Ram Question

I just bought a new computer (dell dimension 4700), and had a question about the ram. When I want to upgrade my ram, do I have to buy the same brand of ram that is already in the computer. Can I use two separate brands of ram at the same time? Dell recomends not to do that, they say it could cause problems. Is this true?

 

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My suggests for RAM are this:

If you are upgrading your RAM and can afford to replace ALL the sticks you have, don't try to use the old sticks with the new because it can cause problems. (You can get money back on your old RAM by either selling it through magazines, pinboards or E-bay)

You are best trying to get the same brand purely because of how metals during the manufacturing stages can have polar positioning molecularly. This means RAM made in China is different to French or US RAM even if the same design is used to make the sticks. The inperfections might be small, none the less they can cause problems.

However when I say same Brand I mean you don't have to buy the same as what Dell suggests, you can by for instance get good RAM from PNY as well as other companies. Just make sure it's compatible speed/pins with your computer

Also identifiy if it's ECC or Non-ECC (Most of the time it's Non-ECC)

 

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Thanks buddy!! I greatly apreciate the help. One more question, my friend. What is ecc? I know that my new dell is non-ecc, but what the heck is ecc.

 

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krazie:
do I have to buy the same brand of ram that is already in the computer. Can I use two separate brands of ram at the same time? Dell recomends not to do that, they say it could cause problems. Is this true?
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generally you dont have to buy the same brand
if the type and specs are matched with the existing ram then that should do it
Dell get a life,thats what you get when you buy brandname computers your choices
are down to one

 

Dude......are you okay?

 

ECC stands for Error Correcting Code.
http://webopedia.com/TERM/E/ECC_memory.html

To try and simple explain it, the RAM attempts to correct any errors it recieves in it's datastream, this can however be a problem if the overall system isn't compatible with dealing with the correction (Namely the motherboard might lack the brains to work out theres an error and therefore the RAM that would be compatible with that brain isn't needed).

Thats why I mentioned most of the time Non-ECC is used, and even if your motherboard supports ECC there will more than likely be an option in BIOS to decide whether or not the RAM works as ECC or Non-ECC.