Subj : Re: Dell 780 Problem: To : All From : nospam@needed.invalid Date : Thu Jan 31 2019 19:16:25 Path: eternal-september.org!reader02.eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.o rg!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Paul Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general Subject: Re: Dell 780 Problem: Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2017 09:49:50 -0500 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 147 Message-ID: References: <7f18b466-63df-408a-bab7-4c3213a16544@googlegroups.com> <8345d835-0287-455c-97b6-6237156b2d5b@googlegroups.com> <6aefd384-fdc4-4307-9162-6ac9652ff82e@googlegroups.com> <52a963b5-0fd8-4fc6-a06d-6c794f9f9d34@googlegroups.com> <5adc8f35-d3ba-40e2-afb6-75eee5281637@googlegroups.com> <18183a02-24d7-4fa2-ab77-fac986c26fec@googlegroups.com> <235c4733-0fdc-4e34-8f87-ea020adb1fd5@googlegroups.com> <49d3c40f-ab2a-4cd0-b879-b39151b0d18a@googlegroups.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Injection-Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2017 14:49:50 -0000 (UTC) Injection-Info: reader02.eternal-september.org; posting-host="53a29b62c195042dfc75c16ba8c8a5cb"; logging-data="20351"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19+20w/ipfJwMzrMjQQ+Bqf0g3P/koEJm4=" User-Agent: Ratcatcher/2.0.0.25 (Windows/20130802) In-Reply-To: <49d3c40f-ab2a-4cd0-b879-b39151b0d18a@googlegroups.com> Cancel-Lock: sha1:3l4YPst6jH10q0JyhAEBKBWd4Yk= Xref: feeder.eternal-september.org microsoft.public.windowsxp.general:134694 Mark Twain wrote: > Assuming that after testing both DIIMS > and they turn out OK. Would it be beneficial > to add another set of 2x2GB DIMMS? > > > How do you know which to choose? > > > https://www.google.com/search?q=2gb+dimms&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEw j6z7_ppdfXAhXhj1QKHatoDWQQ_AUICigB&biw=1700&bih=914 > > https://www.staples.com/2gb+dimms/directory_2gb%2520dimms > > Thanks, > Robert For those playing at home, this is Windows 7. Windows 7 x64 will comfortably use 1GB for the OS portion. In your case, with 2x2GB installed, this leaves 3GB for application usage. Do you think you will need more RAM for say Firefox ? I haven't checked while my copy of Firefox is running lately, to see if it uses more. I know in one experiment some time ago, related to your interest in Yahoo News, I got Firefox using 1GB of RAM while visiting that page. In a second test, I could no longer reproduce such a high usage. It uses a lot less now. So there may be times you need more RAM. I can't really guess at what your "worst case" usage pattern is. I'm on WinXP with 3.2GB of RAM or so to play with, and I haven't really had a problem yet with running out. That's the limit of my 32 bit OS on it. (I have other OSes I use, but WinXP is my "daily driver".) While there's probably some tool to look for the "Commit Peak" on Windows 7, you have to collect operational data for a few days to get some idea what your peak usage is. I personally prefer to do this by "dead reckoning", using what I know about each application to chart usage. And then decide whether more RAM is required. ******* In "lucky cases", something is written on the RAM sticks, which may help when making future purchases. Like a label that gives the timing ("5-5-5-15") as well as a speed ("DDR3-2400"). Then, when you go shopping, you have some idea. Other options include consulting the Crucial.com or Kingston.com search pages. There, you can enter model info and find out what to use. http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Dell/optiplex-780-desktop The densest option there is 2x4GB for $75 or so. The 2x2GB kit is a bit cheaper. There should be four items listed for sale on that previous link (click the button to show them). http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/optiplex-780-desktop/CT7339271 DDR3L-1600 Total Capacity: 8GB Kit (4GBx2) Specs: DDR3 PC3-12800 CAS 11 UDIMM (unbuffered) NON-ECC DDR3-1600 1.35V Now, the thing is, that is DDR3L at 1.35V and not the same as regular DDR3 at 1.50V. Can you mix them ? Does the VDIMM auto-switch or does it always run the DIMMs at 1.5V ? Dunno. I think my DDR3 here runs 1.5V and I don't even know if mine (my newest machine) even supports DDR3L. If you bought 2x4GB, you could pull the 2x2GB set and just run the 2x4GB set. As an example of side-stepping the issue. Summary: 1) Demonstrate the need first. Using Task Manager, what is your Commit Peak. Or alternately, just watch RAM usage when several browsers or programs are open and see how much you are using. 2) It's nice if the RAM types match. I think 1.35V RAM can run at 1.5V, but I doubt 1.5V RAM is all that happy at 1.35V. And I don't know what mechanism the system uses to decide what to do. It can read the SPD before programming the chip registers, which also gives it a chance to change the voltage if it wants. I don't really know if 1.5V systems just stick with 1.5V and leave it at that. So you would want to collect more info about the RAM you've currently got. A copy of CPUZ from here, can dump some info about the RAM. But the info isn't the same as the "label" on the RAM. It's techie info that's hard to map backwards to actual brand and SKU info. But this is about the best I can do for an electronic utility to read out the DIMMs. https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html The first purple download link is an EXE installer, so leaves a permanent copy in Program Files. The second ZIP version, you run that as a portable folder. You unpack the ZIP into a folder in your downloads, and when you run the EXE file, it should just open a window with the hardware details. Those are the available choices. It has a memory tab, so you can list the techie details of the sticks. It should include timing and speed. For the clock speed, you take the number from the CPU info and double it. An 800 clock listing would be DDR3-1600 RAM. Several timings will be listed, and the set with the largest numbers is probably the "full speed" timing set. The machine I'm typing on, the CAS6 DDR2 died on it, and I got a chance to buy some more. And I got some slightly faster CAS5 DDR2 with the same clock speed. If there's a speedup effect, I can't see it :-) . And on even more modern machines, these CAS timing details seem to be making less and less of a difference. ******* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_OptiPlex 780 (Yr.2009) Q45 DDR3-1066/1333 (Intel AMT features disabled) A DDR3-1600 stick would just gear down to the slower speed. And the BIOS adjusts the CAS accordingly. It says the 780 is DDR3, which tells me the memory slots run at 1.5V and so 1.35V RAM should run OK in there. The 1.35V RAM is supposed to tolerate 1.5V. I expect this is why Crucial lists it as compatible. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR3_SDRAM#DDR3L_and_DDR3U_extensions The DDR3L and DDR3U specifications are compatible with the original DDR3 standard and can run at either the lower voltage or at 1.50 V.[19] HTH, Paul --- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.1 * Origin: Prison Board BBS Mesquite Tx //telnet.RDFIG.NET www. (1:124/5013) .