The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    1st Generation m17x Memory Upgrade Question!

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by Silent_Sc(+)pe, Sep 1, 2009.

  1. Silent_Sc(+)pe

    Silent_Sc(+)pe Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Hey fellow Notebook Reviewers! I have a question that I have been trying to find the answer to for nearly four days now, and was hoping ya'll could help...

    I have a year old Alienware m17x w/ 2x1GB sticks of PC2-5300DDR2 667MHz Ram - these are the original sticks from Alienware

    I want to upgrade to 4GB but I'm having problems decided what to get.

    I have Vista 32-bit so I know it will only recognize 3.5GB but that's fine - this is my problem...

    Do I buy 2x2GB PC2-5300DDR2 667MHz Sticks

    or...

    Do I buy 2x2GB PC2-6400DDR2 800MHz Sticks

    The Crucial.com "Memory Advisor" says that I can choose either/or but wouldn't the 800MHz be a better buy?

    Having a 800MHz FSB - won't my m17x benefit from having the faster RAM?

    If I do choose the 800MHz RAM will my PC only be able to utilize 667MHz of he RAM?

    What about heat issues - or would it make any difference?

    ...

    I've really got a dilemma here...has anyone else upgraded their 1st Gen m17x?

    What did you do?

    Who can help?

    - Thanks in advance. I've always trusted this community!
     
    Silent_Sc(+)pe, Sep 1, 2009
    #1
  2. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

    Reputations:
    3,973
    Messages:
    13,930
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    455
    Just get the 667 u can't use the 800 MHz anyway ...

    No heat issues

    Just get the cheaper one
     
    The_Moo™, Sep 1, 2009
    #2
  3. Silent_Sc(+)pe

    Silent_Sc(+)pe Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Why exactly can't I use the PC2-6400DD2? Is my FSB too slow?
     
    Silent_Sc(+)pe, Sep 1, 2009
    #3
  4. Worgen

    Worgen Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    54
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    its due to your limitations on your motherboard.
     
    Worgen, Sep 2, 2009
    #4
  5. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

    Reputations:
    3,973
    Messages:
    13,930
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    455
    Your fsb can't go that high so it would downclock the ram then u would waste money
     
    The_Moo™, Sep 2, 2009
    #5
  6. Silent_Sc(+)pe

    Silent_Sc(+)pe Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    if they are the same price...what should i do?
     
    Silent_Sc(+)pe, Sep 2, 2009
    #6
  7. jacktheripper.wang

    jacktheripper.wang Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    84
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    16
    if same get the 800Mhz one

    maybe in the future you figured out how to do setFSB and then that will help you overclock.

    Another thing you should know is if you have 32 bit OS, installing 4GB ram only gives you 1.98GB. (4GB system address resource - 1GB reserved by vista for drivers and system IO - 1GB for SLI video cards)
     
    jacktheripper.wang, Sep 2, 2009
    #7
  8. Silent_Sc(+)pe

    Silent_Sc(+)pe Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I do have Vista 32-bit...and only 2 GB of RAM - if I upgrade to 4GB it should only show 1.5GB more correct.

    Purchasing more RAM will help me...correct?
     
    Silent_Sc(+)pe, Sep 3, 2009
    #8
  9. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

    Reputations:
    3,973
    Messages:
    13,930
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    455
    yes it will ;)
     
    The_Moo™, Sep 3, 2009
    #9
  10. EviLCorsaiR

    EviLCorsaiR Asura

    Reputations:
    970
    Messages:
    2,674
    Likes Received:
    144
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Only gives you 1.98GB? Actually no, you get 3.5GB. Why would anyone install more than 2GB if they could only get 1.98GB? This is considering many ordinary laptops with 32 bit systems come with 3GB or 4GB nowadays as well as desktops.
     
    EviLCorsaiR, Sep 3, 2009
    #10
  11. SRT_killer

    SRT_killer Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    um,,, Hi there, Corsair,,

    I know it's all of a sudden but

    can I ask you how you overclocked Q9000?
     
    SRT_killer, Dec 9, 2009
    #11
  12. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

    Reputations:
    3,973
    Messages:
    13,930
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    455
    SetFSB program
     
    The_Moo™, Dec 9, 2009
    #12
  13. SRT_killer

    SRT_killer Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    it says "chipset error" i think it doesn't have my chipset..... 9400 M G + GTX260
     
    SRT_killer, Dec 9, 2009
    #13