CPU and RAM

S

s134k

Geek Trainee
hello,
I am just wondering if anyone here could please tell me how I would tell what type of memory a CPU uses.

Say for example I buy a processor, that has no mention of RAM on it, how would I know what type of RAM it uses (i.e.: SD, DDR, etc.)?

I recently won a used AMD Athlon XP 2400+ (T-Bred) processor on eBay. I plan on attempting to use it to build a new computer, as I am currently a (self taught) C programmer, I think building a computer would be a good learning experience to learn more about the hardware side of things. I've recently done some simple things such as replacing this computer's CPU with a newer/faster one, and adding more sticks of RAM, so I am not a total newb when it comes to this.

I've got some good (Socket A) motherboards lying around here (some of them actually better than what I am using now), some of which appear to support both SD and DDR RAM. I know the processor that I won on ebay has a 133MHz FSB, so I know I will probably need PC133 RAM for it, however I don't know if that RAM should be SD or DDR. To be specific, here is the exact eBay listing:

eBay.ca: AMD ATHLON 2400 XP T-BRED SOCKET A CPU DKV3C GUARANTEED (item 120080670781 end time 02-Feb-07 17:30:00 EST)

Could I use PC133 SDRAM for this processor?

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance. :)
 
ok ,the type of ram a pc uses IS NOT dependent on the CPU it is dependent of the motherboard so depending on the motherboard you will know usually just take a ram stick out and look at it and it will have sticker such as
Pc 100
Pc 133
DDR
ddr2

Pc 100 and 133 are somewhat compatible from what I have used it with but not always

DDR is all compatible with it different speed like DDR 266 and another speed are compatible

DDR2 is the same as DDR in it compatibly

DDR and DDR2 are not compatible with each other

it makes feel good when i can teach pepole and im in 8th grade
 
and so it will dpend on the motherboard but juding from your FSB it will be PC 133 not DDR ,but i cant be positive ,maybe their a strange universe if werid proc ,so look up info on your motherboards

or tell me model name and number
 
the specific motherboard I'd like to use (KT2 Combo MS-6764) appears to support PC2100 (266MHz) DDR RAM according to ramfinder.com. as I said the FSB speed of the processor I will be recieving is 133MHz, however I believe it uses Double Data Rate, making the effective system bus speed 266MHz, which seems to match up ok with the PC2100 266MHz DDR RAM.

I think I now see my options. I could either use SDRAM and have a maximum of 1GB (biggest stick of PC133 SDRAM = 512MB, and there are 2 SDRAM slots in the mobo), or use DDR and have a maximum of 2GB (biggest stick of PC2100 DDR = 1GB, and there are 2 DDR slots in the mobo). Both my motherboard and processor look like they would support both options.

Am I correct here?

All help here is greatly appreciated, I just don't want to make the mistake of buying the wrong parts. :doh:
 
it is a mobo not a CPU that determins the type of RAM a system uses (as OJ said) please check Big B's Sticky
also using the CPU speed as a guide
s134 said:
Athlon XP 2400+
Click to expand...
i would guess the RAM that is compatible with your system is:
  • PC2100 or DDR266
  • PC2700 or DDR333
& possibly even PC1600 or DDR 200
BTW: SDRAM is DDR RAM, DDR is just faster
s134k said:
Could I use PC133 SDRAM for this processor?
Click to expand...
no
 
oh wow, thanks donkey, good thing I didn't get that PC133 SDRAM last night. :x:

yeah, DDR is actually "DDR SDRAM". I'll go for the PC2100 (DDR266), probably a 1GB stick. :)

Thanks all for the help.
 
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