Newbie trying to Upgrade to XP Pro (XP Home Currently)

Isn't the make and model explained by CPUZ?

All I know is we had a custom built compaq presario 8000 series built about 4-5 years ago.

What do you mean by make and model number?

I apologize for my ignorance here.

How can you tell what RAM to get just from those pics? Are you sure?

What does the PC in the RAM mean?

 

PC marks the speed, 266mhz is PC2100, 333mhz is PC2700 and 400mhz is PC3200. The reason I say you should get PC2100 or PC2700 is that your CAS latency is 2.5 - from the clocks page, most DDR memory I've seen has been CAS2 for PC2100, CAS2.5 for PC2700 and CAS3 for PC3200. Given that, you might have PC2700, so I suggested that or lower.

 

How am I supposed to know which one is mine?

 

Do you have any documentation? Is there a sticker on the back of it?

 

The need for me to get USB 2.0 ports has escalated, I must find out my MOBO info.

Best Buy built this computer for me so hopefully they have the information (I'll call and ask), I'll have to look through all of my documentation at a later time.

Any good places to go to get good cheap PCI cards?

 

I honestly checked all of the documentation I have on my comp and didn't see stickers anywhere on it.

Best I could find was a best buy part list:

ATBred 1.667-2000ZZSG ALL (I assume this is the Motherboard)
256MB DDR PC2100(1) ALL (I assume this is the RAM I need)
Mdm Patriot ALL
NV17 DDR 64MB w/TV ALL

And there is a custom built computer # to call Compaq, so I'm going to call Compaq and Best Buy tomorrow to see if they can tell me.

I hope they can since the computer is about 4-6 years old.

Where would it say in the documentation what the MOBO is?

EDIT

Okay, I found a sticker that had the serial number and another number that I am assuming is the product number. This information points me to this one:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?product=240406&lc=en&cc=ca&dlc=en&lang=en&cc=ca#

Lets dig deeper

Here is the link to my Computer Specifications:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...136&lc=en&cc=ca&dlc=en&product=240406&lang=en

I still don't see what the MOBO is on here or how to know if a PCI Card with USB 2.0 ports is compatible or not.

Can you install more RAM than the max amount if you update the BIOS?

 

I wouldn't expect the board could support more than the stated amount if you update the BIOS. It might, but another problem you may come across is the fact that most PCs by compaq don't have any other BIOS versions to download and use.

 

Guess that means I can only use up to 1GB of RAM.

They don't make 768MB DDR PC2100 RAM do they?

Guess I'll just buy 1GB DDR PC2100 RAM then?

How am I supposed to find out what the MOBO is though?

 

Are you sure about that?

Everyone I have talked to in person said the PCI USB2.0 Card and the new RAM had to be compatible with my MOBO.

1. Am I safe to buy these things without knowing what my MOBO is?

2. Any suggestions for a good company to get the RAM and PCI Card from or do they all perform good?

3. From looking at my MOBO, it seems there is room for one more RAM card/slot/stick. I already have 256MB on the other one, would it be safe just to buy a 1GB RAM stick and put that in the free slot?

I realize it will waste 256MB of RAM, but so be it ya know.

4. Or would it be wiser to remove the 256MB of RAM already inside and replace it with two 512MB RAM sticks?

 

How do you know each slot can only see 512MB?

I'm not sure if I know all of the details of the RAM to buy more. Here is the info I have:

RAM
256MB 266MHz PC2100 DDR DRAM (this doesn't tell me how many pins on it)

- Max Capacity: 1.0 GB

- 2 DIMMs total (256MB = 1 DIMM installed; 512MB, 1.0GB = 2 DIMMs installed)

What is this DIMM stuff? Is it important?

Also, I am able to rip out the current PCI card and replace it right?

 

How do you know each slot can only see 512MB?

I'm not sure if I know all of the details of the RAM to buy more. Here is the info I have:

RAM
256MB 266MHz PC2100 DDR DRAM (this doesn't tell me how many pins on it)

- Max Capacity: 1.0 GB

- 2 DIMMs total (256MB = 1 DIMM installed; 512MB, 1.0GB = 2 DIMMs installed)

Also, I am able to rip out the current PCI card and replace it right?

Do these look like good buys?
http://marketplace.meritlines.com/shop.php?k=DDR+PC2100+DIMM+512&c=C001
http://marketplace.meritlines.com/shop.php?c=C001&n=493964&k=PCI+Card+USB&s=pr&p=1

 

Any good places you can recommend that can install this stuff for me?
I have a friend who says he will do it for free

I still want to know how you know each slot will only take 512MB RAM?
Nevermind, I read it and know now

Also, I am able to rip out the current PCI card and replace it right?
Nevermind, all of my USB 1.1 ports are attached to the MOBO. I have 3 open PCI slots

Does the number of pins in the ram matter?
DDR memory requires a 184-pin slot and 1.8 operating voltage.

 

I got 256MB 266MHz PC2100 DDR DRAM, but all the RAM I find on the net is SDRAM, not DRAM. Will that be okay to use?