Upgrading RAM.

Topgun · 02-07-2005, 13:47

Hi,
I run XP pro on my PC and have one stick of 512 mb of RAM in place. I am thinking of doubling this so would like to purchase another 512 mb. My question however is this, how can I find out what kind of RAM I presently have because I gather I have to put exactly the same in for it to work properly? If I take it out and look at it will I be able to see all the necessary info, or is there some other way I can find out?

Thanks in advance.

MovedGoalPosts · 02-07-2005, 13:50

www.crucial.com/uk

They have an online scanner that can work out what you have and what you need.

Topgun · 02-07-2005, 13:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

www.crucial.com/uk

They have an online scanner that can work out what you have and what you need.

Job done, thanks very much!

Halcyon · 02-07-2005, 23:42

Good luck.
Remember to wear that an anti static wrist band when you handle the ram. Its quite easy and you should be fine.

nffc · 02-07-2005, 23:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcyon

Good luck.
Remember to wear that an anti static wrist band when you handle the ram. Its quite easy and you should be fine.

I *never* wear mine but i always tell people to. Good advice.

MovedGoalPosts · 03-07-2005, 00:35

What's an anti static band

Never ever bothered and I've added countless memory sticks, hard disks graphics cards and even built a complete PC. Maybe I've just been lucky

03-07-2005, 00:37

The thing is static can do damage and you never know,it could reduce reliability in cpus'and ram in fact any electrical componant,this can result in reduced performance,This is why buying oem is a bad idea handled by muppets

Tezcatlipoca · 03-07-2005, 00:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

What's an anti static band

Never ever bothered and I've added countless memory sticks, hard disks graphics cards and even built a complete PC. Maybe I've just been lucky

Wrist-band with metal on the inside, connected to a clip thing via a lead. You wear the band, & connect the clip to a radiator pipe or something.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...827644-8439001

03-07-2005, 01:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D

Wrist-band with metal on the inside, connected to a clip thing via a lead. You wear the band, & connect the clip to a radiator pipe or something.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...827644-8439001

Pipes and rads woould only be ok if your external pipes remain metal and return to ground,best straps use the earth on mains

MovedGoalPosts · 03-07-2005, 01:12

I suppose I've been lucky really, and yep most products have been OEM, 'cos they are cheaper. I do accept the validity of precautions and know I should use one, just never bothered. Once day I'll get caught out.

On the other hand the memory I bought at a computer fair (seemed kosher as they gave me a receipt) was simply pulled from a wooden drawer, placed in a plastic bag and handed to me, No antistatic precautions in sight. May be these antistatic precautions are just overrated.

nffc · 03-07-2005, 01:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

May be these antistatic precautions are just overrated.

They're not. An electric field on ferroelectrics can alter the magnetic dipole ordering in localised areas... which is how the RAM is "written".

So basically- when you try to write the ram it's already appearing as written or something like that- in any case the important factor is the magnetic dipole arrangement is altered. Leading to read-write errors.

Although, the actual amount of static you'd need to transmit, and the size of the area you'd transmit it to, alters the amount of damage- and i'm not sure about either.

03-07-2005, 01:21

My father used to work for Dunlop.He was head of a department that developed mission critical electrical componants for aircraft, The used totally static proof enviroments.No one went near any of the chips ungrounded.These steps were taken to save lives but why take the risk with componants that cost us a lot of cash
__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

On the other hand the memory I bought at a computer fair (seemed kosher as they gave me a receipt) was simply pulled from a wooden drawer, placed in a plastic bag and handed to me, No antistatic precautions in sight. May be these antistatic precautions are just overrated.

Thats the oem risk I refered to dude

ive seen this done a lot of times.Lets face it chances are most of us have grounded ourselves and discharged build up when unplugging the power (lets hope everyone does this one)

nffc · 03-07-2005, 01:21

Can't seem to find a hysteresis loop though, and my lecture notes are stored somewhere where i can't get at them- on purpose!

03-07-2005, 01:23

http://www.pcguide.com/byop/byop_Sta...ntHandling.htm

http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,82184,00.asp

http://www.rm.com/Support/TechnicalA...p?cref=TEC6899

last ones interesting