Hardware Upgrade and OEM Vista

[Kaz]

Hi I recently purchased a low end base PC - AcerT180, AMD 64x2 3800+, 1Gb
PC2-5300 633Mhz RAM, GeForceGo6100 256mb shared, 160Gb HDD, DVD-RW DL.,
currently using an old Packard Bell 19"CRT monitor, and bought a new
Logitech media keybaord elite.

Vista Home Premium 32bit OEM came pre-installed, I have made DVD backups
immediately upon 1st logon.

I have ordered and waiting to install the following and wonder if anyone can
advise me of compatability issues or any activation issues I need to be
aware of:

To be added:

2 x 1gb Patriot Extreme Performance PC2-6400 800Mhz 5-5-5-15 timingss which
I hope to change in the bios after install to 4-4-4-12.

Asus EN8800GTS 320Mb PCIe graphics card

Samsung 206BW 20" LCD Screen

Logitech Z10 2.0 USB speakers, even though my onboard sound doews provide
7.1 support I'd rather have just the 2 speakers on my desk, though have
considred the logitech X-540 setup.

If this is the wrong place to post this, can soemone please direct me to the
correct place, I'm brand new to news communities and so need a while to
adjust.

Many thanks in advance for any and all replies.

 

[Justin]

Hi I recently purchased a low end base PC - AcerT180, AMD 64x2 3800+, 1Gb
PC2-5300 633Mhz RAM, GeForceGo6100 256mb shared, 160Gb HDD, DVD-RW DL.,
currently using an old Packard Bell 19"CRT monitor, and bought a new
Logitech media keybaord elite.

Vista Home Premium 32bit OEM came pre-installed, I have made DVD backups
immediately upon 1st logon.

I have ordered and waiting to install the following and wonder if anyone
can advise me of compatability issues or any activation issues I need to
be aware of:

To be added:

2 x 1gb Patriot Extreme Performance PC2-6400 800Mhz 5-5-5-15 timingss
which I hope to change in the bios after install to 4-4-4-12.

Asus EN8800GTS 320Mb PCIe graphics card

Samsung 206BW 20" LCD Screen

Logitech Z10 2.0 USB speakers, even though my onboard sound doews provide
7.1 support I'd rather have just the 2 speakers on my desk, though have
considred the logitech X-540 setup.

If this is the wrong place to post this, can soemone please direct me to
the correct place, I'm brand new to news communities and so need a while
to adjust.

Many thanks in advance for any and all replies.

You shouldn't have any issues making these upgrades. However, in the off
chance your machine does tell you to reactivate then simply call MS and
they'll get you going again. Since you purchased it through Acer, they
should be able to help you as well if you have any problems with MS.

 

[Kaz]

Thanks Justin,

Thanks for this, I'm realtively new to Vista hving just bought it on the
aforementioned T180 and on an Acer Laptop,, both are running ok at the
moment, just that I want the extra performancfe on the T180 for gaming, and
the integrated graphics using up a 1/4 of the ram installed, does not help,
so hopefully the graphics card will free up the existting 1Gb ram, and the
added 2gb even though it doesn't match the pre-installed PC2-5300 ram, new
ram PC2-6400, so will probably run at 5300 633 Mhz across the baord, should
help with gaming, the other issue is whether or not to just install the 2gb
PC2-6400 800Mhz and remove the slowere PC2-5300 , so 2gb at PC6400 or 3gb at
PC5300, which will work better any ideas...???

Thanks again for theinfo at least I shouldn't have to worry too much about
having to re-activate.

 

[Justin]

Thanks Justin,

Thanks for this, I'm realtively new to Vista hving just bought it on the
aforementioned T180 and on an Acer Laptop,, both are running ok at the
moment, just that I want the extra performancfe on the T180 for gaming,
and
the integrated graphics using up a 1/4 of the ram installed, does not
help,
so hopefully the graphics card will free up the existting 1Gb ram, and the
added 2gb even though it doesn't match the pre-installed PC2-5300 ram, new
ram PC2-6400, so will probably run at 5300 633 Mhz across the baord,
should
help with gaming, the other issue is whether or not to just install the
2gb
PC2-6400 800Mhz and remove the slowere PC2-5300 , so 2gb at PC6400 or 3gb
at
PC5300, which will work better any ideas...???

Thanks again for theinfo at least I shouldn't have to worry too much about
having to re-activate.

You're welcome.

You should be fine with 2GB. Maybe get some money back from the other 1GB?
Personally I wouldn't mix the two. It'll work but you're better off running
at a higher speed anyway.

 

[Kaz]

Thanks again, I was thinking along the same lines, better to have the faster
2gb matched, than the 3gb at the lower speed, so will go ahead and do that,
see if it all runs stable after changing the timing settings in BIOS to the
recommended 4-4-4-12 instead of the standard programmed 5-5-5-15, only
problem then is that having already checked my bios there is no option to
increase the vdimm, which is currently 1.77 and the new ram recommends a
2.2v setting, but just have to see how it goes, hoping it will be stable at
the lower timings on 1.77, mobo manual says it's rated for 1.8v but CPU-Z
shows it running at 1.77, if start getting errors/crashes then I'll have to
reset the timings to 5-5-5-15 I suppose, though I've heard there are BIOS
flashes that can be downlaoded which may resolve this, enabling bios vdimm
settings to be adjusted accordingly, but I'm a bit dubious about this...!!!
Thanks again