Laptop upgrade - which ram

[joker_927]

Okay through googleing every number I could find on and in the laptop I'm pretty darn sure it has 64MB of PC100 SDRAM SODIMM.

This seems REALLY slow for the chip it has (PIII 800 mhz.) I out looking for new midules and it looks like ebay is my best friend again.

Q1) Is there really only ONE slot on a laptop for a memory module?

Q2) I want to put a 512MB in there, but what if the motherboard only supports up to 256MB or soemthing? How can I be sure it can handle to the 512MB?

thx

[Prison Kids]

What kind of laptop?

My NEC has 2 slots.
My Dell has 1.

[elroy]

You might try Crucial's memory configurator for some help. Also go to the website for the laptop manufacturer for specs on your system.

[joker_927]

I'm glad it wasn't a snake...


from www.compaq.com
System Memory

128 MB 100 MHz SyncDRAM, Shared Memory Architecture, Upgradable to 320 MB- 4 MB Dedicated for Video Memory

1 more question though, how is 320 the max? 128 + 128 + 64 = 320. Yet, there is only 1 slot that I have found on the bottom of the laptop for the ram. Online sites have lead me to believe that this was a 64MB chip, but compaq says it has 128MB by default.....

Maybe I should wait until I get the HD for it and Sandra can tell me exactly what is on the inside.

[joker_927]

oh wait....

maybe it has 64MB onboard memory or something like that, then an extra 64MB chip as an "expansion". I have no clue if they even do that.

That would mean you could upgrade it to a 256MB chip in the expansion and with the 64MB that is onboard, you get 320MB. I think I've done it!

Will 320MB PIII 800 be enough to run windows XP or should I install something like windows 98 (if I still have it).

[Prison Kids]

Hey Joker,

320 will be fine for XP with standard use. Looks like you have it handled.

My kids have XP Pro on their machines and my laptop.

2 = 128ram (a little slow)
1 = 256ram (just fine)
My machine = 1gig (rips)

[samwichse]

My guess, this is a compaq right?

I've seen at least two compaq systems that had some memory soldered directly to the board. One had 4mb in SIMMs onboard, with 2 empty slots, and another had 16MB of DIMMs onboard with 1 empty slot.

64mb onboard and 2 empty slots at a max of 128 each would give you the 320 max perfectly.

[SeanC]

A lot of older laptops have like 32MB or 64MB soldered onto the MOBO and one slot for upgrading RAM. There are a bunch of old ones like that at my work here.

Sean