Re: Two questions about upgrading Flat Panel Memory

[Charles Martin]

From: Josh Richards <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Two questions about upgrading Flat Panel Memory
1. If I install a 1 GB DIMM in the user slot, in
addition to the 128 MB DIMM in the internal slot, will
the machine recognize 1 GB of memory?  I know the  max
is 1 GB, but I'm just curious.
You can't install a 1GB DIMM in the user slot because there is no 1GB 
DIMM that works with the FP iMac. I see that someone DOES make a PC2100 
DDR DIMM module, but as the current price is hovering around $800-1300, 
I suspect it's not worth it to see if it will work.

There are kits that will allow you to replace the 128MB internal RAM 
chip with a 512MB chip (it's a different type than the "user slot" one) 
to bring the total up to 1GB, but I'm not sure it's worth it. While 1GB 
of RAM offers benefits to heavy users, the casual user who doesn't keep 
a dozen apps open at once is unlikely to see much benefit (compared to 
640MB or 768MB of RAM) -- Panther (10.3) will offer significantly more 
of a "speed boost" for most folks when it's released later this year.

2. Why in the h*ll did Apple put the small useless
memory chip in the internal slot?
Cost. You could have easily had them make that a 256MB chip at the time 
of purchase, or by going to the top-o-the-line model. You didn't.

  I currently have a
128 MB internal chip and a 256 MB user slot chip.  So,
I can only upgrade to 640 MB instead of 768 MB through
the user slot.  Sounds like a cheap way to get people
to come into the Apple $tore$ and spend money for them
to upgrade your machine.
And it's an idea I strongly recommend. I wouldn't suggest any iMac 
owner replace the internal chip themselves -- many of the online 
directions for doing so are incomplete and can result in disaster. Have 
a certified Mac tech do it. It's not worth the risk of you doing it 
yourself unless your VERY comfortable with disassembling computers and 
working with thermal grease.

This is why I asked question #1.  Can I cheat around
this 640 MB ceiling?
I wouldn't call it "cheating," but yes.

_Chas_

The CPU speed wars are over. We won.
http://www.apple.com/powermac/
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