Installing RAM: How is RAM divided between two circuit boards?

Ok, I hope I use all the right words here, if anything is unclear let me know. I can take a photo if needed.

I have a Dell Inspiron 5160 that I purchased in 2005.
It currently has 512MB RAM.
I read online that since it only has two ports that it can take up to 2GB RAM. I price checked RAM a few days ago and it looks like 1GB will cost around $50, so I'm just going to install 1GB now and upgrade to 2GB later.

I opened it up a few days ago to take a peek at the RAM "sticks" or circuit boards (is that the right term for the long green thingy with square black chips/modules on it?). Like the description online, I only see two of these circuit boards/sticks. I copied down all the stinking numbers on the sticker of one circuit board, the numbers on the green part, and the numbers on each black chip/module. Let me know if you want those. I also found the packing receipt and it says in the RAM category that I have 512MB, 333MHz, 2 DIMMs, for i5160 - that's the description line for the part. I'm guessing that just means I have a total of 512MB distributed between the two boards/DIMMs?

Ok, I'll finally get to my questions:
1. If I have two ports or DIMMs or stick spots - and I have 512MB... does that mean that each of those sticks/circuit boards is only 256MB each?

2. I want to buy 1GB of RAM and snap it in there myself (unless you guys know where I can find 2GB for a good price). Question: If I buy 1GB of RAM is it going to show up in two different sticks of 512MB each, and then I replace the two I have now? OR.. Will I receive a 1GB stick that I just put in on one side resulting in a total of 1 1/4 GB RAM (1GB on one side and 256MB on the other).

3. Finally, this may have already been answered.. can you have different amounts of RAM in each of the two ports or does RAM need to be the same on both sides?

Thank you SO much in advance.. Please ask any questions you may have - I'll check back several times throughout the day, I'm on here all the time for school anyway. I installed hard drive in an older cpu years ago, so I figured I can do this.. I just want to make sure I'm ordering the right stuff and put in the right amounts in the right places. rolleyes ha ha thanks!

 

1. Yes, you have two 256MB modules in there. (That's the "technical" term by the way, "module".)

2. Either one. If you want to add a total of 1GB, buy a matched pair of two 512MB, so you get dual channel benefit.

3. Yes you can, and no, it doesn't.

Adding to the above, if you want to make it easy for yourself to add memory later on, buy a single 1GB module now, and then you just have to buy a single 1GB later on, Note that the memory industry changes fast, so this will only work if you plan to buy the second 1GB in a year or so, but not far beyond that.

 

Oh, thank you thank you thank you!

Hey, what is "dual channel benefit"? (what is the benefit of having two matched like that)

And, what do people do with the old modules (like my 256MB modules) when they upgrade their RAM? Just snap them out and chuck them in the kitchen trash or recycle or what?

Thanks for noting the need to act within a timeframe if I buy 1GB now and another later!

Thanks again!

 

I just replied to you and asked another quick question but realized too late I should have made it a direct reply to your post, not a reply to the whole thread, hee hee.

I was just asking what exactly is the benefit of having "dual channel benefit"? And also, what do people do with their old modules (like my two 256MB modules that I'll be taking out) - snap them out and throw them away, recycle, sell them for parts? Thanks again!


Edit note: I am SUCH a dork - I guess it didn't have to be a direct reply to Mimsy's post at all.. Now I've created an extra post. Yeesh. I quit - ha ha How do you delete post when you've loused it up like I just did?

 

Hold on there.
That's another question. Wait for the answer to the last one.:-D:-D:wave

 

Dual channel means that the computer uses a matched pair of installed memory modules in parallell, and it makes the data move faster through them. Picture the difference between a single-lane free way and one with two lanes for traffic in each direction, and you'll get a good idea of what it is.

Personally, I save my old modules. Some sell them on eBay, some donate, some recycle. That's up to you.