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RAM Upgrade

2K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  ~Candy~ 
#1 ·
Hi...I hope this will be an easy one for you whiz kids...it's taken me 2 days with no solution! I have a Compaq Presario 5150 with 128MB of RAM. I upgraded using a PNY Memory Master upgrade kit adding an additional 128 MB SDRAM (128S100) bought at my local Office Depot. I put the new RAM in slot 1, with an original 64 card in the other two slots. My computer is working OK but is not seeing the upgrade. My computer never asked any questions or appeared to notice the upgrade...not even on the first start up. I have gone through rebooting and most of the memory troubleshooting steps in help that aren't too scary. Is the new RAM card bad? Or (preferably) am I not doing something? Thanks for your guidence
 
#3 ·
So sorry just so I understand...I need the dots really close together....what you are saying is that I should have bought 2 new cards of 128MB..I should have taken the 2 original 64mb cards out and replaced them with the new ones for a total of 256 MB of Ram....I can have up to 384MG....That the cards all have to match or the computer operates to the lowest denominator? Wow...no where in everywhere I have looked has that even been hinted at! Dee
 
#6 ·
Hi deed... According to Crucial, your 5150 requires PC100 SDRAM and according to what you posted, that is what you purchased. I'm making an assumption here... The number you listed (128S100) I'm assuming to indicate 128MB PC100. You should verify that.

I could find no info on PNY's web site about it. Nor could I find that number on the Office Depot site. Perhaps the people at Office Depot can say. If it is 128mb PC100, then you have the correct RAM for your PC.

A question for you... Where are you looking to determine how much RAM you have? One place you can look is in System Properties (Control Panel/System icon) , Performance Tab/Memory

As was previously suggested, you can install only the new RAM stick and see how that works.

There are a number of other things to try, so go through what I've said so far and post back. Also Tell us what OS you are
running.

BTW... Installing new RAM will not result in your computer doing anything except booting normally. No questions, no flags, nothing.

One other thing you should know. PNY PC133 SDRAM is not backwards compatible with a PC100 machine. So if the RAM you have is PC133, it will not work. This is clearly stated on the PNY web site
 
#7 ·
Ray...Many of your assumptions are correct...here is a link to the PNY page that lists my upgrade kit:
http://www.pny.com/configurator/config4.asp
I did buy 128MB SDRAM
I checked the amount of RAM the computer sees by following your instructions...128MB ( I actually have 256 installed... 1-128MB stick and 2- 64MB sticks).
My OS is the second edition of Windows 98
As far as just running on the new RAM...I have to wait until my dearly beloved is going to be gone for a while...he would freak out if he saw me with a screw driver any where near the computer!
I have checked the msconfig file to make sure the limit memory box is unchecked...it is!
I don't have any idea what any of this means, but I follow instructions...just like a well trained monkey! Thanks you guys, Dee
 
#8 ·
Hi again Dee... Seems like you have a good grip on things.

Couple of points to clarify...

You Indicate your system properties now shows the amount of RAM to be 128mb. I assume this to be with the 128 in slot i and the two 64's in slots 2 & 3. That all sounds correct. The largest RAM stick should always be in slot 1.

The question to be answered is which RAM sticks are being detected... The single 128 or the two 64's. Running the 128 alone will answer that question.

While you are waiting for the 'Opportunity' to get inside the case, you might download a free utility called AIDA32. It will give you all the info you could possibly ever use about your PC. It will also tell you clearly which memory modules are being detected.

Here's a screenshot of what it looks like opened to one of the pages relative to memory.

One additional note of caution... RAM modules are extremly sensitive to damage by static electricity. The kit you purchased should have some instructins in this regard. Follow them rigidly. If there were no instructions (unlikely), post back and I will give you some precautions to take.

 

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#9 ·
Ray...Do you feel like Sherlock Holmes??!! I did download Aida...very cool....it shows the original configuration with 64 in slot one and 64 in slot 2....what is actually there is 128 in slot one and the two original 64 in slot 2 and 3...any info in that...did I fry the new 128 if so why is it reading as 64 in slot1 and nothing showing in slot 3? I guess this is why amateurs shouldn't try this stuff! Thanks, Dee
 
#10 ·
Hey Everyone...Wanted to update you on my RAM upgrade problem...see Oct 5 posting...my problem was I had upgraded the RAM sticks in my computer, but my computer didn't seem to know it. I followed some helpful hints I received here, but it was a friend who suggested I look for a BIOS update. I did, I found one, I installed it and my computer and I are friends once again. Thanks for your help Dee
 
#11 ·
a new post to say this????
shame, shame
 
#12 ·
a new thread i mean
 
#15 ·
Imagine how much paper would be required to print this forum.
this is just ONE forum. Imaging printing all forums out there. the whole web. every file in every computer in the world.

thank god for computers.
were not wasting space, were saving paper\trees
 
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