Do memory sticks need to be same size?

[geekapproved]

My gf has a HP Pavillion DV6000 (DV6165cl). It's a AMD Turion X2 1.6ghz with Nvidia 6150 graphics with 1GB PC2-5300 (667 @ 1.8v). She bought it used. It should have come with 1x1GB dimm and 1 empty slot to upgrade to 2x1GB dimms, but someone removed the 1GB stick and put in 2x512MB.

It's a Windows 7 machine and the 1GB is not cutting it. I want to add more memory. Was wondering If I could pull one of the 512mb dimms and pop in a 1GB dimm giving it a total of 1.5GB. Or do I need to have 2x1GB sticks. Not sure if the sticks need to be the same size or not.

Thanks

http/www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Pavilion%20dv6165ea&Cat=RAM

 

[Brackenwall]

My advice is to make sure both sticks are the same size, I've built a few rigs for myself and find its better to make sure they are same size and speed (1333mhz etc)

You can get 2x 2gb ddr2 ram 1333mhz for really cheap these days anyway, just check micro direct, scan, mesh computers etc.

Hope that helps.

 

[geekapproved]

My advice is to make sure both sticks are the same size, I've built a few rigs for myself and find its better to make sure they are same size and speed (1333mhz etc)

You can get 2x 2gb ddr2 ram 1333mhz for really cheap these days anyway, just check micro direct, scan, mesh computers etc.

Hope that helps.

1333mhz of 2x2GB?? It's 667mhz.....and it has a max dimm capability of 1GB.......Did you even read my post? I've built hundreds of computers myself, but I never built a laptop, which is why I'm asking people who know about laptops.......besides I would never buy anything from scan, mesh or micro direct because I've never even heard of any of those companies. LOL

I prefer Newegg or Crucial.com

 

[alyoshka]

You can go for 2 x 1GB sticks, the tricky part is the voltage that those small laptop memory modules need.
You could use 1GB and 512Mb , I've done that in a lot of HP laptops, but, down here we kinda get just standard crap RAM. So with the Crucials you might need it to pair up.
If you manage to get your hands on some Transcend crap then yes, 1.5GB will work fine. But , the good stuff, I ain't too sure off.

 

[geekapproved]

I'm not sure what you mean, what would brand have to do with anything? As long as they are 667mhz, Cas5 and 1.8v they should work fine together right?

I was thinking to purchase a 1GB Gskill and run it with a 512mb Samsung that's already in it.

http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231069

Since her Win7 laptop runs high memory useage with only 1GB I would think 1.5GB would speed it up a bit. I really don't want to drop $30 on 2x1GB sticks.

 

[alyoshka]

Yup, as long as they're of those specs they should work fine.

What I meant by the brands was, like we have for desktops which we so often build, we run into memory incompatibility issues with mobos. But with Laptops it's slightly different, from what I have noticed is , laptops work well with any odd brand of RAM unlike our mobos.

 

[phil0083]

My gf has a HP Pavillion DV6000 (DV6165cl). It's a AMD Turion X2 1.6ghz with Nvidia 6150 graphics with 1GB PC2-5300 (667 @ 1.8v). She bought it used. It should have come with 1x1GB dimm and 1 empty slot to upgrade to 2x1GB dimms, but someone removed the 1GB stick and put in 2x512MB.

It's a Windows 7 machine and the 1GB is not cutting it. I want to add more memory. Was wondering If I could pull one of the 512mb dimms and pop in a 1GB dimm giving it a total of 1.5GB. Or do I need to have 2x1GB sticks. Not sure if the sticks need to be the same size or not.

Thanks

http/www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Pavilion%20dv6165ea&Cat=RAM

Laptop memory has the same guidelines and rules of thumb that desktop memory has. 1.5GB is acceptable. They don't even have to run at the same frequencies, say a 512mb 667mhz stick installed next to a 1gb 800mhz chip, AS LONG AS the laptop/mobo will support both frequencies. Also the 1gb chip will run at 667mhz as the chip with the lowest speed is what determines the baseline frequency.

Like what Brackenwall was trying to get across, in order to get the most bang for your buck, if your going to have a double-chip setup, you'll want to make sure that you use ram sticks with the same frequency, capacity, manufacturer, model no. etc etc etc. Which most all manufacturers sell double-stick packages, with both sticks being identical to each other, in terms of size, speed, capacity etc.

I do believe that this is exactly what your looking for and at $30 with free shipping, I wouldn't even bother with the whole 1.5GB setup, and to get just one stick locally in-town at, say staples or office depot, or something like that, would cost probably $60 or more, and thats just for a 1gb stick!

http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148086

Hope this was helpful.

 

[alyoshka]

Geek.... you seem to be the damsel in distress.... and chivalry isn't dead, from the looks of this post.

 

[geekapproved]

Not sure what you mean by that but....

I'm well aware of how sticks are supposed to be matched and I know that's ideal but this is a laptop and I'm no laptop expert. I was just looking to boost her performance a bit for $15, not sure I want to put a whole whopping $30 into this thing. lol

The 1GB sticks are $15 at Newegg like the link I posted, I certainly wouldn't buy one locally for $60 lol

 

[phil0083]

Not sure what you mean by that but....

I'm well aware of how sticks are supposed to be matched and I know that's ideal but this is a laptop and I'm no laptop expert. I was just looking to boost her performance a bit for $15, not sure I want to put a whole whopping $30 into this thing. lol

The 1GB sticks are $15 at Newegg like the link I posted, I certainly wouldn't buy one locally for $60 lol

C'mon man, $30 bucks for double the ram of what you had?! Hands-down the cheapest PC upgrade I've ever heard of! And, if you do go with the 2 gig setup, you'll probably wind up saying something like you would've been kicking yourself for doing it the other way.

Besides, it's your gfs laptop right? not to be rude, but get her to cough up the dough. I'm sure she'd be much happier with just the full 2 gigs. Unless your just one of those cool boyfriends that buys your lover stuff, then I totally understand, but don't cheap out on her man, shes counting on you!!! lol

BTW I doubt you could do it without tearing down the whole laptop (its been awhile since I've looked inside a dv6000 so I'm not sure) but if you can get to the heatsinks with out dismantling the thing you might as well re-paste the cpu/gpu while you have it open. DV6000's are notorious for overheating amongst other issues as well. If you cant do that, then at least get some form of compressed air and hose that thing out.

 

[Guest]

C'mon man, $30 bucks for double the ram of what you had?! Hands-down the cheapest PC upgrade I've ever heard of! And, if you do go with the 2 gig setup, you'll probably wind up saying something like you would've been kicking yourself for doing it the other way.

Besides, it's your gfs laptop right? not to be rude, but get her to cough up the dough. I'm sure she'd be much happier with just the full 2 gigs. Unless your just one of those cool boyfriends that buys your lover stuff, then I totally understand, but don't cheap out on her man, shes counting on you!!! lol

He's just asking if you can install ram of different sizes and you can.

 

[phil0083]

He's just asking if you can install ram of different sizes and you can.

I know, I told him that in my last post. I said "1.5gb is acceptable."

He can do as he sees fit, I'm not holding a gun to his head lol

I'm just trying to go the extra step and actually help him, I just wouldn't want him to buy the single stick and him not get the performance out of it that he wanted.

 

[DelroyMonjo]

Geek, I hope that extra 500MB of RAM really speeds up your gf's WoW experience or Sims or Bedazzled games. I don't think it will get BF3 to Ultra though.

 

[geofelt]

You can normally install sticks of different sizes.
The smaller stick ram should run in double channel mode. and the extra will be in single channel mode.
Not a real biggie, since more ram trumps ram speed.

Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, particularly older ones, can be very sensitive to this.
Although, I think the problem has lessened with the newer Intel chipsets. Still,
it is safer to get what you need in one kit.

 

[geekapproved]

My gf plays Facebook games, that's it.

I think another 512mb will help a lot.

She bought the machine used from a local shop in November before she met me, and they thoroughly cleaned it before they sold it. I looked into the intake and exhaust with a flashlight and it was clean as a whistle. It does run hot though.