Terence Eden’s Blog

Mixed Up Memory (Letter to PC Format)

I understand how memory works, but I have a problem buying it. Owning, as I do, a P75 with 8Mb, I thought I'd take advantage of the drop in price of those wonderful slivers of silicon and invest in a further 8Mb. My motherboard manual gives listings for the combinations of RAM that work in my PC. I have.... SIMM 1 2 3 4 5 5 6 RAM 2Mb 2Mb - - 2Mb 2Mb Looking through my various listings I can find no combination which will enable me to add to this configuration, ergo I have these two questions: 1. Will any company/organisation buy or exchange SIMMs at a fair price? 2. Failing that, is it all right to add SIMMs in combinations not listed in the motherboard manual? Terry Eden, via e-mail Most local PC shops buy second hand RAM, but if you want a really good price, you’re much better off placing an add in your local free paper. Unless you live in a very rural area, you'll probably find that there are lots of other ads for odd bits of PC kit. However, I can’t see what’s stopping you from adding another 8Mb to your current configuration. Pentium SIMMs have to be installed in pairs, so two 4Mb SIMMs seem like the obvious option. I can’t believe that your manual doesn’t include the option of four 2Mb and two 4Mb SIMMs. And even if it doesn’t, I still can’t believe than it can’t be done.

This is a Necropost. Dug up from deep within the archives - my letter was published in issue 65 of PC Format. I was a massive nerd in 1997 - and huge fan of PC Format magazine. So I turned to them when needing advice on upgrading my computer. I've no idea why I didn't post this on Usenet or CompuServe! Huge thanks to Chris Chapman for finding a copy in the archives! …

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