Low density, high density....what the heck DOES qualify as low density??

[Jeff7]

I'm trying to get more RAM for my laptop (Presario 1700, 17xl360), which as a 440BX-type chipset (mobile version of the 440BX). Thing is, I can't seem to get it to recognize any sticks over 128MB. I have tried a stick of "PC133 144PIN 256MB 32X64/32X8" from SVC (256MB) - only half was recognized, and the laptop wouldn't POST. Now I have two sticks here, which are PC100, and the markings on the chips - samsung k4s281632b-tl1l - led me to the information that these are "2M x 16Bit x 4 Banks" chips. So are these things low density or not? I'm thinking something's wrong, because the system STILL only sees 128MB.
There's nothing to tweak in this laptop's BIOS except the date, system password, and boot device order. That is all. Nothing else. This BIOS is the closest thing to idiot-proof I've ever seen. No decent tweaks whatsoever. The ~59MB PDF manual isn't much help either - its section on memory basically refers you to the HP store to buy more RAM. It doesn't even say anything about maximum RAM allowed, or densities, speeds, ANYTHING. According to searches on Google though, this laptop's maximum RAM is 512MB. How else to get that than 2x256MB?


Update: AIDA32 says that the RAM is M464S1724BT1-L1L, which is NOT what the chips say.


Edit: Might this RAM do the job? It says that it's low density.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Didn't you try the home of the memory selector, link at the top of this page, crucial?

If you use their memory selector they guarantee the memory will work, no gambling with restocking feet.

 

[Viper96720]

Darn that's some expensive memory. $99 at crucial for 256MB PC-100
Crucial Memory

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Didn't you try the home of the memory selector, link at the top of this page, crucial?

If you use their memory selector they guarantee the memory will work, no gambling with restocking feet.

Subscriber. No ads.

Originally posted by: Viper96720
Darn that's some expensive memory. $99 at crucial for 256MB PC-100
Crucial Memory

And now you see why I don't buy from Crucial. WAY too expensive most of the time.
And now I remember why I don't like the 440BX chipset. Do any of Intel's chipsets get along with high density memory?

Looks like Crucial's site contains about as much technical info as Compaq's site does - not a whole heck of a lot. It doesn't say what I'm looking for - module density!

 

[Viper96720]

That memory #M464S1724BT1-L1L is for a 128MB PC 100 dimm
low density=16MBit DRAM
high density=32MBit DRAM

 

[zephyrprime]

Low density and high density are relative terms so there's no set definition for them.

You can install 256MB dimms on your machine. You simply need 256MB low density sodimms. These sodimms will have 16 chips on them rather than the regular 8. You may not have seem such a sodimm before but I can assure you that they exist.

 

[Viper96720]

I found some at kingston also was more than the crucial one $155. Using their memory selector.

 

[zsouthboy]

Dude, the best way to find out what RAM is supported in a computer is to go to crucial, use their configurator, write down the specs, and buy the RAM elsewhere... works wonders on those stupid OEM boxes I get in that have no help whatsoever online ...

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: zsouthboy
Dude, the best way to find out what RAM is supported in a computer is to go to crucial, use their configurator, write down the specs, and buy the RAM elsewhere... works wonders on those stupid OEM boxes I get in that have no help whatsoever online ...

That's just it though - Crucial doesn't list technical specs, or actual product images.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

256MB 32X64/32X8
- that uses 8 chips, each is 256Mbit.

you want 256MB 32x64/16x8
- that uses 16 chips, each is 128Mbit.

when you're comparing these 2, you can say one is high density, one is low density.

BX chipset supports up to 128Mbit chips.