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#1
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Dell Optiplex upgrade path
I've got this PC that someone gave me - without any manufacturer
documentation whatsoever - that I started using as a server in my home network. It worked fine for awhile, but nowadays, I am cruelly short of memory on it (installed Oracle...). It's actually got 192Mb RAM, and I need to upgrage it to 512. The problem is that I don't know if it's upgradable 'cause I have no documentation. I've been looking around on the Web to find answers, but haven't found anything satisfactory. So I'm turning to Usenet. All I know about the PC is what's writen on the box (a desktop casing) and what the BIOS tells me. The box says: Dell Optiplex Gn The BIOS says: Dell Optiplex G1 600L If I look under the hood, I see 2 memory banks. One's actually got a 128Mb PC-133 84pin memory stick. The other has a (presumably) 64Mb 84pin memory stick Do you recognize this PC? Can you tell me it's memory capacity and type of RAM. Do you know where I can look for these answers? Thanks, -- Pierre |
#2
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I'm sorry, the memory sticks are actually 168 pins, not 84.
-- _____________________ Pierre Bergeron 514-603-9187 "Pierre B." wrote in message news I've got this PC that someone gave me - without any manufacturer documentation whatsoever - that I started using as a server in my home network. It worked fine for awhile, but nowadays, I am cruelly short of memory on it (installed Oracle...). It's actually got 192Mb RAM, and I need to upgrage it to 512. The problem is that I don't know if it's upgradable 'cause I have no documentation. I've been looking around on the Web to find answers, but haven't found anything satisfactory. So I'm turning to Usenet. All I know about the PC is what's writen on the box (a desktop casing) and what the BIOS tells me. The box says: Dell Optiplex Gn The BIOS says: Dell Optiplex G1 600L If I look under the hood, I see 2 memory banks. One's actually got a 128Mb PC-133 84pin memory stick. The other has a (presumably) 64Mb 84pin memory stick Do you recognize this PC? Can you tell me it's memory capacity and type of RAM. Do you know where I can look for these answers? Thanks, -- Pierre |
#3
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If you go to the Dell website and look that model up, it should tell
you what it capabilities are. There is no other identification on the box? The Optiplex line is a high end line. Good luck On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 08:12:52 -0500, "Pierre B." wrote: I've got this PC that someone gave me - without any manufacturer documentation whatsoever - that I started using as a server in my home network. It worked fine for awhile, but nowadays, I am cruelly short of memory on it (installed Oracle...). It's actually got 192Mb RAM, and I need to upgrage it to 512. The problem is that I don't know if it's upgradable 'cause I have no documentation. I've been looking around on the Web to find answers, but haven't found anything satisfactory. So I'm turning to Usenet. All I know about the PC is what's writen on the box (a desktop casing) and what the BIOS tells me. The box says: Dell Optiplex Gn The BIOS says: Dell Optiplex G1 600L If I look under the hood, I see 2 memory banks. One's actually got a 128Mb PC-133 84pin memory stick. The other has a (presumably) 64Mb 84pin memory stick Do you recognize this PC? Can you tell me it's memory capacity and type of RAM. Do you know where I can look for these answers? Thanks, -- Pierre |
#4
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OK, I went to Dell.com and found some information, but I'm not sure of how
to interpret it. The documentation I found for G1 systems, states that the the boards accepts pentium II's (up to 450MHz) and a max of 256 Mb RAM (2 x 128 Mb SDRAM DIMM's). So maybe, these are the real max configuration, or are they? The system I have has a pentium III 600MHz installed, and it works. That is beyond the limitation stated in the doc. Could it be the same case with memory, i.e. the document would state a maximum of 2 x 128Mb DIMM's only because 128 Mb DIMMs were the biggest DIMM's of the moment? Or is the 256 Mb maximum related to another piece of the PC architecture? I note that the CPU has this marking: "600/256/100/1.7 V", does that mean that this 600 MHz CPU only accepts 256 Mb RAM at 100 MHz? -- Pierre "Gary" wrote in message ... If you go to the Dell website and look that model up, it should tell you what it capabilities are. There is no other identification on the box? The Optiplex line is a high end line. Good luck On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 08:12:52 -0500, "Pierre B." wrote: I've got this PC that someone gave me - without any manufacturer documentation whatsoever - that I started using as a server in my home network. It worked fine for awhile, but nowadays, I am cruelly short of memory on it (installed Oracle...). It's actually got 192Mb RAM, and I need to upgrage it to 512. The problem is that I don't know if it's upgradable 'cause I have no documentation. I've been looking around on the Web to find answers, but haven't found anything satisfactory. So I'm turning to Usenet. All I know about the PC is what's writen on the box (a desktop casing) and what the BIOS tells me. The box says: Dell Optiplex Gn The BIOS says: Dell Optiplex G1 600L If I look under the hood, I see 2 memory banks. One's actually got a 128M b PC-133 84pin memory stick. The other has a (presumably) 64Mb 84pin memory stick Do you recognize this PC? Can you tell me it's memory capacity and type of RAM. Do you know where I can look for these answers? Thanks, -- Pierre |
#5
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"Pierre B." wrote: OK, I went to Dell.com and found some information, but I'm not sure of how to interpret it. The documentation I found for G1 systems, states that the the boards accepts pentium II's (up to 450MHz) and a max of 256 Mb RAM (2 x 128 Mb SDRAM DIMM's). So maybe, these are the real max configuration, or are they? 450 Mhz is probably the fastest processor that Dell sold, and is not a limitation of the motherboard architecture. The system I have has a pentium III 600MHz installed, and it works. That is beyond the limitation stated in the doc. Could it be the same case with memory, i.e. the document would state a maximum of 2 x 128Mb DIMM's only because 128 Mb DIMMs were the biggest DIMM's of the moment? Or is the 256 Mb maximum related to another piece of the PC architecture? The DIMM size is limited by how much the motherboard can address. Motherboards are usually designed to accept DIMMs at lest one size larger than what is available at the time of manufacture. It is possible, but not likely, that your motherboard will recognize a 256 MB DIMM. I note that the CPU has this marking: "600/256/100/1.7 V", does that mean that this 600 MHz CPU only accepts 256 Mb RAM at 100 MHz? 600 Mhz , 256 KB L2 cache, 100 Mhz system bus -- Mike Walsh West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A. |
#6
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Your correct with everyting you said, so I'm wondering if someone
swapped the mobo from a newer system and put it in an older box? On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 10:57:04 -0500, "Pierre B." wrote: OK, I went to Dell.com and found some information, but I'm not sure of how to interpret it. The documentation I found for G1 systems, states that the the boards accepts pentium II's (up to 450MHz) and a max of 256 Mb RAM (2 x 128 Mb SDRAM DIMM's). So maybe, these are the real max configuration, or are they? The system I have has a pentium III 600MHz installed, and it works. That is beyond the limitation stated in the doc. Could it be the same case with memory, i.e. the document would state a maximum of 2 x 128Mb DIMM's only because 128 Mb DIMMs were the biggest DIMM's of the moment? Or is the 256 Mb maximum related to another piece of the PC architecture? I note that the CPU has this marking: "600/256/100/1.7 V", does that mean that this 600 MHz CPU only accepts 256 Mb RAM at 100 MHz? -- Pierre "Gary" wrote in message .. . If you go to the Dell website and look that model up, it should tell you what it capabilities are. There is no other identification on the box? The Optiplex line is a high end line. Good luck On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 08:12:52 -0500, "Pierre B." wrote: I've got this PC that someone gave me - without any manufacturer documentation whatsoever - that I started using as a server in my home network. It worked fine for awhile, but nowadays, I am cruelly short of memory on it (installed Oracle...). It's actually got 192Mb RAM, and I need to upgrage it to 512. The problem is that I don't know if it's upgradable 'cause I have no documentation. I've been looking around on the Web to find answers, but haven't found anything satisfactory. So I'm turning to Usenet. All I know about the PC is what's writen on the box (a desktop casing) and what the BIOS tells me. The box says: Dell Optiplex Gn The BIOS says: Dell Optiplex G1 600L If I look under the hood, I see 2 memory banks. One's actually got a 128M b PC-133 84pin memory stick. The other has a (presumably) 64Mb 84pin memory stick Do you recognize this PC? Can you tell me it's memory capacity and type of RAM. Do you know where I can look for these answers? Thanks, -- Pierre |
#7
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The chipset will support low density 256Mb Dimms.
However, you should go to alt.sys.pc-clone.dell and ask there for advice as to whether the mobo will work. Many older Dells with that chipset seem to be able to support 512Mb. "Mike Walsh" wrote in message ... "Pierre B." wrote: OK, I went to Dell.com and found some information, but I'm not sure of how to interpret it. The documentation I found for G1 systems, states that the the boards accepts pentium II's (up to 450MHz) and a max of 256 Mb RAM (2 x 128 Mb SDRAM DIMM's). So maybe, these are the real max configuration, or are they? 450 Mhz is probably the fastest processor that Dell sold, and is not a limitation of the motherboard architecture. The system I have has a pentium III 600MHz installed, and it works. That is beyond the limitation stated in the doc. Could it be the same case with memory, i.e. the document would state a maximum of 2 x 128Mb DIMM's only because 128 Mb DIMMs were the biggest DIMM's of the moment? Or is the 256 Mb maximum related to another piece of the PC architecture? The DIMM size is limited by how much the motherboard can address. Motherboards are usually designed to accept DIMMs at lest one size larger than what is available at the time of manufacture. It is possible, but not likely, that your motherboard will recognize a 256 MB DIMM. I note that the CPU has this marking: "600/256/100/1.7 V", does that mean that this 600 MHz CPU only accepts 256 Mb RAM at 100 MHz? 600 Mhz , 256 KB L2 cache, 100 Mhz system bus -- Mike Walsh West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A. |
#8
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On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 17:20:59 GMT, Gary
wrote: Your correct with everyting you said, so I'm wondering if someone swapped the mobo from a newer system and put it in an older box? Because it has a PIII-600 in it? It was a fairly common upgrade to BX chipset based systems, putting a Coppermine CPU in it. |
#9
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I took my PC (and my chances) to my local shop to do a little testing. Turns
out that the board accepted a 256 Mb double sided SDRAM. Put the 128 Mb stick back in and now the system sees 384 Mb. So the system could effectively handle more than the 256 maximum I saw in the Dell docs. So much for that. By the way, we also tried a (SD-DDR) hybrid 256Mb stick, and the system wouldn't recognize that one. Thanks everyone for your input into this. -- Pierre "Mike Walsh" wrote in message ... "Pierre B." wrote: OK, I went to Dell.com and found some information, but I'm not sure of how to interpret it. The documentation I found for G1 systems, states that the the boards accepts pentium II's (up to 450MHz) and a max of 256 Mb RAM (2 x 128 Mb SDRAM DIMM's). So maybe, these are the real max configuration, or are they? 450 Mhz is probably the fastest processor that Dell sold, and is not a limitation of the motherboard architecture. The system I have has a pentium III 600MHz installed, and it works. That is beyond the limitation stated in the doc. Could it be the same case with memory, i.e. the document would state a maximum of 2 x 128Mb DIMM's only because 128 Mb DIMMs were the biggest DIMM's of the moment? Or is the 256 Mb maximum related to another piece of the PC architecture? The DIMM size is limited by how much the motherboard can address. Motherboards are usually designed to accept DIMMs at lest one size larger than what is available at the time of manufacture. It is possible, but not likely, that your motherboard will recognize a 256 MB DIMM. I note that the CPU has this marking: "600/256/100/1.7 V", does that mean that this 600 MHz CPU only accepts 256 Mb RAM at 100 MHz? 600 Mhz , 256 KB L2 cache, 100 Mhz system bus -- Mike Walsh West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A. |
#10
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Mike Walsh wrote:
"Pierre B." wrote: I note that the CPU has this marking: "600/256/100/1.7 V", does that mean that this 600 MHz CPU only accepts 256 Mb RAM at 100 MHz? 600 Mhz , 256 KB L2 cache, 100 Mhz system bus Coppermine core. -- ~misfit~ |
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