Can You Use Laptop Memory (DDR) in PCs?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mutefan
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mutefan

If it's a stupid question, I'd appreciate links to sites where the
extent of stupidity will be clear. Thanks.
 
Paul said:
An SODIMM (small outline dual inline memory module) has a different
shape than a desktop DIMM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodimm

Paul
Click to expand...

On my newer laptop the physical size of the RAM is smaller than a
desktop. But laptops only a few years old tend to be the same as desktop
RAM. Best to open up the laptop and take a look for yourself.

j1mb0jay
 
On my newer laptop the physical size of the RAM is smaller than a
desktop. But laptops only a few years old tend to be the same as desktop
RAM. Best to open up the laptop and take a look for yourself.

j1mb0jay
Click to expand...

Yeah, I read the Wikipedia article yesterday and couldn't decide by
the photographs. But the memory I want to install is a couple of
years old and is the same size; that's why I asked. I just wanted to
know if, like, installing the wrong memory could make an old tower PC
I got for free blow up or something.
 
Yeah, I read the Wikipedia article yesterday and couldn't decide by
the photographs. But the memory I want to install is a couple of
years old and is the same size; that's why I asked. I just wanted to
know if, like, installing the wrong memory could make an old tower PC
I got for free blow up or something.
Click to expand...

If you are lucky there will be a sticker on the "Tower" memory and and
"Laptop" memory check the clock speeds are the same. If they are not the
faster of the memory may not be used at all or may slow down to the
speed on the slower memory (depending on the main board and RAM types),
if one is DDR and the other is SD they wont even be able to fit in the
same sockets.

I do not think it will hurt your machine, I feel the worst that will
happen is it will refuse to start.

j1mb0jay
 
If it's a stupid question, I'd appreciate links to sites where the
extent of stupidity will be clear. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I guess it may be possible *if* you can stretch and squeeze the memory
clip to fit the slot <bg>. Other than that, nobody can get it to fit, nor
dare to try the impossible <bg>
 
Yeah, I read the Wikipedia article yesterday and couldn't decide by
the photographs. But the memory I want to install is a couple of
years old and is the same size; that's why I asked. I just wanted to
know if, like, installing the wrong memory could make an old tower PC
I got for free blow up or something.
Click to expand...

It's possible that it may damage the system or memory, but the chance to
get $$$ blown up is greater. Also, even I have to go back to the year of
8086, I don't think I have seen any desktop system has the same size with
laptop (?).
 
Joel said:
I guess it may be possible *if* you can stretch and squeeze the memory
clip to fit the slot <bg>. Other than that, nobody can get it to fit, nor
dare to try the impossible <bg>
Click to expand...

I took the memory out of a packard bell laptop with a p4 in it the other
day and added it to my desktop machine. They had different clock speeds
and faster memory slowed to have same clock speed as the slower memory.

j1mb0jay.
 
It's possible that it may damage the system or memory, but the chance to
get $$$ blown up is greater. Also, even I have to go back to the year of
8086, I don't think I have seen any desktop system has the same size with
laptop (?).
Click to expand...


I recall some funky shaped, small Compaq desktops that used
laptop SODIMMs. I barely even recall them, IIRC they were
in some odd curved blue case and the memory slots were
accessed on the back of the motherboard instead of the
front. I wish I did remember more about them as they might
be a collector's item today due to the odd design but
ultimately I'd end up trying to find some way to shoehorn a
newer motherboard in and then find it too proprietary to do
so... they were far more proprietary than even a typical
Compaq from a few years back.
 
kony said:
I recall some funky shaped, small Compaq desktops that used
laptop SODIMMs. I barely even recall them, IIRC they were
in some odd curved blue case and the memory slots were
accessed on the back of the motherboard instead of the
front. I wish I did remember more about them as they might
be a collector's item today due to the odd design but
ultimately I'd end up trying to find some way to shoehorn a
newer motherboard in and then find it too proprietary to do
so... they were far more proprietary than even a typical
Compaq from a few years back.
Click to expand...

Sepcial design or specific memory etc. then YES I have read some companies
used different memory (non-standard) card for their computer, and even
different card for different model's. That's was one of several reasons why
I always build my own system (except notebooks <bg>).

Also, some even have non-standard motherboard, case etc..
 
j1mb0jay said:
I took the memory out of a packard bell laptop with a p4 in it the other
day and added it to my desktop machine. They had different clock speeds
and faster memory slowed to have same clock speed as the slower memory.

j1mb0jay.
Click to expand...

Like I responsed to Kony, some years ago several companies have
non-standard memory card, motherboard, case etc. those only work with some
specific model's of some their own.

I do remember Radio Shack (I forgot the name of their computer .. Tandy?),
Compaq, IBM, Packard Bell, and few less popular but more expensive model's.
 
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