Silly RAM question

I got a 2nd PC a while back to play my older flight sims on. It's a GW 400MHz PII, unknown mobo. The mobo has 3 RAM slots and online docs say that its max capacity is 384MB (3x128MB.) Now, is the 384MB limit a "hard" limit, or could it have been that 128MB was the biggest made back in 1998?

 

I am pretty shure that's is your limits 384 in those time the PII that was the limits but to be shure you have to check the MOBO the number and wich compagny that made it open your case and check for a name a number.....

 

Well there aren't a lot of numbers on the mobo. It's out of a GW 400MHz PII, and according to GW's site it's an Intel mobo. Numbers or symbols include a "backwards RU", "E139761", and "PB 691232-002."

Here's some info on it:

http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/m00321/m00321tc.shtml

 

If the motherboard documents say it supports maximum 3 x 128MB, then that's it. http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/m00264/M0026404.shtml


Wouldn't be much point putting more RAM, even if you could, as the processor and system bus would be the bottleneck. (a better CPU would be beneficial if you want to improve performance)

 

Just wondering what operating system this PC uses? Often "tweaking" a system (shutting off unneeded services and processes) can give an older system a big boost in performance - especially if it's only purpose it to play older games and does not have or need an internet connection.

I actually have a Compaq PII 400mhz pc (heavy sucker) sitting on my work bench that is running WinXP home . . . and shutting down some stuff has really helped it.

 

It's running 98SE right now, I'm thinking of formatting and reinstalling with an absolutely stripped-down installation - no screen savers, no internet/networking stuff, nothing except the absolute essentials.