Inspiron 1720 with 6GB RAM Tested

[frenchglen]

Fabulous post and useful thread to read through!

Question: the Vostro 1700 is same hardware as Inspiron 1720, but BIOS is not necessarily the same. It also has later BIOS updates, up to "AO7" - anyone know if Vostro AO7 would also take 6GB? Don't want to waste money on a 4GB DIMM!!

[Tsunade_Hime]

It should. Try buying a 4 GB stick from a brick and mortar store with a good return policy and test it out.

[The_Snowman]

See my previous posts back a bit; over a year since I posted here and my Dell 1720 still going very strong with 6GB RAM, the SSD is real fast too

PS - don't tell but I've been hanging out over on the HP 17" ENVY 3D thread

[frenchglen]

i like your sig The_Snowman

Question: I feel like replacing *both* original SO-DIMMS in my Vostro (as it's better if they are matched, right?), so if I get a pair of nice 4GB crucial or G.SKILL sticks, will this be possible and the second DIMM will simply be reduced in my BIOS to a reported 2GB to give the total 6GB? Or, even if this worked, does the BIOS utilising half a stick give a LESSOR result (performance-wise) than "fully" using a 2GB chip?

Either way I definitely want to replace both of my old RAM sticks as SOMETHING in my Vostro is causing problems - the machine is still not what it used to be, even after a windows reinstall (granted I DID copy all files from the old hard disk over so maybe it's OS problems), but I'm replacing the CPU with T9500 this week too. did a bit of dusting out too.

And yes I would prefer 2 x 4GB if possible cos hey maybe some day someone will hack the BIOS to allow the full 8GB or dell issue some update, and happy me, even more RAM. And yes I do use Photoshop and similar massive RAM chewing production apps, so I just want to know whether two 4GB DIMMS will work in my Vostro?

[The_Snowman]

i like your sig The_Snowman

Question: I feel like replacing *both* original SO-DIMMS in my Vostro (as it's better if they are matched, right?), so if I get a pair of nice 4GB crucial or G.SKILL sticks, will this be possible and the second DIMM will simply be reduced in my BIOS to a reported 2GB to give the total 6GB? Or, even if this worked, does the BIOS utilising half a stick give a LESSOR result (performance-wise) than "fully" using a 2GB chip?

Either way I definitely want to replace both of my old RAM sticks as SOMETHING in my Vostro is causing problems - the machine is still not what it used to be, even after a windows reinstall (granted I DID copy all files from the old hard disk over so maybe it's OS problems), but I'm replacing the CPU with T9500 this week too. did a bit of dusting out too.

And yes I would prefer 2 x 4GB if possible cos hey maybe some day someone will hack the BIOS to allow the full 8GB or dell issue some update, and happy me, even more RAM. And yes I do use Photoshop and similar massive RAM chewing production apps, so I just want to know whether two 4GB DIMMS will work in my Vostro?

Have you read Post #1 ? It has been tried and didn't work but don't let that stop you there are tests there showing how it does use the 6GB just fine

[frenchglen]

Have you read Post #1 ? It has been tried and didn't work but don't let that stop you there are tests there showing how it does use the 6GB just fine

I'm sorry, what are you referring to there?

I don't think his post addresses my question ("Question: I feel like replacing *both* original DIMMS....."), otherwise i wouldn't have asked it...

He didn't mention installing TWO 4GB DIMMS, and if anything he confirmed that either DIMM can have a 4GB in it and it works fine (with the Inspiron, anyway!)

But my question is whether the vostro's BIOS would smoothly use 6GB of an *8GB* (physical) pair, or whether there would be problems with that...OP didn't test this...

In fact i think I remember reading on some thread (can't find it) that people were having problems with "8gb" but were ok with 6gb [whether that meant they just couldn't get 8gb, or whether 8gb was causing problems, I don't know...they may have been referring to this very thread and meant the latter...I don't know, this is not well-documented knowledge!]

[The_Snowman]

I'm sorry, what are you referring to there?

I don't think his post addresses my question ("Question: I feel like replacing *both* original DIMMS....."), otherwise i wouldn't have asked it...

He didn't mention installing TWO 4GB DIMMS, and if anything he confirmed that either DIMM can have a 4GB in it and it works fine (with the Inspiron, anyway!)

But my question is whether the vostro's BIOS would smoothly use 6GB of an *8GB* (physical) pair, or whether there would be problems with that...OP didn't test this...

In fact i think I remember reading on some thread (can't find it) that people were having problems with "8gb" but were ok with 6gb [whether that meant they just couldn't get 8gb, or whether 8gb was causing problems, I don't know...they may have been referring to this very thread and meant the latter...I don't know, this is not well-documented knowledge!]

Please post your results here

[frenchglen]

gahhhhh.....

ok.

guineau pig time...squeek squeek! going where no guinea pig has gone before. [8gb pair of ram in vostro 1700]

i can't find a brick and mortar store in london [nah i'm not a pom :P] that looks like they stock a 4GB PC2-5300 DIMM (let alone have generous ram returning policy).....sigh

[The_Snowman]

gahhhhh.....

ok.

guineau pig time...squeek squeek! going where no guinea pig has gone before. [8gb pair of ram in vostro 1700]

i can't find a brick and mortar store in london [nah i'm not a pom :P] that looks like they stock a 4GB PC2-5300 DIMM (let alone have generous ram returning policy).....sigh

I was lucky and scored mine off E-Bay but this store has them

MEMORY-C IRELAND

[frenchglen]

I was lucky and scored mine off E-Bay but this store has them

MEMORY-C IRELAND

yeah that seems a superb deal. bought. squeek