Adding RAM - compatible? help

Hi. I'm upgrading this particular computer that my siblings use.

Its K7SOM + 1.0 motherboard (yeah old), AMD Duron 2000 = 1.3GHz, Maxtron 40GB, 256MB DDR RAM (one slot available but Belarc said 3 left), 266 MHz FSB, clock speed 133MHz... etc

It works out to PC2100 as the existing RAM reads.

So my question is firstly: how do I know what is compatible and what is my limit?

2nd: Can I buy and place a PC2700 RAM in?

3rd: Whats DIMM? - I know what RV, SD, and DDR are... and whats ECC and non-ECC (error coding correction but what difference will it make to me)?

4th: How do I go about installing it (facing which way, how hard to push) and what if I get a blue screen after reboot (what does this mean)?

I do not have a manual anymore BTW.

If anyone has some other suggestions viable, then please suggest so.

Thank you for any help!

K7SOM

http://www.motherboard.cz/mb/ecs/K7SOM.htm



You can also try the Crucial scan:

http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/


You will want to match your existing RAM or else get all new.

Installation is easy. There are slots that prevent mis-alignment. You press until the clips lock. It is really easy.

Hi there Jephree and thanks!

I did my research and it took a while to get some "accurate" and "complete" information.

Most places/people DID NOT cover anything about CL, Buffer, ECC, Parity, SIMM/DIMM, and memory "PCx" speeds: if a higher one i.e. DDR400 is compatible with a computer FSB of 200MHz.

Thanks for that scan - yup it gave me some info I loved!

However the Belarc Advisor stated I had a K7SOM + 1.0 motherboard.
This Crucial memory scan stated a K7SOM + 7.x
My mother board has a sticker reading K7SOM + 7.5
Wcpuid picked up that I had K7SOM + 1.0

Help?

They all come in different version numbers i.e. 3/4/5 etc, so I don't know which I have to know what my max memory is, nor if I can use SIMM rather than DIMMs.

I have an extra 256MB DDR333SDRAM SIMM PC2700 but when I put it in (had to push hard & the computer is also a micro one) it gave me a blue screen at the start as a fault, and read the "ACPI is not compliant with the BIOS (or something like that)"!

Again help!?

BTW I have ACPI on my computer because I have S3 and S4 capabilities.

The already installed was a 256MB DDRSDRAM DIMM PC2100 184pin component.

My motherboard is at clock speed 100MHz and FSB 200MHz

So which ones can I utilize at all? (the crucial memory gave me a list of expensive ones i.e. $60 for a 256MB - they normally sell 256MB @ $40 around my area!)

Also about installation - how do I know if its picked up and accepted or if its disproved, or if its "in the right way round"?

I think I was told to "update my BIOS inserting the SIMM memory". What will that entail, feature and result in?

As far as I know my motherboard supports 2048MB DDRSDRAM with only two slots.

I'd be very grateful for any replies

UPDATE:

I have a ECS K7SOM + 7.5 motherboard (found an etched marking on it)
My limit is 2048MB of 184pin DIMM DDRSDRAM at 200MHz

I know how the "which way round thing works now" - it was very obvious :P
I know the SIMM modules are incompatible here
I also know (not sure) that PC3200 can be utilized on my motherboard... although it will only run on its max 200MHz speed and/or the speed of the lowest memory installed.
I know its unbuffered, non-ECC, CL2.5 (usually)

I'm just unsure about the BIOS/firmware & how much difference it would make to me to have 1GB instead of 512MB RAM, when I normally use 400MB on my desktop.

Thanks in advance!

A BIOS upgrade for RAM is probably not necessary. To upgrade a CPU and or Operating System then it might be worth it.

RAM depends on what you do. 512MB is generally a good amount for most XP applications.

If you are into high-end gaming and or are considering upgrading to Vista then 1GB will become the minimum.

It totally depends on what you want the computer to do and what programs you run.

For general home PC's XP with 512MB should be sufficient.

Thanks Jephree

I scanned some hardware retailers around and saw the deals were much more expensive than online. I was about to purchase a cheap Ballistix 1GB memory module for £20 off a friend whose basically throwing the computer away - but backed out and he's found another buyer paying more.

Why I was confused, for any readers sake is that it kept giving me the STOP 0*000005 ....etc arrore ACPI BIOS not fully compliant when my BIOS had the latest drivers and it IS fully compliant!

It happens and happened to me when installing XP pro orginally and when I updated a driver before - and it leaves you in the middle of no where! Sometimes you have to disable and only enable APM and at other times change BIOS settings to "Thorough" from "Minimal". Other times rearrange the bootup device and yet again at other times, complete format and reinstall the Windows software, and then add in the hardware or add hardware first and then format and reinstall Windows.

I'm just mimicking what works and has done though it makes no sense in many cases.

This is a wondows fault I kept receiving even then and its deeply sucks and puts you off windows as the OS. If I knew how to run Linux, I'd probably be running it right now!

In my case it was at first due to the memopry module being SIMM not DIMM as needed. When changed it didn't matter - error.
I had thought when trying for the 3rd time that the computer had been shut down. It hadn't - it had been hibernated! Which definitely produces this error. I shut down, clipped in the right memory module, EXACT same one again, and the computer gave me the options screen whether I want to restore or delete saved dump and and carry on with the system restart. I chose this (ONLY a keyboard installed with CD- not a USB attachment - worked at this stage) and it restarted perfectly. Then it gave me another error after load up that I've never seen suggesting hardware is not compatible. It reverted back to the blue screen withe the physical dump count down and then rebooted again. I waited and chose the right "delete system restore and carry on with restart", 1/2 options on a black screen setting and it all loaded up perfectly.
When fully functional the computer displayed three error boxes one after another saying "the system has recovered froma serious error" etc.
After that I checked and my memory is perfectly loaded on! And boy does it make a difference or what. I don't play games BTW.

I have a query: why is my first memory actually 256 BUT only poicking up 224MB RAM?

I DO have another problem though: How do I permanently change - add/delete - programs set to run on system startup?
Whenever I have changed these some are shown up in my security software and others not. Others are still running after I've changed their settings. And others, whenever I change from msconfig, the msconfig is in the processes and its a "selective sartup" always chosen!
What can I do here to have a permanent fix?

Thanks for all the help.
I'm suprised by the number of members and those that actually contribute here. Are moderators/admin the only ones allowed to answer on every thread?

I'd think not, but other members hardly ever reply to anything... which is not decent in itself I would've thought if they knew the answer to what was being asked.

The forum is EGG SELENT though

i dont know much about computers, but i look for titles that i know. Im a total noob and cant really help out (otherwise i would)

msconfig selective startup gives you the option to check the box and stop it from popping up.

As to a good startup controller this is tops:

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Autoruns.html

Sorry if I missed other points and sorry for the delayed response.


PS: I have a query: why is my first memory actually 256 BUT only poicking up 224MB RAM?


This might be that your system is set to use 32MB RAM for Graphics sharing.




.

Thanks Jephree!
No its fine, no need to apologise at all.

Yes, the graphics does share the memory from RAM here, your right.
As to this utility, it sounds and looks very subtle BUT can you add as well as delete startup items with this?

Theres always items I wish to add but I never can... and others I wish to delete permanently which are only sort of "disabled" temporarily usually.

Thank you for the replies

With Auto-runs (as well as msconfig) the entries are not deleted but are un-checkable and re-checkable. Start or no. The entry will always be there for your choice.

As to adding I am not sure that I know what you are asking but you can always drag and drop an .exe into the Startup folder.

start > All Programs > Startup


Another good free tool that covers startups as well as many other features is RegSeeker:

http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm