How much RAM can I use?

wenbo · Joined: Sep 15, 2003 Posts: 367 Location: Ontario, Canada

HAPPY NEW YEAR folks !!!

I'm confused about the ram this computer can use. The stats for the mobo say I can go up to 2g's of ram but HP says I can only use 1g.

I went to Crucial and let them do a scan and they said up to 2g's.

Who's right? Is it worth it for me to try 2g's or am I wasting my money?

I have an HP Pavillion a500n running Windows XP Home.

Thanks for the help. I hope everyone has a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009!

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2636

On the HP Canada site for your pavilion a500n desktop http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=ca...p;produ

under Motherboard, Memory it says,

Quote:

2 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets

Support up to maximum 2 GB memory (PC manufacturer's maximum memory may differ)

Supports unbuffered PC2700/2100 non-ECC DDR SDRAM memory

The PC manufacturer's maximum memory may differ is the kicker.

The motherboard can support 2GB but HP, the manufacturer says 1GB.

Wait until someone who regularly services PCs weighs in with a recommendation.

wenbo · Joined: Sep 15, 2003 Posts: 367 Location: Ontario, Canada

Hi zlim,

That's why I'm so confused. I get two different answers Sad

Hopefully someone will know.

Thanks

BudDurland · Joined: Dec 05, 2002 Posts: 475

The Kingston site also says the machine will take up to 2GB. I think that confusion is because that system was originally available from HP with up to 1GB of memory -- anything past that required a separate purchase.

I've never had the Kingston site steer me wrong on such things. I would buy the 2GB upgrade without hesitation. Although the memory module is a PC2700 (DDR333), I'd make sure to buy system specific memory -- I have seen issues with HP machines & generic RAM modules.

Link here to module at NewEgg

goretsky · Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:56 am Post subject:

Hello,

It could be that the ASUS A7V8X-LA motherboard used by Hewlett-Packard in the Pavilion A500n computer shipped with a BIOS that initially only supported 1GB of memory, because only 512MB modules were available to qualify it at the time.

You may want to check and see if there is a newer BIOS available from Hewlett-Packard, and then check the release notes to see what bugs it fixed or features it added. Often, motherboard manufacturers update the firmware stored in the BIOS chip to add support for higher-capacity hard disk drives and memory modules and faster processors, as well as to fix bugs with things such as power management (hibernation and suspend), thermal sensors and so forth.

You may want to check with Hewlett-Packard's technical support department to see if there are any recommended steps before upgrading your BIOS, as doing so improperly can leave you with a non-working system.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

micker377 · Joined: May 27, 2005 Posts: 994

My ECS mobo instructions say that the BOARD will accept up to 8 gig. Of course, Windows XP will only recognize 2 gig. I finally got it to run 3 gig (careful matching), but on 4 and above the computer wouldn't even boot up! If I was so foolish to put Vista on this board, it would probably accept the 8 gig! It's possible that a computer designed for PC 2100, was designed for the Win 98 OS.

wenbo · Joined: Sep 15, 2003 Posts: 367 Location: Ontario, Canada

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2636

wenbo · Joined: Sep 15, 2003 Posts: 367 Location: Ontario, Canada

Thanks zlim. I'll just leave it alone and suffer with 1g. I know I probably have too many other things running and that's why it slow. Just figured since the MOBO said 2g's I should be able to use 2g's.

Why would HP install this MOBO and then not let me take advantage to their specs? Stupid.

Thanks for the info.

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2636

wenbo, get yourself the free program Startup Control Panel http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
You can look through 4 tabs (you don't need to view Run Once, Deleted and About) to see everything that is running. You can untick/uncheck things to not run at Startup. This might well speed up your computer.

Do you run CCleaner to cleanup all the old obsolute items? http://majorgeeks.com/download4191.html

What security programs are running? Some can really bog a computer down.

wenbo · Joined: Sep 15, 2003 Posts: 367 Location: Ontario, Canada

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2636

Start with one tab and tell us what you are not sure about. It will help to expand the Startup Control Panel window so you can see the full path. A lot of times this gives a great clue as to what program starts this.

I have HP wanting to check for updates. I have all of this unticked/unchecked. I have a card program wanting to run an event reminder at startup, which I don't want nor need. I have my logitech wanting to run setpoint/update check at startup - no. The longest list is in the HKLM /Run window. 21 things want to run and I allow 11.

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1546 Location: Central FL, USA

Meaning NO disrespect, but 11 resource suckers is rediculous!!!!

I'm running Vista Ultimate 64 right now and I have only ONE icon in my system tray, besides the clock, the vol control icon and the internet connection icon. NO computer really needs any more than that.
Number One should always be your AV program, like AVG, beyond that, should be nothing that your computer doesn't absolutely depend on to have running.

I nearly loose my lunch when I read some peoples HJT log and the RUN list won't even fit on my 19" screen.
That's the first problem I take care of when I'm doing a tuneup on someones PC.
(Get rid of the leeches, the blood suckers and the crapola!)

Remove all the Resource Suckers and any system will immediately start running a whole lot better.
I work on XP machines, that came out with only 256 megs of ram, like so many Dells, but with enough cleaning and tuning, I can make them run a LOT better than they did when they were brand new.

This late in the game, many people DO NOT want to add anything more to their old PC's to make them run better.
I can usually increase system performance by 100% without adding ram.

But if you're going to add ram to an older PC.....go for the max. Don't dilly dally around with it. Wink

XP will run ok on one gig, pretty well, but runs much better on TWO.
But now I'm repeating myself, because I know I've said that several times before.

OK, I'm outta hear!
Y'all have a great day now, Y'hear?
Doc Cool

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2636

They aren't resource suckers. I normally have a pretty large above 90% for system idle. If they bogged me down, I'd remove them. Things like AdMuncher, ZoneAlarm, VIPRE, StartupMonitor, TweakUI, FinePrint...

And no, they do not all put things in the tray. Don't confuse HKLM with what is showing in the tray.
I'm sure you are running a firewall. Do you have TweakUI installed? How about a program to save printing; FinePrint allows me to print up to 8 pages on one sheet. I have it set up as my default printer so I can preview, decide what page or pages I want gone, edit it from there and print more than 1 page per sheet.

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Currently she has the max RAM allowed of 1GB. HP crippled the mobo so it won't accept two gigs. That's why we are going to look for other methods to try and speed her up.