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General discussion

Help with upgrading RAM

Apr 11, 2005 4:29AM PDT

OK, I'm planning on upgrading my computer from 512MB to 1GB of RAM. I've installed graphics cards befor to PCI and AGP slots with no seperate power cables, but thats about all I've done when it comes to upgrading the stuff inside the box.

I'm using a Dell Dimention 4600 that had been upgraded from 256 to 512 RAM with the order. I took a look inside the box and saw 2 long narrow cards above the PCI slots that I think were the RAM cards, but they were partialy blocked by the power suply tape cable thing. there weren't any other slot around them. I'm asuming that I have 2 256 cards, and that there aren't other slots. Which I think means that I need to get 2 512 cards.

So what type of RAM works with Dell computers? Is there much difference? Can anyone confirm weather or not I was correct about those being 2 256 RAM cards? Are they even called RAM cards, or are they Chipsets, or bords or somthing else? Am I being to paranoid, and is installing RAM harder or easier than installing a graphics card?

Discussion is locked

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RE
Apr 11, 2005 12:06PM PDT

They are called ram sticks.

I'm not familiar with dell computers so i'm not sure if the ram sticks are located where u say they are. they are usually located next to cpu and run vertically.

To ensure that the ram works, go crucial, kingston, or pny. they have configurators to match your computer with the ram you can buy for that system.

Installing ram is pretty easy. All u got to do is stick them in. When boot up, it should have dis ram check thing meaning the ram was properly installed. if no more that, and theres a blank screen probanly bought the wrong ram or put it in wrong. make sure it is securely seated.

I would say that installing ram is easier than gfx card install because for gfx card install u got to disable the previous display adapter then put in the card then install the driver and whatever software. But for ram, its simple, just stick them in.

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new ram
Apr 11, 2005 8:45PM PDT

Go to Crucial.com, they have a system that will find what is for your particular puter and they guarantee it will work.

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Thanks!
Apr 12, 2005 12:12AM PDT

Thanks for the help!

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Dell sometimes uses proprietary RAM
Apr 13, 2005 6:03AM PDT

Those SOB's... I have a p4 2ghz desktop and you can't buy RAM from Crucial or Kinsgton... You can only buy it from Dell and of course it costs twice as much....

Make sure you know for a FACT you can use retail stuff before you buy it.