Re: RAM for PC164LX
On Sunday 19 January 2003 05:49 pm, John Goerzen wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have an AlphaPC 164LX system with 256MB RAM that I'm wanting
> to expand to 512MB. I have tried to find out, on various
> Internet sites, just what kind of RAM I need, and have found
> only conflicting information. Indeed, popping in a standard
> PC133 DIMM from another PC was totally unrecognized by the
> Alpha.
>
> Certain sites seem to indicate that the 164LX uses proprietary
> RAM, and off-the-shelf stuff will not work. Others say that
> off-the-shelf stuff WILL work, if chosen correctly. Can
> anyone help me out?
For off-the-shelf parts, the PC164LX needs *unbuffered* ECC
PC100, installed in matching pairs. The first pair should be
installed in the two slots closest to the CPU. PC133 _should_
be backwards compatible, but I've seen certain brands (like
Viking Components) that weren't as backwards compatible as they
should have been, even on x86 boxen with trusty 440BX chipsets.
AFAIK the 164LX only takes up to 256MB DIMMs. 512MB DIMMs might
work if you managed to find them in unbuffered ECC (not bloody
likely), but you'd be taking a stride into the unknown there.
Tread with care.
My 164LX came with 512MB already (more than enough for me atm),
but i have a friend who has done the upgrade. He dropped in
four 256MB sticks from http://www.crucial.com that fit the
specs, and they all work fine. I'll see if I can get the exact
model number from him, so you can buy with that warm fuzzy
feeling of knowing it will work. ;)
--
Kelledin
"If a server crashes in a server farm and no one pings it, does
it still cost four figures to fix?"
Reply to: