Upgrading Pc Memory
UPGRADING THE PC MEMORY
• There are different varieties, shapes and voltages of RAM.
• When planning an upgrade you need to ensure compatibility by considering the following points:
Available slots
• If the motherboard memory slots are full, it may not be possible to add more Memory or it may be necessary to remove some older, low capacity memory Modules to make way for new ones.
Physical format
• It is preferable to stick to the same module format. This format also determines how many modules should be fitted and it is important to ensure they are all alike and have the same capacity.
Parity or non-parity
• Parity memory has 3,6,9,12 or 18 chips on each SIMM, non-parity has 2,4,8 or 16. The existing RAM should be used as a guide –
• Fitting parity RAM to a board that doesn’t use it may result in it grinding to a halt, while adding non-parity to parity RAM is likely to render parity checking inoperative.
Number of chips
• A few types of motherboards require a particular number of chips per Module. They are mainly 486 boards and they might not work with a mix of three-chip 30-pin SIMMs with nine-chip 30-pin SIMMs, or a mix of ’single-sided’ 72-pin SIMMs with ‘double-sided’ 72-pin SIMMs
Voltage
• Most memory these days come in 5V. If the motherboard manual indicates that it also supports 3.3V memory, the jumper setting should be checked. If 3.3V is installed; any upgrade should also use 3.3V
• It’s safest not to mix the three main types of memory i.e. standard page mode (fast page mode or FPM), extended data out (EDO) and synchronous (SDRAM).
• A system will normally report (at bootup or in the BIOS) if it is using EDO or SDRAM - if it doesn’t the chances are that it’s FPM., although there are often occasions where this is possible.
Speed
• Memory speed is measured by the time it takes to access data stored in the memory.
– in nanoseconds (nS) Common access times are 50, 60, 70 and 80 nanoseconds.
• Motherboards will only operate with the
• There are different varieties, shapes and voltages of RAM.
• When planning an upgrade you need to ensure compatibility by considering the following points:
Available slots
• If the motherboard memory slots are full, it may not be possible to add more Memory or it may be necessary to remove some older, low capacity memory Modules to make way for new ones.
Physical format
• It is preferable to stick to the same module format. This format also determines how many modules should be fitted and it is important to ensure they are all alike and have the same capacity.
Parity or non-parity
• Parity memory has 3,6,9,12 or 18 chips on each SIMM, non-parity has 2,4,8 or 16. The existing RAM should be used as a guide –
• Fitting parity RAM to a board that doesn’t use it may result in it grinding to a halt, while adding non-parity to parity RAM is likely to render parity checking inoperative.
Number of chips
• A few types of motherboards require a particular number of chips per Module. They are mainly 486 boards and they might not work with a mix of three-chip 30-pin SIMMs with nine-chip 30-pin SIMMs, or a mix of ’single-sided’ 72-pin SIMMs with ‘double-sided’ 72-pin SIMMs
Voltage
• Most memory these days come in 5V. If the motherboard manual indicates that it also supports 3.3V memory, the jumper setting should be checked. If 3.3V is installed; any upgrade should also use 3.3V
• It’s safest not to mix the three main types of memory i.e. standard page mode (fast page mode or FPM), extended data out (EDO) and synchronous (SDRAM).
• A system will normally report (at bootup or in the BIOS) if it is using EDO or SDRAM - if it doesn’t the chances are that it’s FPM., although there are often occasions where this is possible.
Speed
• Memory speed is measured by the time it takes to access data stored in the memory.
– in nanoseconds (nS) Common access times are 50, 60, 70 and 80 nanoseconds.
• Motherboards will only operate with the