Help with Memory Upgrade

4GB ram in your case is useless, in order to correctly adress all 4x1gb ram sticks you need to buy, you need a 64 bit OS, and your CPU is too old and has no 64 bit support. with 32 bits OS, like regular XP or vista, you wont be able to adress more than 3.00-3.5gb or ram, so 4 is a total waste. just buy another 1gb ram stick. and youll have 3gb of ram

 

Thanks everyone for your help. Much appreciated.

 

Madhatter, is your PC working properly now? If yes, please tell what did you do? Thanks.

 

1. Your rig would run a little better (though perhaps not perceptible in real-time usage) if your had a "dual channel kit"... 2x1 GB of RAM... or if you install 4G, 2 of the same "2x1GB kits"

2. Dell BIOS does not have an adjustment for memory voltage, so you want to be sure you purchase RAM with the correct voltage... it's probably 1.8v, but you can get into the BIOS and under "memory", it should tell you the voltage of your current RAM. (Should your BIOS not have that info, you can install a utility like SIW, then select "memory" for the info.)

The speed of the RAM won't make a noticeable difference in real-time, so just go with what came in your rig... 533Mhz.

 

Like the OP I am a complete moron with computers.

I am contemplating upgrading an old Dell Dimension E521 with more RAM

According to a scan I did I currently have 512MB in one of 4 slots available.

Each slot can hold DDR2 PC2-5300 with a max of 1GB per slot

I have access to DDR2 PC2 -4200

Both are 240 pin

Can I go with the slower of the 2?

Can I use any 240 pin DDR2 I find on ebay?

 

Not necessarily. Your mobo may accept perhaps only 1 or 2 speeds.. that may or may not include 4200. Test before you buy if possible.

 

Looked it up... apparently the E521 mobo runs 4200/5300/6400

 

Thank you:

 

I have ordered two 1 Gig Ram Modules.
My computer has 4 slots available.
Does it make any difference what order the modules are placed?
Should I replace the 512MB with one of the 1Gig modules or just install the new modules behind the original?

 

You should probably not use the 512 stick at all. The mobo is "dual channel" for memory, assuming you have proper memory. With the 512 in there, the memory should slow down to "single channel" performance.

Running XP? If so, 2GB of RAM likely more than enough.

When you install the memory, one stick in each of the slots with the white tabs on the side.