Member Avatar for viperman224

I have an asus P2B-F mobo running 512 megs of ram It's capible of holding a gig of ram. It has a PIII-450mhz with a 100mhz fsb thus I need PC-100 but for stick of 256 its like a 100 dollars. where as like pc2700 for stick of 512 its like 50 bucks. whats the deal? why is PC100 so expensive?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by twilli227

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Building on points raised by , and , here are practical, expert-backed reasons older SDRAM can carry a premium and clear steps to avoid overpaying.

Older PC‑class SDRAM was effectively phased out when DDR took over; that left only small quantities in circulation (OEM pulls, corporate surplus, and salvage), which pushes per-item prices up. Another frequent cause of high listings is seller confusion — server ECC/registered modules and desktop unbuffered modules look similar but are not interchangeable, so mislisted parts, mixed inventories, and scarce “tested” sticks get marked up.

Useful checks and buying filters not yet mentioned here: verify the module is unbuffered, non‑ECC 168‑pin SDRAM (3.3V) rather than registered/ECC server RAM or DDR (different pin count/notch). A quick visual cue: many non‑ECC DIMMs use eight main DRAM chips per side; a ninth chip often indicates parity/ECC. Ask sellers for the OEM part number/sticker photo and the memory’s timing/voltage labels before buying. Prefer listings that offer test photos or a short Memtest86 summary — that greatly reduces risk.

Testing and troubleshooting: when using used sticks, update the motherboard BIOS first, then test each module alone with Memtest86 (bootable ISO/USB) for several full passes. If a module causes POST errors or instability, it’s likely a mismatch (ECC/registered) or dead chip, not a timing setting. If procurement remains expensive, consider sourcing from local IT surplus, classifieds, or bulk lots where per‑stick pricing drops substantially.

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Member Avatar for The Soundman

I Hate to say this but this is a typical trend that I've seen before. I believe it has to do with the fact that this type of RAM isn't manufactured anymore or if it is, it's made in limited amounts and hence the price goes up at the retail end. :evil:

You may be able to get away with pc 133 RAM as it can often be used on a 100 Mhz bus. (Your bus will run as fast as the slowest memory chip will let it.)

I have to admit that, a notebook may have differences that I'm not aware of as I have never owned one, however the theroy worked with my Pentium II - 266 that had a 66 Mhz bus and had a total of 352 Mb of memory installed including a 256 mb pc 133 DIMM.

Member Avatar for twilli227

I agree with The Soundman. I have a P11 400Mhz 100 fsb and I use PC133 memory. I have not had any problems. Also check around for pricing. I just got a Tigerdirect catalog and the prices are around $50 for 256MB. Check with friends, family, or school to see if anyone is getting rid of their old computers. That is how I usually come by my older RAM.

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