Old desktop, new RAM

I'm working on a Sony Vaio PCV-L640 that is old, old, old. It originally came with 128MB of PC100 SDRAM and had Windows 98 preinstalled. Before being brought to me it had an additional 256MB of PC133 SDRAM added, and upgrades to Windows XP.

The owner would like more memory, so my first stop was a visit to the manufacturers website to dig up the specs. The specs say:

The trouble then, is that it has already exceeded the maximum specs and is working perfectly. I'm wondering if 128MB was the current max chip size of the time, and the announcement about 256MB being the max was a reflection of that. I also wonder if it was a bottom-covering approach, and Sony simply only guarantee two 128MBs to work.

Anyways, the bottom line is that I'd like to replace the existing 128MB chip with a 512MB to bring the total to 768MB. I can't find any 512MB PC133s for sale in the local area, so I'd effectively be getting it non-refundable over the Internet.

Could I please get some opinions on whether or not you all think it will work. Submit your votes now!

 

Visit www.crucial.com and use their memory advisor tool to find memory for this model. They'll also tell the max. per slot and overall max. it can handle.

 

That was great suggestion. Unfortunately it was something I tried, and wasn't all too successful. Crucial didn't produce a maximum size via the scanner tool, and when I had it look it up by the model number it simply quoted the manufacturer's published max of 256MB (which it has already exceeded).

What was the limiting factor of the max memory for computers back then? I would guess mobo, BIOS or O/S, but was there another limiter?

 

Greetings, 94dgrif...

Option 1. Since the 256mb worked fine, it would seem another 256 stick would be the way to go, giving a total of 512, which will run XP pretty well...

Option 2. Go out on a limb and assume that a 512mb stick might work - or it might not...

I may be wrong, but I doubt Windows is the limiting factor - to be sure, XP wouldn't worry about handling max memory 'til you get into the Gb range...

So, you're left with mobo/BIOS - I'd do some more research on your motherboard, see if there's a BIOS update available (I didn't see the mobo brand in your link: you might have to load up a system info tool to get it)...

Again: for some reason, the 256 worked, even though it shouldn't have - that should give you some hope...

Good luck, and keep us posted...

 

I don't have a clear picture of exactly how much RAM is currently installed in that computer. Are you saying it has a total of 384 (256 + 128) or what?

Crucial is usually very reliable in their info. And, specs shown at http://www.docs.sony.com/release/specs/PCVL640_mksp.pdf say the max. RAM is 256MB. So, don't know what else to tell suggest.