Getting detailed RAM specifications

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scott Steiner
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Scott Steiner

Hi,

according to a diagnostic tool, my main board's Bus Clock is running at
100MHz.

Question: does that mean that my RAM (SDRAM in my case) can only handle
up to 100MHz also?
Unfortunately the diagnostic tool doesn't show enough detailed
information about my SDRAM specifications. I want to buy new SDRAM and
I'm wondering if I should buy 100MHz or 133MHz. Can someone here
recommend a freeware diagnostic tool which would enable me to get the
MHz information about my installed SDRAM?

Thanks in advance.
 
Scott said:
Hi,

according to a diagnostic tool, my main board's Bus Clock is running
at 100MHz.

Question: does that mean that my RAM (SDRAM in my case) can only
handle up to 100MHz also?
Click to expand...

Not necessarily, it could be 133MHz RAM running at 100MHz.
Unfortunately the diagnostic tool doesn't show enough detailed
information about my SDRAM specifications. I want to buy new SDRAM
and I'm wondering if I should buy 100MHz or 133MHz. Can someone here
recommend a freeware diagnostic tool which would enable me to get the
MHz information about my installed SDRAM?
Click to expand...

Try Aida32 or CPU-Z. One of them should hopefully tell you what your RAM is
rated at. Look for the 'SPD' tab/field.

Be careful putting new SDRAM in an older motherboard. Most older boards can
only recognise low-density RAM and, if you put in say, a 256MB module you
might only have 128MB accessable.
 
Hi,

according to a diagnostic tool, my main board's Bus Clock is running at
100MHz.

Question: does that mean that my RAM (SDRAM in my case) can only handle
up to 100MHz also?
Unfortunately the diagnostic tool doesn't show enough detailed
information about my SDRAM specifications. I want to buy new SDRAM and
I'm wondering if I should buy 100MHz or 133MHz. Can someone here
recommend a freeware diagnostic tool which would enable me to get the
MHz information about my installed SDRAM?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Whether your motherboard can use the newer PC133 memory depends on
it's chipset, not what memory is already installed. If you provide
the chipset (or make/model of motherboard, preferribly a link to
manufacturer's product page) we should be able to figure out what it
supports.

If your board is new enough you can find larger modules at lower
prices by getting PC133 and running it at 100MHz, but you need to know
if this is supported by the motherboard. The system might even be set
up to run at asynchronous memory bus speed, memory at 133MHz while the
FSB is at 100MHz, though it's of very limited benefit to run the
asnychronous speed unless the board is using integrated video with a
shared-memory architecture.


Dave
 
kony said:
Whether your motherboard can use the newer PC133 memory depends on
it's chipset, not what memory is already installed. If you provide
the chipset (or make/model of motherboard, preferribly a link to
manufacturer's product page) we should be able to figure out what it
supports.
Click to expand...

Motherboard Chipset : Intel Brookdale i845 (Aidi32 gives this link:
http://www.intel.com/products/browse/chipsets.htm)
If your board is new enough you can find larger modules at lower
prices by getting PC133 and running it at 100MHz, but you need to know
if this is supported by the motherboard. The system might even be set
up to run at asynchronous memory bus speed, memory at 133MHz while the
FSB is at 100MHz, though it's of very limited benefit to run the
asnychronous speed unless the board is using integrated video with a
shared-memory architecture.
Click to expand...

Aida32 is showing me that my installed memory is SDRAM and its speed is
PC133 (133MHz).
 
On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 18:51:59 GMT, Scott Steiner

Motherboard Chipset : Intel Brookdale i845 (Aidi32 gives this link:
http://www.intel.com/products/browse/chipsets.htm)
Click to expand...

Your motherboard does support modern PC133 memory, is the best value
and should work fine providing a decent quality brand since it's hard
to speculate about generic memory.

As with any memory upgrade or change I suggest running
http://www.memtest86.com program right afterwards, for at least a few
hours to check for errors.


Dave
 
~misfit~ said:
What was the 'diagnostic tool' that reported 100MHz?
Click to expand...

Belarc Advisor reported that the Bus Clock of my Main Circuit Board is
running at 100MHz. Aida32 is reporting that the Real Clock of the Front
Side Bus of my motherboard is running at 100MHz - I guess this is the
same information.

BTW, thank you very much for recommending Aida32, I think it's a
fantastic diagnostic tool.
 
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