Which memory to buy PC2100 or upgrade

Saeed

I currently have 128MB of PC2100 memory CAS latency 2.5 in a 1.6GHz P4, 40GB HDD, i know it's not much but was OK before I switched to broadband, now my PC keeps saying virtual page memory low and the hard drive whizzes round and round for ages. So i figure I probably need extra memory. Used the crucial memory tool and saw this
http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.asp?Mfr%2BProductline=MSI+%28Micro+Star%29%2B+Motherboards&mfr=MSI+%28Micro+Star%29&tabid=AM&model=MS-6547+%28645+Ultra%29&submit=Go

Now what I am unsure of is:

1) Will a 256mb stick of PC2700 or 3200 memory work with the currently installed PC2100 memory or will I have to throw it away and use all PC2700/3200 memory?

2) should I upgrade it all to pc3200 memory or just buy some 2100 memory off ebuyer which does still sell it for performance increase?

Any advice from computer knowledgeable MS's appreciated

espresso

If you add faster memory i.e. PC2700 or PC3200 it will be slowed down to the speed of the PC2100 memory in use. Your motherboard would have to be able to handle faster memory to get any advantage from it.

greyster

Your laptop will have a certain number of slots to fix memory sticks.

1 slot takes 1 memory stick.

Obviously if your laptop only has 1 slot, then you will need to throw it away (sell it?) and get a bigger stick. You will need to check how many slots it has, check the manual.

There is a performance increase from PC2700 to 3200 but not a lot. I would compare the prices of a stick of PC2700 and 3200, and if its similar than get the better. If its 20% more expensive for example, perhaps stick to PC2700.

greyster

espresso wrote:

If you add faster memory i.e. PC2700 or PC3200 it will be slowed down to the speed of the PC2100 memory in use. Your motherboard would have to be able to handle faster memory to get any advantage from it.

You may want to note what this chappy says too ... should your laptop have more than one slot.

gaming_guy

have you got at least 1gb free on your hard drive as we let it go down to about 500mb on our 20gb hdd and it got realy slow

Saeed

Thanks for replies, I have 9GB free HD and have 2 free memory slots.I have looked at the manual for the MB and it says "supports dimms of ddr333/266/200"
and then says "supports 400mhz system bus with 2xaddress and 4x data rate"

Does this mean that it will not take the faster PC3200 DDR??? as it supports dimms of max ddr333 or does it mean that it will take them since it says 400MHz system bus speed??? when i bought the pc the fastest memory available was PC2700/ddr333.

greyster

PC3200 = DDR400 = 400Mhz

PC2700 = DDR333 = 333Mhz

Hope that helps

Personally now knowing that you have a stick of PC2700 already AND 2 slots, I'd be inclined to get another stick of PC2700.

A PC3200 will only run at the same speed as the existing PC2700 stick as previously stated, therefore not very money saving