Expanding the RAM on a T20

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mozartpc27 · #1 Post by **mozartpc27** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:36 pm

So, I'm no technical whiz, and I have a question about expanding the RAM of my T20. Currently, it has 128MB of RAM - it appears to have one stick comprised of four 16MB chips and another that is one long 64MB chip. This T20 has a 700MHz processor. I think I can expand it up to 256MB, but my questions are these:

1) If I go to 256MB, do I have to split it between two 128MB sticks, or can I just get one 256MB stick?

2) Does anyone know what the motherboard capacity is on the T20s? Can I go as high as 512MB? That would totally rule.

Basically, I want to run SimCity 4 on my laptop, which it is not currently powerful enough to do, owing to the 128MB of RAM. At 256, it should be able to run it, and at 512, I'm sure it would run reasonably well (though I will always be somewhat limited by my processor speed, I realize).

#2 Post by **rkawakami** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:41 pm

Your T20 can accept two 256MB "low density" modules, so yes, that would "rule"

!

You can get to 256MB by dumping both sticks and putting in one 256MB module. That would be the best thing to do if you can't afford the upgrade to 512MB at this time.

"Low density" 256MB modules are identified by counting the number of individual memory chips on the board. You will need 16 (8 per side) to qualify as low density.

Six_Shooter · #3 Post by **Six_Shooter** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:19 pm

Just out of curiosity, what would happen if "high density" RAM was installed in a machine that is not "designed" for it?

#4 Post by **carbon_unit** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:36 pm

It probably won't recognize it.

#5 Post by **rkawakami** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:41 pm

You would likely get one of two results based on the history of what people have posted here before:

- the laptop will beep the "bad memory" code (1-3-3-1)
- the laptop will boot but only report half the memory of the high density module

Six_Shooter · #6 Post by **Six_Shooter** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:08 pm

Ok.

What is the reason for this? I kinda figured that RAM was RAM, as long as it was the same type (DIMM, SD, DDR, DDR2, etc.) Does it have to do with the way the pinout is to the MoBo, through the RAM sockets? Such as a High Density using mostly the pins on one side of the card, where as a low density would use both sides?

#7 Post by **rkawakami** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:11 pm

Low vs. high density has to do with the number of refresh cycles the memory requires for proper data storage. If the laptop is fixed to generate only so many refresh cycles for a low density memory, plugging in a high density module may cause it to lose data. This change was precipitated by the changeover from 16M (low density) to 32M (high density) address memories. The number of refresh cycles for low density parts is 4096. High density requires 8192, or twice the number.

Six_Shooter · #8 Post by **Six_Shooter** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:37 pm

rkawakami wrote:Low vs. high density has to do with the number of refresh cycles the memory requires for proper data storage. If the laptop is fixed to generate only so many refresh cycles for a low density memory, plugging in a high density module may cause it to lose data. This change was precipitated by the changeover from 16M (low density) to 32M (high density) address memories. The number of refresh cycles for low density parts is 4096. High density requires 8192, or twice the number.

Ok, I think I understand that, or what it means in the end anyway.

mozartpc27 · #9 Post by **mozartpc27** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:29 am

rkawakami wrote:Your T20 can accept two 256MB "low density" modules, so yes, that would "rule" !

You can get to 256MB by dumping both sticks and putting in one 256MB module. That would be the best thing to do if you can't afford the upgrade to 512MB at this time.

"Low density" 256MB modules are identified by counting the number of individual memory chips on the board. You will need 16 (8 per side) to qualify as low density.

Thank you for the clarification, but I have one question - for a "low density" module to be 256MB, if it is comprised of 16MB chips (as you seem to imply in your second post), wouldn't there have to be 16 of them, not 8, on any one module to get to 256MB of RAM?

EDIT: I just realized what's happening. When I read "per side," I was thinking of the configuration of my Thinkpad, which has two modules, one on either side of where they plug in to the computer. What you mean, I think, is that the module itself is two-sided, and there can be up to eight chips on either side. In other words, two modules have four "sides." Is that right?

mozartpc27 · #10 Post by **mozartpc27** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:37 am

I guess the simplest way to ask this is this:

Would the RAM for sale here on ebay work with a T20 (the seller claims it will, but I just want to double check with people who really know these things). And if I buy 2, that would get me up to 512 MB of RAM?[/url]

#11 Post by **rkawakami** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:05 pm

Yes, and yes. Those part numbers (MT16LSDF3264...) highlighted in blue appear to be the correct part numbers for low density PC100 or PC133 modules. Two of those will work in a T20. Upon receipt, run them in your laptop to a memory diagnostic program such as memtest86+. This way you can be sure that it works properly and if there's any problems, you have time to notify the eBay seller.

mozartpc27 · #12 Post by **mozartpc27** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 4:53 pm

rkawakami wrote:Yes, and yes. Those part numbers (MT16LSDF3264...) highlighted in blue appear to be the correct part numbers for low density PC100 or PC133 modules. Two of those will work in a T20. Upon receipt, run them in your laptop to a memory diagnostic program such as memtest86+. This way you can be sure that it works properly and if there's any problems, you have time to notify the eBay seller.

Thanks for all your help, rkawakami.

Expanding the RAM on a T20

Expanding the RAM on a T20

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