503+ sdram

Leo Tick wrote:
 > for a 503+ I know I need "low density" sdram. In buying on the
 > net how do I tell whether I'm getting what I need. If I buy
 > 128m dimms am I sure to get the right stuff as against buyin 236 m.
 >
  One way of knowing that the RAM you purchase will work properly is to
visit <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.crucial.com/index.asp" target="_blank">http://www.crucial.com/index.asp</a> and use their mother board
selector. It will know if the MB can fully use the RAM you purchase and
it will be quality RAM as well.

Ken<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: 503+ sdram 

 > for a 503+ I know I need "low density" sdram. In buying on the
 > net how do I tell whether I'm getting what I need. If I buy
 > 128m dimms am I sure to get the right stuff as against buyin 236 m.
 >
128m w/8chips 1sides, 256 w/16chips 2sides<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: 503+ sdram 

Leo Tick <tick.DeleteThis@cs.nyu.edu> wrote in message news:<9qvZa.204$5A6.11278@typhoon.nyu.edu>...

 > for a 503+ I know I need "low density" sdram. In buying on the
 > net how do I tell whether I'm getting what I need. If I buy
 > 128m dimms am I sure to get the right stuff as against buyin 236 m.

I learned that not all low density SDRAM is fully compatible with this
mobo. I had a 256MB DIMM with 16 chips on it, but my VA-503+ saw only
128MB. At first I thought that the memory was just bad since it was
generic (chips marked with DIMM maker's numbers, not the real chip
maker's), but I found that it used 32Mb x 4 chips, not the usual 16Mb
x 8 chips found on low density 128MB and 256MB DIMMs, and this mobo
just didn't recognize the extra address line of the chips. If the
chips are no-name they're marked something like 16M x 8 or 32M x 4,
but if they're quality chips you'll have to visit the manufacturer's
website to decode the part number. BTW, that 256MB DIMM with the 32Mb
x 4 chips worked fine with the Intel i810 chipset (and probably the
i815), even though, like the VA-503+, it wouldn't recognize any DIMMs
bigger than 256MB.

If a DIMM is rated for PC100 or PC133 and PC100, it should contain
16Mb x 8 chips, but if it's PC133-only it won't. Some companies,
including Kingston, Crucial, and Centon (Circuit City), assign
separate part numbers for PC133-only and PC133/PC100 DIMMs, but with
PNY, CompUSA, and K-byte you take your chances.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: 503+ sdram 

Leo,

I have 2 sticks of Kingston Value Ram KVR100X64C2/128 in my 503+ board. It
is PC100 and works great. Try it.

Toots
"Leo Tick" <tick.TakeThisOut@cs.nyu.edu> wrote in message
news:9qvZa.204$5A6.11278@typhoon.nyu.edu...
 > for a 503+ I know I need "low density" sdram. In buying on the
 > net how do I tell whether I'm getting what I need. If I buy
 > 128m dimms am I sure to get the right stuff as against buyin 236 m.
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: 503+ sdram