Solved! Inspiron 1520 memory upgrade

[hoog78]

I currently have 2 x 1gb of RAM and was thinking of upgrading. I have heard that you are not supposed to mix and match different amounts of RAM (ie. 1x1gb, 1x2gb). Does anyone know if there is a major problem or why you aren't supposed to mix and match?

Thanks in advance.

 

[buwish]

It depends, but usually if you mix and match the system will not boot, especially if the memory is of a different brand. In the case of Dells, you'll have to order the memory from Dell, as they use a specific kind of memory, i.e. pc2-5300u. The best way to go would be 2x2GB. Remember, you'll need a 64 bit OS to utilize all 4GB.

 

[frozenlead]

I've only run into the case that mixing modules resulting in a non-booting machine twice in a very long history of notebooks. It's not advisable to do in high-performance systems for OC limits and matched timings, among other things, but it's just fine for the average joe.
To my knowledge, Dell does not use specific memory modules...I don't know where buwish got his information from. The "u" at the end of the memory type just means non-ECC, unbuffered, which is standard in the consumer market.

 

[lostandwandering]

To my knowledge, Dell does not use specific memory modules...I don't know where buwish got his information from. The "u" at the end of the memory type just means non-ECC, unbuffered, which is standard in the consumer market.

I agree. I've replaced RAM on several Dell systems with kits from other manufacturers and they have all run fine. Unless this is something new Dell has started since the systems I upgraded were between 2-5 years old, it shouldn't be an issue.