memory question
 

I have a Dell 8200- it takes the RDRAM - PC800Mhz mem card. Why is it more expencive to get 1 gig of that then the other ones like ddr-400cl3? Can I do something to use this other memory. the reason I have 2x512 mem cards. thanks

If you're absolutely certain it takes RDRAM, there's nothing you can do but use RDRAM. The motherboard will only support that type of RAM.

Is the 8200 a desktop or laptop? If it's a laptop, I've never seen one with RDRAM...

Yeah, your dell deminsion 8200 uses the same as my 8100.....i think you can buy 512 meg from dell for 315 bucks!!...lol....

You can goto www.memorystock.com and find 1 gig of memory for your system for around 499.99, and 495.99 if you want ECC memory......check out that web site, it has alot of good info on it.

Also there is nothing you can do about the type of memory your system uses. At least that I'm aware of. Except it a different motherboard with processor, the Pentium 4 with RDRAM work together in some way or another.

Its difficult to explain why RDRAM is more expensive. It has alot to do with the technology esp. in combination with the Pentium 4 processor data bus. But what basicially boils down too is, they can charge that much and people will still pay for it.

thanks guys. Do you know where I can sell this mem that I have. Its 2x512mb ddr-400mhz-cl3 pc3200u ??

Is it a laptop or a desktop?

I believe that should be a desktop...

How much do you want for it? Willing to trade.....? I have 4 Samsung memory sticks here: 2 matching 64MB, and 2 matching 128MB. Total is 384MB. The sticks came out of my friends working computer ( removed them myself), and he can't use them w/his new setup. lemme know

RDRAM - aka rambus sometimes needs to be installed in pairs (i.e. if you would like to upgrade the box by 512mb, then you will need to purchase two sticks of 256mb rdram). Make sure this is not the case for you! Most RDRAM I've seen HAVE to install in pairs....Just FYI :)

I've seen machines that could run with just one chip, but they also had what I call a "filler" chip in the other slot. This chip has connections and wires, but only serves to make the first chip run properly. It has no memory or anything like that. I had a Dell XPS a while back that came like this.

listen up.
your system uses only 800mhz rdram. you have to buy your memory in pairs. RDRAM works on a parrallel basis 16 bits per side, 32 bits per channel and there are 2 channels
since you have 2 512mb cards get 2 more
You can have differant size mem card on diferant channel but the mem card in each channel have to be identical. You get better performance when all four are fill will all four mem cards the same size, clock speed and accsess time.
get samsung memory since its excatally what dell uses.
open up your box and pull a memory stick out pull off the dell sticker and look and the numbers
you'll see a long s/n also somewere on you'll see either a 40ns or 45ns accsestime. the memory you get need to be the same accsses time. the sytem will work with differnt asses times but your system will be buggy becuase of the timing differance
to answer you question the rdram is more expensive becuase it is'nt made anymore. The company that developed rdram wouldn't release its technology but to a few producers, trying to hord the right to it and make as much off of as they could. bad move.ddr ram won out since the desighnes were pratically open access. Also DDR ram had more to expand on and alot larger potental bandwidth witch is proving to be true with the latest ddr2. see ddr ram uses 64 bits perchannel and run in parralel on 4 channel means 256bit memory. rdram went to the wayside but dell and intel both had huge contract with producing equipment with the rdram set so lots of rdram systems got sold in 02. rdram production stopped in early 03 and now what ever is left is going up in prace as people want to upgrad. I bought mine right after it stopped being producted and got 4 i gig cards and 2 spares for 45 bucks each. Now the memory is climming in price as inventorie ware slim
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