Crucial website Memory Scan

A "Crucial" memory scan indicates my laptop has 1 512MB DDR2 PC2-5100 memory module. My laptop can use DDR2 PC2-4200 533 or DDR2 PC2-5300 667 among other modules. Which of these two should I purchase?

 

Two different scans

It appears two different information programs show different memory installed in my laptop (Toshiba Satellite M45-S269).

Crucial Memory Scan shows...DDR2 PC2-5100

Everest Home Edition - Free
shows...Samsung M4 70T6554CZ3-CD5…SDRAM… DDR2-533 (266 MHz)

http://www.samsung.com/products/sem...M/Module/SODIMM/M470T6554CZ3/M470T6554CZ3.htm

 

Wife has dell inspiron 6000. dell ckecked and told me what i needed, i have a gateway pc they did scan. both told me what kind and how much mem is recomended, not just how much. my gateway will hold 512 more than they recomend.

 

The Everest information is correct and you should buy the same Samsung memory if you want to add more. If you need confirmation, pull the plate on the undercarriage and visually inspect the module itself. There will a small compression clip on each end of the module and it can be dislodged by gently pulling up on the top while delicately "springing" those compression clips. When re-inserting it goes back in at an angle and then presses flat like the old simms chips used to do.

 

Thanks. I'll pull the RAM module and check it myself. Should the BIOS be pretty accurate on the RAM info? I'll check that also.

 

The Crucial Scan also recommends PC2 5300 (667) memory. My laptop, according to the Everest program has 533 memory installed. Should I go with the Crucial recommendation of PC2 5300 (667)?

I'm also considering getting a 1GB module in case I later decided to upgrade to the max of 2GB memory. Running 1 GB and one 512 module shouldn't be a problem right?

 

If you get Crucial memory it may not be completely compatible with the Samsung memory. If you get 1GB of Crucial and find any problems, you will have to remove the Samsung until you get the other stick of Crucial (the system will take 2GB of RAM?).

If your system uses 533 or higher, get the 533 or higher rating. If you put anything lower than 533, the faster RAM will be automatically slowed to the lower rating.

Mixing different speed ratings...they should(?) be compatible. Mixing different brands would probably be a compounding factor. SO...if they are different speeds they may not work, if they are different brands they may not work. THEN AGAIN, they may work fine.

Find the specifications of the laptop. Do they say it will run 533 or a higher speed memory module. If it states that the RAM runs at 533 any higher speed RAM will slow down to 533 (Mhz).

Matt