Standard DRAM Memory

[CapnAmerica]

I need to upgrade my laptop (HP/AMD Sempron) from 512 total (DDR-333 PC-2700) to 2 GB (max allowed).  I can do so for $100 or so.  You folks have a great bargain on DDR2-667 memory; as an "Ol' Retiree" with limited means, I'd like to save a $$$ or 2 when I can.  Your memory explanatory page has great info.  And I understand that "backward compatibility" certainly means that I should NOT mix the two types of memory...but does it also mean I shouldn't go from DDR to DDR2 for the complete change?  This, assuming, of course, that the new physically fits the old slot (200-pin, SODIMM, etc.).

Thanks for any help you can offer this "Ol' Retiree" guy!

[P10RS]

SORRY CAPTAIN, BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY ONLY HAS TO DO WITH SPEED WITHIN THE SAME TYPE OF MEMORY, ie: ddr; ddr2 or ddr3. So as a general rule you can use any speed ddr memory in a computer that uses ddr memory but you can not use ddr2 or ddr3 memory in that computer. Each of the three standards, ddr, ddr2 and ddr3 are physically different and will not fit into the memory slots of the others( well not without a good size hammer and lots of broken parts).

so you are correct you can not "mix" the different types of memory NOR CAN YOU USE a different type of memory in your computer than it was designed for. So get out that wallet, chase away those moths and order that upgrade(actually taking such an old notebook out to two gig seems a bit excessive, is there is particular reason why you think you need to put that much ram into it, now, after all these years?)

[CapnAmerica]

DANG!!!   I was afraid that was the case...but hope springs eternal, especially when $$$ are involoved.

And I've occasionally considered using a hammer on the computer, but not for maintenance and upgrade purposes!

As computing tech goes, the machine may be antiquated, but to me, it generally does what I need, which is fairly litttle...mainly when travelling and I stop by a Starbux or Comfort Inn parking lot to check my email.  It's a 1.6 GHz, 40G HDD, and 512 memory, though it has recently decided to report only 384...which is one reason to upgrade...  BUT, the larger question:  I hate waiting for screen updates and like to try to keep my computer from being the bottleneck in Comcast's expected and unexpected slowdowns (LIGHTNING FAST DOWNLOADS!!!  in all-caps...HAH!)  And a bit of multitasking ability never hurts.

Guess I'll get out the dinero and head for the mercado de memoria...  2 gig may be overkill; perhaps a one-gig added to one of the 256's?  Or a 1-gig kit?

Thanks for the info.

[P10RS · Accepted solution]

HELLO CAPTAIN, MY SUGGESTION would be to purchase a 1 gig stick of ddr-333 and keep one of your 256 sticks. your computers performance  will increase quit a bit. Two suggestions. First: be sure to use the crucial memory tool on the home page to find you specific computer, model etc and two: when you install the new memory crank down your page file to a fixed file size of about 300 meg and see how that works. Depending on how well the computer works you can increase/decrease the page file by about 25 meg at a time.