Member Avatar for natej

I have a notebook I bought in 2002, with 2002 XP. I want to add memory but have no idea what? How can i find this out? I tried to look on the card itself, but couldn't find (understand) anything that would help me. Any answers?

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Several members already suggested good starting points: pointed to an online lookup, and noted local hardware utilities, and mentioned system-reporting tools. Below is a short, practical checklist plus a compact reference that clarifies the PCxxx vs DDR naming and how to confirm what a 2002-era laptop actually needs.

PCxxx <-> DDR quick reference

  • PC1600 = DDR-200 (100 MHz base, 200 MT/s, ~1600 MB/s)
  • PC2100 = DDR-266 (133.3 MHz base, 266 MT/s, ~2100 MB/s)
  • PC2700 = DDR-333 (166.7 MHz base, 333 MT/s, ~2700 MB/s)
  • PC3200 = DDR-400 (200 MHz base, 400 MT/s, ~3200 MB/s)
    (see DDR naming conventions for details) (DDR SDRAM (Wikipedia))

Compatibility notes and gotchas

  • SDR, DDR and later DDR2/DDR3 are not interchangeable (different key/notch and electrical specs).
  • Faster modules will usually run at the motherboard/chipset speed, but SPD/timing mismatches can cause instability.
  • Chipset and BIOS determine maximum per-slot and total RAM; many early-2000s laptops had low per-slot limits (check the service manual).
  • 32-bit Windows XP will not show the full 4 GB address space (usable RAM typically ~3.0–3.5 GB depending on hardware).

Practical checklist (non-invasive to manual)

  1. Locate the laptop model/part number (sticker on the bottom or inside the battery bay) and read the manufacturer service manual/specs.
  2. Check BIOS/System Information for total RAM and sometimes type.
  3. If comfortable, power down, remove battery, open the RAM cover and read the SODIMM label (look for DDR/PCxxxx or DDR333/DDR400 markings and the module capacity). Photograph the label for ordering. Ground yourself and follow the manual.
  4. If the label is unreadable, software can read SPD but cross-check with the service manual because utilities sometimes misreport timings or SPD entries.

These steps provide a reliable way to identify the exact module type to buy for an older laptop.

Recommended Answers

All 18 Replies

Member Avatar for jbennet

go here:

http://www.crucial.com/

either select your laptop make and model or let it scan it and it will tell you what type of RAM you need, what speed, what capacities it can take and whether it needs to be in pairs or not.

Member Avatar for natej

Great! Thanks.

Member Avatar for jbennet

you can buy off them too. They ship to the US, UK and Europe. I live in the UK and recently baught 2gb off them. They are a reputable site.

Member Avatar for caperjack

I have a notebook I bought in 2002, with 2002 XP. I want to add memory but have no idea what? How can i find this out? I tried to look on the card itself, but couldn't find (understand) anything that would help me. Any answers?

2002 im gonna guess it doesn't even take pc32 or 27 hundred ram thinking it gonna take pc133 ram.
Crucial won't scan my computer because i use Firefox ,i have to download there scan tool instead
I use cpu-z to tell me the ram in computers im working on or own ,save me from taking out the ram .
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/CPU-Z-Download-6980.html

Member Avatar for 4th&3wood

Everest doesn't always provide all of the information on RAM, CPU-Z does.

Member Avatar for crunchie

CPU-z reads the RAM incorrectly on both my pc's.

Member Avatar for 4th&3wood

Congratulations? I've never seen if fail.

Member Avatar for crunchie

I'll revise that to say that it correctly shows it as PC3500 and PC 4800 respectively, but reads the default SPD timings wrong.
Thanks for the congrats :P

Member Avatar for caperjack

Hello Chrunchie,
everest isn't up to date any more ,i used it in a newer Compaq recently and could tell me nothing because of this .it didn't recognize the the board therefor could tell me nothing ,but suggested i buy the full version .as you can tell from within your link ,its 2005!
as for cpuid, I think it reads the actual speed of the ram not the multiplies that happen to the ram after the computers OS /bios/cpu or what ever does that to it ,i don't know fur sure.when i turn on my computer it says 333,cpuid shows the speed as 166/max 200 i have pc3200 install /but computer runs at pc2700 .
also cpuid like all free program have faults ,and we are only ginipigs to the developers ,they have tools for sale based on the free one we use , as does everest ,and AVG antiviral, and so on and so this make no sense that because i wrote it .lol

Member Avatar for Serunson

Crucial Techs scanner works for me :P
I used it to find out what i had, and then go and buy the correct elsewhere. Crucial weren't the cheapest that i found for 2Gb of PC3200 RAM.
But yeah just download their scanner from here:
http://crucial.com/uk/systemscanner/loader.aspx?Agree=Yes
simply download to desktop, then run the application. Quick, simple and to the point. Then you can delete it afterwards if you want.

Member Avatar for caperjack

Crucial Techs scanner works for me :P
I used it to find out what i had, and then go and buy the correct elsewhere. Crucial weren't the cheapest that i found for 2Gb of PC3200 RAM.
But yeah just download their scanner from here:
http://crucial.com/uk/systemscanner/loader.aspx?Agree=Yes
simply download to desktop, then run the application. Quick, simple and to the point. Then you can delete it afterwards if you want.

yeah i did finally do that .thanks.

follow up to Everest ,you find no new fee version on there web page ,just buy for $34.95 .
http://www.lavalys.com/..

And cpu-z ,check there website for HWMonitor and pcWizzard ,nice little programs the wizzard will tell you all that everest did, and maybe more .
http://www.cpuid.com/

Member Avatar for crunchie

Caperjack, it's a shame that Everest decided to start charging for their program :(. Still works ok on my old girls though :)

Member Avatar for caperjack

Caperjack, it's a shame that Everest decided to start charging for their program :(. Still works ok on my old girls though :)

yeah ,mine too, but doesn't recognize a lot of the new chip sets i guess.

all the work we do, it's a shame the original poster wouldn't come back and benefit from it .lol

Member Avatar for jbennet

CPuz?

Member Avatar for caperjack

CPuz?

what!

Member Avatar for jbennet

CPU-Z is software that tells you the exact model, features etc.. of your CPU. It can also give you the exact model, speed, manufacturer and type of each of your sticks of ram + thier slot as well as bios, chipsete tc...

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

cpuz.JPG 41.12 KB
Member Avatar for caperjack

been using it for years and just found this in the program ,go to about and click on registry dump and html dump it will generate 2 interesting files ,also validate it for what i don't know

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