PC Memory Identification - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 01:55:50 am
content: Hi,I have a few years old PC which uses the memory shown in the pictures. The strange-ish thing (compared to what I am used to form when I was assembling PCs) is that it only has 3 slots instead of 3. All three slots are full with the memory shown in the picture.I want to expand is as much as possible but:1) not sure how much it can take. How can I find that out?2) what type I should order and what are full specs? By looking at the label in the picture it shows 2Gb DDR3 240 pins. Is that the correct interpretation? What about parity and other features expecially considering it only has 3 slots (if that matters)?Thank you

author: oPossum
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 03:29:06 am
content: What CPU does it have??? 3 slots of DDR3 could be socket 1366 (Core i7-900 / Xeon X5500 / Xeon X5600). That is more than a few years old!That module may be DDR3-800 (aka PC3-6400), unbuffered (not registered), no ECC. That is the second slowest speed grade of DDR3 "desktop RAM"You can find what CPU and RAM (as reported by SPD) your system has with CPU-Zhttps://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 05:29:38 am
content: 3 slots isn't unusual, it just means the board will only support a single RAM channel.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 05:39:08 am
content: Chances are pretty high it will take 8GB DDR3 chips but 16GB might be pushing it.However, if it's a branded 'business' PC, like HP/COMPAQ/DELL with oddball hardware then you can run into problems with ram compatibility.Sometimes they will lock the bios so it only works with specific types of ram to force you to buy ram from them.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 08:06:56 am
content: Triple channel was a thing when LGA 1366 was introduced.This PC was probably shipped with 6 GB memory maximum, or 12GB but that would have costs $300+

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 07:01:08 pm
content: Can you even find 16GB DDR3 modules? IIRC there was only one company which made them and it took a considerable effort due to nobody manufacturing truly suitable dice or lack of addressing bits in the DDR3 standard or something like that, I don't remember.8GB are common and they may work. I have a motherboard which was never specified to take 8GB modules but it does.Either way, these are most boring consumer DDR3 modules, no ECC rubbish. Three slots almost surely implies a triple-channel Intel platform as others said. Get three identical modules and it should be good.

author: westfw
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2020, 06:31:00 am
content: QuoteIf it's a brand-name PC or motherboard, go to one of the memory vendor sites (likehttp://www.crucial.com) and drill down through their "selection" helpers. They'll probably have info about your computer, exactly what type of RAM it uses, how much memory it was sold with, the max if can be upgraded to, and so on. (Amazing work, really!)

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2020, 07:35:11 am
content: No, they don't. All they have is published specs.I just checked my motherboard and sure enough, they tell me to stuff it with 4×4GB

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2020, 07:41:15 pm
content: Thank you all,After considering all replies, looking at the price I could source that memory for as well as other factors and projects I am working on, I am leaning towards the idea of keeping that one as is and build a new one.Thank you all again for all the feedback and infos!!

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2020, 12:44:03 am
content: Could take it to your local computer store and, if they are nice, ask them if you can test some 8GB modules in the computer and you will buy them if they work.(Not like a big box computer store, you want a more tech savvy place where the staff are not on min wage. So they have some authority to do stuff like that)Most places would be happy to do that.