On 9/11/07, Ralph Shumaker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Lan Barnes wrote:
> > On Tue, September 11, 2007 12:00 pm, Ralph Shumaker wrote:
> >
> >> kelsey hudson wrote:
> >>
> >>> I have a couple of 512MB sticks of PC133 floating around here
> >>> somewhere. If I find them and you still need them you can have them.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Cheers,
> >>> -Kelsey
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >> Since Lan doesn't care for them, I might be interested. I don't know
> >> off hand what kind my PC uses. I currently have 512MB from one stick
> >> using one of two slots. I'd probably have to shut down to find out
> >> more, right?
>
> After carefully removing the cover of my running PC, and an internet
> search for the model info seen on my MB, it appears that I do *not* need
> the PC133 ram.
PC133 is in the generation previous to DDR.
> Mine takes DDR sticks (200, 266, 333, and 400) (aka:
> PC1600/PC2100/PC2700/PC3200). Are these old enuf that anyone has any of
> them looking for a home?
I have two 128MB DDR left over but that is not enough to make much of
a difference in your case. I say this with some historical pain,
remembering computers that maxed out at 1/4 of a MB.
> Would I have to match speeds between the two slots? I don't know the
> speed of the 512MB stick already in there. The two slots can take up to
> 2GB total.
The memory will run at the speed that the CPU uses it. Within some
range of speeds, faster memory will be OK at slower speeds.
> I average about 200MB of swap and occasionally push about 440 (since
> moving from FC4 to FC7). Even just a 256 stick should take care of my
> average needs. So a 512 would be even better. But since 440 comes so
> close to exceeding even that, I should probably consider just maxing out
> one slot at 1GB.
Not using swap should speed your computer up a great deal. Getting
data from memory takes a small fraction of a microsecond, getting data
from the disk takes a few milliseconds.
> Maybe I should consider upgrading the CPU also, and so (in for a penny,
> in for a pound) perhaps I should consider upgrading the MB as well. CPU
> is Mobile AMD Duron 800MHz (according to /proc/cpuinfo). The specs for
> my current MB doesn't even list this as the lower end CPU it can take.
>
> How do I find out what part of my CPU usage is being gobbled up by
> swapping memory? Right now it's running at 100% because of a webpage I
> have loaded. When I shut that page down, the CPU activity drops *way* down.
>
> Adding memory may be the cheapest way to fix my immediate problems, but
> is this memory still usable on the latest MBs being sold today?
DDR memory is currently one generation behind the latest, which is DDR2.
> How does one evaluate if it is time to upgrade just the memory, just the
> memory and brain, or the whole MB package?
Some unlikely places, such as Office Depot, were having close-out
sales on DDR memory a couple of weeks ago. This probably doesn't help
you this week. A look at eBay shows 1GB DDR memory to be going for
$30 to $40 per stick, plus shipping. Watch out for excessive shipping
charges. If you buy from a respectable place like Chips & Memory
(local) or NewEgg (mail order) the price of 1GB will be in the $55 to
$65 range.
Hope this doesn't confuse you too much.
carl
--
carl lowenstein marine physical lab u.c. san diego
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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