Upgrading my PC's RAM - Any ideas ?

[Kingy_85]

I got a new desktop for Christmas and upgraded the ram.

I used Crucial UK Scan to determine what is compatible with this PC and grabbed some off eBay on the cheap.

Two questions for those of you with a knack for this stuff....

My computer takes PC2-6400 but what has turned up from ebay is actually PC2-6400U ? (or so the label reads)

Is there any difference ? Should it still work?

Secondly, when adding the two sticks of 1GB RAM the computer wont load, it goes bright blue or red and nothing happens.

Does this mean that the RAM is damaged or faulty? or is it just because of question number 1 ?

Could really do with some help on this, get your brownie points here!

 

[Cate Fox]

wrong forum....

 

[Matt_B]

Could be a host of things, the 2 sticks might not be the same as each other and so not "paired", they might be frazzled (did you de-static yourself before inserting them?), they could not be pushed in correctly, or they could be the wrong sort. I would never buy RAM from ebay unless I was very very convinced the seller would refund if it arrived frazzled.

 

[Durham Fox]

The RAM you have could have different timings to the existing RAM which could create problems. You can judge this by looking at all of the labels on the new RAM and the exisitng RAM. It will look like x-x-x-xx or similar. If they don't match it's very unlikely they'll all work together. you could alter the timings in the BIOS to suit the slowest set if RAM you have but this is risky for a novice.

It's also worth swapping the new RAM in and out individually to check if 1 stick is blown.

 

[Matt_B]

The RAM you have could have different timings to the existing RAM which could create problems. You can judge this by looking at all of the labels on the new RAM and the exisitng RAM. It will look like x-x-x-xx or similar. If they don't match it's very unlikely they'll all work together. you could alter the timings in the BIOS to suit the slowest set if RAM you have but this is risky for a novice.

It's also worth swapping the new RAM in and out individually to check if 1 stick is blown.

Unless they are paired sticks surely?

 

[Macky]

Unless they are paired sticks surely?

They'll still work individually. Incorrectly paired strips will also work, just not very efficiently.

 

[Durham Fox]

They'll still work individually. Incorrectly paired strips will also work, just not very efficiently.

What he said