Buying RAM and HDD

[crorepathi]

Time for me to upgrade my computer specs...
I am having P4 1.7 Ghz 256 MB RAM Mercury KOB 845GL NDMx motherboard 40 GB Seagate HDD...

Got a new dataone connection and downloading lot of stuffs...So thought of upgrading my RAM to 512 by adding another 256 and HDD space to 160 GB...

I am not familiar with jargons like SATA or PATA or DDR etc...Kindly let me know what to look for while buying so that there shouldnt be any comapatablity problems later...

Planning to buy in Blore...

P.S...Also going to buy 6630 for 13.8K and Benq DW 1640 for 3.2K..

expecting ur expert suggestions..
Crorepathi

 

[Kniwor]

we'll talk about RAM first...

Ram modules come in diffrent speeds..

DDR 200
DDR 266
DDR 333
DDR 400
and higher...

Now it seems ur mobo has slots for both SDRAM and DDR RAM(not sure).
So what memory are u using right now...SDRAM or DDR RAM. If ur using SDRAM then u can get a 256Mb SDRAM PC133 which will cost u around 1800,but dont get it just read ahead

If u are using DDR RAM...what is the current speed of ur ram..And what is the maximum ur mobo can support...as it seems to me ur mobo can support max DDR 266...I am asking this because there is no point in getting a faster ram if ur mobo does not support it...there is no harm either...for ex if u get DDR400, it will run fine on ur mobo but it will run at lower speed, basically ur not utilising it's full capacity...

Another thing is that ur ram can also not run faster than ur other ram, for example if ur other ram is DDR 200, ur mobo supports DDR 266 and u purchase DDR 400...both ram modules will run at DDR200, hope u get my point..

But i'd still suggest u get DDR 400 because the difference in cost of the 2 will be around Rs. 75 which is not much..so get DDR 400. It will cost u around 1100.

So now u see here, the cost of DDR RAm is almost half that of SD ram, AND DDR RAM is faster, better newer technology, so if ur using a SD RAM, dont get another SD RAM stick, get a 512Mb DDR RAM stick for around 2200 and sell ur old SD RAm stick for any amount, this will be faster and cheaper, again get DDR 400.

all the above is assuming that u have slots for both SDRAM and DDR RAM if u have slots for only one then the decision is fairly simple

Now let's talk about ur HDD..

HDD are 2 types, SATA and PATA (also SATA II)
But u cant use SATA if ur mobo does not support it, and i dont think ur mobo supports it, so ur only choice is PATA, and u gan get a 160 Gb seagate PATA..no decision to make here...

 

[crorepathi]

Thanks Kniwor for detailed insight...

My motherboard details as copied from the Manual...

This mainboard accommodates two 184-pin 2.5V unbuffered Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM) Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets, and supports up to 2.0 GB of 200/266 MHz DDR SDRAM. DDR SDRAM is a type of SDRAM that supports data transfers on both edges of each clock cycle (the rising and falling edges), effectively doubling the memory chip’s data throughput. DDR DIMMs can synchronously work with 100 MHz or 133 MHz memory bus. DDR SDRAM provides 1.6 GB/s or 2.1 GB/s data transfer rate depending on whether the bus is 100 MHz or 133 MHz. DDR SDRAM uses additional power and ground lines and requires 184-pin 2.5V unbuffered DIMM module.

Also In my RAM the following is written...

PC 2100 DDR SDRAM
32M*64 256 MB
DDR DIMM

Now i hope that My MB supports DDR...Kindly enlighten me how to proceed...

Also my present hard drive is 40 GB SEAGATE ST340015A..Is there anyway to know whether it is PATA or SATA drive..?

Thanks again
Crorepathi

 

[Kniwor]

Yes ur board supports DDR RAM, and u are using DDR 266, and that's the max speed of ur mobo, 266.
So u can get any DDR RAM
DDR 266
DDR 333
DDR 400

all will work as DDR 266 in ur borad...get any..


About Hard disk, I'm almost sure u dont have SATA support, it's a new thing...But if u say...

Look at the cable that goes from Hard disk to motherboard...If the cable is about 2 inches broad and thin..it's PATA
If the cable to motherboard is thin round cable it's SATA.

Pata cables have 40 Pin connectors on either sode...SATA cables have those cute little connectors on both sides

 

[job9434]

about ram my personal exp. is that only go for kingston ram modules its worth the money and give extremely great perfomance buddy .

 

[geekysage]

Your motherboard most definitely doesn't support SATA so just get a regular 160GB+ PATA HDD and a DDR266/333/400 (whatever is cheaper) RAM.

As for the DVD writer, go for Benq, that's a good choice.