upgrading RAM to 3GB

I've been searching the forum and reading some (old) threads on this subject, but only got more confused, and I am not sure if I am getting updated information...

I am willing to upgrade my RAM from 2 GB (1+1) to 3 GB (2+1), because I don't feel like going 4GB and updating to x64 right now, so:

In my xps manual I read:

but on other threads I read about some "Intel Flex Memory" technology, so...

Is it worth it to go 3 GB (2+1)?

 

You should be fine if you get a 3GB kit

 

Dell's manual is incorrect. The PM965 chipset has support for Flex mode.

 

I don't understand why you would rather go the 3GB (2GB + 1GB) route in lieu of a kit of 4GB (2 x 2GB). True, you don't have a 64-bit OS, but a 32-bit OS will still read ~3GB of the 4GB of memory you have installed. Personally, with the way current laptop memory prices are, you can easily afford a 4GB kit of memory, which are nearly on par in price to 3GB kits.

Not only that, but when and if you do intend to upgrade to a 64-bit OS, you'll have an appropriate 4GB memory kit ready to go. In the end, you'll save money by not having to purchase another kit of RAM for an OS upgrade in the future.

So, to answer your question, in my opinion, no, it is not worth it.

 

^^ I wouldn't buy a 3GB kit, but just a 2GB stick, to use with one of the 1GB sticks I already have.

If I want to go 4GB, I must buy two 2GB sticks (I haven't seen those "kits" in this remote corner of the world, just the individual sticks), so, twice the price.

I figured I could to this now, and buy another 2GB stick in the future to reach 4GB total and go x64.

 

i have windows vista 32 bit and it reads all 4gb

 

Reads it but does not utilize it.

 

well sure looks like it it even says under task manager it says: physical memory 4093

 

Trust us. Your computer is unable to address the full potential of 4GB of memory in a 32-bit OS environment.

In other words, you will populate the second SO-DIMM slot by replacing one 1GB stick with one 2GB stick. Fair enough, that is, if you like mixing your memory modules which is something I recommend you don't do. To maxmize the fullest potential of your notebooks' performance, reliability, and usefullness, I always suggest investing in a kit of matched sticks of RAM.

Nothing sucks more than having different kinds of memory installed in a computer and getting hit with repeated BSOD's and memory exception errors.

Amazon ships worldwide if I recall.

 

This is exactly what I was asking about, if it is ok for me to mix modules, or should I wait until I can buy two of a kind + x64 vista. Sorry if I didn't explain myself correctly.

Yes, but a 4GB kit on Amazon + shipping would cost more than buying two equal Kingston 2GB modules over here. I just don't want to spend that cash right now.

 

Unless your chipset is extremely sensitive, like some VIA chipsets, its completely fine to use different memory modules.

I have run a Corsair 1Gb PC3200 card alongside my Micron 256mb PC2100 card in my Inspiron 8500 for 4 years, before I finally bought another matching 1gb PC3200 card. Most chipsets can deal with the difference. The memory will just run at the slower speed. All memory on the market today is supposed to comply to JEDEC standards for operation. That means the modules have to be compatible with a wide array of systems, and they can run in asynchronous mode.

There is no problem at all mixing a 1gb and a 2Gb memory module in the same system.
The benefits of dual channel are very low to begin with, and its nothing you will even notice as a user.

K-TRON

 

So, what you say is that I *shouldn't* get BSODs, but it won't work as dual channel?

 

Well, whether or not you get BSOD's with unmatched sticks of memory is purely subjective. Personally, I've had extremely bad luck in the past trying to save a couple bucks by mixing memory modules together, when I should have just invested the money into a quality kit of matched RAM in the first place.

To answer your quetion, (I hope), if you have both SO-DIMM slots populated with a stick of RAM, you are "officially" using dual channel. The problem then becomes that the notebook will default to the slowest speed of the two installed sticks RAM. For example, you have a stick of 2GB DDR2 800 and a stick of 1GB DDR2 667 installed. With this configuration, the notebook will read both sticks at DDR2 667, even though one of them is DDR2 800.