Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19

Thread: Does my motherboard support 1 GB?

  1. #1
    Senior Member codenamevirus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Faridabad, Haryana, India
    Posts
    298

    Question Does my motherboard support 1 GB?

    Hi

    I have a HP Compaq Presario 4020IL Desktop with AMD Athlon 2000+ processor in it!

    It has 2 RAM slots in it....with ram of 1 GB and 128 MB fitted in there!!(1.128 GB in total)

    Now, I got to know from the HP Customer Care that my motherboard doesnt support RAM more than 1 GB and that also not as a single chip, however, 2 chips of 512 MB are supported.

    But, when I check the System Properties, it does show 1.12 GB of RAM.

    So, all I wanted to know, is my motherboard really supporting that amount of RAM?? Am I able to use the 1.128 GB of RAM to its complete potential or am I loosing some out????
    CodeNameVirus

  2. #2
    Just Another Geek
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Rotterdam, Netherlands
    Posts
    3,401
    If the system properties show you 1GB the mainboard supports it. If it didn't you wouldn't see it at all. Just to be sure you can always run something like memtest.
    Oliver's Law:
    Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

  3. #3
    Disgruntled Postal Worker fourdc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Vermont, USA
    Posts
    797
    Ram numbers can be confusing as they are based on powers of 2, so there is no such thing as 1G of ram... fetching my calculator hold on....

    2 raised to the 30th power would be 1,073,741,824, some people just say 1024 raised to the third.

    It gets even more confusing with hard drives and then more so with telecom.

    Another test of the memory size is not the system properties but using task manager to see how much memory is available for commitment. Sure the BIOS can count it but can the computer use it?

    I got a lecture from Microsoft once that mixing sizes wasn't a good thing, don't know never verified it myself... anybody?
    ddddc

    "Somehow saying I told you so just doesn't cover it" Will Smith in I, Robot

  4. #4
    Senior Member wolfman1984's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    fangtastic.org
    Posts
    191
    A google search for HP Compaq Presario 4020IL shows no matches except for an old post from you on the AO Forums.

    Are you sure "HP Compaq Presario 4020IL" is the actuall model of your Compaq/HP?
    I AM... THE WOLFMAN!!
    The Wolfman's Homepage: http://www.fangtastic.org
    Do you dig the Wolfman?? Sign his Ghoulbook or listen to him Howl

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    MA
    Posts
    1,052
    A 4090 series had 3 slots and could only hold up to 768mb (256 in each slot) and since it is in the same family I think the max memory for that motherboard is 512mb.

  6. #6
    Senior Member IKnowNot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    792
    Maybe a S4020IL ?

    I'm with SirDice

    memtest

    That should answer your question.
    " And maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be" --Miguel Cervantes

  7. #7
    Senior Member codenamevirus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Faridabad, Haryana, India
    Posts
    298
    Quote Originally Posted by wolfman1984
    A google search for HP Compaq Presario 4020IL shows no matches except for an old post from you on the AO Forums.

    Are you sure "HP Compaq Presario 4020IL" is the actuall model of your Compaq/HP?
    Yea....my mistake....IKnowNot was write....its HP COMPAQ PRESARIO S4020IL

    I am currently running the memtest....since, I have windows, ran it using a floppy disk at boot time.

    When it started, it kept on loaded something...and now all I can see is an infinite loops of:

    @X:0400
    AX:0212
    BX:3E00
    CX:0101
    DX:0000.

    In fact, its still goin on!! Do I let it go on? Or something is missing?? Should I stop it??
    Last edited by codenamevirus; September 6th, 2007 at 05:13 AM.
    CodeNameVirus

  8. #8
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    5

    Check out SIW

    Software Information for Windows is a freeware program that will break down what hardware you have and what can be supported. It also provides Software, Network, Passwords, License (Serial) Numbers installed, monitors and of course hardware.

    Read more here - http://www.gtopala.com/
    Download it here- http://www.gtopala.com/siw-download.html

    All this will do is break down your hardware (look at the memory section and the top portion will tell you what your board will support).

    If system properties does show the 1.28gb in RAM double check it against task manager. Look at the Performance Tab - Physical Memory will show you what is being used.
    Last edited by tdezarn; September 6th, 2007 at 05:18 AM.

  9. #9
    Senior Member wolfman1984's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    fangtastic.org
    Posts
    191
    The wolfman used the funkness of Google and found a website detailing the max RAM for the S4020IL

    Accorinng to this page your PC can hold up to 1GB of RAM.

    I AM THE WOLFMAN!
    I AM... THE WOLFMAN!!
    The Wolfman's Homepage: http://www.fangtastic.org
    Do you dig the Wolfman?? Sign his Ghoulbook or listen to him Howl

  10. #10
    Senior Member IKnowNot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    792
    In fact, its still goin on!! Do I let it go on? Or something is missing?? Should I stop it??
    Uh, yes?

    I suggest you play with that program a little and get familiar with it. Depending on the defaults, it will keep running until stopped. ( I like to let it run for about 24 hours so it runs through the tests several times, but that is not absolutely necessary. )
    You can also customize the tests, number of passes, etc.

    You will be looking for failed tests.

    Well Wolfman1984, I did a little googling of my own, and found a suggestion that the S4020IL uses the FIC am37 motherboard . Perhaps codenamevirus can examine the board and compare it to the am37.

    Maybe Compac did not realize what North Bridge / South Bridge chips were used when they wrote the specs?
    " And maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be" --Miguel Cervantes

Similar Threads

  1. The history of the Mac line of Operating systems
    By gore in forum Operating Systems
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: March 7th, 2004, 08:02 AM
  2. Tcp/ip
    By gore in forum Newbie Security Questions
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: December 29th, 2003, 08:01 AM
  3. Computer Support --- Feeling a bit dumb today ??
    By Agent_Steal in forum Tech Humor
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: November 6th, 2003, 07:18 PM
  4. Slackware Problem
    By kilerboots in forum *nix Security Discussions
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: October 30th, 2003, 11:15 AM
  5. It is tough in Tech Support.....
    By geepod in forum Tech Humor
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: June 24th, 2003, 03:52 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •