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computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 1:55 am
by Amarisa
the max ram can it change by like bios updates or is it purely hardware?

because my computer's manual says the max ram is 1gb but now dell.com says the max says 2 gb.......EVEN the online pdf version of the manual says 2gb. i even checked the max ram via crucial.com and it says 2gb.

i wanted to upgrade my computer but this is confusing me.

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:30 am
by wootpops
check your motherboard.

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:42 am
by Amarisa
wootpops wrote:check your motherboard.


check as in going online and google the model number and everything? i have been and the places i have checked said 2gb.

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:46 am
by Reise
Nah I think the limit's the limit.

To upgrade past 2gb you'd need a motherboard that supports more than 2gb. Not a difficult thing to look for these days at least.

Go by what the model number's specs say and give it a shot.

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:11 am
by [SD]Master_Wong
sometimes it can be determined by the bios chip, or least thats if your trying to add large amounts of ram iv been told you need to program a bios chip for every 4gb or sumit (true or false i dont know never bothered to look up and validate this as im never gona go over 4gb in the for seeable furture)

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:33 am
by BlackFox898
its a physical thing, check via control panel

control panel < system < hardware (depends on OS your)

should say what you have

the people at dell probably thought that computer was sh!t so they now make them with 2gb of ram. nothing complicated here.

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 5:10 am
by Amarisa
BlackFox898 wrote:the people at dell probably thought that computer was sh!t so they now make them with 2gb of ram. nothing complicated here.


its a discontinued model the whole series is.

i have xp and in the system properties it shows i have .99gb of ram so idk

there is also bios updates so ya gana get that see what happens

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:00 pm
by wootpops
[SD]Master_Wong wrote:sometimes it can be determined by the bios chip, or least thats if your trying to add large amounts of ram iv been told you need to program a bios chip for every 4gb or sumit (true or false i dont know never bothered to look up and validate this as im never gona go over 4gb in the for seeable furture)


i have 6 gigs without altering my bios.

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:07 pm
by [SD]Master_Wong
wootpops wrote:
[SD]Master_Wong wrote:sometimes it can be determined by the bios chip, or least thats if your trying to add large amounts of ram iv been told you need to program a bios chip for every 4gb or sumit (true or false i dont know never bothered to look up and validate this as im never gona go over 4gb in the for seeable furture)


i have 6 gigs without altering my bios.


guess i was wrong

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:11 pm
by wootpops
[SD]Master_Wong wrote:
wootpops wrote:
[SD]Master_Wong wrote:sometimes it can be determined by the bios chip, or least thats if your trying to add large amounts of ram iv been told you need to program a bios chip for every 4gb or sumit (true or false i dont know never bothered to look up and validate this as im never gona go over 4gb in the for seeable furture)


i have 6 gigs without altering my bios.


guess i was wrong


im not sure though my windows says its 6 gigs i might not be using it all? im not sure.

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:29 pm
by inky
Amarisa wrote:the max ram can it change by like bios updates or is it purely hardware?

because my computer's manual says the max ram is 1gb but now dell.com says the max says 2 gb.......EVEN the online pdf version of the manual says 2gb. i even checked the max ram via crucial.com and it says 2gb.

i wanted to upgrade my computer but this is confusing me.



If it says it can be extended to 2GB, then yes it probably can be. But instead of relying on that manual, go to Computer > System Properties. You should be able to see the actual current size of it.

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:09 pm
by BlackFox898
inky wrote:If it says it can be extended to 2GB, then yes it probably can be. But instead of relying on that manual, go to Computer > System Properties. You should be able to see the actual current size of it.


just said that a few posts up lol.

OT: updating bios can be risky, something may go wrong and it could do a lot of damage, you've been warn!

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:38 pm
by Amarisa
BlackFox898 wrote:
inky wrote:If it says it can be extended to 2GB, then yes it probably can be. But instead of relying on that manual, go to Computer > System Properties. You should be able to see the actual current size of it.


just said that a few posts up lol.

OT: updating bios can be risky, something may go wrong and it could do a lot of damage, you've been warn!


updated the bios yesterday went for AO3-AO5 so perhaps they could of changed something lol.

and system properties only shows the amount of ram i have not how much i can get.

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:51 pm
by PR0METHEUS
So buy yourself 8GB of 1333 MHz DDR2 RAM and throw it in your system. If it doesn't see it all, send the 8GB to me. I'll pay shipping. :wink:

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:21 pm
by LazyJohny
BlackFox898 wrote:

OT: updating bios can be risky, something may go wrong and it could do a lot of damage, you've been warn!


not with ASUS. Just use the utility to upgrade the bios. More simple is impossible

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:32 pm
by Amarisa
PR0METHEUS wrote:So buy yourself 8GB of 1333 MHz DDR2 RAM and throw it in your system. If it doesn't see it all, send the 8GB to me. I'll pay shipping. :wink:


sorry i use ddr >< and it sucks its so expensive

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:34 pm
by Disconn3cted
What is your computers motherboard or model number?

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 8:33 pm
by Amarisa
from cpu-z

Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corp.
Model: 0C2425
Chipset: Intel i845G Rev. A1
Southbridge: Intel 82801DB (ICH4)
LPCIO: SMSC LPC47M10x

computer name from dell is Dimension 2400

Re: computer question

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:39 pm
by KillAndChill
If I were you, I would just save up for a new computer, b/c I had a 2400 YEARS ago and it sucked then.

And as far as the RAM limits for modern computers, 32 bit operating systems have a 2^32 limit for RAM and 64 bit operating systems have a 2^64 limit for RAM. If you put more than the limit, ex 6GB in a comp using a 32 bit OS, then the OS won't use the extra 2GB of RAM.

2^32 ~ 4GB
2^64 ~ 16EB ~ 16 billion GB

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:46 am
by PR0METHEUS
LazyJohny wrote:
BlackFox898 wrote:

OT: updating bios can be risky, something may go wrong and it could do a lot of damage, you've been warn!


not with ASUS. Just use the utility to upgrade the bios. More simple is impossible


No one said it wasn't simple. It can be risky no matter how simple it is. One write error, or perhaps using the wrong image, and you may have yourself a corrupt BIOS.

Amarisa wrote:
PR0METHEUS wrote:So buy yourself 8GB of 1333 MHz DDR2 RAM and throw it in your system. If it doesn't see it all, send the 8GB to me. I'll pay shipping. :wink:


sorry i use ddr >< and it sucks its so expensive


DDR will be fine with me. I have a few systems on my network that use DDR. :-D

Besides, 2 gigs can be had on Newegg for about 55 bucks. Walmart sells ONE gig for almost that much.

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:04 am
by [SD]Master_Wong
KillAndChill wrote:If I were you, I would just save up for a new computer, b/c I had a 2400 YEARS ago and it sucked then.

And as far as the RAM limits for modern computers, 32 bit operating systems have a 2^32 limit for RAM and 64 bit operating systems have a 2^64 limit for RAM. If you put more than the limit, ex 6GB in a comp using a 32 bit OS, then the OS won't use the extra 2GB of RAM.

2^32 ~ 4GB
2^64 ~ 16EB ~ 16 billion GB


this is wrong i know for a fact computers can use more then 4gb on a 32bit os computers used for heavy tasks such as 3d moddeling often use mroe then 4gb hell iv got 4gb and i crashed my comp making a somewhat simple landscape scene granted it was well over 400k polys and i crashed it trying to double that with a smooth i had to change the varibles to selection smooth only anyways im off subject its quite possible im sure of that

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:04 am
by wootpops
[SD]Master_Wong wrote:
KillAndChill wrote:If I were you, I would just save up for a new computer, b/c I had a 2400 YEARS ago and it sucked then.

And as far as the RAM limits for modern computers, 32 bit operating systems have a 2^32 limit for RAM and 64 bit operating systems have a 2^64 limit for RAM. If you put more than the limit, ex 6GB in a comp using a 32 bit OS, then the OS won't use the extra 2GB of RAM.

2^32 ~ 4GB
2^64 ~ 16EB ~ 16 billion GB


this is wrong i know for a fact computers can use more then 4gb on a 32bit os computers used for heavy tasks such as 3d moddeling often use mroe then 4gb hell iv got 4gb and i crashed my comp making a somewhat simple landscape scene granted it was well over 400k polys and i crashed it trying to double that with a smooth i had to change the varibles to selection smooth only anyways im off subject its quite possible im sure of that


no its right. the os won't use more than 4 on 32 bit, but the applications can.

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:12 am
by [SD]Master_Wong
i understand the math but i know computers have had mroe then 4gb and used it all on 32bit so thats where im stumped

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:12 am
by NuclearSilo
check the product on their home website, is the best choice :)
Have lots of RAM but with shit CPU and graphic card still doesn't help :)

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:57 am
by PR0METHEUS
wootpops wrote:no its right. the os won't use more than 4 on 32 bit, but the applications can.


Applications only use the memory that the OS gives them access to. That's part of the operating system's job, to manage memory. Perhaps the 4GB limit on a 32 bit OS is "4GB at a time". I've never really looked into it, but maybe the OS can do some kind of switching to swap between a few different 4GB sections of memory. Apps that are using the "unmapped" portions of memory would just hang for the moment maybe.

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:27 am
by Amarisa
NuclearSilo wrote:check the product on their home website, is the best choice :)
Have lots of RAM but with shit CPU and graphic card still doesn't help :)


i upgraded the cpu and graphics card

got a 3.2 ghz hc cpu going and a nvidia 8400 gs

KillAndChill wrote:If I were you, I would just save up for a new computer, b/c I had a 2400 YEARS ago and it sucked then.


well $80 vs $800 or so this computer runs games just fine and if i save up for a good computer it would take awhile because i don't have a job at the moment.

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:47 am
by [SD]Master_Wong
Amarisa wrote:
NuclearSilo wrote:check the product on their home website, is the best choice :)
Have lots of RAM but with shit CPU and graphic card still doesn't help :)


i upgraded the cpu and graphics card

got a 3.2 ghz hc cpu going and a nvidia 8400 gs

KillAndChill wrote:If I were you, I would just save up for a new computer, b/c I had a 2400 YEARS ago and it sucked then.


well $80 vs $800 or so this computer runs games just fine and if i save up for a good computer it would take awhile because i don't have a job at the moment.


to keep it going for the next couple of years its gona be more then $80 tbh after seeing the specs id upgrade and keep the new computer up-to-date

look at it this way first ram upgrade, then hard drive, then processor and with that motherboard and new ram as DDR is old and expensive then graphics card although id do that before processor tho some gfx cards require a certain amount of processing power to work

anyways get my point?

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:06 am
by Amarisa
[SD]Master_Wong wrote:
to keep it going for the next couple of years its gona be more then $80 tbh after seeing the specs id upgrade and keep the new computer up-to-date

look at it this way first ram upgrade, then hard drive, then processor and with that motherboard and new ram as DDR is old and expensive then graphics card although id do that before processor tho some gfx cards require a certain amount of processing power to work

anyways get my point?


i get your point but i was planning to get the i5 or i7 because the 775 socket is also becoming outdated. but if i get this ram upgrade it will at least do semi gaming then use it for office work for the next 5 years or so

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:41 am
by [SD]Master_Wong
Amarisa wrote:
[SD]Master_Wong wrote:
to keep it going for the next couple of years its gona be more then $80 tbh after seeing the specs id upgrade and keep the new computer up-to-date

look at it this way first ram upgrade, then hard drive, then processor and with that motherboard and new ram as DDR is old and expensive then graphics card although id do that before processor tho some gfx cards require a certain amount of processing power to work

anyways get my point?


i get your point but i was planning to get the i5 or i7 because the 775 socket is also becoming outdated. but if i get this ram upgrade it will at least do semi gaming then use it for office work for the next 5 years or so


at the rate of technological advancement its not gona last Another 5 years, have you ever tried using a computer from 1999? its shit beyond belief.

seriously $80 will go a long way towards a better computer, not talking something fantastic but something better trust me. Sit down do some research find out what price the computers are out there that suit your needs and work out how long its gona take you to get it, im sure you can wait a little while longer

Re: computer question

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 5:09 am
by Love
your computer is able to "create" ram, it does this by using your HDD once all ram is used ( your programs will run on higher ram requirements but will get the shitastic performance your HDD provides ).