[nylug-talk] Any way to tell memory speed from command line?

[David Rosenstrauch]

jh wrote:
> First, see this:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR_SDRAM
> 
> There is no such thing as PC2700 that runs at 266mhz.
> 
> A few things to keep in mind:
> 
> * Some chipsets allow async memory access - so that the memory speed and 
> the FSB don't have to match.
> 
> * DDR is backwards compatible. You can stick PC3200 in there and it'll 
> be fine (and may be useful in another context). For example, my everyday 
> box is a P4 2.4ghz with 533mhz FSB. Also a Dell. I stuck in generic 
> PC3200 to upgrade, and all is well. Plus, it'll be fine in the AMD box 
> that I intend to build (waiting for the price of the "old" chips to 
> totally decline).
> 
> * You only need memory as fast as the CPU needs it to be. If this is an 
> old Pentium IV or Celeron, it probably has a 400mhz FSB (really 100mhz 
> x4), so PC1600 or above would be suitable. If it has a 533mhz FSB, then 
> PC2100 or above is suitable. If an 800mhz FSB, then PC3200 is suitable.
> 
> What does the dmesg say in regards to the chipset and CPU?
> 
> jh

Thanks much!  Very helpful.

The machine is a (pretty old) Intel P4, with a 400MHz FSB.  So 
apparently, PC3200 should be OK with it.

Nevertheless, I think it may have shipped with PC2100.  (Though I won't 
be able to verify this till tonight.)

And I seem to remember that up until recently both Dell and Crucial - 
for whatever reason - were only recommending max PC2700 with it.  (Who 
knows why?  Wacky proprietary Dell stuff maybe?)


Anyway the reason I'm asking all this is because I'm replacing one of 
the 2 sticks in the box, and I'd like the sticks to have matching specs. 
  Was hoping I could find out the info I need remotely so I could take 
care of this today, without having to go home crack open the box and 
peek at the other stick.  I can wait though.

Thanks again,

DR