help with memory speed on Dell Inspiron B130

[Goaty]

Hi,

I bought this laptop for my son for X-Mas, I thought memory speed should be 533 but BIOS says 400 (and of course it being a Dell I cannot change it).

I have a single Hynix 256 MB DDR2 DIMM, I looked up the part number and it is rated at 533. I also have Transcend 1 GB DIMM rated at 533 that I got from newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820208312

I have tried all possible combinations with either/both of these 2 DIMMs and BIOS always says that memory speed is 400. Is it possible that the Dell system board has 533 FSB but memory speed is locked at 400?

Dell seems to think memory speed should be 533, they had me flash the BIOS and are sending me a replacement 256 MB DIMM. I don't think this will work but I did not want to tell them I had also tried the Transcend DIMM. I think it must be the system board or BIOS that is keeping me at 400. Since I have the Intel GMA 900 video I am assuming the board is based on Intel 915GM but with Dell who knows.

Inspiron B130 Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Memory 256MB DDR2 SDRAM 1 Dimm
Video Card Integrated Intel® Media Accelerator 900 Graphics INTVID


Am I just spinning my wheels trying to get memory speed upt to 533? Does it even make much difference? Obviously this is not a gaming rig but I want my son's new notebook to be running at full power. Please no Dell-bashing, I was able to get a real good deal Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[mparr1708]

Originally posted by: Goaty


Hi,

I bought this laptop for my son for X-Mas, I thought memory speed should be 533 but BIOS says 400 (and of course it being a Dell I cannot change it).

I have a single Hynix 256 MB DDR2 DIMM, I looked up the part number and it is rated at 533. I also have Transcend 1 GB DIMM rated at 533 that I got from newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820208312

I have tried all possible combinations with either/both of these 2 DIMMs and BIOS always says that memory speed is 400. Is it possible that the Dell system board has 533 FSB but memory speed is locked at 400?

Dell seems to think memory speed should be 533, they had me flash the BIOS and are sending me a replacement 256 MB DIMM. I don't think this will work but I did not want to tell them I had also tried the Transcend DIMM. I think it must be the system board or BIOS that is keeping me at 400. Since I have the Intel GMA 900 video I am assuming the board is based on Intel 915GM but with Dell who knows.

Inspiron B130 Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Memory 256MB DDR2 SDRAM 1 Dimm
Video Card Integrated Intel® Media Accelerator 900 Graphics INTVID


Am I just spinning my wheels trying to get memory speed upt to 533? Does it even make much difference? Obviously this is not a gaming rig but I want my son's new notebook to be running at full power. Please no Dell-bashing, I was able to get a real good deal Thanks in advance for any help!

I would try running CPU-Z within windows just to double check what your computer thinks the memory is. If you tried the Transcend chip by its self and still got 400 instead of 533 and your chipset is supposed to support 533 then I would just stay on Dell for a resolution.

To answer your question as to whether it matters:

Yes and no. Will you see the difference in web browsing and email? Probably not.

Would I want to get what I paid for? Abso-freaking-lutely! If its not running up to spec then I would make Dell fix it. That's just me though.

 

[Goaty]

CPU-Z confirms that the memory speed is 400 (2 * 200). I guess I will go ahead and try the DIMM they send me. When that doesn't work we will see what they do next. I am guessing it is the BIOS and if it would let me change that memory speed setting I could get 533.