Solve : Upgrading RAM?

1.	Solve : Upgrading RAM?
Answer» Hi all, I have an older HP Pavilion 751n that only has 256 MB of PC2100 RAM. I checked on HPs website and was told I could upgrade to PC3200 512 MB with no problem. $65.00 later, the machine won't recognize the RAM. For a LITTLE more information, there are only two DIMM slots on the board, I am running XP Home and the processor is a P4. I got on with an HP adviser today and he gave me the specs for the motherboard and it says it will take either 1600 or 2100 speed RAM and can go as high as 1 GB in each slot. He, however, advised me that PC2700 should work. Since 2700 is much easier to find and cheaper (not to mention faster), I would like to go with that option but don't want to PLAY the buy and return game more than I need to. I guess I'm just looking for your gut feeling on whether you think that 2700 should work. Thanks for your help! Benwww.crucial.com and put in your computer info to see exactly what will work. It may not be the cheapest, but it has a lifetime warranty, quick shipping, and GUARANTEED COMPATIBILITY. What were you looking for? http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Pavilion+751n Other types MAY work if ALL characteristics are met. I went to that site when I did a search on here and found a similar post. They also stated that PC3200 should work. The stick of Kingston 512 MB 3200 RAM I bought did not. BIOS wouldn't even recognize it...yes I tried to remove and reattach 3 times to make sure it was seated OK. Therefore, I am led to believe that 3200 is simply too fast for what I have. I would be satisfied with 1 GB of 2700 if you think that would be compatible. That should allow an enormous performance increase over 256 MB of 2100 (although I am by no means an expert). If I bite the bullet and upgrade to either 512 or 1 GB of 2100, do you think I would notice that much of a difference? Thanks again, Ben.Quote www.crucial.com and put in your computer info to see exactly what will work. It may not be the cheapest, but it has a lifetime warranty, quick shipping, and [highlight]GUARANTEED compatibility[/highlight]. What were you looking for? http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Pavilion+751n [highlight]Other types MAY work if ALL characteristics are met.[/highlight] All RAM is NOT created equally. 512 is the real minimum for a usable XP system. A gig is probably overkill, although some always say more is better.Did you properly handle the RAM stick? I don't see in why Kingston wouldn't work unless the RAM was either damaged or unless you need specific Hewlett Packard RAM... Which I have never seen. Did you try resetting the BIOS after installing the RAM?Thanks for the replies! GX_1, I appreciate what you are saying and I have checked out the Crucial site extensively. I am much more of a software guy than a hardware guy, but my main concern is that the cards they offer for 256 and 512 are both at 3200 speed (which didn't work in my machine and the HP guy said was incompatible with my motherboard specs) and the gig chip is at 2700 (which the HP guy said would work but wasn't listed on the specs as compatible). Here are the specs: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph07029&lc=en&cc=us⟨=en&product=77570&dlc=en Raptor, yes, I am sure I installed the card correctly. I have never had to go into BIOS setup when I have replaced RAM in the machines in my office. The machines generally detect the new stick and update themselves. Granted, these are all newer machines than mine and I am not upgrading them, just replacing defective RAM. Thank you both for your assistance in this and I apologize in advance if I am seeming to be a bit of a dolt here. Quote Raptor, yes, I am sure I installed the card correctly. I have never had to go into BIOS setup when I have replaced RAM in the machines in my office. The machines generally detect the new stick and update themselves. Granted, these are all newer machines than mine and I am not upgrading them, just replacing defective RAM. I never said to enter the BIOS, though. I said that you should reset it to its default values. If you can't ACCESS the BIOS, remove the CMOS battery for ~10 seconds or find the CMOS reset jumper/switch.Oops, got to be careful with that Evelyn Wood speed-reading! I will try to reset the BIOS when I get home tonight and see if that does anything. I still am unsure that even that would help it run the 3200 card, but 2 sites have now said it should and who am I to argue.Quote Quote www.crucial.com and put in your computer info to see exactly what will work. It may not be the cheapest, but it has a lifetime warranty, quick shipping, and [highlight]GUARANTEED compatibility[/highlight]. What were you looking for? http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Pavilion+751n [highlight]Other types MAY work if ALL characteristics are met.[/highlight] I hate to be redundant but what does guaranteed compatibility mean to you? GX_1, if you read further on their guarantee, all it says is guaranteed compatible or your money back. Well, I can get that from Fry's or CompUSA also without having to mail stuff back and forth. HP and that site both said 3200 speed RAM would work and it didn't, so the guarantee doesn't mean much to me...convenience is much more important.Well we know that THAT 3200 did not work, but I don't know that we can make a global generalization. So even after looking at the specs of the motherboard, you still think a different 3200 speed card would work?I think a guaranteed compatible one is worth a shot.Well, I guess I will give it one more shot. It's gotta be cheaper than the 64 port card in our switch that I just swapped out...of course that wasn't my money!

Answer»

Hi all,

I have an older HP Pavilion 751n that only has 256 MB of PC2100 RAM. I checked on HPs website and was told I could upgrade to PC3200 512 MB with no problem. $65.00 later, the machine won't recognize the RAM. For a LITTLE more information, there are only two DIMM slots on the board, I am running XP Home and the processor is a P4.

I got on with an HP adviser today and he gave me the specs for the motherboard and it says it will take either 1600 or 2100 speed RAM and can go as high as 1 GB in each slot. He, however, advised me that PC2700 should work. Since 2700 is much easier to find and cheaper (not to mention faster), I would like to go with that option but don't want to PLAY the buy and return game more than I need to.

I guess I'm just looking for your gut feeling on whether you think that 2700 should work.

Thanks for your help!

Benwww.crucial.com and put in your computer info to see exactly what will work. It may not be the cheapest, but it has a lifetime warranty, quick shipping, and GUARANTEED COMPATIBILITY. What were you looking for?

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Pavilion+751n

Other types MAY work if ALL characteristics are met.
I went to that site when I did a search on here and found a similar post. They also stated that PC3200 should work. The stick of Kingston 512 MB 3200 RAM I bought did not. BIOS wouldn't even recognize it...yes I tried to remove and reattach 3 times to make sure it was seated OK.

Therefore, I am led to believe that 3200 is simply too fast for what I have. I would be satisfied with 1 GB of 2700 if you think that would be compatible. That should allow an enormous performance increase over 256 MB of 2100 (although I am by no means an expert).

If I bite the bullet and upgrade to either 512 or 1 GB of 2100, do you think I would notice that much of a difference?

Thanks again,
Ben.Quote

www.crucial.com and put in your computer info to see exactly what will work. It may not be the cheapest, but it has a lifetime warranty, quick shipping, and [highlight]GUARANTEED compatibility[/highlight]. What were you looking for?

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Pavilion+751n

[highlight]Other types MAY work if ALL characteristics are met.[/highlight]

All RAM is NOT created equally.

512 is the real minimum for a usable XP system. A gig is probably overkill, although some always say more is better.Did you properly handle the RAM stick? I don't see in why Kingston wouldn't work unless the RAM was either damaged or unless you need specific Hewlett Packard RAM... Which I have never seen.

Did you try resetting the BIOS after installing the RAM?Thanks for the replies!

GX_1, I appreciate what you are saying and I have checked out the Crucial site extensively. I am much more of a software guy than a hardware guy, but my main concern is that the cards they offer for 256 and 512 are both at 3200 speed (which didn't work in my machine and the HP guy said was incompatible with my motherboard specs) and the gig chip is at 2700 (which the HP guy said would work but wasn't listed on the specs as compatible). Here are the specs: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph07029&lc=en&cc=us⟨=en&product=77570&dlc=en

Raptor, yes, I am sure I installed the card correctly. I have never had to go into BIOS setup when I have replaced RAM in the machines in my office. The machines generally detect the new stick and update themselves. Granted, these are all newer machines than mine and I am not upgrading them, just replacing defective RAM.

Thank you both for your assistance in this and I apologize in advance if I am seeming to be a bit of a dolt here.

Quote

Raptor, yes, I am sure I installed the card correctly. I have never had to go into BIOS setup when I have replaced RAM in the machines in my office. The machines generally detect the new stick and update themselves. Granted, these are all newer machines than mine and I am not upgrading them, just replacing defective RAM.

I never said to enter the BIOS, though. I said that you should reset it to its default values.

If you can't ACCESS the BIOS, remove the CMOS battery for ~10 seconds or find the CMOS reset jumper/switch.Oops, got to be careful with that Evelyn Wood speed-reading!

I will try to reset the BIOS when I get home tonight and see if that does anything. I still am unsure that even that would help it run the 3200 card, but 2 sites have now said it should and who am I to argue.Quote

Quote
www.crucial.com and put in your computer info to see exactly what will work. It may not be the cheapest, but it has a lifetime warranty, quick shipping, and [highlight]GUARANTEED compatibility[/highlight]. What were you looking for?

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Pavilion+751n

[highlight]Other types MAY work if ALL characteristics are met.[/highlight]

I hate to be redundant but what does guaranteed compatibility mean to you?

GX_1, if you read further on their guarantee, all it says is guaranteed compatible or your money back. Well, I can get that from Fry's or CompUSA also without having to mail stuff back and forth. HP and that site both said 3200 speed RAM would work and it didn't, so the guarantee doesn't mean much to me...convenience is much more important.Well we know that THAT 3200 did not work, but I don't know that we can make a global generalization.
So even after looking at the specs of the motherboard, you still think a different 3200 speed card would work?I think a guaranteed compatible one is worth a shot.Well, I guess I will give it one more shot. It's gotta be cheaper than the 64 port card in our switch that I just swapped out...of course that wasn't my money!

Solve : Upgrading RAM?

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