Everyone sells 2GB RAM for Dell Dimension 2400

[Felecha]

Probably an old question, but its new to me.

Visiting my mom, she has a Dell Dimension 2400 that is so painfully slow. It's XP Home, SP3, but only 256 RAM.

The thing is that on the Dell site I found this spec

http://support.dell.com/suppor...400/en/sm_en/specs.htm

Pretty plain that they are saying it maxes at 1GB, and at 2x512

But pretty much all the online memory vendors are offering 1GB chips and they all seem to say the max is 2GB. One place I found a forum thread that seemed to indicate that whether it can handle 2GB depends on something, but I couldnt figure it out.

Anyway, I opened it up, and it has 2 slots, and currently one stick of PC2700 at 256. I would get one stick at 1GB, it's not much more cost than a 512, and I think 1.25 oughta do it.

But why does everyone say 2 if Dell says 1? I dont want to waste the money if only 512 gets used in the stick I put in ....

Thanks

 

[bamacre]

I am not sure about that model, but Dell's specifications for max memory are not always correct. If it were me, I'd assume it supports 2GB and buy appropriately. Maybe buy a single 1GB module and see if it'll run the 1.25GB fine, and go from there.

 

[RebateMonger]

Crucial.com's site says 1 GB modules will work and 2 GB max. Crucial is usually correct.

On this Dell page Dell is selling a 1 GB module for the 2400.

 

[Zap]

Heh, my mom's former computer was a Dimension 2400 with a Celeron that came with 256MB RAM. IIRC it used an Intel 845GL chipset, so the limitation should be whatever that chipset supports.

 

[RebateMonger]

A quick Google search shows this person with two 1GB memory modules in his/her 2400.

Google.com link.

 

[Felecha]

It is a celeron, yes. I see what looks like a heatsink with snap clips holding it in place, I hesitate to get into that to see what's underneath.

There is a 1" square chip which has numbers

FW82801DB
F3370150
SL6DM

In Device manager I find this for processor
ACPI\GENUINEINTEL_-_X86_FAMILY_15_MODEL_2\_0

????

 

[CalvinHobbes]

CPU-Z will tell you what chipset the system uses.

 

[Felecha]

C:\Documents and Settings\fl>cpu -z
'cpu' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Documents and Settings\fl>CPU -Z
'CPU' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

I found a cpu.inf and installed it, but no different result

How and where to run CPU -Z?

 

[Zap]

Here ya go!

 

[Felecha]

ok, got the cpuz. I work with command line stuff all day, I figured there was a cpu -z that I was to call

it says its an i845G chipset

I am pretty comfy at this point with trying a 1GB chip for the open slot. That really ought to make it so much better even if [as I dont think is the case] that only one gig will be supported

 

[Felecha]

ok, got the cpuz. I work with command line stuff all day, I figured there was a cpu -z that I was to call

it says its an i845G chipset

I am pretty comfy at this point with trying a 1GB chip for the open slot. That really ought to make it so much better even if [as I dont think is the case] that only one gig will be supported

 

[Denithor]

Just buy the memory from crucial.com using their memory finder tool and they will guarantee compatibility. May be a few dollars more than buying elsewhere but not having to wonder if it will work is worth it, to me at least.

 

[Felecha]

right, thats my plan. I have bought there before, good site

thanks all