XP too slow - How to upgrade RAM

[Guest]

I have a Compaq Presario 5WV280 Desktop PC

I currently have 128MB RAM. I was given a 512MB from a friend. Can I just
add it in the next slot? Does it need to go in the 1st slot since it is
bigger? Are the memory cards supposed to be the same size?

I have not taken the computer apart yet becasue I do not want to do it if
the 512 is not compatible. It is a 168 pin which is what my computer uses.

Here are the specs. Please help. I don't want to mess something up.

Memory Max* 768 MB*
DIMM Memory Speed** 100 MHz CL3
Speed of Memory Down on Board N/A
Memory Type Non-Parity
Dimm Module Type Gold Contact
# of Pins 168
Max DIMM Capacity 256 MB
Ram Type*** 133 MHz SDRAM
Memory - On Board Zero
Memory - In Slots 64/128/256
Memory - Max No Discard 576/640/768
Memory - Max with Discard 768 MB*
Total Memory Slots Three
Memory Slots Used One
Memory Slots Free Two
*Note: Primary path is to use the largest DIMM possible [i.e. (one) 128 MB
DIMM with (two) 64 MB DIMMs used only as backup]
**Note: CL2 Memory may also be used.
***Note: All DIMMs must support Serial Presence Detect (SPD) Revision 1 or
Greater

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have a Compaq Presario 5WV280 Desktop PC

I currently have 128MB RAM. I was given a 512MB from a friend.
Can I just add it in the next slot? Does it need to go in the 1st
slot since it is bigger? Are the memory cards supposed to be the
same size?

I have not taken the computer apart yet becasue I do not want to do
it if the 512 is not compatible. It is a 168 pin which is what my
computer uses.

Here are the specs. Please help. I don't want to mess something
up.

Memory Max* 768 MB*
DIMM Memory Speed** 100 MHz CL3
Speed of Memory Down on Board N/A
Memory Type Non-Parity
Dimm Module Type Gold Contact
# of Pins 168
Max DIMM Capacity 256 MB
Ram Type*** 133 MHz SDRAM
Memory - On Board Zero
Memory - In Slots 64/128/256
Memory - Max No Discard 576/640/768
Memory - Max with Discard 768 MB*
Total Memory Slots Three
Memory Slots Used One
Memory Slots Free Two
*Note: Primary path is to use the largest DIMM possible [i.e. (one)
128 MB DIMM with (two) 64 MB DIMMs used only as backup]
**Note: CL2 Memory may also be used.
***Note: All DIMMs must support Serial Presence Detect (SPD)
Revision 1 or Greater

RAM that will work on your model:

http://www.crucial.com/store/listpa...l=Presario+5000+Series+Model+5WV280&submit=Go

( Short Link: http://snipurl.com/lkns )

Using the:

Crucial Memory AdvisorT Tool
http://www.crucial.com/

So - if your friend gave yo a 512MB stick - my knee-jerk response seeing
what is offered by Crucial would be "Nope".

Readin ghte specs you gave..
"Max DIMM Capacity 256 MB"
And my answer is still "Nope". (I assume you have three slots - they hold
256MB each for a max of 768MB (thus the spec *you* gave of "Memory Max* 768
MB*")

But as you can see - the RAM is cheap - buy some! =)

 

[Guest]

Thank you for you reply. It makes sense now.

I have a Compaq Presario 5WV280 Desktop PC

I currently have 128MB RAM. I was given a 512MB from a friend.
Can I just add it in the next slot? Does it need to go in the 1st
slot since it is bigger? Are the memory cards supposed to be the
same size?

I have not taken the computer apart yet becasue I do not want to do
it if the 512 is not compatible. It is a 168 pin which is what my
computer uses.

Here are the specs. Please help. I don't want to mess something
up.

Memory Max* 768 MB*
DIMM Memory Speed** 100 MHz CL3
Speed of Memory Down on Board N/A
Memory Type Non-Parity
Dimm Module Type Gold Contact
# of Pins 168
Max DIMM Capacity 256 MB
Ram Type*** 133 MHz SDRAM
Memory - On Board Zero
Memory - In Slots 64/128/256
Memory - Max No Discard 576/640/768
Memory - Max with Discard 768 MB*
Total Memory Slots Three
Memory Slots Used One
Memory Slots Free Two
*Note: Primary path is to use the largest DIMM possible [i.e. (one)
128 MB DIMM with (two) 64 MB DIMMs used only as backup]
**Note: CL2 Memory may also be used.
***Note: All DIMMs must support Serial Presence Detect (SPD)
Revision 1 or Greater

RAM that will work on your model:

http://www.crucial.com/store/listpa...l=Presario+5000+Series+Model+5WV280&submit=Go

( Short Link: http://snipurl.com/lkns )

Using the:

Crucial Memory AdvisorT Tool
http://www.crucial.com/

So - if your friend gave yo a 512MB stick - my knee-jerk response seeing
what is offered by Crucial would be "Nope".

Readin ghte specs you gave..
"Max DIMM Capacity 256 MB"
And my answer is still "Nope". (I assume you have three slots - they hold
256MB each for a max of 768MB (thus the spec *you* gave of "Memory Max* 768
MB*")

But as you can see - the RAM is cheap - buy some! =)

 

[Galen]

In tj had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Thank you for you reply. It makes sense now.

I have a Compaq Presario 5WV280 Desktop PC

I currently have 128MB RAM. I was given a 512MB from a friend.
Can I just add it in the next slot? Does it need to go in the 1st
slot since it is bigger? Are the memory cards supposed to be the
same size?

I have not taken the computer apart yet becasue I do not want to do
it if the 512 is not compatible. It is a 168 pin which is what my
computer uses.

Here are the specs. Please help. I don't want to mess something
up.

Memory Max* 768 MB*
DIMM Memory Speed** 100 MHz CL3
Speed of Memory Down on Board N/A
Memory Type Non-Parity
Dimm Module Type Gold Contact
# of Pins 168
Max DIMM Capacity 256 MB
Ram Type*** 133 MHz SDRAM
Memory - On Board Zero
Memory - In Slots 64/128/256
Memory - Max No Discard 576/640/768
Memory - Max with Discard 768 MB*
Total Memory Slots Three
Memory Slots Used One
Memory Slots Free Two
*Note: Primary path is to use the largest DIMM possible [i.e. (one)
128 MB DIMM with (two) 64 MB DIMMs used only as backup]
**Note: CL2 Memory may also be used.
***Note: All DIMMs must support Serial Presence Detect (SPD)
Revision 1 or Greater

RAM that will work on your model:

http://www.crucial.com/store/listpa...l=Presario+5000+Series+Model+5WV280&submit=Go

( Short Link: http://snipurl.com/lkns )

Using the:

Crucial Memory AdvisorT Tool
http://www.crucial.com/

So - if your friend gave yo a 512MB stick - my knee-jerk response
seeing what is offered by Crucial would be "Nope".

Readin ghte specs you gave..
"Max DIMM Capacity 256 MB"
And my answer is still "Nope". (I assume you have three slots -
they hold 256MB each for a max of 768MB (thus the spec *you* gave of
"Memory Max* 768 MB*")

But as you can see - the RAM is cheap - buy some! =)

Here's a completely backwards response. <g>

Really, crack open the case, rip out the old stick to ensure that you're not
getting conflicts, and stuff the new one in. You can't miss it, can't put it
into the wrong slot, can't put it in backwards, and can't generally hurt
anything unless you try REALLY hard. You'd have to do stuff like swallow a
battery and then shuffle your feet on a rug for ten minutes to really get
things going and then you might still have to press so hard that you crack
the mobo and to do that I'd recommend something heavy.

If it's hot it's hardware, if it's not it's software. From there you have
your mantra... Toss it in and see. <g> You will find the start to a
wonderful journey of learning and expansion of the mind as you cover new
horizons.

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/
http://kgiii.info/

"We approached the case, you remember, with an absolutely blank mind,
which is always an advantage. We had formed no theories. We were simply
there to observe and to draw inferences from our observations." -
Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

This probably a stupid question but what happens if I put the 512 in one of
the slots. Will I get the 256 out of it or not?

I have a Compaq Presario 5WV280 Desktop PC

I currently have 128MB RAM. I was given a 512MB from a friend.
Can I just add it in the next slot? Does it need to go in the 1st
slot since it is bigger? Are the memory cards supposed to be the
same size?

I have not taken the computer apart yet becasue I do not want to do
it if the 512 is not compatible. It is a 168 pin which is what my
computer uses.

Here are the specs. Please help. I don't want to mess something
up.

Memory Max* 768 MB*
DIMM Memory Speed** 100 MHz CL3
Speed of Memory Down on Board N/A
Memory Type Non-Parity
Dimm Module Type Gold Contact
# of Pins 168
Max DIMM Capacity 256 MB
Ram Type*** 133 MHz SDRAM
Memory - On Board Zero
Memory - In Slots 64/128/256
Memory - Max No Discard 576/640/768
Memory - Max with Discard 768 MB*
Total Memory Slots Three
Memory Slots Used One
Memory Slots Free Two
*Note: Primary path is to use the largest DIMM possible [i.e. (one)
128 MB DIMM with (two) 64 MB DIMMs used only as backup]
**Note: CL2 Memory may also be used.
***Note: All DIMMs must support Serial Presence Detect (SPD)
Revision 1 or Greater

RAM that will work on your model:

http://www.crucial.com/store/listpa...l=Presario+5000+Series+Model+5WV280&submit=Go

( Short Link: http://snipurl.com/lkns )

Using the:

Crucial Memory AdvisorT Tool
http://www.crucial.com/

So - if your friend gave yo a 512MB stick - my knee-jerk response seeing
what is offered by Crucial would be "Nope".

Readin ghte specs you gave..
"Max DIMM Capacity 256 MB"
And my answer is still "Nope". (I assume you have three slots - they hold
256MB each for a max of 768MB (thus the spec *you* gave of "Memory Max* 768
MB*")

But as you can see - the RAM is cheap - buy some! =)

 

[Shenan Stanley]

This probably a stupid question but what happens if I put the 512
in one of the slots. Will I get the 256 out of it or not?

Truthfully - that is a question that can only be answered by following
Galen's advice.

You may get 256MB out of it - or you may get less/more/nothing at all. It
may render your system unbootable (while the stick of RAM is in place.)

It is UNLIKELY to cause problems (as long as the ram physically fits) if
tried and yes - you could gain 256MB of memory out of the stick of 512MB.
However - it could also do a parade of other things and I wouldn't trust its
stability - that's for sure!

 

[Galen]

In Shenan Stanley had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Truthfully - that is a question that can only be answered by following
Galen's advice.

You may get 256MB out of it - or you may get less/more/nothing at
all. It may render your system unbootable (while the stick of RAM is
in place.)
It is UNLIKELY to cause problems (as long as the ram physically fits)
if tried and yes - you could gain 256MB of memory out of the stick of
512MB. However - it could also do a parade of other things and I
wouldn't trust its stability - that's for sure!

And here I come with backward advice again. <g>

Grab the stick, stuff it in by itself at first. If it boots and you don't
get beep beep beep then you're good to go on to the next step. If it boots
and you start getting BSODs all over the place then you know that stick's no
good. Rip it out and stuff the old one back in there. If it's good to go and
everything seems to work well then try cramming the old stick back in. If it
works then you've a gain of a full 512 as opposed to just 256.

I guess I don't understand it and, well I guess I try to, but I can't really
understand why people worry about such stuff? It's only hard the first time
and after that you'll be as good as a professional and it's a great deal of
fun. When I built my first PC (from a kit advertised in the back of a
Popular Science magazine IIRC) it was exciting. But there's nothing in there
that's going to bite you. You might nick a finger on something. Just turn
the PC off - and if you don't have anti-static equipment leave it plugged in
that way it's grounded still though a good idea is to hit the master switch
on the back of the power supply (if you have one, if not then bugger it,
it's only RAM and a MOBO) and hopefully any potential discharge will be
directed to the house ground instead of toasting components. After that's
done, have at it... If you're going to break something then chances are high
that you'll notice long before you do it. If you have to force it with a
great deal of force you're either putting it in backwards or it just doesn't
fit. That's a good indication to stop.

One thing... Be grateful it's not paired EDO at about $400 USD for 8 MB or
so. Other than that, if it doesn't work (and assuming you didn't stomp up
and down on it to make it fit) you can go back to the old stick. If it
doesn't work then grab your old one, stuff it back in, and head to eBay...
Someone probably wants it.

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/
http://kgiii.info/

"We approached the case, you remember, with an absolutely blank mind,
which is always an advantage. We had formed no theories. We were simply
there to observe and to draw inferences from our observations." -
Sherlock Holmes