My Mother has a computer that I would like to get some more RAM for. I really do not want to open it until I get the memory because it would be a pain in the rear. I do know that it uses an Asus P4S8X-X motherboard with Pentium 4 chip 2.533 (19x133mhz). It has one 512 chip in it and I want to add another 512. The problem is that when I go to buy the upgrade, I do not know whether to get PC 2100 (266mhx) or PC 2700 (333mhz) chip. I do not know what is already in there to match the speeds and the BIOS did not show. They both cost about $25. any advise?

You could go to Crucial.com and use their system scanner to determine what you have nd what you can add.

There is a neat utility called SIW.exe that can tell you pretty much everything about your computer hardware and software. Get it at the link below.

http://www.download25.com/install/s...

There's a few utilities out there that can give you details on your memory (speed, recommended clock setttings, etc.) You could also buy the faster one, and it'll work at the slower speed. That way, if you ever decide to use the memory in another computer, it won't be as limiting (ie: you can then pair it up with the same speed later in a new build).

What does your mother do with her system that makes you think more RAM is necessary? Adding another 512MB certainly won't hurt, but unless she truly has a need, the performance benefits will be minimal.

More than likely she has PC2700. CPU-Z should be able to provide the info you need...check the SPD tab:

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

"And that's the fishing line, because Sharkboy said so!"

Most people think that more memory automatically increases the speed of the PC. As Jam pointed out, that is not the case. It only helps when you don't have enough for your normal workload.

My computer has 1 gig of RAM. With my normal stuff on (anti-spyware, anti-virus, firewall), this browser, and trillian/YM messenger on, I only have 305 MB free. That's around 740 MB that my system is taking up.

512 MB is pretty low for a system now-a-days, 1 GB should be the minimum, with 2 GB being the average. Anything above 2 GB would be a waste because of how XP manages memory.

OP never said that there was a problem. He just felt that the PC could use more memory. If I had 512 MB in my situation, I'd be swapping to disc.

run XP-H, internet, email, live chat, data storage, database, watch videos, play 2 medium intensive grafic games.... very simple stuff. went from 512Mb PC3200 DDR RAM to 1Gb 2 months ago and the differance in most areas was/is amazing. everything feels a lot snappier, things shut down immediate. i don't really know if my system is faster per se, but heck it feels alive going to 1Gb.

EDIT: OP, i'd def go with the upgrade to 1Gb

.
Central Coast NSW Aussie

There are 10 types of people in this world: those who understand binary and those who don't.

you mention the pc runs the cpu at 19x133mhz. PC2100 is '133mhz' , more commonly shown as DDR266 as it is 'double' data rate. So PC2100 is the correct ram if the ram and fsb are run as synchronised. But it could have pc2700 and run out of sync. If you buy pc2700 and the other is pc2100 then the new pc2700 will just run at the lower pc2100 speed anyway. The ram speed on the stick is really the max speed it is guaranteed to run at, nothing wrong with it running at a lower speed,

Cliffpage,

That's what I thought, but thanks so much for clarifing. They cost the same, so why not get the pc2700...

"So PC2100 is the correct ram if the ram and fsb are run as synchronised"

The P4 & Celerons based on the P4 are the exception to the 1:1/synchronicity "rule". The crappy long-pipe Netburst architecture used in the P4 performs best when the RAM runs faster than the CPU. That's why Intel 400MHz FSB CPUs generally came with PC133 or PC2100 (DDR266) & 533MHz FSB CPUs generally came with PC2700 (DDR333).

CPUZ will confirm the type of RAM you're currently running.

"And that's the fishing line, because Sharkboy said so!"