Help with a Dimension 8200 Memory and Freezing
in [Dell]
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From: Ben Myers on 7 Feb 2010 14:07 On 2/7/2010 1:50 PM, Steve W. wrote: > Sam wrote: >> >> The system disk for this system is long gone and I wouldn't know what to >> order. However, the Dell website is pretty good as you know. I visitm it >> and plug in the service code for the system. >> And I'll clean the fans& heat sinks. >> That's for the informative walt down memory lane re: RDRAM. >> >> >> Sam >> > > Using an 8200 to type this. > This one had a freezing problem a LONG time ago. (still in warranty) at > the time I ran through a lot of tests and determined it was a bad > motherboard. > Dell sent me an updated one and it has been fine since. > Although I have replaced the OEM video card and the hard drives and the > fan. Other than that it just keeps going. Not the fastest machine in the > world but for the web and E-Mail it''s fine. > > FYI the 8200 can handle up to 1 gig of memory. > > The 8200 can handle up to 2GB of memory, with 4x512MB... Ben
From: Steve W. on 7 Feb 2010 16:46 Ben Myers wrote: > On 2/7/2010 1:50 PM, Steve W. wrote: >> Sam wrote: >>> >>> The system disk for this system is long gone and I wouldn't know what to >>> order. However, the Dell website is pretty good as you know. I >>> visitm it >>> and plug in the service code for the system. >>> And I'll clean the fans& heat sinks. >>> That's for the informative walt down memory lane re: RDRAM. >>> >>> >>> Sam >>> >> >> Using an 8200 to type this. >> This one had a freezing problem a LONG time ago. (still in warranty) at >> the time I ran through a lot of tests and determined it was a bad >> motherboard. >> Dell sent me an updated one and it has been fine since. >> Although I have replaced the OEM video card and the hard drives and the >> fan. Other than that it just keeps going. Not the fastest machine in the >> world but for the web and E-Mail it''s fine. >> >> FYI the 8200 can handle up to 1 gig of memory. >> >> > > The 8200 can handle up to 2GB of memory, with 4x512MB... Ben The book I on the 400 FSB models shows 1Gb as the max. Online shows that the later 533 FSB units could go to 2 Gig. Guess it depends on which one the OP has. -- Steve W.
From: William R. Walsh on 7 Feb 2010 23:17 Hi! > What kind of memory does it use? RDRAM, probably PC800. > I'm thinking I can probably pick up memory on eBay for it. You can, but it will be very, very expensive. You could be better off planning for a newer system. Lots of nice secondhand systems out there, including the later (and blessedly RDRAM free) Dimension 8300 and 8400. > The PC freezes up infrequently and I want to try a memory upgrade > first. How hard does it freeze? Do you lose all control (can't move the mouse, keyboard "lock" LEDs don't go on and off when you hit the respective keys) or does it seem like the system is just trying to come up for air (hard disk light on solid, lots of "churning" sounds)? You could have a failing hard drive, but I'd strongly advise you NOT to run CHKDSK on it. CHKDSK is a brutish tool that will favor file system correction over your data, which it will toss aside with reckless abandon in order to put the file system "right" again. The disk manufacturer's diagnostic, HDAT2 or even GRC SpinRite would be a MUCH better idea. William
From: RnR on 8 Feb 2010 07:28 On Sat, 6 Feb 2010 15:10:19 -0500, "Sam" <sasdfas09(a)lkuy.com> wrote: >Hi, I pulled out an old Dell Dimension 8200 w/ 512mb ram and Win Xp Pro and >updated w/ sp3, Windows Essentials and all the other updates. >What kind of memory does it use? I want to upgrade to 2gb if I ncan. >I'm thinking I can probably pick up memory on eBay for it. > >The PC freezes up infrequently and I want to try a memory upgrade first. > >Thanks > >Sam > Just in case you decide you don't want to risk the data and to add to William's post, you might want to make a backup to another physical drive before any hard drive diags/testing. And I agree with William that Spinrite as well as some HD mfgrs diags are likely the best choices to run tests on your hard drive before any others. Often you can download the mfgr HD diags for free from their website. Spinrite in the past was not free (not sure now).
From: Ben Myers on 8 Feb 2010 09:23
On 2/8/2010 7:28 AM, RnR wrote: > On Sat, 6 Feb 2010 15:10:19 -0500, "Sam"<sasdfas09(a)lkuy.com> wrote: > >> Hi, I pulled out an old Dell Dimension 8200 w/ 512mb ram and Win Xp Pro and >> updated w/ sp3, Windows Essentials and all the other updates. >> What kind of memory does it use? I want to upgrade to 2gb if I ncan. >> I'm thinking I can probably pick up memory on eBay for it. >> >> The PC freezes up infrequently and I want to try a memory upgrade first. >> >> Thanks >> >> Sam >> > > Just in case you decide you don't want to risk the data and to add to > William's post, you might want to make a backup to another physical > drive before any hard drive diags/testing. And I agree with William > that Spinrite as well as some HD mfgrs diags are likely the best > choices to run tests on your hard drive before any others. Often you > can download the mfgr HD diags for free from their website. Spinrite > in the past was not free (not sure now). As a quick overall test of hard drive sanity, HDAT2 is very good because it allows one to view the SMART data, especially the info maintained by the drive about relocated sectors, pending relocated sectors, maximum temperature of the drive ever, etc. The only fly in the ointment is that some drive manufacturers do not comply with the alleged industry standard for SMART, so there will sometimes be wildly improbable SMART values, as with Fujitsu drives. As far as I know, EVERY hard drive manufacturer still in business today EXCEPT TOSHIBA has a free download of diagnostics for its brand of drives. And Toshiba? Who knows? They ain't talking. This is one very good reason not to specify or buy Toshiba drives, which coincidentally seem to have worse reliability than other 2.5" drives. .... Ben Myers |