WTB: 256mb pc100 SODIMM

I've got an Inspiron 7500 that has done me well for the last few years but it needs a ram upgrade badly. Currently running on 128mb with XP so it's dog slow but bearable. It needs to be pc100 as it will not take pc66 or pc133. I'm not picky about the brand so long as it's a reasonable price and works. If I can get 2x256mb sticks all the better but I'd be happy with just one.

 

ill have a dig, sure i have a load of memory somewhere, might also have a couple of 512mb sticks if they are of any use? will have to check on clock speed though, send a pm moy way and we can work something out, as wouldnt cost much to post overseas

 

just dug out my box full of memory, and have loads of pc133 in either 128, 256, and 512, just no pc100, as you sure that 133 mem wouldnt work?

 

Hey I have a extra PC I can sell you cheap if you want it, or we can do a trade? I picked it up at my local thrift shop a month or so ago. Its a Compaq with a Cele 2.2 or 2.4 Skt. 378b (or something? Im a AMD man myself so I dont know Intel Sockets well)

Its got at least a 20 gig HDD and 256megs DDR400. Its got onboard video but I think it has a AGP slot. It also has a CDRW and DVD-Rom. Front USB ports and all the things you would expect from a Compaq. I can load it up with XP or Vista your call.

When I mean cheap its cheap like 80 bucks maybe? Or I will trade for any NTSC consoles or games (love to find a DS, even a fatty). I live in Ohio. Let me know man!



EDIT: Diddy PC100 wont work that way. With DDR you can slap faster in and it will slow down to the best the board will support. But in my exp as a tech for 8 years now you cant put 133 in a 100 board. You will usually get errors and sometimes if it does post or work Windows will BSOD it constantly.

 

Some pc133 will do pc100 speeds. If you can throw it into a laptop and check the SPD tab of CPU-Z you can see what it's capable of. My laptop is limited to 2x256mb as it's an old p3 650, I wouldn't bother with an upgrade except for the 8 hours of battery life it gives me. It also needs to be SODIMM rather than DIMM, laptop ram that is.

As for a PC my desktop I'm writing this on runs a 3700+ San Diego so I don't really need another box, thanks for the offer though.

 

All PC133 will run at PC100 or PC66 speeds if thats all the memory controller can handle. Conversely, PC66 memory would also work, however the chain is only as strong as its weakest link - all memory will run at the slowest sticks speed. So it would be best to look for PC100 or PC133 RAM. This is only true, however, is SPD information is available in the memory chip and the memory controller can read it. IIRC SDRAM didn't have proper defaults for those things half the time.

That being said, speed is not the only thing to look out for. Chip density is also *VERY* important. if you have a SODIMM with, say, 4 chips on each side with a total of 256MB (32MB per chip). Some memory controllers in older machines can't detect the higher-density chips. (a 256MB SODIMM with chips only on one side, 64MB or 128MB per chip).

RAM compatability is often a headache. If you look up a whitepaper pdf for that laptop model, they will usually outline in (complex) charts what memory configurations work, and what ones don't.