Upgrading Memory Modules

[cesar_us]

I have a laptop that is a Pentium 4 CPU 3.2 Ghz with a 800 FSB. It
currently has a 512 MB DDR PC2700 333Mhz CL 2.5.

I want to upgrade the memory and am wondering if it can upgrade the
memory to a faster MHz one that is much closer to my FSB. Also, am I
restrained by the PC2700.

I see some memory modules at PC4300 533 MHz and some at 667MHz.

Can I upgrade my memory chip set to tak advantage of these faster
MHz. Why or why not.


Thanks,

 

[paulmd]

I have a laptop that is a Pentium 4 CPU 3.2 Ghz with a 800 FSB. It
currently has a 512 MB DDR PC2700 333Mhz CL 2.5.

I want to upgrade the memory and am wondering if it can upgrade the
memory to a faster MHz one that is much closer to my FSB. Also, am I
restrained by the PC2700.

I see some memory modules at PC4300 533 MHz and some at 667MHz.

Can I upgrade my memory chip set to tak advantage of these faster
MHz. Why or why not.

Thanks,

Without knowing the make and model of the machine (or motherboard) I
cannot answer with 100% certainty. But in general: Faster ram is
backwards compatible, it will do no harm. But the question as to
whether or not it would HELP is an open one.

 

[kony]

I have a laptop that is a Pentium 4 CPU 3.2 Ghz with a 800 FSB. It
currently has a 512 MB DDR PC2700 333Mhz CL 2.5.

I want to upgrade the memory and am wondering if it can upgrade the
memory to a faster MHz one that is much closer to my FSB.

No, your FSB is not 800, it is 200MHz clock rate in this
context, quad-pumped means X4 = 800.

So a synchronous FSB - Memory would be met by having 200MHz
clock rate DDR memory or PC3200.

Also, am I
restrained by the PC2700.

Is that what came in the laptop?
Why did you not provide details of what laptop you have?
I think you don't want help very badly if you can't provide
detail of the hardware in a hardware newsgroup.

I see some memory modules at PC4300 533 MHz and some at 667MHz.

You can only use memory compatible with your unknown brand
of laptop. Based on the PC2700 info you provided, it uses
DDR1 memory not DDR2 which is what the typical higher
freqency memory is.

Can I upgrade my memory chip set to tak advantage of these faster
MHz. Why or why not.

Buy PC3200 memory, and take out your present module as you
can't use it if you have any chance of raising the memory
bus. If the laptop can't run it at 200MHz clock rate, it
will downclock it to the same speed as your PC2700 was,
166MHz clock rate.

I don't understand why you think someone would deliberately
cripple your laptop. You should have just bought what the
manufacturer stipulated as the appropriate memory for it, or
to prevent waste, the same memory you already have so you
can keep that memory in it and run in dual channel mode if
supported.