Buying memory

[AnneGuida]

I have a Packard Bell Multimedia S618 233mHz Pentium that has 48MB RAM. I would like to get the maximum amount of RAM for my computer but I'm having trouble figuring out:

1) How much maximum RAM is possible (128 or 256MB)

I was told by a rep from one web site that my PC could max at 256MB (I've read most places 128MB).
He also told me that I need only two modules of 128 MB but when I checked inside my computer there
are four slots giving me 48MB.

I wanted to go ahead and buy from them but I thought I should write here first.

Also, I'm having some confusion as to what kind of memory my system needs: is it a SIMM-72PIN or 168PIN DIMM :confused:

If you have any advice on what I should buy for memory or where I would greatly appreciate it!!

Thanks--Anne

[Buji]

Welcome to Sysopt. :) Are you sure about the model #?
Crucial lists an S615. • Maximum Memory: 128MB
Go here and look it up, http://www.crucial.com/
http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.asp?model=Multimedia+S-615&x=18&y=14

[jan15]

My computer is an old Pentium 233 also (but not Packard Bell). Mine has both SIMM and DIMM slots. The SIMM's are less than 5" long, and have tiny metal spring clips at each end. The DIMM's are a little more than 5" long and have big plastic levers at each end.

I've only seen motherboards with either 2 or 3 DIMM slots (mine has 2), but I think 4 is the standard number of SIMM slots. So I'm guessing you have SIMM slots, but I could be wrong. I don't know anything about Packard Bell or your model. And the 128 Mb modules the rep was trying to sell you don't sound like SIMM's. I've never heard of SIMM's that large. The biggest SIMM's I've seen, 64 Mb, are going for about $80 each, but 128 Mb DIMM's are very common and sell for as little as $15 or $20.

You don't have to fill all the slots in either case, but with SIMM's the slots have to be filled in pairs to work with a Pentium processor, and the pairs have to be matched.

8 and 16 were popular sizes of 72 pin SIMM's. Maybe you have 2 8's and 2 16's? That would total 48.

I started with 16 Mb total RAM, and my computer got much faster when I increased to 32 Mb. It got quite a bit faster again when I went up to 64 Mb, but it didn't seem to change at all when I increased to 96 Mb. So I stopped there. It's more than fast enough for what I do (CAD, word processing, and surfing).

A good book, PC Hardware in a Nutshell, says that with my motherboard's chipset (Intel 430TX), adding memory above 64 Mb can actually slow things down because the chipset only caches 64 Mb, even though it can use up to 256 Mb total RAM.

You could use a program like SiSoft Sandra (download for free!) to find out what chipset you have and how much memory it can support and how much it can cache.

[Richard_Cranium72]

What operating system are you using and is it a general purpose machine or will you use some heavy software.

I'm asking cuz 72 pin SIMMS are expensive, I posted in Steals & Deals some SIMM memory a couple of weeks ago for like $6 per stick, I think they were 32 meg,, I forget, however shipping brought the total up $12.31 or so making the 4 sticks $9.00 each.

I haven't gotten it yet so the jury is still out.

I will post in S&D when it gets here to let all with older systems know if it was worthwhile.

DrVette

[digital_d_17]

You can actually buy 128MB Simms from Crucial (For gobs and gobs of money, that is)

[AnneGuida]

Thanks--your information was helpful.

In fact, it was a crucial.com rep with whom I spoke.

I'm sure about the model # The crucial.com rep.
told me that since this model is older (1998), it had changed its memory requirements (from 128MB to 256MB capacity)

I just get more confused by the moment.



Originally posted by Buji
Welcome to Sysopt. :) Are you sure about the model #?
Crucial lists an S615. • Maximum Memory: 128MB
Go here and look it up, http://www.crucial.com/
http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.asp?model=Multimedia+S-615&x=18&y=14 :confused:

[Buji]

Four slots he asks as he throws in more confusion.

Packard Bell Multimedia S606, S607, S616, S618
Maximum Memory, 128mb. Memory Slots, 2 (You may install
one at a time). non-removable base memory, 0mb. ...
http://www.satech.com/mulitmedias618.html

http://www.memoryx.net/pacbelmuls6s1.html
http://www.centon.com/rac3253d.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=packard+bell+multimedia+s618&btnG=Google+Search