Could I put SDRAM PC133 into old PC083 pc?

redtom

Evenin' all - want to upgrade an old Windows ME machine that originally had 256Mb of PC083 SDRAM in it - do you think I could swap it for a couple of sticks of 512Mb PC133 SDRAM and expect it to work at the PC083 speed?

Spear

redtom wrote:

Evenin' all - want to upgrade an old Windows ME machine that originally had 256Mb of PC083 SDRAM in it - do you think I could swap it for a couple of sticks of 512Mb PC133 SDRAM and expect it to work at the PC083 speed?

PC083? A quick Google shows nothing like that. Where is this name coming from?

Anti

There is no such thing as pc 083 ram. Can you try and explain a bit better redtom ?

redtom

Well I went to Crucial's "scan my system" page on their site and, while saying it couldn't recommend any upgrades for it, it reported the existing ram as SDRAM PC083 (could've been PC086, but I've a feeling that doesn't exist either?)

Anywhere else I can do a system scan to tell me what type of ram is in it - it's a PC I bought from Gateway about 6 years ago, it had Windows ME on it, but its slow as hell now so would like to throw some more at it, want to use it as a basic Media Centre job connected to the tv

Anti

Best thing to do would be to open up your pc, take out the ram and take a picture of it for us. While you are at it let us know the rest of the system specs, like cpu, motherboard make and model.

Its completly safe to do this, Just make sure you leave the power cord in the wall, but either turn off the socket, or turn the switch off at the back of the psu, this was you will stay grounded. Also make sure to discharge yourself by touching the surrounds of the case. You dont want any static damage, no matter how unlikely.

redtom

Ok, here goes:








Looks like PC133 - would this do the job do you think?:

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=305951

subway

thats pc133, it says it on the sticker...

get some on ebay for cheaper than komplett:

http://search.ebay.ie/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=pc133

redtom

Thanks for reply, just found this on Hardwareversand:

Clicky

Two of those for roughly same as Komplett? Looks alright...

TerrorFirmer

If that came from your PC, where did you get the PC083 bit??

Anyway, make sure that the machine supports 512mb sticks - alot of older ones from that era won't. Funny, I sold an entire bag of pc-100 and pc-133 ram sticks a few weeks ago for about 20 euro...:D

redtom

Read above, I was on Crucial's "scan my system" site, and that's what it reported for the ram it found - mind you, I had it hooked up to tv at this stage and the text was a bit blurry so it could have said pc133

Anyway, hardwareversand seems to be out of stock at the moment on the above

p.s. would the fact that it says CL3 on my pics above mean anything if all the pc133 I'm finding so far is CL2?

8T8

It means it has slower timings CAS Level 3 while the stuff you have is CAS Level 2 but it is still compatible as when a slower module is inserted the system will clock down all modules to the slowest common denominator e.g CAS 3.

Just on it's own it will run at it rated timings, I would recommend buying Crucial RAM just get this 512MB PC133 stick or two for 1GB.

Also if your computer is a brand with model number it might be worth using Crucial's memory adviser to tell you how much RAM is supported by the motherboard though you may already know that.

redtom

Thanks, yeah was lookin at that stuff on komplett - but Hardwareversand are doing a 512 stick for 34 squids, only not in stock at the moment - might stop off in PC World in me way home, see what they have