Dependable vendor of Dimension 8200 memory?

I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
256Mb.)
I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same specs
as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find someone
who can supply this.

I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they sent was
ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back the
original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes, I had
the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct memory.
This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning the
memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on
me.)

Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone, oempcworld)
seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are so
rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.

Any suggestions?

40ms should work fine. It will run at 45ms in your machine, but it is
backwards compatible. For that matter, ECC should have run just fine.
Did you try swapping the pairs into the opposite memory slots (still
keeping matched pairs, but putting the original first). Could be, I
suppose, a bad memory slot.

The challenge, as you know, is that Rambus memory is ridiculously
expensive.

Hmm, actually, according to Dell's website, your machine does require
40ms memory.

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...cs.htm#1102365

So they are giving you the proper memory.

Also, if you're paying $239 or so for 1GB (Crucial's price), then you
should seriously consider selling your machine and buying a refurbished
newer model from the outlet (http://outlet.dell.com). You can get a
nice E520 or even XPS410/Dimension 9200) for $400-500.

Tom

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greg Smithers [private.php?do=newpm&u=]
> Posted At: Thursday, May 10, 2007 1:21 AM
> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
> Conversation: Dependable vendor of Dimension 8200 memory?
> Subject: Dependable vendor of Dimension 8200 memory?
>
> I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
> modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
> 256Mb.)
> I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same
> specs
> as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find
> someone
> who can supply this.
>
> I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they
sent
> was
> ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back
> the
> original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes,
I
> had
> the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
> Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct
> memory.
> This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning
> the
> memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame
> on
> me.)
>
> Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone,
> oempcworld)
> seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are
> so
> rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.
>
> Any suggestions?

Buy used memory on E-Bay. It is --by far-- the best way, at this time,
to acquire RDRAM.

However, RDRAM modules larger than 256MB are both rare and expensive.
So expensive that you can usually buy new memory AND a new motherboard
for less than just the cost of the RDRAM memory.

PC800 RDRAM came in access speeds of both 45 and 40 nsec. The original
Intel 850 chipset worked with either, but the enhanced 850e (which would
support 1066MHz operation) required 40nSec memory when operating at
800MHz. Since 40nSec is backwards compatible and also faster, there
should be no objection to using it. In fact, it's superior to 45nSec
memory.

I don't believe that RDRAM memory modules are still being produced,
although RDRAM chips are still being produced (chips, but not modules:
RDRAM is used in a lot of devices where the chips are soldered directly
onto a motherboard). So your choices are used memory or "NOS" (new old
stock) memory.


Greg Smithers wrote:
> I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
> modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
> 256Mb.)
> I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same specs
> as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find someone
> who can supply this.
>
> I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they sent was
> ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back the
> original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes, I had
> the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
> Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct memory.
> This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning the
> memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on
> me.)
>
> Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone, oempcworld)
> seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are so
> rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
>

Dell apparently built this computer with both the 850 and the later 850e
chipset (the 8250 was built with the 850e chipset only, as far as I
know). The 850 chipset will work with either 45 or 40nSec memory, but
the later 850e was specified to require 40 nSec memory when used with a
400MHz FSB (800MHz RDRAM memory). The 850e also supported 1066MHz
operation (533MHz external physical clock), if used with a CPU that had
a 1066MHz FSB.


Tom Scales wrote:
> 40ms should work fine. It will run at 45ms in your machine, but it is
> backwards compatible. For that matter, ECC should have run just fine.
> Did you try swapping the pairs into the opposite memory slots (still
> keeping matched pairs, but putting the original first). Could be, I
> suppose, a bad memory slot.
>
> The challenge, as you know, is that Rambus memory is ridiculously
> expensive.
>
> Hmm, actually, according to Dell's website, your machine does require
> 40ms memory.
>
> http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...cs.htm#1102365
>
> So they are giving you the proper memory.
>
> Also, if you're paying $239 or so for 1GB (Crucial's price), then you
> should seriously consider selling your machine and buying a refurbished
> newer model from the outlet (http://outlet.dell.com). You can get a
> nice E520 or even XPS410/Dimension 9200) for $400-500.
>
> Tom
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Greg Smithers [private.php?do=newpm&u=]
>> Posted At: Thursday, May 10, 2007 1:21 AM
>> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
>> Conversation: Dependable vendor of Dimension 8200 memory?
>> Subject: Dependable vendor of Dimension 8200 memory?
>>
>> I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
>> modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
>> 256Mb.)
>> I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same
>> specs
>> as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find
>> someone
>> who can supply this.
>>
>> I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they
> sent
>> was
>> ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back
>> the
>> original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes,
> I
>> had
>> the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
>> Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct
>> memory.
>> This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning
>> the
>> memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame
>> on
>> me.)
>>
>> Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone,
>> oempcworld)
>> seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are
>> so
>> rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>
>

Correct. The earlier Dimension 8200's used the 850 chip set, then they
changed to the 850e chipset around June of 2002.

If it were me, because PC800 RDRAM larger than 256meg is expensive and hard
to find, I'd just remove the two 128meg modules and just populate it with
four 256meg modules to get a total of 1gig at leave it at that.

As far as ECC or Non-ECC, they normally work just fine together (as long as
you remember that ram is installed in pairs, and teh modules in each pair
have to match). Usually if you mix ECC and Non-ECC, then the system defaults
to running at Non-ECC, but you might want to look in the BIOS to see if
there is a place to specifically set the system to Non-ECC. My 8200 is at
home, so I can't check it right now.

And as Tom states, if your system is currently using 45ns memory, then 40ns
memory should work just fine right along side the slower ram.


"Barry Watzman" <> wrote in message
news:46430a3f$0$15093$...
> Dell apparently built this computer with both the 850 and the later 850e
> chipset (the 8250 was built with the 850e chipset only, as far as I know).
> The 850 chipset will work with either 45 or 40nSec memory, but the later
> 850e was specified to require 40 nSec memory when used with a 400MHz FSB
> (800MHz RDRAM memory). The 850e also supported 1066MHz operation (533MHz
> external physical clock), if used with a CPU that had a 1066MHz FSB.
>
>
> Tom Scales wrote:
>> 40ms should work fine. It will run at 45ms in your machine, but it is
>> backwards compatible. For that matter, ECC should have run just fine.
>> Did you try swapping the pairs into the opposite memory slots (still
>> keeping matched pairs, but putting the original first). Could be, I
>> suppose, a bad memory slot.
>>
>> The challenge, as you know, is that Rambus memory is ridiculously
>> expensive.
>>
>> Hmm, actually, according to Dell's website, your machine does require
>> 40ms memory.
>>
>> http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...cs.htm#1102365
>>
>> So they are giving you the proper memory.
>>
>> Also, if you're paying $239 or so for 1GB (Crucial's price), then you
>> should seriously consider selling your machine and buying a refurbished
>> newer model from the outlet (http://outlet.dell.com). You can get a
>> nice E520 or even XPS410/Dimension 9200) for $400-500.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Greg Smithers [private.php?do=newpm&u=]
>>> Posted At: Thursday, May 10, 2007 1:21 AM
>>> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
>>> Conversation: Dependable vendor of Dimension 8200 memory?
>>> Subject: Dependable vendor of Dimension 8200 memory?
>>>
>>> I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
>>> modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
>>> 256Mb.)
>>> I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same
>>> specs
>>> as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find
>>> someone
>>> who can supply this.
>>>
>>> I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they
>> sent
>>> was
>>> ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back
>>> the
>>> original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes,
>> I
>>> had
>>> the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
>>> Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct
>>> memory.
>>> This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning
>>> the
>>> memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame
>>> on
>>> me.)
>>>
>>> Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone,
>>> oempcworld)
>>> seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are
>>> so
>>> rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions?
>>

On Thu, 10 May 2007 05:21:26 GMT, "Greg Smithers"
<> wrote:

>I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
>modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
>256Mb.)
>I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same specs
>as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find someone
>who can supply this.
>
>I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they sent was
>ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back the
>original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes, I had
>the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
>Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct memory.
>This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning the
>memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on
>me.)
>
>Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone, oempcworld)
>seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are so
>rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.
>
>Any suggestions?

The only company I ever buy memory from is Crucial Technology. They
are owned by Micron, and provide memory to companies like Dell and
Intel. Their prices may not always be the lowest available, but as
far as I am concerned, they are the best in the business.


--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

PC 800-40 works perfectly well alongside PC800-45. The rule of thumb with
RAMBUS is similar to almost all other types of memory. Memory faster than
required by motherboard specs will work, but slower will not. PC800-40 is more
expensive than PC800-45, because it works with the 8250, Precision 350 and other
RAMBUS systems which have a P4 CPU running with a 533MHz FSB.

Mixing ECC and non-ECC sometimes works perfectly, sometimes not. The 8200 and
8250 do not require ECC, but should run OK with it. All ECC RAMBUS would
probably be OK in the 8200.

I keep a small collection of RAMBUS memory here for sale, tested and paired and
ready to go... Ben Myers

On Thu, 10 May 2007 05:21:26 GMT, "Greg Smithers" <>
wrote:

>I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
>modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
>256Mb.)
>I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same specs
>as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find someone
>who can supply this.
>
>I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they sent was
>ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back the
>original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes, I had
>the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
>Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct memory.
>This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning the
>memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on
>me.)
>
>Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone, oempcworld)
>seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are so
>rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.
>
>Any suggestions?
>

Sony consumes RAMBUS chips in its video games. Intel froze out RAMBUS memory
by no longer designing motherboard chipsets for it after the 850e. This was in
response to some unethical dealings by RAMBUS, turning over intellectual
property to the industry JEDEC consortium, and, whoops!, not telling anyone at
the time that the IP was patented. RAMBUS subsequently extracted (a kinder
gentler word) royalty payments from major memory manufacturers who incorporated
some RAMBUS IP into their newer DDR memory designs. Several manufacturers ended
up being sued by RAMBUS, and others settled out of court. This ****ed off the
whole computer-memory industry, and Intel played its role as kingmaker, after
annointing RAMBUS years earlier as a leading edge memory design with its 820 and
850 chipset families. This all started back in the early to mid '90s, and I
recall meeting with one of the RAMBUS folk at Vegas Comdex. RAMBUS makes most
of its revenue collecting royalties, even today. AFAIK, no company is actively
manufacturing sticks of RDRAM any more... Ben Myers

On Thu, 10 May 2007 08:00:06 -0400, Barry Watzman <>
wrote:

>Buy used memory on E-Bay. It is --by far-- the best way, at this time,
>to acquire RDRAM.
>
>However, RDRAM modules larger than 256MB are both rare and expensive.
>So expensive that you can usually buy new memory AND a new motherboard
>for less than just the cost of the RDRAM memory.
>
>PC800 RDRAM came in access speeds of both 45 and 40 nsec. The original
>Intel 850 chipset worked with either, but the enhanced 850e (which would
>support 1066MHz operation) required 40nSec memory when operating at
>800MHz. Since 40nSec is backwards compatible and also faster, there
>should be no objection to using it. In fact, it's superior to 45nSec
>memory.
>
>I don't believe that RDRAM memory modules are still being produced,
>although RDRAM chips are still being produced (chips, but not modules:
>RDRAM is used in a lot of devices where the chips are soldered directly
>onto a motherboard). So your choices are used memory or "NOS" (new old
>stock) memory.
>
>
>Greg Smithers wrote:
>> I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
>> modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
>> 256Mb.)
>> I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same specs
>> as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find someone
>> who can supply this.
>>
>> I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they sent was
>> ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back the
>> original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes, I had
>> the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
>> Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct memory.
>> This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning the
>> memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on
>> me.)
>>
>> Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone, oempcworld)
>> seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are so
>> rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>>
>>

Crucial does not sell RDRAM, because Micron does not manufacture it, and never
did... Ben Myers

On Thu, 10 May 2007 06:44:46 -0700, Dick <> wrote:

>On Thu, 10 May 2007 05:21:26 GMT, "Greg Smithers"
><> wrote:
>
>>I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
>>modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
>>256Mb.)
>>I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same specs
>>as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find someone
>>who can supply this.
>>
>>I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they sent was
>>ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back the
>>original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes, I had
>>the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
>>Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct memory.
>>This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning the
>>memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on
>>me.)
>>
>>Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone, oempcworld)
>>seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are so
>>rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.
>>
>>Any suggestions?
>
>The only company I ever buy memory from is Crucial Technology. They
>are owned by Micron, and provide memory to companies like Dell and
>Intel. Their prices may not always be the lowest available, but as
>far as I am concerned, they are the best in the business.

Crucial (Micron) never made RDRAM for "political" reasons. They also
never sold it until recently, but it's made by someone else. [And the
fact that they have only recently offered it .... years after it stopped
being used .... is very curious.]

[Rambus has two legal actions pending against Micron (and a number of
other firms), one for patent infringement, and one for antitrust.
Damages could exceed $10 BILLION if Micron loses, and it is likely that
Micron will lose.]


Dick wrote:
> On Thu, 10 May 2007 05:21:26 GMT, "Greg Smithers"
> <> wrote:
>
>> I have a Dimension 8200 (400Mhz front-side bus), currently having two
>> modules of 128Mb RDRAM, PC-800, non-ECC, 45ns access time. (Total ram
>> 256Mb.)
>> I would like to install an additional 1Gb, of course matching the same specs
>> as the original memory. I am having a hellish time trying to find someone
>> who can supply this.
>>
>> I placed an order with one vendor (memorysuppliers), but what they sent was
>> ECC. It worked fine when in the PC by itself, but when I added back the
>> original memory, the system would sometimes hang when booting. (Yes, I had
>> the ECC paired in one bank and the non-ECC in the other bank.)
>> Spoke to their rep, who assured me they would send me the correct memory.
>> This time I got non-ECC, but the access time was 40ns. I'm returning the
>> memory for refund. (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on
>> me.)
>>
>> Other vendor sites I've looked (crucial, memorystock, 4allinone, oempcworld)
>> seem to either sell only ECC, or only 40ns memory, or their prices are so
>> rediculously low that I suspect the quality of the product.
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>
> The only company I ever buy memory from is Crucial Technology. They
> are owned by Micron, and provide memory to companies like Dell and
> Intel. Their prices may not always be the lowest available, but as
> far as I am concerned, they are the best in the business.
>
>