upgrading ram

[Glenda P.]

I bought an upgradeable Compaq Presario 5310US 3 years ago with 40 GB HD and
256 MB RAM. Now I want to upgrade to 512 MB RAM. I have read all the
documentation but I still don't understand if I am supposed to replace the
256 MB module that I have with a 512 MB module or add 256 to the 256 I
already have. I looked at the CD that came with the system regarding memory
upgrades but it isn't very helpful.
can you help me understand how to tell what I need to do.
Also, I plan on adding another 40 GB to the hard drive in the future also.
Does the method of adding memory apply to both types of memory?
Thanks in advance,
Glenda

 

[Jim Macklin]

You only need to buy the proper RAM in a 256 module to
install. Check www.crucial.com and enter the make and model
of the computer to see what type of RAM and to see
instructions.

The hard drive is different from RAM, you can install a
second hard drive or replace the drive and reinstall your
Windows and applications.

You should consider the cost of buying a new computer with
the cost of buy and setting up the old computer.


--
Merry Christmas
Have a Safe and Happy New Year
Live Long and Prosper
Jim Macklin
message |I bought an upgradeable Compaq Presario 5310US 3 years ago
with 40 GB HD and
| 256 MB RAM. Now I want to upgrade to 512 MB RAM. I have
read all the
| documentation but I still don't understand if I am
supposed to replace the
| 256 MB module that I have with a 512 MB module or add 256
to the 256 I
| already have. I looked at the CD that came with the system
regarding memory
| upgrades but it isn't very helpful.
| can you help me understand how to tell what I need to do.
| Also, I plan on adding another 40 GB to the hard drive in
the future also.
| Does the method of adding memory apply to both types of
memory?
| Thanks in advance,
| Glenda
|
|

 

[Glenda P.]

Thanks so much for the link. I bought the upgradeable model 3 years ago so
that all I would have to do was add memory when I needed it. I haven't used
half of the available HD memory yet and I think that doubling the RAM will
be all I need for a little longer. I can't really afford a new system and
the upgrades should hold me for a few more years. Thanks for the
information,
Glenda

 

[Papa]

Hi Glenda:

I think you are confusing volatile memory with hard disk storage. Volatile
memory, sometimes called Random Access Memory (RAM) or just memory, looses
all of its contents every time the computer is turned off. RAM capacity is
usually measured in megabytes (MB). Hard disk storage is permanent. When the
computer is turned off, all of its contents are still intact. These days
hard drive capacity is usually measured in gigabytes (GB).

You cannot add storage capacity to an existing hard drive. If you want more
hard drive storage, you will have to add a second hard drive, or replace
your existing drive with a larger one - but back everything up first and
then put an image of your original hard drive contents onto your new drive.
There are several software packages available that can do this.

As for your memory chip, your computer has a second (empty) memory slot - so
all you need is another 256 MB chip. Just make sure it is the same type as
your original memory chip. Your computer manual should have the details. If
not, go to the Compaq website and look for the specifications for your
particular model.

Regards.

 

[BR549]

I bought an upgradeable Compaq Presario 5310US 3 years ago with 40 GB HD and
256 MB RAM. Now I want to upgrade to 512 MB RAM. I have read all the
documentation but I still don't understand if I am supposed to replace the
256 MB module that I have with a 512 MB module or add 256 to the 256 I
already have. I looked at the CD that came with the system regarding memory
upgrades but it isn't very helpful.
can you help me understand how to tell what I need to do.
Also, I plan on adding another 40 GB to the hard drive in the future also.
Does the method of adding memory apply to both types of memory?


The best thing to do is take off the case and see how many memory slots, if
any, are available. If there is at least one available then you can just
add the 256mb module or a 512mb, they don't have to be the same size. As
for your hard drive, you don't need to add a 2nd hard drive that is the same
size as the 1st. Unless you have a need for a huge 2nd drive, if you keep
it to 120gb or smaller you shouldn't run into any size problems.

 

[Jim Macklin]

You're welcome.

message | Thanks so much for the link. I bought the upgradeable
model 3 years ago so
| that all I would have to do was add memory when I needed
it. I haven't used
| half of the available HD memory yet and I think that
doubling the RAM will
| be all I need for a little longer. I can't really afford a
new system and
| the upgrades should hold me for a few more years. Thanks
for the
| information,
| Glenda
|
|

 

[Glenda P.]

Hi,
thanks for the additional information, I did go to Compaq and printed out
the specs and with the additional information I received here, my husband
went out to get me another 256 MB module for my birthday (per my request,
lol) He is totally not familiar with PC's and I wanted to make sure he was
able to ask for the right thing.
Thanks!
Glenda

 

[Glenda P.]

Hi BR545, you raised another couple of questions for me.
I was under the impression when I bought this computer as an "upgradeable"
that the maximum upgrade was 512MB for the RAM and maximum hard drive
upgrade was 40GB. I printed out the specs from Compaq and it says
"upgradeable to 512MB (SyncDRAM DIMM required). I assumed this meant that
the maximum module allowed was 256MB and they both had to be the same size.
Are you saying that I could add a 512 MB module instead of 256 MB for a
total of 768MB?
Also for the hard drive, the specs say I have one 3.5" internal drive
bay/spindles for hard drive and one 3.5" internal open for expansion. Are
you saying I do not have to limit the expansion to 40GB? You mentioned
keeping it to 120GB or smaller, I thought I could only go to a total of
80GB. I thought that internal "stuff" ( I haven't a clue what it is) keeps
me from adding any more than 40 GB, that the capability of other parts
limits how much I can add, in this case only 40GB. Is this not true?
Thanks in advance for any clarification,
Glenda

 

[Philip Herlihy]

Check your model on the Crucial site - their memory selector is clear and
accurate.

 

[Jim Macklin]

The companies, such as HP or Compaq often place limits on
the system, either using a BIOS or other setting that limits
upgrades to less than similar systems have. This makes
there salesmen feel happy since real big upgrades require a
new purchase.

Sometimes BIOS upgrades will remove those limitations, but
often there are no BIOS upgrades available.


--
Merry Christmas
Have a Safe and Happy New Year
Live Long and Prosper
Jim Macklin
message | Hi BR545, you raised another couple of questions for me.
| I was under the impression when I bought this computer as
an "upgradeable"
| that the maximum upgrade was 512MB for the RAM and maximum
hard drive
| upgrade was 40GB. I printed out the specs from Compaq and
it says
| "upgradeable to 512MB (SyncDRAM DIMM required). I assumed
this meant that
| the maximum module allowed was 256MB and they both had to
be the same size.
| Are you saying that I could add a 512 MB module instead of
256 MB for a
| total of 768MB?
| Also for the hard drive, the specs say I have one 3.5"
internal drive
| bay/spindles for hard drive and one 3.5" internal open for
expansion. Are
| you saying I do not have to limit the expansion to 40GB?
You mentioned
| keeping it to 120GB or smaller, I thought I could only go
to a total of
| 80GB. I thought that internal "stuff" ( I haven't a clue
what it is) keeps
| me from adding any more than 40 GB, that the capability of
other parts
| limits how much I can add, in this case only 40GB. Is this
not true?
| Thanks in advance for any clarification,
| Glenda
|
|

 

[Jim Macklin]

in message | The companies, such as HP or Compaq often place limits on
| the system, either using a BIOS or other setting that
limits
| upgrades to less than similar systems have. This makes
| their salesmen feel happy since real big upgrades require
a
| new purchase.
|
| Sometimes BIOS upgrades will remove those limitations, but
| often there are no BIOS upgrades available.
|
|
| --
| Merry Christmas
| Have a Safe and Happy New Year
| Live Long and Prosper
| Jim Macklin
in
| message || Hi BR545, you raised another couple of questions for me.
|| I was under the impression when I bought this computer as
| an "upgradeable"
|| that the maximum upgrade was 512MB for the RAM and
maximum
| hard drive
|| upgrade was 40GB. I printed out the specs from Compaq and
| it says
|| "upgradeable to 512MB (SyncDRAM DIMM required). I assumed
| this meant that
|| the maximum module allowed was 256MB and they both had to
| be the same size.
|| Are you saying that I could add a 512 MB module instead
of
| 256 MB for a
|| total of 768MB?
|| Also for the hard drive, the specs say I have one 3.5"
| internal drive
|| bay/spindles for hard drive and one 3.5" internal open
for
| expansion. Are
|| you saying I do not have to limit the expansion to 40GB?
| You mentioned
|| keeping it to 120GB or smaller, I thought I could only go
| to a total of
|| 80GB. I thought that internal "stuff" ( I haven't a clue
| what it is) keeps
|| me from adding any more than 40 GB, that the capability
of
| other parts
|| limits how much I can add, in this case only 40GB. Is
this
| not true?
|| Thanks in advance for any clarification,
|| Glenda
||
||
|
|

 

[Papa]

You can add a second hard drive that exceeds 40 GB, no problem doing that.
If you look carefully at the Compaq specs for that machine, it merely states
that the computer comes with a 40 GB hard drive. It says nothing one way or
the other about adding a second drive, or what size it should be.

However, the Compaq specs for that model states that it can have a maximum
of 512 MB of memory. Because of that, and since it would be cheaper to buy
one 256 MB chip rather than remove your existing chip and buy a single 512
MB chip, and since your older machine would not benefit much (if any) by
trying to go beyond 512 MB anyway, then why bother? You wouldn't gain
anything.

By the way, as far as DIMMs are concerned, they do not have to be installed
in pairs, and if pairs are used, they can be of unequal capacity - so, for
example, you could add a second chip of 64 MB and that would work just fine,
giving you a total of 320 MB. The older SIMM chips had to be installed in
pairs. Perhaps that was what you were thinking about.

 

[Glenda P.]

Thanks so much for the great information. I am happy to report that I
installed the 256 MB RAM module and that it is working great!
I am also happy to learn that when I am ready to upgrade the hard drive I do
not have to limit it to 40GB. Everyone is so good with sharing information
in this newsgroup ( and others as I have recognized some of the same names
of helpful folks on other newsgroups) I have had many aggravating problems
solved by reading through the newsgroups.
Glenda

 

[BR549]

Glenda, like the others have said, you don't have to limit your disk size to
40gb. The only size limitation your machine would probably run into would
be when you would reach the infamous 137gb disk barrier. That said, you
would install a 2nd disk of your choice (size wise) in the 3.5" internal
expansion slot and jumper it as a slave.
As some of the others have said you probably wouldn't see any benefit by
going beyond 512mb total. Could you add a 512mb stick and go to 768mb,
maybe, maybe not. It is possible that your motherboard wouldn't be able to
handle a memory stick beyond 256mb. I've seen many older motherboards that
couldn't go beyond 128mb ram modules unless you installed double sided
modules. Again, I would stay with another 256mb size or less. It really
depends on what your memory requirements are and why you are upgrading.
Please keep in mind what any of these upgrades will cost you. Your machine
is a 1.2ghz Celeron and complete replacement Celeron machines are pretty
cheap these days.


Hi BR545, you raised another couple of questions for me.
I was under the impression when I bought this computer as an "upgradeable"
that the maximum upgrade was 512MB for the RAM and maximum hard drive
upgrade was 40GB. I printed out the specs from Compaq and it says
"upgradeable to 512MB (SyncDRAM DIMM required). I assumed this meant that
the maximum module allowed was 256MB and they both had to be the same size.
Are you saying that I could add a 512 MB module instead of 256 MB for a
total of 768MB?
Also for the hard drive, the specs say I have one 3.5" internal drive
bay/spindles for hard drive and one 3.5" internal open for expansion. Are
you saying I do not have to limit the expansion to 40GB? You mentioned
keeping it to 120GB or smaller, I thought I could only go to a total of
80GB. I thought that internal "stuff" ( I haven't a clue what it is) keeps
me from adding any more than 40 GB, that the capability of other parts
limits how much I can add, in this case only 40GB. Is this not true?
Thanks in advance for any clarification,
Glenda