Susan said:
I wanted to add some memory to my Dell 8200. (400MHz FSB I think.) I
have 4 slots. 2 have 256MB memory cards. I thought I'd add two more
memory cards.
Dell wants $129 for 256MB, and says:
"Rambus memory modules MUST BE INSTALLED in pairs. An upgrade requires
two identical modules. Please order two.
"In order to upgrade, the customer must remove all existing system
memory and replace completely. To upgrade the memory, a BIOS update is
required. The latest BIOS revision and instructions on how to flash
update the BIOS are located at
www.support.dell.com"
Now I'm just confused. I can buy 2 @ $129 each, but why do I have to
throw away my current memory? That sort of defeats the purpose of buying
more memory.
Dell also wants $339 for a 512MB card. For two of those I might as well
just buy a new computer!
Why is memory so friggin expensive for this machine?
RDRAM is rare and expensive. The specialized architecture never
really caught on with the mass market.
From Crucia's web-site (
http://www.crucial.com/library/ddr_vs_rdram.asp
"Rambus memory (RDRAM®) is a memory design that utilizes a
different bus structure compared to other synchronous (SDR, DDR, DDR2)
memories. Rambus memory sends less information on the data bus (which is
16 or 18 bits wide as opposed to the standard 64 or 72 bits), but it
sends data more frequently. It also reads data on both the rising and
falling edges of the clock signal, as DDR and DDR2 do. As a result,
Rambus memory is able to achieve effective data transfer speeds of
800MHz and higher.
Another difference with Rambus memory is that all memory slots in the
motherboard must be populated. Even if all the memory is contained in a
single module, the ""unused" sockets must be populated with a PCB, known
as a continuity module, to complete the circuit.
"Rambus DRAM modules are known as RIMM modules (Rambus inline memory
modules). Rambus memory supports both ECC and non-ECC applications.
"Bottom Line
Generally speaking, motherboards are built to support one type of
memory. You cannot mix and match more than one type of SDR, DDR, DDR2,
or Rambus memory on the same motherboard in any system. They will not
function and will not even fit in the same sockets. The right type of
memory to use is the one that your motherboard takes! And no matter what
type of memory you use, more is typically better. A memory upgrade is
still one of the most cost-effective ways to improve system performance."
--
Bruce Chambers
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