Dell Dimension 5000 RAM Upgrade HELP ASAP!

Kevinf63

Right, okay I've got a problem which I need solved for tonight (please you whizz kids at PC's!) I'm getting a RAM upgrade for my Dell Dimension 5000 which has 4 slots, two of which are filled with 512MB RAM to make 1GB.

I'm getting 2x1GB RAM off eBay and I'm not sure if the old RAM will work with the new stuff, considering their a different make etc. Would it make a difference? Would I have to take out the old stuff altogether to make the other new RAM work or will they conflict etc? Please reply A.S.A.P. as the eBay item ends soon. VERY SOON! :eek:

Thanks,

Kevin F.

Solitaire

Short version: Maybe. But the faster sticks will be forced to run at the speed of the slower ones, old or new.

Long version: What's the spec of your current rig? I ask because its a well-known fact that Dimension 5000 specifications are a classified military secret - every review site has a blank page and even Dell won't list its specs!! :eek:

Make sure you've matched the new sticks to the old ones - i.e. if its DDR2 in there don't buy DDR or DDR3 by mistake! And try to get the closest speed possible but rounding up (as the faster stuff is back-compatible, it'll just have to run at the slower speed of the old sticks) e.g. if you already have PC4200 but the PC5300 is cheaper than new PC4200, get the PC5300 and ask questions later! :P Just don't get PC3200 whatever the price, it would slow down the PC4200 you already have!

Kevinf63

Solitaire wrote: »

Short version: Maybe. But the faster sticks will be forced to run at the speed of the slower ones, old or new.

Long version: What's the spec of your current rig? I ask because its a well-known fact that Dimension 5000 specifications are a classified military secret - every review site has a blank page and even Dell won't list its specs!! :eek:

Make sure you've matched the new sticks to the old ones - i.e. if its DDR2 in there don't buy DDR or DDR3 by mistake! And try to get the closest speed possible but rounding up (as the faster stuff is back-compatible, it'll just have to run at the slower speed of the old sticks) e.g. if you already have PC4200 but the PC5300 is cheaper than new PC4200, get the PC5300 and ask questions later! :P

Well I can tell you that its a 2005 build, its got a Intel pentium 4 Processor (one of the first dual-cores I think) 3.0GHZ with hyper threading technology, I'm pretty sure that the 1GB RAM in it is DDR2 runs at 667MHZ, 240pin and is PC???? (not positive on last point on the RAM), 350W power supply and a recently installed (early 2008 ha!:p) POV 8600GTS which is really crap!

Solitaire

DDR2 running at 667MHz is PC5300, but sometimes erroneously called PC5400 (especially earlier modules after the original 675MHz speed classification was dumped by JEDEC). Just make sure the new stuff is the same speed (i.e. if its 667MHz get PC5300, if its 800MHz get a PC6400 kit!). Generic modules will all be running at the stock 1.8V, its only when you hit 1066MHz (PC8500) that DDR2 voltages get real messy real fast

Kevinf63

Solitaire wrote: »

DDR2 running at 667MHz is PC5300, but sometimes erroneously called PC5400 (especially earlier modules after the original 675MHz speed classification was dumped by JEDEC). Just make sure the new stuff is the same speed (i.e. if its 667MHz get PC5300, if its 800MHz get a PC6400 kit!). Generic modules will all be running at the stock 1.8V, its only when you hit 1066MHz (PC8500) that DDR2 voltages get real messy real fast

That was a weird typo made by me, thanks for pointing that out that was supposed to be 240pin, that was a weird mistake to make:P! Thanks anyway the eBay site is 99.8% feedback and it says 2GB RAM for Dimension 5000 etc.

Solitaire

Good stuff! Just make sure that if you do have 667MHz DDR2 in the PC already you don't get hoodwinked into grabbing old, slow 533MHz modules!

Kevinf63

Just bought the RAM thanks for all the help man! It was great!.......... Now the wait until I get it.... ahhh........ One of the reasons I'm upgrading is that I feel that the PC is quite slow at multi-tasking (well CPU could be a reason as well) but I felt it was very prone to stuttering as well especially in games when switching scenes (company of heroes!).

massy086

have you a link to the ram you bought on ebay

Kevinf63

massy086 wrote: »

have you a link to the ram you bought on ebay

Just sent a private message with the links.