MOBO advice needed newbie RE: Upgrade to AMD K6, Bios, Ram & Cache questions !

[MarcoPolo2002]

I'm running an AMD K6-2 500mhz, 100MHZ BUS, and O/S is Win98 SE and have just added ram up to 448 MB. I ran a systems analysis on AIDA32 and don't understand some of the results. MOB & ram follows.
RE: Chipset Properties
Motherboard Chipset VIA VT8501 Apollo MVP4
External Cache Size 512 KB
External Cache Type Synchronous Pipelined Burst
External Cache Status Enabled

Memory Slots
DRAM Slot #1 256 MB (SDRAM)
DRAM Slot #2 128 MB (SDRAM)
DRAM Slot #3 64 MB (SDRAM)

YOUR COMMENTS on the following please.

1. Problem Motherboard chipset cannot cache the whole system memory. This may cause performance penalty.

Does this mean the board is so old that I have put more ram in it than it recognizes or can take advantage of.

I understand how Win 98 tries to use as much physical ram as possible and reserves certain amounts in advance of actual need for use and its use of virtual memory. But what does the Cache have to do with this.

2. AIDA also informs me the System and Video Bios should be upgraded since it is over 2 years old (7/99). Comments please.
Is this necessary to improve my system.

3. RE: memory it is also recommending more. I just went from 96 to 444mb. I know I should scrap this old dog but limited funds prevent that right now. I just spent about $60 for 1 256 & 1 128mb SDRAM.

4. What does the Case Latency have to do with my RAM. Is that equivolent to speed in seacrhing/writing/ processing.
The highest Case Latency of the ram I have installed is as follows:

DRAM Slot #1 256 MB (SDRAM) 100mhz 3.0 (10.0 ns @ 100 MHz)

DRAM Slot #2 128 MB (SDRAM) 100mhz 3.0 (8.0 ns @ 125 MHz)

DRAM Slot #3 64 MB (SDRAM) 100mhz 3.0 (10.0 ns @ 100 MHz)

Are the above Chips compatable? Should they all be the same Case Latency?

Appreciate any help !

[BipolarBill]

1. It means you have too much RAM for that ancient chipset to properly hande. You can ignore that one.

2. Ignore that. It won't make your system better really.

3. It recommends more because the current standard (XP) can use all that it can get - 512MB is recommended. Still, it won't help you much because of your chipset memory controller limitations. Ignore that one too.

4. All of your RAM is rated at 3.0 CAS. That's fine.

[MarcoPolo2002]

Thanks Bill.

Are you of the opinion that I could return either the 128 or 256mb or ram? I still have that option. Returning the 256 would leave me with 192mb; Returning the 128 would leave me with 352 wich may still be beyond. the chipset capablity. What is the max, 128 or 256, or something else?. My original config had 96mb (64 +32).

I could put th 32 mb chip into the 3rd slot, thus bumping the ram up to either 224 or 352 mhz however it is rated at 66mhz. Would that cause a loss of speed or only matter if that particular chip was accessed?

[BipolarBill]

I'm of the opinion that anything more than about 256MB of RAM in Win98 is a waste. Use that as your guide.