Lobster on 6/6/2002 at 21:53
Taking the advice of someone on these forums I went out and bought some more ram to add to my computer. I purchased two 128mb SDRAM cards from PNY. On the package it said that the memory is compatible with virtually all big name computers and since I have a Dell I figured that it would be fine, but it's not. The grooves in the card don't line up with the spaces in the computer where I insert the card.
So, what's the deal, did I get the wrong thing?
P.S. I know this question would seem more fitting in the tech help forum, but I need the ram to play Morrowind - so I think it kinda fits here.
dvrabel on 6/6/2002 at 22:10
Hi,
Contact Dell and ask them what RAM you need.
David Vrabel
Poseidon on 6/6/2002 at 22:10
What model Dell do you have? If you know that, you can probably look up what kind of memory it uses. If you don't know what model it is, do you at least know what the approximate age is?
Lobster on 6/6/2002 at 22:18
The model is a Dimension 8100. I tried looking it up on the PNY page and it just said that the model accepts RAM (no specific type).
Dell can probably give me a specific type, but I hear they're more expensive then generic brands. I go the ram that doesn't fit for $30.
Narezza on 6/6/2002 at 22:54
Your particular Dell requires proprietary RAM, from Dell.
Check (
www.crucial.com) for more info. They sell some of the best RAM out there for great prices, but not for your particular computer (its listed as proprietary). You'll have to contact Dell and pay up the ass probably :/
Yorkie on 6/6/2002 at 23:13
Does the Ram slot have One grove/cut out if so its DDRAM
If it has Two cut outs/Groves then its SDRAM
All RAM is compatible apart from Compaq (all models), DELL (some models with proprietary RAM mods)
The only thing you need to worrie about and its no big problem is the clock speed (FSB)of the RAM. If you have some banks running at 133 and you go out a buy some sticks with 100 fsb then you whole ram banks will run at 100.
Hope this helps :)
Lobster on 7/6/2002 at 07:25
Ahhhh, that explains it.
Should of known those goddamn Dell sons a' bitches wouldn't let me put my hard earned cash anywhere but there greedy little hands.
Thanks for the help guys!
Nomad on 7/6/2002 at 12:32
It's not proprietary, it is Rambus (RDRAM). It isn't Dell that incorporated it, either - it is Intel, whose motherboard architecture is licensed by Dell.
EDIT: You can buy Rambus on-line. Try checking (
http://www.pricewatch.com)
Zerker on 7/6/2002 at 13:10
Bloody Rambus ram... almost twice the price as DDR... no to mention P4's are twice the price of Athlons... Gotta love AMD :)
Lobster on 7/6/2002 at 18:02
Arghhh... Why's everything gotta be so complicated?
So, I need some RDRAM, but how can I tell which one to get? There's a whole list of them, are they all pretty much the same? Should I just go with the cheapest one, or do I need to get exactly the right one for my machine?
