Rdram

My Dell Dimension 8100 is equipped with soon-to-be-obsolete RDRAM.

As I will be stuck with this machine for a while yet, I've been shopping for more memory, as prices are falling (about half of what it was a few months ago).

"My Computor" reveals that I've got a P4 CPU rated at 1.3G.

I don't know precisely what chipset this is.

My question is this:

Ebay shows PC600, PC700, PC800, PC1066 varieties, also ECC/non-ECC types.

My understanding is that error-correcting vs. non-error-correcting RAM is not a big issue (though I've been told non-ECC is preferable).

I currently have 384M of PC700 non-ECC RDRAM on-board.

What are my limitations, if any, with regard to the available types of RDRAM I'm finding on Ebay?

Can I run PC800 or PC1066?

Is ECC-non-ECC an issue or not?

Thanks-

Hey j2k4. :)

Find out what motherboard you have first, download either SiSoft Sandra or AIDA32. :)

Quote:

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Originally posted by haxor41789@9 April 2004 - 00:10
Hey j2k4. :)

Find out what motherboard you have first, download either SiSoft Sandra or AIDA32. :)

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Hey, haxor! :)

I'll do it first thing after wakeup today.

What will that tell me that I need to know?

Chipset, etc?

Just realized I had AIDA32 on a CD.

Motherboard ID: <DMI>

Motherboard Name: Dell Dimension 8100

Chipset: Intel Tehama i850 (E)

What now?

:huh: That can&#39;t be right.

i850 Tehamas take only PC600 and PC800, but you&#39;re running PC700.

http://www.one2surf.co.uk/enduser/productl...lp4/csandmb.asp
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.c...eid=799&page=3
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.c...eid=793&page=2

As for ECC, it really doesn&#39;t matter unless you run things that are mission-critical. And buying non-ECC will save you a couple of bucks. :)

Well, that still solves my dilemma, haxor.

If I can use PC800, that opens up the possibilities, as that is the most plentiful type available.

So, to sum-up, I can go for the PC800, and not worry about ECC?

I don&#39;t see the sellers differentiating between the two price-wise anymore; they&#39;re just bailing out on the RAM.

I know I have to install these in pairs, but does it matter if the pairs aren&#39;t matched as to ECC/non-ECC, i.e., one pair ECC, one pair non-ECC?

from an FAQ about RDRAM:

Quote:

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Q: Can I mix RIMM modules of different frequencies, or ECC/non-ECC into my system?
A: When mixing module frequency or error-correction code (ECC), most RDRAM systems will default to lowest frequency among the inserted modules. In addition, if any of the modules do not support ECC, then most system disables the ECC function.

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you can install PC800 and the system will simply run it at PC700 speed. PC600, 700 and 800 are compatible to the extent that they can be used in the same system but only at the speed of the slowest module.

if you&#39;re concerned about extending the "life" of your comp... that 1.3ghz is one of the slowest P4 processors (if not the slowest one), and i&#39;m sure the motherboard supports a significant upgrade. up to 2ghz, i&#39;d guess. within the next few months you may be able to get one for less than &#036;100. swapping in a new processor is not technically complicated at all; you just need to be patient & careful when removing and re-applying the CPU&#39;s heatsink. and you&#39;d wanna spend a few bucks on a tube of thermal paste (such as the ever popular Arctic Silver brand).

3RA1N1AC-

I&#39;d guess you were right as to the processor, and that might be an option.

Handy info on the RAM, too, so I guess I can pretty much just shop for the best deal.

Last night was the first I&#39;d checked prices in a while; if I wait a bit longer, maybe I can snag a couple sticks of 512M and be set for a while.

Thanks for your input. :)

You get slight better performance j2k4 if you disable ecc.According to this

http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20010725..._tuning-12.html

Go to www.dell.com and find out exactly which memory you need for your system:

click here

like others have mentioned, you can buy this memory from different vendors on the internet (hopefully for cheaper).

Ah, more good tips&#33;

Thanks, guys. :)