PC Memory - How Much!

[MartinS]

Hi
I am (for a favour) helping out a friend of my son's upgrade his computer as he has had lots of problems (viruses/spyware etc) and is running lots of games etc with only 256MB (I'm guessing 2 x 128MB strips which leaves one slot available) SDRAM. Went onto the Crucial website and looked up the required memory, to find they want over £50 for a 256MB strip!
Manufacturer : Packard Bell
Model : iMedia 4606
Suggested Memory
Is there anything different about their suggested memory that means I can't just buy any strip og PC133 SDRAM with CL=2? There's plenty on eBay around the £25 mark, but as he's only at secondary school, am trying to keep costs down.
Can anyone suggest any alternatives?
Regards, and thanks in advance
Martin

[GCParris]

I use eBuyer at the moment, prices are very good i.e. just bought a nice key-ring 1GB USB key disk for £39 from them.
There shouldn't be any reason why you can not use a normal branded memory chip unless they use their own propriety make.

http://www.ebuyer.co.uk/

Gareth

[GCParris]

PC 133 CL2 doesnt actually seem to be that cheap though. It's quite old memory technology so maybe they are hard to get hold of.

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=46339

[GCParris]

Maybe better...

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=14201

[MartinS]

Thanks for the replies - I guess it's the CL2 that makes the price so high.

Would you think that if I get some CL2 168 pin memory from eBay (plenty on there between £18 and 25), this will do the job?
I guess realistically though, the only way is to try it and see - I guess that selling it on for the same money should be too hard. As I said, it's for a 13 year schoolkid and he's not loaded (like who is!), so was just trying to get it done cheaply.

Thanks again
Regards
Martin
p.s. if anyone has anything suitable they'd be willing to sell, please feel free to PM me.

[MartinS]

Originally Posted by GCParris

Maybe better...

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=10612507332&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X 292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=14201

Hi
Yes, much cheaper, but shame its PC100!
The crucial site link in my earlier post doesn't do a 512MB strip for the model in question - does that mean the PC will not accept strips of 512MB?
It also doesn't state whether it's CL2 or 3.
There's plenty of 512MB SDRAM on there under £60, but I think it'll have to be a 256MB strip. There's currently 256MB in there in 2x128MB strips, so I guess long term the ideal solution would be to replace both with 256MB strips so that the motherboard is running at it's full memory capacity (768MB).
Thanks anyway
Regards
Martin

[chrisch]

Yeah - be carefull with too much on one chip. I upgraded the desktop and the system did not recognise the chip cos its (the PC) too old and that much memory didn't exist then (in ancient history; or about two years ago).

My mate's dad's machine and I did a swop and all is well but more by good luck than good judgement.

Chris

[Scuby]

Don't worry about getting CL2 - if you can find CL2.5, CL3, etc they'll all work fine too, its just a measure of one aspect of the speed (latency actually, doesn't tend to make any signifiance difference).

If yours is PC133 then you might get away with PC100... it'll just run slower. But if its much cheaper (I haven't looked) then more is going to make much more difference than a little bit extra speed that PC133 would give.

One thing to consider, he may be better saving for a new computer - you can get 1GB of "new-style" memory for around £65 now, so if he has to spend over £50 on getting 256MB then i'd really think about whether its worth it. A format and reinstall may have the same short-term effect to tide him over for the next 6-12 months.

David

[MartinS]

Originally Posted by Scuby

Don't worry about getting CL2 - if you can find CL2.5, CL3, etc they'll all work fine too, its just a measure of one aspect of the speed (latency actually, doesn't tend to make any signifiance difference).

If yours is PC133 then you might get away with PC100... it'll just run slower. But if its much cheaper (I haven't looked) then more is going to make much more difference than a little bit extra speed that PC133 would give.

One thing to consider, he may be better saving for a new computer - you can get 1GB of "new-style" memory for around £65 now, so if he has to spend over £50 on getting 256MB then i'd really think about whether its worth it. A format and reinstall may have the same short-term effect to tide him over for the next 6-12 months.

David

Hi David
OK, that clears it up - I was getting all hung up on CL2, so now know that It's not an important factor. I think the 'family' will replace it in time, but just want it to run with as little spent as possible for the time being, which is why I'm trying to avoid spending £50+ on a strip of memory!
I'm going to risk a strip of PC133 CL2 256MB from eBay and worse case scenario (i.e. PC doesn't like it) will sell it on or put it in my machine.
Thanks to all that have replied - green incoming.
Regards
Martin