what should i do?

[uncleglenny]

upgraded ram with 2x512mb pc3200 i left my 2x256mb pc2700 in for a total of 1.5 gig should i take the pc2700 out and just use the pc3200? would it be faster?

[pentachris]

If you're using pc2700 and pc3200, everything is operating at pc2700 speed. Remove the pc2700, and the 3200 will operate at 3200 speed, assuming your motherboard supports 3200 - otherwise it'll operate at the max speed the motherboard supports.

[uncleglenny]

will it make a big difference if i take out 512 mb of ram?

[pentachris]

Perhaps - if you do a lot of video editing, AutoCAD or other memory intensive apps.

Maybe you could devise a test. For example, if you do a lot of video editing: boot your computer, open up a few apps that you might keep open often (IE, Thunderbird, whatever) including your video editing app. See how long it takes to render a large AVI file to mpg. Then delete the mpg file you just created, turn off the computer, take out the 512, boot and repeat the process exactly. Which one was faster?

[saphalline]

What CPU/chipset do you have? If your CPU/chipset won't perform any better with DDR400 vs DDR333, then keep the extra RAM. If DDR400 speed will have a large impact on system performance, then dump the extra RAM.

[uncleglenny]

Intel Pentium 4, 2400 MHz (18 x 133)
Asus P4SD-LA (3 PCI, 1 AGP, 4 DDR DIMM, Audio, Video, LAN Intel Springdale-G i865G
is this the specs u need, i dont know if it will perform better or not

[saphalline]

Oh, a P4B? What do you have the RAM set to in the BIOS? Dual-channel DDR266 would technically be enough for that CPU, but the P4 is so easily starved of RAM bandwidth that dual-channel DDR333 would give slightly better results. Dual-channel DDR400 wouldn't give noticably better performance, so you're fine with the RAM you have. However, the exact configuration and BIOS settings will have the most impact here.

Make sure the RAM is installed for a dual-channel configuration, and make sure the BIOS is set to dual-channel DDR333 for the best results.

[uncleglenny]

so i should keep the 256mb sticks in ?, i will check the bios and let you know, does it matter wich slots i have each in i got the 256 in the blue slots and the 512mb in the black ones

[saphalline]

The physical configuration is good, although I would put the 512's in the blue slots and the 256's in the black slots. Larger first. Just check the BIOS.

Also, that specific model isn't listed on Asus' site. Are you sure that's the model number on the mobo? If so, is this an OEM machine?

[uncleglenny]

ok i looked in the bios and it doesnt let you do any thing to the ram...but it does recognize it as ddr ram ....the mobo # is right cause it says it on the board itself ...it is a factory hp pavilion a340n maybe thats why its not listed at asus sight,i couldnt find it there either

[saphalline]

Ah yes, that would be why. It's an HP contracted Asus mobo. No, Asus (or any other manufacturer) does not support these OEM mobo's. You can only get support through HP.

Of course it won't let you do anything with the RAM! It's an HP mobo! A standard mobo from Asus will have standard BIOS features, but an HP mobo from Asus is likely to have only a few sub-menus with perhaps 5-10 user-changable options. The BIOS menus on OEM contracted mobo's are crippled.

Well, since it's an HP system, I wouldn't expect too much out of it. If it's running in dual-channel, great! If not, don't expect much.

[uncleglenny]

ya from everything i read crippled is a good description of these mobos why would hp do that ?is it an option to change out mobos and use my same cpu just so i could have the ability to change these settings? or would it just be better to start over, ive been thinking about building one myself

[saphalline]

Well, you could replace the mobo, but I wouldn't recommend that. It's not a drop-it-in process, and the restore disks for your system would be rendered useless, most likely forcing you to buy a new copy of Windows. And if you change chipsets, you'd have to reinstall Windows anyway. Other technicalities such as mobo layout, form factor (probably micro-ATX only), and front I/O pin-outs also pose small but frustrating challenges.

No, in the end it's best to just start over. OEM systems are meant to be minimally upgradable and largely disposable. And they don't use standard parts.

That RAM upgrade was a good idea to keep that HP system running a bit longer. And truth be told, it will work fine for your current needs, assuming you aren't interested in gaming or higher end video editing. Building your own would be a nice challenge, and I recommend people learn how if they are so inclined, but don't let something this minor prompt you to do it now. It's one thing if this crippled BIOS is the last straw, but if it's the first straw, you may be jumping the gun.

[uncleglenny]

ya all and all im pretty happy with the pc its my first pc and has served me well, but i find im relly interested in the inner workings and i have my cover off all the time learning what i can, i think building my own would be really educational, i also just added a video card xfx geforce 6200 cheap but i dont do much gaming, do you think because of memory upgrades and video card i would have to upgrade the psu? if so do i have to find one for a micro atx or are they all the same...by the way thanks for all your advice, noobs like me appreciate it !

[uncleglenny]

by the way you mentioned recovery disks...i never got any with my pc i ended up spending big bucks on another copy !

[saphalline]

If you got your HP new, then it should have come with either a set of restore disks, or a restore partition with the option of creating restore disks. If you got your HP used, then caveat emptor.

You shouldn't have to upgrade the PSU. Just know that the PSU will eventually die, and that will most likely mark the death of the system. Most HP desktops use micro-ATX PSU's, which are horridly expensive relative to their output power, but some "special" HP systems use non-standard PSU's that are even more horridly expensive through HP. Either way, I wouldn't suggest spending money on a new PSU for that thing. Like I said, OEM systems are meant to be disposable. If something major in them breaks, it's often not cost-effective to fix it.

[uncleglenny]

yes it has a recovery partition, thanks for all your help

[saphalline]

If you press F10, F11, or F12 at boot up, your system should go into the recovery menu where you can restore your system to factory defaults. Once that's done, it will either let you create a set of recovery disks or not. On newer HP's, once a set has been created, that's it. So if you lose them, you have to fight with HP over the phone just so you can pay them money to send you new ones. :rolleyes:

[uncleglenny]

thats ok i have a legit copy of xp so im not too worried thanx again