200
BIOS Vendor Dell Computer Corporation
BIOS Version A06
BIOS Date 05/22/2002
Case Type Mini Tower
Windows Version XP
Explorer Version 6.0.2800.1106


Processors

Central Processor
Manufacturer Intel
External Clock Speed 100 MHz
Maximum Clock Speed 3060 MHz
Current Clock Speed 2000 MHz


Memory

System memory
RIMM: 64 Mb RDRAM
RIMM: 64 Mb RDRAM
RIMM
RIMM

Windows Memory/Resources
Total Memory 130060 Kb
Available Memory 22412 Kb
Page File Size 380624 Kb
Available Page File 219632 Kb
Virtual Memory 2097024 Kb
Available Virtual Memory 1955836 Kb


Hardware (Built Into System)
Type Description Enabled
sound, video, and game controllers AC'97 Audio Controller Yes

Hardware (Added On To System)
Type Description Manufacturer
DVD/CD-ROM drives LITEON DVD-ROM LTD163 (Standard CD-ROM drives)
_NEC CD-RW NR-9100A (Standard CD-ROM drives)
disk drives Maxtor 2F020L0 (Standard disk drives)
display adapters ATI Technologies Inc. RAGE 128 PRO Ultra GL AGP ATI Technologies Inc.
floppy disk controllers Standard floppy disk controller (Standard floppy disk controllers)
floppy disk drives Floppy disk drive (Standard floppy disk drives)
IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers Intel(r) 82801BA Bus Master IDE Controller Intel
Primary IDE Channel (Standard IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers)
Secondary IDE Channel (Standard IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers)
keyboards Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard (Standard keyboards)
mice and other pointing devices PS/2 Compatible Mouse Microsoft
monitors Dell E771a Dell Computer Corp.
network adapters WAN Miniport (L2TP) Microsoft
WAN Miniport (IP) Microsoft
WAN Miniport (PPPOE) Microsoft
WAN Miniport (PPTP) Microsoft
WAN Miniport (IP) - Packet Scheduler Miniport Microsoft
Zyxel USB LAN Modem #2 - Packet Scheduler Miniport Microsoft
Direct Parallel Microsoft
Zyxel USB LAN Modem #2 Zyxel
ports ECP Printer Port (LPT1) (Standard port types)
Communications Port (COM1) (Standard port types)
sound, video, and game controllers Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device Microsoft
Intel(r) 82801BA/BAM AC'97 Audio Controller Intel
Audio Codecs (Standard system devices)
Legacy Audio Drivers (Standard system devices)
Media Control Devices (Standard system devices)
Legacy Video Capture Devices (Standard system devices)
Video Codecs (Standard system devices)
Microsoft Kernel Audio Splitter Microsoft
Microsoft Kernel Acoustic Echo Canceller Microsoft
Microsoft Kernel GS Wavetable Synthesizer Microsoft
Microsoft Kernel DLS Synthesizer Microsoft
Microsoft Kernel System Audio Device Microsoft
Microsoft Kernel Wave Audio Mixer Microsoft
Microsoft WINMM WDM Audio Compatibility Driver Microsoft
Microsoft Kernel DRM Audio Descrambler Microsoft
USB controllers Intel(r) 82801BA/BAM USB Universal Host Controller - 2442 Intel
Intel(r) 82801BA/BAM USB Universal Host Controller - 2444 Intel
USB Root Hub (Standard USB Host Controller)
USB Root Hub (Standard USB Host Controller)


Disks
Drive Type Drive Size Total
Available
Space User
Available
Space
A:\ removable
C:\ fixed 19836 Mb 7841 Mb 7841 Mb
\ CD ROM
E:\ CD ROM 22 Mb 0 Mb 0 Mb

statto

I see you have a Dell 8200. I have just upgraded one of those. Started by looking to get more memory ended up with a new system. I am afraid you won't be able to upgrade the motherboard. Both the motherboard and power supply are not ATX standard. This also means a new case. I got a case, motherboard Cpu and memory and reused the dell hard desk, optical drives and graphics card. Tthere are plenty of threads that will advise you on what components to get. By the way I had to reinstall XP home on my hard disk when I moved it to the new PC.

clearz

I had a Dimention 8200 as well which I upgraded there a few months ago. I had to buy a new case, motherboard and 1GB DDR memory came to arround 400 euro.

You cant put SDRAM or DDR into a rambus motherboard

hjr

That sounds like good value actually, what types of case and motherboard did you buy? Did you have any compatabiliy problems with your other devices??

leeroybrown

Another factor is that if you bought extra RAM you would need to buy a matching pair. 2 x 256Mb Rambus is actually slightly cheaper than 1 x 512Mb but not enough to justify paying that much to upgrade an old system.

clearz

Originally posted by hjr
That sounds like good value actually, what types of case and motherboard did you buy? Did you have any compatabiliy problems with your other devices??

I got a lanboy case in IT Direct - €119
http://www.antec-inc.com/pro_details_enclosure.php?ProdID=15000

2x256 DDR400 + 1x512 DDR400 in PCWorld - €160

DFI Infinity 865PE moherboard in PCworld - €115
http://www.windys.com.br/IMAGES/PDFI/html/inf865pe.htm#

I also bought a fan for the CPU - €15

Apart from this all other hardware was taken from my Dimention 8200. I put it together once and it worked fine.

quozl

i've just upgraded my system, so i've got 2*256mb pc800 rambus ram for sale. it's only about 3 months old, and I'll sell it for 180e if you want. Which is about 90e less than it cost me.

If you're interested pm me.

Greg