1GB of RAM, not 4?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

Too much RAM can make the OS unstable. 4GB of RAM for your computer should be fine. As for overclocking, I wouldn't recommend it for laptops as the cooling system wasn't meant for higher heat output the CPU would generate as a result of overclocking. You can certainly try but remember it can shorten the life of the CPU and GPU if you're not careful.

1GB can handle overclocking but if you're running Vista, you're already at a disadvantage. Microsoft says Vista can run on 1GB but for nominal performance, 2GB is preferred.

[helen]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

Without knowning your exact laptop make and model number it would be hard to give you a good answer to your question.

I may sound like a "half empty glass kind" of person but I am totally in the dark about your situation. For instance I have no idea what kind of memory boards are currently in your laptop. Sure you say it's 1G byte, but that can come from a couple of different ways, like either using one 1Gbyte board or from using two 512MByte memory boards. Assuming your laptop can only handle two memory boards at a time getting two 2Gbyte boards can only yield you 4Gbytes.

If you get the one 4Gbyte board, maybe you can go to 5 Gbytes assuming there is one 1Gbyte memory board there already, but if that system is using two 512Mbyte memory boards, you have to take one of the 512Mbyte memory boards out. That might yield you 4.5 Gbytes but that might be a moot point if your system can only handle up to 4 Gbytes of RAM.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

HP DV7Z is what I have.
Thanx, helen. I'm in the dark too and will eventually find out these particulars as I venture into it.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

Looks like your laptop can support up to 8GB of 800MHz DDR2 RAM utilizing 2 RAM slots. So your capacity is limited to two 4GB 800MHz DDR2 RAM modules.

[helen]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

Looking at this PDF from HP.com (on page 2 and 3) it can support up to 4096 Mbytes (or 4 Gbytes) of memory and it has 2 SODIMM slots that can handle PC2-6400, 800 MHz DDR2 boards.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

Thank you both for those vhelpful links. I hadn't seen either one til now.

So, to be clear, which do you guys think it really is, 4 or 8GB cap.?
8 would probably make this sucker fly right outta my hands, cool!

The SODIMMs are what the ebay seller has.

Would a hard drive replacement/upgrade be needed/desireable?

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

There are also 12 cell batteries available. Would that be acceptable for this laptop or too much juice?
I would imagine it's regulated to not be, but I wouldn't know.

[JAvendan]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

that is interesting... the hp doc says your laptop can support a total of 4gb and an online source, www.crucial.com http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...0dv7z%20Series, says your laptop can support a total of 8gb.

regardless you have two slots that can either support 2gb or 4 gb each.

so 2x2gb=4gb and 2x4gb=8gb.

i would call hp and give them the serial number. they can then tell you what you max ram/memory is.

joel

[JAvendan]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

the doc that helen refers to list that laptop can accommodate either a six cell or eight cell battery.... depending on the processor and chipset that it ships with.

unless that twelve cell battery is an option from hp and hp branded - i wouldn't get it.

if that battery is a hp part number being a 'bigger' battery it will have more capacity and keep you running longer at the expensive of being a little larger and heavier.

i guess it depends on your needs.

joel

[Nords]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

8 would probably make this sucker fly right outta my hands, cool!

Watch out for the upsell. A 32-bit operating system would only be able to address up to the first 4 GB anyway:
http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&d=6007

A lot of programs designed for 32-bit systems will only run under a 64-bit system with a translator, and that performance penalty might wipe out the benefit of 8 GB of RAM.

"640K oughta be enough for anybody." 2 GB is probably the best bang for the buck.

[GregLee]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

A lot of programs designed for 32-bit systems will only run under a 64-bit system with a translator, and that performance penalty might wipe out the benefit of 8 GB of RAM.

Really? I don't know how MSDOS systems handle this, but I have 64 bit AMD hardware and a 64 bit version of Linux that doesn't work this way at all. The AMD chip can run in either 32 bit or 64 bit mode, and the operating system detects whether a program has 32 or 64 bit instructions, then sets the AMD chip mode appropriately. There is no translator. There is little perceptible difference between using a 32 bit or a 64 bit program. I've used both 32 and 64 bit versions of Firefox on my system, and one is about as fast as the other.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

Thank you both for those vhelpful links. I hadn't seen either one til now.

So, to be clear, which do you guys think it really is, 4 or 8GB cap.?
8 would probably make this sucker fly right outta my hands, cool!

The SODIMMs are what the ebay seller has.

Would a hard drive replacement/upgrade be needed/desireable?

Unless you're opening a crapload of apps, or if you do a lot of video editing or game playing, 4GB is pretty much all you will ever need.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: 1GB of RAM, not 4?

That's what I'm thinking now as well. I don't do much outside the norm, cept for intending to do live music editing, which will probably not be intensive.